How much natural scenic beauty can you cram into 17.92 square kilometers? Give up? Well, quite a bit if you’re lucky enough to find yourself in the Hessian town of Mainhausen.
Nestled between the Spessart and the Odenwald, Mainhausen has not one, but two bathing lakes for some great recreational fun.
Too tired to schlep around and find a hotel? No problem, since there is a clean (and friendly) camping facility lakeside. Don’t worry about not having any camping equipment, this place rents the stuff!
If just grilling some BBQ campside is a bit too boring for you (but think of the peace & quiet!), then perhaps renting a bicycle and trotting of around the many cycle paths that spoke off is a good idea (a map can be purchased at the Rathaus for about six Euro). Don’t ride too fast though, you’ll miss out on many of the rare plants and other indigenous creatures that call this nature reserve area home.
One of the most popular routes through Mainhausen is the Apfelweinroute. This is a 6-loop route that meets up with a few towns on the German Framework Road between the Main and the Taunus riding past orchards, wineries, and museums. Again, don’t ride too fast, you might miss out on something good.
Riding a bike is not your cup of tea? Not to worry, since there are plenty of easy walking paths and more challenging hiking trails to conquer!
If you want something at a slower pace, Mainhausen’s weekly market is just the place for you. Take your time looking around the stalls of flowers, fruits, veggies, cheeses, and wines. This is a good chance to buy some of that beloved local Apfelwein (Apple Wine) if you haven’t ridden along that Apfelweinroute yet.
Then again, this is Hesse so you’re bound to find a good Riesling or Spätburgunder.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’d like a glass of one of them before I head off to another German town. Stick around, I’ll keep you posted as I find more wine-loving, fun having towns to write about! :-)