From Aschaffenburg to Dettingen always along the River Main

There are 410 bicycle parking spaces at Aschaffenburg's main railway station. 150 of these are bike stations for which a fee is charged. In the immediate vicinity of the main station, there is a bikesharing station at the bus station. After registering in the app "Hop On", a bike can be rented by the hour or for a day. There are 10 stations in the city.

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

If you want to fortify yourself before setting off on your 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 9:00 am.

A visit to the castle grounds is worthwhile. From there you have a wonderful view of the Main landscape.

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

Johannisburg Palace in Aschaffenburg served as the second residence of the electors and archbishops of Mainz until 1803. It was built from red sandstone by the Strasbourg master builder Georg Ridinger between 1605 and 1614. 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 town of Aschaffenburg today and is considered its greatest attraction. An Aschaffenburg local poet once said: "The town is its castle."

In addition to the state collections, the magnificent Johannisburg Castle has also housed the Castle Museum of the City of Aschaffenburg since 1972. Works of art and historical evidence from six centuries are exhibited here. The world's largest collection of phelloplastic architectural models, i.e. models made of cork, is also housed in Schloss Johannisburg. 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 owed to the court confectioner and cork carver Carl Joseph May and his son Georg, who dedicated themselves to building the models from 1792 onwards.

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

Here you turn right 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 of the town of Aschaffenburg because of the low yield.

You cycle below the vineyard along the Main. At its end, there is an entrance 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 an ideal reconstruction of a Roman house, the Casa dei Dioscuri, from 1840 to 1948. The building was not intended for residential purposes, but was intended to serve as an exhibition for those interested in art. The villa has hardly any windows on the outside; it is only open to the inner courtyard with windows and receives light from here. The colouring of the façades follows the building tradition of Tuscany. The interior decoration was inspired by antique models by contemporary painters.

The Pompeianum was badly 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 artworks and objects of everyday use from antiquity can be seen here; the artworks are on loan from the Munich State Collection of Antiquities.

The rock spur on which the Pompejanum stands comes very close to the Main. You pass the Mörswiese allotment garden site until you reach Mainaschaff.

Shortly afterwards there is a large lake, the Mainparksee. 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 - in the centre is Kleinostheim railway station. There are also several places to stop for refreshments - including the beautiful beer garden "Zum Schwanen", 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 the "Rechte Maingasse" to take the path to the churches of St. Hippolyt and St. Peter and Paul.

The church probably already existed around 800. Today's 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 included in the late Gothic building. In the choir room we find the unique works of art that 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).

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

You now cycle back along the same path to the bank of the Main and further along it, past Großwelzheim to the Seligenstadt ferry.

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

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

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

In the Rabenau restaurant and beer garden (Tel. 06188 445592 ) you can end the day well before you sit down on your train and travel home in comfort.