If Dittelbrunn were any place else but Germany I would almost feel sorry for it. Oh my, what a statement to make!
Small towns that sit right up against big cities like Schweinfurt are often overshadowed by all the excitement that the bigger places offer. But, like I said this is Germany — so these small towns are the heart and soul of this country.
The true heart and soul of Dittelbrunn lies along its many bike trails. Before you get all nervous, they’re not very long.
The Über den Main trail is one of the shortest, with a distance of only around 7km. Not much longer is the Lakes Trail at 9.8km, the Herb Garden Trail at 15.2, and the longest trail of them all is the Tea and Asparagus Way at 42.4km.
When pedaling along on a bike isn’t for you, it’s all right because you’ll find carriage and wagon rides to cart you around.
Actually, how could anyone not want to be outside in Dittelbrunn, as it lies along the Rhön mountains and Steigerwald forest. Can’t you smell the fresh air? I would say fresh Alpine air, but Dittelbrunn’s in Lower Franconia and nowhere near the Alps.
Don’t let something as simple as that stop you from coming here though. ;-)
Being outside in Franconia is an utter joy, but you will have to come indoors once in a while. You’ll want to see the Bicycle Racing Museum, or the 13th century Church of St. Mary, won’t you?
Plus, there is a former Baroque church that’s now a mortuary, but it still counts as a historic church I think.
St. Kilian’s is also another old church, as its tower dates to around 1618. And from the 20th century there’s the St. Rochuskirche (built 1967) and the Marian Grotto from the turn of the last century.
Now, do you see why I don’t feel sorry for Dittelbrunn? It’s perfect and charming just the way it is — and lovely enough to make me forget that it’s only 4km from the medieval city of Schweinfurt.
