Bike Tour from Bayreuth to Mainz

The bike tour from Bayreuth to Mainz welcomes you in the brewery and margraviate town of Kulmbach. You should definitely pay a visit to Plassenburg Castle, the town's landmark. It is considered one of the most impressive Renaissance buildings in Germany. During a walk through the winding alleys of the town, be sure to try the typical Kulmbach bratwursts and the fine Kulmbach beer.

The first stage takes you first to the festival city of Bayreuth. Numerous architectural, musical and horticultural sights await you. Get back on your bike and cycle to the source of the Red Main. This is about 10 kilometres south of Bayreuth near Creußen in the Lindenhardt Forest. Then cycle back to Kulmbach. In the evening, visit one of the numerous inns and treat yourself to Franconian delicacies.

You say goodbye to Kulmbach and follow the Red Main for a few more kilometres before it joins the White Main to form the Main. The tour takes you through the Franconian Forest and the Franconian Jura. Even if you are sporty, on this bike tour from Bayreuth to Mainz, you should take time for breaks. How about a visit to the baroque pilgrimage church of Vierzehnheiligen near Bad Staffelstein? The Main now runs through a magnificent floodplain landscape in numerous river meanders. Soon you reach the city of Bamberg, famous for its diverse beer tradition. The townscape is characterised by numerous listed buildings.

Today you are once again cycling sportily on the Main Cycle Path. For the first few kilometres you follow the Regnitz, which soon flows into the Main. You will soon notice that the landscape changes, as you are now in Weinfranken. You cycle along the banks of the river through beautiful vineyards, small towns and the extensive Haßberge Nature Park. A first stop is worthwhile at the Dippach lookout tower, which offers a view of the largest grey heron colony in southern Germany. Via Zeil am Main and Hassfurt you reach Schweinfurt. Take a break to explore the city before heading full steam ahead to your stage destination, Volkach.

With your strength at full, you first follow the Mainschleife (Main loop). If you want to view the spectacle from above, take a short break at Vogelsburg Castle. You will be thrilled by the panorama! Via Kitzingen you will soon reach the half-timbered town of Ochsenfurt. Don't waste too much time, because a real highlight awaits you today in Würzburg. Numerous sights such as the Marienberg Fortress and the Würzburg Residence are waiting to be explored. Get back on your bike and cover the last few kilometres to Karlstadt. Visit the Karlsburg castle ruins on the opposite side of the Main and enjoy the magnificent view.

And on you go with your bike tour from Bayreuth to Mainz. With Gemünden you reach the foothills of the Spessart, which is characterised by dense forests and gently rolling hills. Make a detour to the ruins of Scherenburg Castle, located above the town centre. For the next two days, you will cycle through the Main quadrangle, with Gemünden, Wertheim, Miltenberg and Aschaffenburg as its corners. Via Lohr am Main and Marktheidenfeld, you will reach Wertheim at the confluence of the Main and Tauber rivers, which already welcomes you from afar with its lofty castle.

You follow the meanders of the Main River and get to know numerous idyllic towns, one or two castle ruins worth seeing and the wonderfully curved hills of the Spessart-Mainland. Plan a stopover in Miltenberg and take a leisurely stroll through the small half-timbered town. The famous Schnatterloch, the market square, has often served as a film set for good reason. In Klingenberg, stop off at one of the wine taverns and "Häckerwirtschaften" before continuing on to Aschaffenburg. You will recognise Johannisburg Castle from afar.

Today you will be cycling along the Main Cycle Path for the last time and will soon pass the state border with Hesse. The town of Seligenstadt, characterised by half-timbered houses, is worth a stop before you reach the Main metropolis Frankfurt am Main via Hanau and Offenbach. Not far from the banks of the Main and in the old town you will find numerous sights. Not only you, but also the Main now has the last kilometres ahead of it. Once you have arrived in the capital of Rhineland-Palatinate, you should treat yourself to a glass of regional wine in a rustic wine tavern to round off your cycling tour!

Now it's time to say goodbye, because the bike tour from Bayreuth to Mainz ends after a hearty breakfast. If you would like to spend more time in Mainz, we will be happy to extend your stay with an extra night.