From river valleys to open countryside: Vom Main zur Rhön (From the River Main to the Rhön hills)

Castles and moated manor houses, medieval half-timbering, river valleys and towering peaks. It's easy to see why this enchanting route from the river Main to the Rhön hills in Lower Franconia has been awarded four stars by the German Cyclists' Federation.

Virtually the whole of the Rhön region opens up along the Saale river in Franconia, on the banks of the Sinn and beside the delightful little Streu. The Rhön hills provide some more strenuous sections for which cyclists are rewarded with fantastic panoramic views. The centuries-old cultivation of the land between the river Main and Rhön hills has given rise to a richly varied landscape characterised by forests and copses, villages, farmland and orchards. This long-distance cycle route links a number of attractions including the five spa resorts in the Bavarian Rhön with the hugely popular town of Bad Kissingen at its northern tip. Terrain: the sometimes hilly route runs mainly on asphalt or crushed brick/stone and is mostly traffic-free. There is also an excellent infrastructure for visitors. Scenery: the route is dominated by the valleys of the Saale and its tributaries, the Sinn and the Streu, and runs along the edge of the Hohe Rhön hills.

• Length: 263 kilometres, circular route
• Route info: mainly flat terrain, hilly in parts, easily managed with children