Aschaffenburg was one of the biggest surprises on our road trip through Franconia. Why? Because we couldn’t have imagined beforehand what to expect in Aschaffenburg. And at the end? We had holiday feelings to the power of a thousand! The flair of Aschaffenburg is so Mediterranean in summer that you might think you’ve landed in Tuscany.
What you do on a weekend in Aschaffenburg (or of course on a day trip or a longer city trip) should not be missed, we will tell you in our small travel guide. Plus: Our personal café and restaurant tips. Because there are a lot of them in Aschaffenburg!
1. Aschaffenburg, the Bavarian Nice (or Rome) Aschaffenburg – or “Aschebersch” as the locals call their home – is on the Main and that alone makes us love this city. Sightseeing with a view of the water – there is hardly anything more beautiful! What is special about Aschaffenburg is its climate. It is comparatively mild. That’s why the city has been nicknamed “Bavarian Nice” for centuries.
If you ask us: “Bavarian Tuscany” does the city more justice. Because at the latest when you see the Pompejanum in the evening sun while it is still muggy 30 degrees Celsius, we couldn’t imagine the Italian flair without it. (We didn’t want to either – because we always associate the best holiday feelings with Italy!) And by the way, there is also a wonderful café in Aschaffenburg where you can get excellent espresso at the counter for just one euro, just like in Italy.
2. Sights and activities in Aschaffenburg The great thing about sightseeing in Aschaffenburg: Most of it takes place with a view of the water, more precisely on the Main instead. There is the highly recommended tour “Discover the South”. It takes you (among other things) from Johannisburg Castle (the number one attraction) to the Saint-Germain Terrace and then on the water back. So if you don’t have much time available, then this short walk is a must, so to speak.
Schloss Johannisburg The most important sight in Aschaffenburg cannot be overlooked: Johannisburg Castle, built of red sandstone, towers over the Main. You will see this magnificent Renaissance building from many corners of the city and you will keep thinking to yourself: Wow, this castle is huge!
If If you have enough time, it is also worth taking a look inside the castle. In addition to various art exhibitions, Johannisburg Castle is particularly famous for its cork collection . 50 Cork models of ancient Roman buildings can be seen. The highlight is without a doubt the model of the Colosseum with a diameter of more than 3 meters.
Address: Schlossplatz 4, 1200 Aschaffenburg Opening hours and admission: Information on the website of the Bavarian Palace Department. (The area behind the castle, where we also took the photo below, is accessible 24/7.)
Schlossgarten Immediately in front of the Johannisburg Castle is a very photogenic, stone gate, through which you reach the beautiful castle garden. In our eyes, the spacious, terraced palace garden is one of the most beautiful places in Aschaffenburg.
We don’t know if we can speak for the general public, but for our part we have surrounded ourselves by Fig trees, citrus fruits and vines immediately felt like you were on vacation. And then there is the view of the Main – simply perfect! By the way, on the way to Pompejanum you will also pass the romantic breakfast temple . The white pavilion is a great photo motif.
Our tip: You will probably visit the garden for the first time during the day, but it is even more beautiful in the late afternoon before sunset! We spent every evening here because we were so impressed by the southern flair!
Opening times: vary according to the season (in summer until 21 Watch)
Pompeianum If you follow the signposts of the themed walk “Discovering the south” in the castle garden, you will get there earlier or later to the Pompeianum. We have not found such a special and at the same time peculiar building like the Pompejanum anywhere else in Aschaffenburg.
The Pompejanum is a replica of a Roman villa. King Ludwig left it in 19. It was built in the 19th century to enable the residents to study ancient culture, it is said. Somehow strange: you are in Germany, but you actually feel like you are in ancient Rome. Although the Pompejanum is quite small, we easily spent an hour in there, unable to tear ourselves away from the beautiful mosaic floors and colorful tiled walls.
Opening times and admission: Information on the website of the Bavarian Palace Department Attention: Photography is unfortunately not allowed inside! We were kind enough to get special permission for our blog.
Saint Germain Terrace The Saint-Germain terrace is only a stone’s throw away from the Pompejanum. From here you have a wonderful view of the banks of the Main. Also worth seeing is the fountain on the wall of the Saint-Germain terrace. Incidentally, the terrace bears its French name thanks to the town twinning that exists between Aschaffenburg and Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
Park Schöntal Let’s come to an inner-city jewel: The Schöntal park is not on the banks of the Main like the previously listed sights, but you will also find water here. And even better: Directly behind the pond is a church ruin from the 16. Century. A really unusual photo motif, in our opinion. With a bit of luck you can spot turtles in and around the pond.
The rest of the surprisingly large park is also well worth seeing and perfect if you need a break from sightseeing. If you happen to be in Aschaffenburg in spring, then you shouldn’t miss the magnolia blossom here. In Park Schöntal you will find the largest magnolia grove in Bavaria.
Opening hours: freely accessible all year round
Stiftsplatz & Löwenapotheke You may have noticed: Sightseeing in Aschaffenburg is more concentrated on the banks of the Main. But there are also some places worth seeing in the city center. A particularly beautiful one is the Stiftsplatz with the Stiftskirche and the reconstructed half-timbered building of the Löwenapotheke.
3. Excursions in Aschaffenburg Park and Schönbusch Castle Looking for peace in the countryside? Schönbusch Park and the castle of the same name is a wonderful destination that is also very popular with locals, especially at weekends. The park is said to be one of the most beautiful parks in all of Bavaria and now that we have been there we can confirm that this local recreation destination is really worth a visit.
Our favorite thing to do in the park? Definitely boating! At just 4,50 Euro you can row across the lake for half an hour and let the castle pass you by from the water. There is only one boat rental – we have marked the location on the map.
By the way: You can visit the premises of the castle itself as part of a guided tour, which is on the hour during opening hours takes place. The castle is comparatively small, but has all the more charm.
Otherwise, we recommend that you also make a detour to the beer garden. Strictly speaking, there are two in Park Schönbusch: a cheaper one with self-service and a slightly more expensive restaurant/bistro. We opted for the former and enjoyed pretzels and beer at the end of the day.
Przewalski horses in Schweinheim Curious, but true: On one You can actually watch wild horses on the former military site in the Schweinheim district. The project was initiated by Deutsche Bahn. To explain: For every new construction project that sacrifices natural space, a compensation area must be created. Therefore, the endangered Przewalski horses gallop on the 75 hectare nature area.
A 2.5 kilometer circular route takes you to the Ideally, get pretty close to these impressive animals. We emphasize: Ideally, because unfortunately we could only observe the horses from afar. Whether that was due to the rain or the rather loud photo group with whom we had to share the viewing platform is difficult for us to judge. Nevertheless, the trip there was definitely worth it for us.
If you want to watch the horses, then make sure you bring enough time and patience with you. And: A telephoto lens with maximum focal length and binoculars can’t hurt either. Admittedly, we forgot about that.
Address: Ebersbacher Straße, Aschaffenburg (You can park at the end of the street.)
4. Our favorite restaurants and cafés in Aschaffenburg In Aschaffenburg we once again had an excellent meal. Of course, we don’t want to withhold our restaurant and café recommendations from you.
Union Table & Tap “Soul food with a lot of heart and excellent craft beers” is the motto of this culinary jewel. Gem because the cuisine at Union is simply excellent! We are still raving about this terrific flatbread with goat cheese and figs. And the look of the industrial-style shop is just what we like.
We were there on a Thursday and were lucky: every 3rd Thursday of the month there is a very cool event here instead: Tapas & Tunes. Then there is a tapas platter on the menu and also between 20 and approx. 20 Clock up a DJ.
We were also able to exchange a few words with Troy, the likeable boss of the shop. That’s when we realized why the concept of the Union Table & Tap is so coherent: Troy comes from from Australia. He also owns the Restaurant Pier 18, which we also visited (more on that in a moment). In any case, we have a very clear recommendation!
Address: Wermbachstrasse , 63739 Aschaffenburg
Pier 19 The Pier 18 is the sister restaurant of Union Table & Tap. It belongs to the same owners, but is right on the water and is worth a visit for that reason alone. Not to mention the excellent cuisine: We couldn’t say where we ate better.
Troy, the owner, recommended fish (“We’ve got really good fish!”) and have just that we also ordered. He didn’t promise too much. The zander fillet was delicious! And on top of that the view of the Main including the mini “harbour” – it doesn’t get any better than that!
Address: Am Floßhafen 16, 63739 Aschaffenburg
Baaila Café We had a really delicious breakfast in the Baaila Café. The menu is very hip and international: we even discovered our beloved Açai Bowl. The staff are extremely friendly and the atmosphere is very cozy. We felt very comfortable and can really recommend the Baaila!
Address: Luitpoldstrasse 9, 63739 Aschaffenburg
Karacho We drank the best espresso macchiato in all of Aschaffenburg in Karacho. There is no doubt: the guys know their craft perfectly. And by the way, the ambience of this coffee bar is also quite stylish. Incidentally, Karacho is also known for its cold brew.
You can’t have an extensive breakfast, but you can still get one or two snacks (sweet and salty). There’s also an espresso at the counter for one euro – cool thing!
Address: Strickergasse , 63739 Aschaffenburg
Frida’s ice cream Whether Frida’s really has the best ice cream in Aschaffenburg, as some claim we do not judge based on untested alternatives. But one thing is certain: it tasted great and the salon is just cute! There are both traditional varieties and something a little more unusual (salted caramel cashew nut for example – that might have been tasty). Great recommendation!
Address: Sand Alley 30, 2018 Aschaffenburg
Morning Dew A very great shop in the center of Aschaffenburg is the Morgentau: A wonderful café is integrated into the flower shop. The Morgentau is a small paradise for interior fans. In the warm season you can also sit in the courtyard very comfortably. It’s worth stopping by!
Address: Sandgasse 4, 63739 Aschaffenburg
5. Our Hotel in Aschaffenburg We stayed two nights at the B&B Hotel Aschaffenburg. This reasonably priced hotel is located close to the main train station. It is about to Johannisburg Castle walking distance. The rooms were really very small, but absolutely sufficient for us. If you need a little more storage space or have to do some work in the room, then it can get cramped.
A big advantage in summer: there is air conditioning! It was really a blessing given the July temperatures and we slept well. The hotel also has a free car park. With a bit of bad luck (when the hotel is fully occupied), this can also be full and then you unfortunately have to switch to the opposite (chargeable) supermarket car park. We didn’t try the breakfast because there really are enough great breakfast places in Aschaffenburg.
You can book the hotel here: B&B Hotel Aschaffenburg
63739Transparency : Advertising & Affiliate Links63739 This blog article was created in cooperation with FrankenTourismus. We traveled as part of the campaign “08 cities” total 16 Franconian towns.
This blog article contains our personal recommendations in the form of so-called affiliate links. If you book or buy something through the links, we will receive a small commission. For you, this does not change the price at all. A thousand thanks from both of us!
Have you ever been to Aschaffenburg? How did you like it? Or maybe you have additional tips for Aschaffenburg or experiences that you would like to share with us? Perhaps you are also planning a road trip through Franconia and still have questions? Leave us a comment – we look forward to it!
