On a Banz tour to baroque and beer

It is only a good kilometre from the station to the bike hire shop.

Bicycle parking spaces and toilets are available.

Follow Bahnhofstraße, turn right into Am Unteren Lauterdamm and then take the path along the Lauterbach stream to the company Radsport Höppel, which offers bikes for sale and hire in the old fire station in Bad Staffelstein. If you want to be on the safe side, reserve your favourite bike for the Banz tour in advance.

The bike shop is located just a few steps away from the tourist information centre in the old fire station. Whether you want to go for a sporty ride or a leisurely bike tour, you will find the right rental bike here.

Cycle back to the railway station, through the subway and along the cycle path alongside the road to Unnersdorf. You pass the bridge over the River Main and cosy houses on its banks. At the end of the village, turn right to Neubanz and cycle up to the former Banz Monastery.

Banz Monastery is a former Benedictine monastery. It was founded in 1070 and was an important religious and cultural centre in the region until secularisation in 1803.

The monastery building is an important example of southern German baroque architecture. The monumental complex with its two church towers on the hill can be seen from afar. Today it houses the modern education and meeting centre of the Hanns Seidel Foundation as well as a museum. The monastery church, which is decorated with magnificent stucco work and frescoes, is particularly worth seeing. The museum in the Consulentenbau building in front tells the history of the monastery and displays a collection of fossils and an oriental collection. Changing special exhibitions present contemporary art.

Today, Banz Monastery is also a popular excursion destination for tourists and pilgrims interested in history, art and culture.

From Neubanz, you cycle through the beautiful Banzer Wald forest and along the Mühlgraben to Altenbanz. Here, the church of St Laurentius is well worth a visit.

The Roman Catholic parish church of St Laurentius dates back to a stone church around the year 800. The nave consists of white plastered chunk masonry. The red-painted edges and the eaves cornice are striking. Inside, the high altar from 1700 by a Bamberg artist and the pulpit are well worth seeing.

If you now turn left into Stadeler Weg, you will reach a so-called "Flurbereinigungsweg" on the right-hand side, which you follow into the village of Stadel. The people of Stadel are proud of their renovated village community centre in the former fire station in the centre of the village. Now cycle along the Unter den Linden road and another land consolidation path between the fields towards Nedensdorf. You cross the main road and stand in front of the so-called gypsy lime tree. This solitary, ancient lime tree even featured in the famous film "Luther - The Movie". In the scene, Luther was almost struck by lightning and thus became a humble monk. There is a covered rest area for hikers and cyclists right next to this natural monument. The route now leads over the Brunngraben to Nedensdorf. A short detour to the right takes you to a viewing platform from where you have a great view of the Main and the Bad Staffelstein lake district.

Are you starting to get hungry? No problem! You can stop off at the Nedensdorfer Brauerei-Gasthof Reblitz if you happen to be there during opening hours.

This traditional establishment offers the best Franconian cuisine and brewing art. The inn has had the right to brew and serve beer since 1805. The brewery and pub are now run by the seventh and eighth generation. The beers brewed here are served in the inn and sold on tap, such as the dark country beer, "Reblitz Hell" or "Weizenbock". All beers are natural and unfiltered.

Franconian specialities are served in the pub - from snacks to roasts. The owners attach great importance to regional food: the game comes from their own forests, the freshwater fish from local ponds, cheese products from the local co-operative and meat from the butcher.

In summer, the sun terrace in the Kastanienhof and in winter the cosy, warm tiled stove in the rustic dining room offer the best places to enjoy culinary delights.

Well fortified, you cycle along the Mainstraße along the river to the bridge. Here the cycle route comes full circle and you cycle back to Bad Staffelstein and the bike hire shop along the familiar route.