Main: Highlights Bayreuth – Würzburg

1, 2 ,3 highlights and a lot more.

Main bike trail from Bayreuth to Würburg.

Look forward to this special bike tour that leads along the Main, as you start at the still very small red Main in the famous festival city of Bayreuth. Just at the historic beer city of Kulmbach, the waters of the second source river, the White Main, flow in and now you do really cycle on the Main. Wonderful highlights will keep the river running for you in the next few days. Discover the magnificent Baroque town of Bamberg, whose old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stroll through the pretty lanes of the wine town of Volkach and marvel at the old city of residence Würzburg. The Würzburg Residence is considered the main work of the South German Baroque and is one of the most important castles in Europe. That's why UNESCO included it in the World Heritage List in 1981 as the third building in Germany. This journey is a journey from the small river to the big river, a journey from the beer region to the wine region and a cultural journey that grows from kilometer to kilometer. 

1. day Bayreuth Anreise

Arrive in time to visit Bayreuth with the margrave’s residence still revealing the charm of the past and famous in the whole world for the Richard-Wagner-festival.

2. day Bayreuth - Lichtenfels 61 km

Follow the young Red Main to Kulmbach today! Let the cozy atmosphere of this charming Franconian landscape at the confluence of the Red and the White Main and at the foot of the Frankenwald and the Fichtelgebirge captivate you. Visit the Old-town of Kulmbach and Plassenburg castle, enthroned majestically above the town. You will quickly reach the pretty town of Burgkunstadt inviting for a short stop. And then, finally, todays final destination lies just ahead of you: Lichtenfels, famous for its basket-weaving art far past the limits of Franconia. Here, a short side trip to the baroque pilgrimage basilica Vierzehnheiligen, constructed by the famous architect Balthasar Neumann, is absolutely recommendable!

3. day Lichtenfels - Bamberg 47 km

Let’s begin the day with a short visit of Banz monastery. Along the route to Bamberg, you will see how the Main River is ponded in small lakes several times. You will find your hotel in the center of Bamberg. Benefit from this closeness and cycle into the Old-town, classified world cultural heritage by the UNESCO.

4. day Bamberg - Haßfurt 37 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. Let a sunny day come to its end in Haßfurt where another historical Old-town will impress you.

5. day Haßfurt - Volkach 56 km

A short side-trip to Theres is recommendable today: 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!

6. day Volkach - Würzburg 65 km

Leaving Volkach behind, you will follow the Main-channel before catching up to the Main River again in Schwarzach. Via the even and well-paved bike trail, you will reach Würzburg quickly and have enough time to discover the town individually.

7. day Würzburg Departure

After breakfast your nice cycle holiday ends in Aschaffenburg. Departure is possible by German railway. We recommend our transfer service back to Bayreuth (each Saturday departure 10.30 a.m., duration about 2 hrs.).

Worth knowing about your bike trip Main Bayreuth - Würzburg

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

Arrival by train

Bayreuth 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 Bayreuth. Current schedule information and price information can be found at: www.bahn.de.

Parking facilities at the hotel

Our partner hotels in Bayreuth always provide parking (subject to a fee) possibilities for the entire duration of your bike trip. There are always plenty of parking spots available, no pre-reservation is necessary.
Detailed information on parking at your hotel, you will receive together with the detailed travel documents two weeks prior to departure.

Condition of the bike 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

Saturday at 10.30 am there is the possibility to transfer back to Bayreuth with a small bus (with bike trailer). The driver comes to pick you up at your hotel and has much room for you, your luggage and where required your own bicycle. The bus takes you back to your first hotel, thus ensuring a perfect return service without 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.

Bayreuth

Bayreuth is a city that has historically grown as a Margravial Residence and is in the meantime world famous because of the Richard Wagner Festival. It is the largest city in Upper Franconia. Today, it is a modern Economic, Congress and University City that is on it´s way to becoming a High-Tech Centre of the region. Bayreuth’s places of interest, it´s Museums and its diversity of cultural offers promises exciting days throughout the year. Bayreuth has the most beautiful preserved Baroque Theatre in Europe with the Margravial Opera House. It is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage since 2012. In 2014 it was elected on the list of the TOP 100 attractions in Germany. Charming castles, the historical Eremitage Park with its dreamy grottos and fountains, the Festival Theatre with its unique acoustics, as well as a variety of interesting museums awaits you. Numerous music and theatre festivals provide cultural experience at it´s highest level.

Bayreuth

Margravial Opera House Bayreuth

In the 18th century an opera house as large and magnificent as the most famous houses of its day was built in the small residential town of Bayreuth. Primarily initiated by Margravine Wilhelmine, this new construction was begun in 1744 from plans by Joseph St Pierre and completed in only four years. The façade is modelled on the architectural style of upper Italy and sets the opera house apart from the adjacent houses.

Markgräfliches Opernhaus Bayreuth

Plassenburg, Kulmbach

The former castle of the House of Hohenzollern, reigning above Kulmbach, is the city's landmark. The castle is home to four museums with diverse collections and fascinating information on the history of the castle, city and region.Enthroned high over Kulmbach, the impressive castle grounds, which were first mentioned in 1135, have a chequered history. In 1338, the castle entered into the possession of the burgrave of Nuremberg on the basis of a testamentary contract. With that began the Hohenzollern rule over Plassenburg Castle, which lasted until the end of the 18th century.

Plassenburg, Kulmbach

Lichtenfels

The German wicker town Lichtenfels lies in the Upper Main Valley near important architectural monuments like the pilgrimage church Vierzehnheiligen or Banz monastery. The old town has kept its typical Franconian character until today. The historic town hall, a baroque building errected according to the plans of Justus Heinrich Dientzenhofer stands right in the middle of the market place. Parts of the medieval town fortification are still preserved:  Unteres Tor (Lower Gate), Oberer Torturm (Upper Gate Tower) as well as the Roter Turm (Red Tower) with parapet walk and walls.

Lichtenfels

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.

Bamberg Sehenswürdigkeiten

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.

Wallfahrtskirche Maria Limbach

Haßfurt

The 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 Sehenswürdigkeiten

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 Mainschleife

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 Sehenswürdigkeiten

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.

Residenz Würzburg