Along the Main and on the wine routes

You can explore Franconian Wine Country from the water along the Main: designated launch and landing points are available for canoes and kayaks. Along the waterway, “Yellow Wave” signs point to these locations as well as to campsites and rest areas, restaurants, shopping facilities, attractions and railway stations. Before setting off, check which launch and landing points are currently usable; locally signposted facilities may change.

More than 30 routes in Franconian Wine Country carry the “Ways to Wine” quality seal. On these certified routes, the signage is reliable and consistent; the routes are mostly designed as circular tours. The cycling tour suggestions include outings ranging from three hours to several days. This means the information helps with different planning questions: “Ways to Wine” focuses on navigation and route format, while the cycling tours also indicate the time required. Check the route markers on site before committing to a particular loop.

Wine as an occasion and a cultural asset

Wine festivals, wine tastings and Christmas markets are part of the annual events programme in Franconian Wine Country. Dates and individual programmes vary from year to year, so check specific dates before your trip. The opening times of the seasonal wine taverns also vary: vintners open their courtyards as wine taverns at certain times of the year, with dates varying annually.

Silvaner is the signature grape variety of Franconian Wine Country. The Bocksbeutel has been a trademark of Franconian wine for centuries and is now protected under EU law. Together with the seasonally open wine taverns, these features offer different insights into the region’s wine culture: through a grape variety, a protected trademark and the limited-time opening of vintners’ courtyards.

Art and history in different places

In Würzburg, the Residence is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The climb to Marienberg Fortress offers views over the city; the Museum für Franken in the fortress houses the largest collection of Tilman Riemenschneider’s masterpieces. Würzburg’s cultural highlights thus range from a World Heritage Site to views over the city and a significant collection.

In Volkach, the church of Maria im Weingarten displays Tilman Riemenschneider’s Madonna in the Rose Bower. In Kitzingen, the German Carnival Museum is the official museum of the German Carnival Association. Schweinfurt offers two different historical perspectives: the Kunsthalle Schweinfurt showcases contemporary art from 1945 onwards, while the Georg Schäfer Museum houses the most important private collection of 19th-century German painting. When choosing art venues, you can therefore distinguish between religious art, carnival and two different perspectives on painting.

The landscape views also have a special connection to wine culture: in 2020, the viewing platform at “terroir f” on Stettener Stein was named “Franconia’s most beautiful wine view” by the German Wine Institute. The award complements the wine routes and regional wine tradition with a specific vantage point.

Discover more destinations: Starnberg, Bavarian Forest, Altötting, Freising, Miesbach, Traunstein, Tegernsee, Nuremberg Land

View the wider travel overview: Bavaria.