From Aschaffenburg to Dettingen always along the Main

There are 410 parking spaces for bicycles at Aschaffenburg main station. 150 of these are chargeable bike stations. There is a bike sharing station at the bus station in the immediate vicinity of the main railway station. After registering in the "Hop On" app, a bike can be rented by the hour or for the day. There are 10 stations in the city.

From Aschaffenburg train station, cycle via Frohsinnstraße and Erthalstraße to the colourful sandstone entrance gate to the castle park of Johannisburg Castle. At Schloßplatz 2 you will find the tourist information centre, where you can get advice on the tour and the highlights of the route.

If you want to recharge your batteries before starting the tour, the "Lebenswert" restaurant right next door offers freshly prepared dishes, including breakfast options, with food from organic production. The restaurant is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am.

The castle grounds are well worth a visit. From there you have a wonderful view of the Main landscape.

Inside the castle, you can view paintings by Lucas Cranach, exhibits on the history of the city and the largest collection of architectural models made from cork.

Johannisburg Castle in Aschaffenburg served as the second residence of the electors and archbishops of Mainz until 1803. It was built from 1605 to 1614 by the Strasbourg master builder Georg Ridinger from red sandstone. The complex consists of four large wings, each with three storeys. There is a stair tower in each corner. The castle still dominates the image of the city of Aschaffenburg today and is considered its greatest attraction. A local poet from Aschaffenburg once said: "The city is its castle."

In addition to the state collections, the magnificent Johannisburg Castle has also been home to the Aschaffenburg Castle Museum since 1972. Works of art and historical artefacts from six centuries are exhibited here. The world's largest collection of phelloplastic architectural models, i.e. made of cork, can also be found in Johannisburg Castle. On display are mainly ancient buildings in Rome, including one of the Colosseum, which at three metres in diameter is the largest cork model in the world. The collection is thanks to the court confectioner and cork carver Carl Joseph May and his son Georg, who dedicated themselves to building the models from 1792.

Now take the Schlossberg road and cycle through the Theoderichstor gate down to the Main. The gate is a relic of the former medieval town wall and was once the only access to the town from the Main side.

Turn right here in the direction of Seligenstadt. The vineyard on which the Pompejanum stands is the most traditional vineyard in Aschaffenburg. The wine produced here is called "Pompejaner" and is reserved for special occasions in the city of Aschaffenburg due to its low yield.

You cycle below the vineyard along the Main. At the end of this, there is an access point up to the impressive replica of a Roman villa.

Inspired by the excavations in Pompeii, King Ludwig I of Bavaria had Friedrich von Gärtner build the ideal reconstruction of a Roman house, the Casa dei Dioscuri, between 1840 and 1948. The building was not intended for residential purposes, but to be used by art lovers for viewing purposes. The villa has hardly any windows on the outside; it is only open to the inner courtyard and receives light from here. The colour scheme of the façades follows the building tradition of Tuscany. The interior decoration was modelled on ancient examples by contemporary painters.

The Pompejanum was severely damaged during the Second World War and was only carefully restored and rebuilt over a long period of time from 1960 onwards. Today, original Roman artefacts and everyday objects from antiquity can be seen here; the works of art are on loan from the Munich State Collection of Antiquities.

The rocky spur on which the Pompejanum stands comes very close to the Main. The route continues past the Mörswiese allotment site to Mainaschaff.

A large lake, the Mainparksee, follows shortly afterwards. It was created from a quarry pond during the construction of the motorway and serves as a local recreation area with a bathing beach.

Kleinostheim follows a little later. Here you have the option of shortening the tour - Kleinostheim railway station is in the centre. There are also several places to stop for refreshments here - including the beautiful "Zum Schwanen" beer garden, located directly on the Main. (Tel. 06027 8145)

At the entrance to the Karlstein district of Dettingen, those interested in culture should leave the cycle path and turn right into "Rechte Maingasse" to take the path to the churches of St. Hippolyt and St. Peter and Paul.

The church probably already existed around 800. The present church, built in the 15th century, is an outstanding work of Gothic architecture. There are no records of which parts of an earlier church were incorporated into the late Gothic building. In the choir room we find the unique works of art that have made the Hippolyt Church famous: the celebrant's seat and the sacrament house.

Guided tours of the church can be requested from the Dettingen parish office (06188 9143514) and from Helmut Winter (Tel. 06188 5779).

Just 400 metres away, in Luitpoldstraße, is the church of St. Peter and Paul. It was considered to be the "first modern church in Germany", according to the art historian Hugo Schnell. The architects of the church were Dominikus Böhm and Martin Weber. The church itself captivates visitors above all with its monumental and particularly carefully illuminated murals by the artist Reinhold Ewald. These paintings depict the Stations of the Cross of Jesus. They were created in the style and period of Expressionism. The artist worked on the paintings during the time of the great inflation and was paid in kind at the time.

You now cycle back to the banks of the Main along the same route and continue along it, past Großwelzheim to the Seligenstadt ferry.

The ferry can be reached by calling the public utility company on 06182 877100. Take the opportunity for a short detour to the old town centre of Seligenstadt with its famous Einhard Basilica.

The great Renaissance scholar Einhard worked here until his death in 840 and was Charlemagne's biographer. The historic old town of Seligenstadt is well worth a visit. The ferry takes you quickly back to the other bank, where you can continue your journey.

At its confluence with the Main, turn right to reach the River Kahl, which meanders through an idyllic spot into the town. You are now at the lowest geographical point in Bavaria. Follow the Kahl to the railway overpass and then turn off towards the railway station.

The Rabenau restaurant and beer garden (tel. 06188 445592) is a great place to round off the day before getting on the train and travelling home in comfort.