Main: classic, Bamberg – Aschaffenburg

Cycling among grapes and hops.

The Main Bike Trail from Bamberg to Aschaffenburg.

This most booked Main bike tour starts in the world cultural heritage in Bamberg, very fascinating with its unique historical townscape. You cycle on to the Franconian wine-growing lands until you reach the residence of Würzburg, also classified UNESCO world cultural heritage in 1982. From here on, the landscape will change slowly as the vineyards disappear in favour of the green forests of the Spessart. On paved bike trails and always staying close to the Main, you will pass numerous lovely villages sticking out thanks to their neat half-timbered constructions. Short stages and many worthwhile breaks make this trip especially enjoyable.

1. day Bamberg arrival

Once you've arrived, take the time to discover the old city, with its breweries and churches. We recommend seeing the Kaiserdom with its world-famous sculptures, such as the Bamberg knight and Heinrich II's sarcophagus.

2. day Bamberg - Schweinfurt 61 km

Follow the Regnitz for a short moment until you reach the Main River, taking you now to the beautiful pilgrimage church Maria Limbach. You will soon reach the first vineyards marking the border between the beer-brewing and the wine-growing areas of Franconia. Enjoy a sunny day in Haßfurt where another historical Old-town will impress you. A short side-trip to Theres is recommendable today: After a nice break there, you will continue along the edge of the Main to Schweinfurt. Discover the vestiges of the ancient imperial town and walk on the footprints of the industrial pioneers and discoverers and let the modern Schweinfurt treat you!

3. day Schweinfurt - Volkach 30 km

Passing numerous vineyards, you will cycle through the small, historic wine-growing town Wipfeld, home of the "Zehntgraf". Take a relaxing break here and marvel at the precious old buildings of the town and its idyllic situation. In the afternoon, you will cross Fahr, town of the Bocksbeutel (the local wine is sold in this unique kind of container), to reach Volkach, famous for its excellent wines!

4. day Volkach - Würzburg 65 km

After leaving Volkach you'll head away from the Main for a bit, following canals until you make it back to the Main in Schwarzach. The level, well-paved bike route means you'll be in Würzburg in no time, leaving plenty of opportunities to tour the city in the afternoon. Do not miss to visit the Residence of Würzburg with its garden and the Festung Marienberg.

5. day Würzburg - Lohr 60 km

On your way to Karlstadt and its famous downtown area, you'll pass through Veitshöchheim, getting a chance to see the bishop's summer residence, as well as the French rococo garden. The look of the countryside is changing: instead of the characteristic vines there are shady forests directly at the bicycle path. On flat paths you cycle to Gemünden, the town of the three rivers or further on to Lohr.

6. day Lohr - Wertheim 46 km

The Main took millions of years to carve out the close-packed hills of the area. Thankfully, your trip will not take that long. After you pass Rothenfels, whose castle guards the narrow valley, you'll reach Marktheidenfeld and, finally, Wertheim. Take some time to see the beautiful half-timbered houses in the old city during your stay here.

7. day Wertheim - Aschaffenburg 36/51/77 km

On flat trails you will bike swiftly among the flat hills of the Spessart and Odenwald to Miltenberg (36 km) with its stately half-timbered houses. You can either spend the night there (please let us know at booking) or shorten the cycling distance by taking the train to Aschaffenburg (direct train, aprox. 45 min., ticket not included in the tour price). Again vast vineyards will come into view. Enjoy cycling on the flat trail to Klingenberg (51 km), where you can take the train to Aschaffenburg, too. The Main bike trail stays flat and asphalted, providing relaxed cycling even on your last kilometers to Aschaffenburg (77 km), where the sandstone castle Johannisburg welcomes you.

8. day Aschaffenburg departure

After breakfast your nice cycle holiday ends in Aschaffenburg. Departure is possible by German railway. We recommend our transfer service back to Bamberg (departure every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 9 a.m., duration about 3 hours, pre-booking is necessary).

Worth knowing about your Main bike trip

Please find more information about the Main bike trip below. If you have any further questions feel free to contact us by phone: 0049 - (0) 6421 - 886890.

Arrival by train

Bamberg is easily accessible from all major cities in Germany by train. We recommend to take a taxi from the station to get to our partner hotels in Bamberg. Current schedule information and price information can be found at: www.bahn.de

Parking facilities at the hotel

In our partner hotels in the center of Bamberg usually there is no parking. Here you can park for about 8.00 EUR per day in public car parks. Detailed information on parking at the hotel booked for you, you will receive together with the detailed travel documents two weeks prior to departure.

Condition of cycle paths

As Germany's first bike route the Main bike trail got awarded with five stars by ADFC in 2008. Important criteria for this award were the almost universal asphalting and the nearly traffic-free routes. The specially signposted cycle track runs mostly every time directly at the Main riverside and is without significant gradients.

Available rental bikes

If you choose to rent a velociped-rental bike for the tour, we take it to your first hotel and bring pick it up at your destination. You can choose between woman’s and men's bicycles either with 7-speed gear shift and coaster brake or 21-speed gear shift and freewheel or electric bikes. All ladies' bikes have a low opening that makes mounting and dismounting much easier. The bikes are suitable for all ladies from 150 cm in height and for all gentlemen from 165 cm in height. You simply specify your wishes at time of booking.

Velociped rental bikes

Transfer back to the starting point of the journey

Wednesday, Sundays and Sunday at 9:00 am there is the possibility to transfer back to Bamberg with a small bus (with bike trailer). Arrival at noon. The driver comes to pick you up at your hotel and has much room for you, your luggage and (when required) your own bicycle. The bus takes you back to your first hotel, thus ensuring a perfect return service without transfer and the hassle of hauling luggage.

Extra costs which are not included in the tour price

A possibly applicable tourism tax is not included in the tour price and has to be paid locally.

7 day hotline service

Just in case the bike chain breaks, flooding makes it impossible to continue your tour or any
other nasty surprise: You can reach us seven days a week and we will do anything to help
you as fast as possible.

Passport and visa requirements, health regulations

For EU citizens, there are no special passport or visa requirements and no health formalities to be considered for this trip.

Corona travel information:
Before booking your trip, please inform yourself about the measures in place to contain the Corona pandemic.

Information on current decisions of the German Federal Government can be found here:
https://www.bundesregierung.de/corona-these-rules-and-restrictions-apply

Current information on entry requirements to Germany can be found here:
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/coronavirus

You can also find more information on our website at:
Corona virus and holiday planning

Travel insurance

The tour price already includes the statutory insolvency insurance. In addition, we recommend that you take out travel cancellation insurance upon receipt of your travel confirmation in order to protect yourself against financial disadvantages in the event of travel cancellation, interruption of travel, illness or accident.

Bamberg

As visitors wander through the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bamberg, they are particularly enchanted by the city's many different facets. In the hill city Bamberg portrays itself as the Franconian Rome, the island city with Little Venice is its lively heart, the market gardeners' district a part of town steeped in tradition. Bamberg, this means beer from nine breweries within the city, supped in traditional brewery pubs, this means shopping in modern shops and a historical atmosphere. And in the Old Town everything is very close together: Explore the imperial cathedral just a few minutes from your hotel or holiday apartment!

Bamberg

Maria Limbach Pilgrimage Church

The Limbach pilgrimage church is an impressive testimony to Balthasar Neumann's art of creating great architecture with little effort. Above all, the light and playful design as a double-shell room with a gallery entrance characterizes Neumann's last church construction and shows him as a splendid example of late Baroque. While the exterior façade seems to have calmed down in classicist style, the interior is full of cheerful rococo stucco and sumptuous furnishings.

Maria Limbach Pilgrimage Church

Hassfurt

The large treasure of architectural monuments: the historic, newly renovated town hall, the two-towered parish church, the chapel, the two gate towers that delimit the old town, the town hall, which is of supraregional importance as a venue for conferences, concerts and cultural events enjoy, and the main promenade.

Hassfurt

Schweinfurt

Inmitten des Fränkischen Weinlands, umrahmt von Rhön, Steigerwald und Hassbergen, liegt die ehemals freie Reichsstadt Schweinfurt. Beim Rundgang durch das Zentrum entdeckt man liebevoll sanierte Winkel der Altstadt, das Rathaus (1570 - 72 erbaut von Nikolaus Hofmann), Marktplatz mit Geburtshaus des Dichters Friedrich Rückert, St. Johannis Kirche, Museen und Galerien der Stadt Schweinfurt oder Schrotturm sind nur einige Sehenswürdigkeiten. 

Schweinfurt

Schweinfurt

Volkach

The small, historic city on the Main is an important wine and tourist resort in the Franconian wine-growing region. Volkach and the Mainschleife is unique in Germany because only here the Main has formed this loop. The Mainschleife is also the wine, fruit and asparagus region in the Franconian wine country. Winemakers and wine festivals invite wine tasting everywhere. In autumn, the grape harvest is on. From a culinary point of view, there is a distinctive cuisine. Typical Franconian dishes or exclusive asparagus and fish dishes with the matching wines are on the menu.

Volkach

Würzburg

‘If I could choose my place of birth, I would consider Würzburg’, wrote author Hermann Hesse, and it’s not difficult to see why. This scenic town straddles the Main River and is renowned for its art, architecture and delicate wines.

Founded in the 10th century, Würzburg served as the home of powerful prince-bishops for many centuries. It is renowned for the Residence, regarded as one of the finest palaces in Europe and a high point of Baroque art (also UNESCO cultural world heritage). Würzburg is also home to one of the oldest churches in Germany, built in the 8th century on top of a former pagan shrine. One of its most famous structures, Festung Marienberg, is a fortress which now surrounds the church.

Würzburg

Würzburg Residence

The Residence Palace is one of Europe’s most renowned Baroque castles and has been registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1981. The castle was built by Balthasar Neumann and includes a much acclaimed staircase with awe inspiring frescos by the Venetian artist Tiepolo.

Würzburg Residence

Veitshöchheim Palace and Court Garden

The summer palace of the Würzburg Prince-Bishops, built in 1680/82, was enlarged in 1753 by Balthasar Neumann.  The rooms furnished in 1810 for Grand Duke Ferdinand of Tuscany with their rare paper wall-coverings are a highlight of the interior. 

The famous Rococo garden, a magnificent creation with lakes and waterworks, dates from the reign of Prince-Bishop Adam Friedrich von Seinsheim (1755-1779). It is populated by over 200 sandstone sculptures of gods, animals and allegorical figures by the court sculptors Ferdinand Tietz and Johann Peter Wagner.

From 1702 a flower garden was created which formed roughly a square around the "Summer Residence", the present palace. It was entered from the Dorfstrasse and on this side was designed around the main entrance and drive as the front garden of the palace. On the north side was a kitchen garden with a carp pond and on the south side a long garden full of trees, where pheasants and deer were kept.

Veitshöchheim Palace and Court Garden

Lohr - Town of Snow White

In Lohr locals will tell you references of the Snow White tale. The “Gate of Spessart” which is thought to have been the opening to the escape route for Snow White as she vanished “on seven hills”, the Mountain Trail (Wieser Strabe). The journey through the seven Spessart Mountains from Lohr would have taken her to the kingdom of the Seven Dwarfs.

Lohr - Town of Snow White

Wertheim

The town of Wertheim-am-Main is located along the banks of the Main River, where it meets the River Tauber. With a population of just over 24,000 inhabitants, Wertheim is a picturesque, medieval German city that is perfectly suited to arriving river cruise passengers.

First mentioned in 779, Wertheim underwent several name changes throughout the intervening centuries before officially receiving township status in 1976.

Wertheim

Wertheim Castle

Once the domicile of the Counts of Wertheim the fortress (extension during 15th to 17th century) is one of the most picturesque ruins in Germany with a deep moat and impressive bulwark. In 1618 the castle was partly destroyed by an explosion; during the Thirty Years' War in 1634 and 1647 it was under heavy fire. Today the castle is owned by the Community of Wertheim growing into a more and more attractive setting for cultural events.

Wertheim Castle

Aschaffenburg

Whatever the season Aschaffenburg is always worth a visit, whether for the magnolia blossom in spring, for Pompeiianum Palace in summer, for Bavaria's oldest English landscaped park in autumn, or for the works of Cranach, Grünewald, Kirchner and Schad in winter. And with Aschaffenburg being a compact town, you can discover its many sights on foot.

The route from Johannisburg Palace to the town hall is a labyrinth of narrow alleys, where traditional bars and quaint restaurants occupy pretty little half-timbered buildings.

The Johannisburg  palace, made of red sandstone, is one of the most significant and beautiful Renaissance buildings in Germany. Its unique features include the chapel (complete with Renaissance altar, pulpit and portal sculptures by Hans Juncker), the royal living quarters, the world's largest collection of architectural models made from cork, the state gallery with paintings by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Palace Museum of Aschaffenburg that houses works by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Christian Schad.

Aschaffenburg

Pompejanum Aschaffenburg

This replica of a Roman villa was built at the behest of King Ludwig I, who was inspired by the excavations in Pompeii, and it is the only one of its kind in the world. Architect Friedrich von Gärtner did not overlook a single detail in his design of the atrium and interior. The exquisite frescoes and floor mosaics, for example, give art lovers an ideal replica from which to broaden their understanding of classical culture. The Pompeiianum was badly damaged during the Second World War but reopened in 1994 following several phases of restoration. Since then it has been used to exhibit original Roman works of art from the holdings of the State Antiquities Collections and the Glyptothek in Munich.

Pompejanum Aschaffenburg

Schloss Johannisburg Aschaffenburg

Schloss Johannisburg, bis 1803 die zweite Residenz der Mainzer Kurerzbischöfe, liegt im Zentrum Aschaffenburgs am Ufer des Mains. Die gewaltige Vierflügelanlage, 1605 bis 1614 unter Kurerzbischof Johann Schweikard von Kronberg errichtet, gehört zu den bedeutendsten Schlossbauten der deutschen Renaissance. Nach den schweren Zerstörungen im Zweiten Weltkrieg musste zunächst das Äußere des Schlosses wiederhergestellt werden, bevor 1964 die ersten Schauräume und Sammlungen mit den geretteten Ausstattungsstücken neu eröffnet werden konnten. Zu besichtigen sind eine Gemäldegalerie mit Werken von Lucas Cranach d. Ä. (Zweigmuseum der Bayerischen Staatsgemäldesammlungen), die Schlosskapelle mit Renaissancealtar, Kanzel und Portalskulpturen von Hans Juncker, die Paramentenkammer mit Ornaten aus dem ehemaligen Mainzer Domschatz und vieles Mehr.

Schloss Johannisburg Aschaffeburg