Discover the Main-Kinzig District
Accommodation in Main-Kinzig District
The Main-Kinzig District can be explored in many different ways: with walks through blossoming orchards, a day swimming at the lake, or cultural experiences in museums and historic sites. The Kinzig provides a geographical point of reference. It rises in the northeast of the district near Sinntal-Sterbfritz and flows into the Main in Hanau. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can therefore start by asking yourself which experiences you would like to shape your stay.
File:Hainstraße 10, 1, Niederdorfelden, Main-Kinzig-Kreis.jpg
Photo: GeorgDerReisende via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Meadows, trails and views
In spring, the blossoming trees and colourful meadows of the orchard region stretching from Bergen-Enkheim to Maintal-Hochstadt invite you to go for walks and excursions. The area covers around 320 hectares; some of its sunny slopes are protected nature reserves. If you enjoy combining your stay with outdoor activities, there are further options in various towns across the district: the “Spessartbogen” premium hiking trail passes through Biebergemünd, and the area around Hasselroth is ideal for hiking and visiting the Hässeler Weiher nature reserve.
In Bad Orb, the 9-metre-high Wartturm on Molkenberg is a lookout point and starting point for hikes. From there, panoramic views extend across Bad Orb, the Spessart and the Vogelsberg. The Haseltal offers a different kind of experience: a trail runs along the Hasel, and the Haselweiher pond and a Kneipp facility are also part of the excursion destination. You can linger and relax there; the Haseltal is also accessible by car. These destinations appeal to different preferences, from taking in the landscape to an outing with stops by the water.
Swimming lake or saltwater spa
At the Kinzigsee in Langenselbold, activities in and on the water take centre stage. The swimming lake has a sandy beach and a large sunbathing lawn; you can swim, sunbathe, play beach volleyball, sail, windsurf and go stand-up paddleboarding there. This lets you shape a day of your holiday according to whether you feel like being active or relaxing. If you would rather focus on a saltwater spa, you will find the Spessart Therme in Bad Soden-Salmünster: its intensive brine pool uses 100% Bad Soden brine, which contains almost 10% salt.
Culture and discoveries with children
The Gelnhausen Museum is housed in the former Augustaschule at Obermarkt and is designed as a family-friendly, hands-on museum. During guided tours, workshops, rallies and other educational activities, children and adults can experience history by touching, listening, smelling, participating and trying things out. This offers a different approach to the past than the historic Altes Schloss castle complex in Büdesheim, a district of the municipality of Schöneck. Also known as Bruderhof or Brendelstein, it is a Renaissance complex that originated from an older Benedictine estate.
Steinau an der Straße was the home of the Brothers Grimm; the town is also on the German Fairy Tale Route. For another glimpse into history, the Ronneburg Museum offers the chance to explore rooms and furnishings. Guided tours explain life in a medieval castle. At Ronneburg, the falconry centre presents free-flying birds of prey at close range and offers age-appropriate educational talks for school classes and kindergartens. In Jossgrund-Burgjoß, you will find a moated castle and the Burgwiesenpark. Rodenbach is associated with Faxe Müller’s ephemeral forest artwork “Wabernde Welle”; in Sinntal, Schwarzenfels Castle offers panoramic views of the surrounding forests.
Choosing the right place to stay
When looking for a holiday apartment, choose a location based on the experiences that matter to you. If you want a day at the water, Langenselbold and the Kinzigsee are one possible focus; for saltwater bathing, consider Bad Soden-Salmünster and the Spessart Therme. If you prefer hiking, look at places near the trails, viewpoints and scenic destinations mentioned above. You can also plan a culture-focused trip around the museums and historic sites described here. Brachttal can be explored by bike via the Vogelsberger Südbahnradweg; in Bad Orb, the educational herb garden—created in 2000 as a naturalistic teaching and display garden to mark the Kurpark’s 100th anniversary—offers insights into herbal medicine and features more than 200 different herbs and medicinal plants.
To help you choose a location, you can also find out more on the pages for Steinau an der Straße, Schöneck, Schlüchtern, Maintal, Erlensee, Bad Soden-Salmünster, Bad Orb, Linsengericht, Gründau, Birstein, Gelnhausen, Hanau, Langenselbold, Rodenbach, Sinntal, Brachttal, Neuberg, Hammersbach, Ronneburg, Jossgrund, Bruchköbel, Freigericht, Großkrotzenburg, Biebergemünd, Niederdorfelden, Hasselroth, Nidderau, Flörsbachtal and Wächtersbach.
For the broader travel overview: Hesse.
