The Main River

Main River Ports

Sail the Main River and Canal through the heart of Germany

UNESCO World Heritage Sites along the Main River

Along the Main River and nearby you can find these amazing UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Visits to some may be included in your river cruise itinerary, but some may require some creative travel planning by your River Cruise Artist in order to visit. Learn more below about these UNESCO Sites and the history you can experience when you visit them. Let River Cruise Your Way take you away to the history around the Main River.

Abbey and Altenmünster Of Lorsch

The Abbey of Lorsch, near the intersection of the Rhine and Main Rivers, is a former Imperial abbey in Lorsch, Germany, just east of Worms a popular port city along the Main River. It was perhaps the most notable monastery of the Carolingian Empire. Even in its current ruined state, the Abbey’s remains are among the most important pre-Romanesque–Carolingian style buildings in the country. Its magnificent entry is a rare architectural vestige of the Carolingian era. You will find sculptures, paintings, and other artifacts from the Carolingian period that continue to be in excellent condition.

Messel Pit Fossil Site

Messel, Germany, is a small town just south of Frankfurt and the Main River with its most notable attraction being an ancient fossil pit. The Messel Fossil Pit is the known to be the site of perhaps the most abundant fossil finds in the world. These more than 40,000 fossil finds are critical for our understanding the living environment of the Eocene era, between 57 million and 36 million years ago. The Messel Pit provides valuable insight into the earliest stages of evolution of mammals. The mammal and other fossils ranging from fully articulated skeletons to stomach contents are amazingly well preserved. Although not the most popular attraction in the area, if this interests you the River Cruise specialist at River Cruise Your Way can arrange a custom, private excursion to visit Messel.

Würzburg Residence with The Court Gardens & Residence Square

The ‘Würzburg Residenz’ is a spectacular palace built in the 18th century in the artistic Baroque style. It is one of the largest and most attractive of Baroque palaces in Germany and is surrounded by enchanting gardens that are meticulously cared for. The Würzburg Residenz was constructed under the oversight of the prince-bishops Lothar Franz and Friedrich Carl von Schönborn. It will be your most impressive stop on your Main River cruise excursion to historic Würzburg. The Residenz is a highlight on many river cruise itineraries on the Main River.

Town of Bamberg

The historic town of Bamberg, Germany, was first written about in 902 AD and developed around the ancient castle Babenberch, which gave its name to the famous Babenberg family. Ever since the 10th century Bamberg became an important communication and trading center in the region with the Slav peoples from Poland and Pomerania. After the 12th century, as Bamberg began to flourish, the architecture was most strongly influenced by northern Germany and Hungary. During the late 18th century Bamberg was the center of the Enlightenment within southern Germany where prominent philosophers, artists and writers such as Hegel and Hoffmann resided. Bamberg is full of historic treasures for you to explore on your magical port visit along the Main River.

Margravial Opera House Bayreuth

The Margravial Opera House is a Baroque architectural style opera house in the town of Bayreuth, Germany, built in the mid-18th century. Bayreuth is a historic town about an hour drive northeast of Nuremberg and the Main River port there and is often a popular day excursion for river cruisers. It is one the few surviving theaters of this period that has been so extensively restored. A masterpiece of Baroque theater architecture, the Margravial Opera House is the only fully restored theater where an audience of 500 can even today experience Baroque court opera culture and authentic acoustics. Commissioned by Margravine Wilhelmine, wife of Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg–Bayreuth, it was designed by the renowned theater architect Giuseppe Galli Bibiena. The highly decorated theatre’s tiered loge is constructed of wood with painted canvas representing the ceremonial architectural tradition that was common in the 18th century.

Old Town of Regensburg With Stadtamhof

Sometimes an embarkation point for Main River or Danube River cruises, Regensburg is located near the confluence of the Main and Danube Rivers in Bavaria, Germany. This medieval town contains many historic buildings that testify to its critical place in history as a river trading center since the 9th century. Some of these architectural structures are restored from two millennia ago and include ancient Roman, Romanesque and Gothic styles. The central market, city hall and prominent cathedral or Regensburg still define the historic character of the town. Wandering Regensburg, you will discover medieval patrician houses and towers, a large number of churches and monastic clusters as well as a famous 12th century Old Bridge.

Your Main River Cruise Awaits!

Are you ready to start planning your Main River Cruise Vacation Your Way? A River Cruise Artist at River Cruise Your Way is ready to be your vacation concierge. Contact us today at 1-800-259-7612 or use the form below and let us know when it is most convenient to call you, we will confirm via e-mail, and then reach out at the agreed upon time and date.