Main: laid-back tour, Würzburg – Aschaffenburg

The 7 days laid-back tour

The Main Bike Trail from Würzburg to Aschaffenburg.

Just a week, and quite a lot of holiday. Our 7-day-trip offer you the possibility to ride a beautiful part of the Main bike trail within a few days - having still enough time for sightseeing.

1. day Würzburg arrival

Look forward to the old residence city of Würzburg, because it has a lot to see. Discover the market square, the town hall and the Marienkapelle with its sandstone figures by Tilman Riemenschneider on a leisurely stroll through the city. If you have enough time, you should definitely visit the Fortress Marienberg, the former prince-bishop's castle. In the evening, there are numerous wine bars and excellent restaurants.

2. day Würzburg - Karlstadt 29 km

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.

3. day Karlstadt - Lohr 30 km

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.

4. day Lohr - Wertheim 42 km

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!

5. day Wertheim - Miltenberg 36 km

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. A perfect scenery for scary stories and legends you should absolutely learn about on a guided tour around town.

6. day Miltenberg - Aschaffenburg 41 km

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!

7. 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 Würzburg (daily, departure 9 a.m., duration about 1,5 hrs.)

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

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

Parking facilities at the hotel

In our partner hotels in Würzburg usually there is no parking. Here you can park for about 8.00 EUR per day in public car parks. A big public parking lot is located 5 minutes walking from the center of Würzburg. 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 velocipede-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. Velociped Bikes

Transfer back to the starting point of the journey

Daily at 9am there is the possibility to transfer back to Bamberg with a small bus (with bike trailer). Arrival at 10.30am. 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 transfer and the hassle of hauling luggage.

Extra costs which are not included in the tour price

A possibly applicable city tax is not part of the travel price and therefore has to be paid at the hotel 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

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

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.

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

Karlstadt

Embark on an exciting journey of discovery through Karlstadt. In the old town surrounded by old walls, towers and gates, there are many traces to discover. At every turn you will find testimonies of history and impressive art treasures.

Karlstadt

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

Located in southwestern Germany, 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

Wertheimer Burg

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

Miltenberg

Documented for the first time in 1237, the city looks back on a lively past. Viniculture, wine trade, river traffic and fishery, as well as wood and stone industries were the most important growth engines of trade and craft. The favourable location at the old trading artery Nuremberg – Frankfurt and the staple right very early led Miltenberg into economic flowering periods. During the early 19th century the city suffered the loss of being the top quality location of the Electoral State of Mainz and as a result found itself unfortunately situated on the brink of the Kingdom of Bavaria. The major phases of urban development were history and hence the medieval townscape was preserved to this day.

Miltenberg

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