Jaunted

Getting to Mainz is incredibly easy. You can either take a quick train ride on the S-Bahn (or suburban rail line) from the Frankfurt airport, or just hop on an express train in Frankfurt and arrive in Mainz a half-hour later. The express departs ever hour and costs about 14.50 euros each way.

Most of what you’ll want to see is right near the river, in the old town center, the Altstadt, which was completely destroyed in World War II, then reconstructed. Start at the imposing red Cathedral, built in the 13th century, where you can marvel at the enormous interior, walk around the cloister garden and stop in at the Diocesian Museum to scope out the religious art and artifacts.

Just across the square from the Cathedral entrance is the Gutenberg Museum. We’re not talking about the star of the Police Academy movies, but rather of Mainz’s most famous son, Johannes, who is credited with inventing the printing press. You can still see two of the famous Gutenberg Bibles in the museum, take in the museum’s amazing graphic art collection from around the world, and learn about printing throughout the ages. Trust us, it’s more interesting than it sounds.

For your next stop, the Landesmuseum Mainz provides a great overview of the city’s history dating from Roman times to the present. After that, your last stop should be the St. Stephan’s Church, a little outside the city center to see the only stained glass windows in Germany designed by Jewish artist Marc Chagall.

If you get all that in before lunch, you’re a real champ (or a dork, we’re just saying…), but chances are you’ll have to stop sometimes, so consider taking a seat at one of the cafés that line the pedestrianized shopping streets of the inner city, or at a restaurant in the picturesque Schillerplatz with its sculpturally writhing fountain depicting a “Tower of Fools.” Then on your way back to the train station, take a break from the history to peruse the modern shops lining the alleys of the Altstadt. After all your sightseeing, you just might need a new pair of shoes.

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