A luxury River Cruise along the Main

Frankfurt, the first things that come to mind are the sausages, the banks and finance. A feature even more famous than the sausages is, of course, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who was born in the house on Großer Hirschgraben. Here, he also wrote two of his important works, the original version of “Faust” and “Die Leiden des jungen Werther”. His birthplace can be visited today. It is one of a total of 39 museums on the city’s waterfront. An absolute must! And the old town with the Paulskirche, which became the seat of the first German National Assembly in 1848 and where the Peace Prize of the Frankfurt Book Trade is awarded every year, is also a must-see place. Frankfurt, anything else spring to mind? Right. The “Palm Garden” with the “Palm House” from 1869, as well as the “Butterfly House”. A green moment, whether summer or winter.

Bavaria and Baroque. In Würzburg, it’s like nowhere else. One of the main works is the city’s Residenz, one of the most important castles in Europe, designed by Balthasar Neumann, built between 1720 and 1740 and protected by UNESCO. In the stairwell, every visitor is left feeling amazed: What a fresco! The largest continuous fresco in the world. Any questions? Then it’s on to the city, a baroque dream come true. And finally, we cross the oldest bridge over the Main (don’t worry, it has been lavishly restored time and again) to Marienburg Fortress, which was the residence of the Würzburg prince-bishops for over 400 years. From up here you look down on the old university with its domes and towers. What a view! Perhaps a visit to the art ship ARTE NOAH? It is one of the few floating galleries in Germany.

Bamberg is the dream of a city that has become northern Bavaria. With charm from the Middle Ages and with listed buildings, yes, with baroque splendour architecture, to be more precise. In addition to numerous museums and historical sights, beer connoisseurs and aficionados will get their money’s worth in Bamberg in much the same way as wine lovers do with a top vintner. Beer is something like the lifeblood in the city. There are numerous breweries and plenty of pubs. But you’d better visit them after a tour of the city. This is because here you should not miss the following first: the Alte Hofhaltung (once the bishops’ residence), the cathedral (dating from 1002) and the Neue Residenz (what splendid halls!) with the rose garden designed by Balthasar Neumann (what a view over the old town). And as a little extra, after all you are on a river cruise: in Bamberg there is lock 100. It is the last lock of the Ludwig Main Danube Canal built under King Ludwig I. It is still operated by hand. The lock-keeper’s cottage is simply magical.