Discover Aschaffenburg

Aschaffenburg combines a clear urban focal point with a variety of themes for further exploration: From the train station, you can reach Schlossplatz and Johannisburg Palace on foot in less than ten minutes. Cycling and hiking routes take you through different landscapes in the district—from family-friendly cycle paths to challenging cross-country trails. When choosing accommodation, it is therefore worth deciding first whether city visits or specific tours and landscapes should be the main focus.

City visits and arrival

Aschaffenburg train station is served by regional trains, Regional Express trains, InterCity trains, and InterCityExpress trains. If you arrive by train, the short walking distance to Schlossplatz and Johannisburg Palace provides a specific point of reference for your stay in the city. Check the current timetable if your journey depends on a particular connection.

There is also a useful point of reference for visitors with limited mobility: tours of Aschaffenburg’s old town and Schönbusch English Landscape Park are adapted to their needs. Tour availability may change, so check the current options before your visit.

Cycling in the district

The cycle routes vary in what they offer. The family-friendly MainRadweg runs through the Main valley in Aschaffenburg district and is well signposted. The Kahltal-Spessart Cycle Route is also signposted and passes through the district’s scenic landscapes. For a more challenging cross-country option, four Bikewald-Spessart routes are marked in the eastern Hochspessart. Check local trail conditions before including these routes in your plans; signage can also change.

The Denk mal – Rad mal app offers another idea for a cycling trip: it features scenic cycling tours with stories, quizzes, and information about attractions in the district. If you would like to use this digital guide, check the availability of the app and its content before your trip. This makes it easier to choose between a signposted route and a tour with additional stories and puzzles, according to your interests.

Hiking and experiencing the landscape

Spessart Trails 1, 2, and 3 pass through Aschaffenburg district and have been awarded the “Qualitätswege Wanderbares Deutschland” quality trail designation by the German Hiking Association four times. The Archaeological Spessart Project’s Cultural Trails add a wide selection of themed routes, with more than 30 hiking tours. The Eselsweg is classified as a multi-day tour. This information helps you distinguish between different hiking interests when planning: you can choose a themed route or consider a multi-day hike.

The Spessart in Aschaffenburg district is part of Germany’s largest contiguous mixed-forest area. In the surrounding area, in and around Mespelbrunn, you can go hiking, Nordic walking, and cycling. High-altitude trails there offer views of the Spessart floodplains. Mespelbrunn Water Castle connects the landscape with a distinctive architectural history: in more peaceful times, later generations transformed the forbidding masonry of a moated castle into a romantic Renaissance palace. Alzenau Castle is also one of the district’s cultural attractions.

Regional cuisine and other interests for excursions

Regional cuisine includes Franconian specialties and Äppelwoi from local cider presses, served in numerous inns and hotels throughout the district. Franconian wines can be sampled near the wine-growing areas around Alzenau and Großostheim. Further afield, in the Kahlgrund, distilling is a well-established tradition, with a high concentration of distilleries and many award-winning spirits. These offer different highlights for travelers who would like to discover regional drinks and traditions alongside cycling or hiking trips.

This way, your choice stays focused on the destinations you prefer, without treating city attractions and experiences in the district as one and the same.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Schöllkrippen, Aschaffenburg, Krombach, Hösbach, Mespelbrunn, Alzenau, Goldbach, Haibach, Johannesberg, Kahl, Kleinostheim, Großostheim, Rothenbuch, Bessenbach, Geiselbach, Kleinkahl, Laufach, Mömbris, Sommerkahl, Wiesen, Rohrbrunner Forst, Karlstein am Main.

See the overarching travel overview: Bavaria.