Kitzingen - Wurzburg: Back and forth across the Main
The weather is consistent. As on the previous days, the morning is very cool but it's sunny and we're not complaining. While riding I make a mental list of the factors that make for good cycling: smooth road surface, no headwind, not too many or too steep hills (always flat is boring), good weather, nice scenery, interesting things to see along the way ... I come to the conclusion that we have pretty much everything today.
Not long after leaving, I realize I forgot my water bottle at the hotel. I retrace my steps to fetch it, and we are then on our way. We choose to follow the alternative route along the right bank of the Main. Quite amazing how often there is a good reason to get off your bike. After only five kilometers we are in the picturesque town of Sulzfeld, another five kilomters and we take the bridge to the other side of the Main to see the interesting town of Marktbreit. This is the birthplace of Alois Alzheimer, by the way, who first identified the symptoms of what is now known as Alzheimer's Disease.
We pass through Sulzfeld am Main. Entry to the town is through a medieval gate.
After we've had our fill of Marktbreit, we ride back to the right bank and it's another 6.5 km to Frickenhausen. It's just warmed up enough for us to sit outside in the sun for a coffee. We're not making fast progress, for sure, but we're enjoying ourselves.
It's just a few more kilometers to Kleinochsenfurt where we take the ferry across the river to Ochsenfurt. Ochsenfurt is a little larger than the previous villages and has a lovely historical old town. Time to stop for a sandwich in an outdoor cafe and soak up the atmosphere.
Half-timbered buildings in Ochsenfurt's medieval old town
We cross back to the right bank and somehow manage, in spite of our many stops in the villages and for picture taking, to reach our destination for the day, Würzburg.
On this Friday afternoon in Würzburg, it seems everyone is out enjoying the warmth of spring. We first cycle into the center of the city to the tourist information office. Supplied with information, we look for a hotel. If we had stopped in a smaller town before or after Würzburg, we would have been able to find a less expensive hotel but then we wouldn't be in Würzburg which we want to see. You can't have it all. Our centrally located Hotel Meesenburg is very satisfactory.
We get cleaned up, the bicycles are safely locked in the garage and we spend the rest of the afternoon strolling along the banks of the Main and on the Old Main Bridge. In March 1945, the last weeks of WWII, about 90% of the city was destroyed. The city center dating from medieval times was completely destroyed. During the next 20 years, the buildings of historical importance were painstakingly rebuilt.
Promenade along the bank of the Main on a balmy spring afternoon, with the Old Main Bridge in the background
Würzburg's Old Main Bridge (Alte Mainbrücke) was built 1473-1543. It was adorned from 1730 on with well-known statues of saints and famous persons. It is often compard to the Charles Bridge in Prague.
