Main: laid-back tour, Bamberg – Aschaffenburg

The Old-town of Bamberg will capture right after your arrival and make you want to visit every corner of its UNESCO world cultural heritage. 

Follow the Regnitz for a short moment until you reaching 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. Let a sunny day come to its end 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!

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!

Leaving Volkach behind, you will follow the Main-channel before catching up to the Main River again in Schwarzach. By the side of the channel, you will have the chance to make a stop in Dettelbach, whose city wall has been preserved almost completely. It still has its 30 towers and both gates, making you want to take a walk around. The impressive St. Augustinus church in the centre of the Old-town with its two unequal towers is just as beautiful as the pilgrimage church Maria im Sand, known all over Europe as a unique example of architecture from the Late-Gothic and Renaissance period. After this visit in Dettelbach, you will reach Kitzingen in no time thanks to the well-paved and even Main-bike trail. Another historical Old-Town and more wine in Germanys oldest wine cellar wait for you here.

How to find out which one of these lovely places with their wine-growing traditions is the most beautiful one? There will not be very much time to think about it as Ochsenfurt, Sommerhausen and Eibelstadt are waiting for you now on your way to the amazing residence of Würzburg. The market place, the town hall, the old bridge crossing the Main offering an impressive view over the fortress, the pilgrimage church, the Rococo-style face of the Falkenhaus and Tilman Riemenschneiders sandstone figures of the Chapel of Our Lady, will dazzle you. The highlight is the former residence of the prince-bishop, built between 1720 and 1744 according to plans of Balthasar Neumann. Considering the overall impression, it is the most beautiful castle of the southern German Baroque.

You will have only just left Würzburg and another highlight is already waiting for you: Veitshöchheim with the prince-bishops summer residence and the French rococo-garden. The residence's garden was arranged by the prince-bishops of Würzburg and is today still known as one of the most beautiful ones of its kind in Germany. In between alleys and small paths seamed by hedges you will discover numerous pergolas, pavilions, circular flower beds and last but not least the Great Lake. The castle who originally served as a hunting lodge, then as a summer residence, was built under the prince-bishop of Dernbach in 1680/82 and extended by Balthasar Neumann in 1749/53. Take your time for a visit; Karlstadt will be reached on well-paved bike trails in no time afterwards.

Even paths take you to Gemünden, where the three rivers meet. Walk around the Old-Town and up to the ruin of Scherenburg castle to enjoy the fantastic view over the Main valley, the Spessart and the Rhön from here. Then, the wooded hills seem to cuddle up closer and closer, forcing the Main River and the cyclists to wind themselves through. This is how you will easily reach Lohr, the gate to the Spessart nature resort.

You will reach Marktheidenfeld via Rothenfels, where the castle seems to watch over the valley attentively. Walk around the charming Old-town past the historical half-timbered houses, romantic narrow streets and enjoy a cup of coffee on the marketplace next to the fishermens fountain. Close to the river, you will follow the bike trail past the castle of Homburg to Wertheim. The graceful small half-timbered houses and the narrow streets will capture you for sure!

Miltenberg presents itself with pride: Let the half-timbered style, the market place, also called "Schnatterloch", and the Gasthaus zum Riesen, Germanys oldest shelter for princes who came to spend the night in Miltenberg, amaze you. The Old-town lies tucked in tightly between the Main and Greinberg; perfect scenery for scary stories and legends you should absolutely learn about on a guided tour around town.

On even bike trails, you will quickly reach the sandstone-built Johannisburg castle of Aschaffenburg today after passing the Spessart and the Odenwald. The romantic Old-town sprawls over the hilltop with the town hall in its centre and up to the castle. Visit the church of the monastery, the Jesuits church and the square in front of the theatre with its sundial and the lions pharmacy.

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