Virtual offers – Digital museum visits and more
You can enjoy museum visits, wine tastings and music events in the Romantic Cities from the comfort of your own home. Our overview gives you information on upcoming events.
Do you want to explore the whole of the regional capital in just one day? It is ambitious. After all, the Romans, Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of letterpress printing with movable type, and many others have left their mark in Mainz, all within the space of 2,000 years. But with a carefully planned route, you can get a good impression of what it is that makes the city so special. And especially what makes the Mainz way of life so special. Why not get on your way, you could find the #mainzgefühl (Mainz feeling) infectious!
Cheerful Mainz
As soon as you arrive, you can experience this Mainz feeling in its truest sense. The newly opened ‘mainz STORE’ on the cathedral square is home to the traditional tourist information centre, a wine bar serving local wines and a shop selling Mainz souvenirs and specialities. The #mainzgefühl experience is an interactive adventure zone where you can discover the typical Mainz way of life, making for a suitable culmination to your visit.
The massive St Martin’s Cathedral is without a doubt the most famous landmark in the city and attracts visitors in their droves. While it is impressive on the outside, the interior has a real wow factor. Whether you are spending a week in Mainz or just a day, no visit is complete without taking in the cathedral. On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, a guided tour of the cathedral combines perfectly with a visit to the Mainz market extending out across the squares in front of the cathedral, considered to be one of the loveliest markets in Germany.
Enjoying wine on Liebfrauenplatz at Mainz Cathedral, Mainz
The cathedral can be found in the picture-perfect old town. You can go for a lovely stroll among lovingly restored half-timbered houses and picturesque squares, or stop for a coffee or a glass of wine and watch the world bustle by.
Talking of wine, Mainz is the wine capital of Germany, and no visit would be complete without a trip to a wine bar. For an authentic experience just like the locals do it, you should try the Mainz speciality of Spundekäs, a spiced cream cheese typically served with pretzels and wine. If you do go to a wine bar, you may well quickly get chatting and experience that Mainz feeling, as the people of Mainz are warm, friendly people. You shove up together, get chatting and do not stay strangers for long.
Selfies "with" Gutenberg and the cathedral in front of the graffiti wall on the banks of the Rhine, Mainz
Exciting exhibition at the Gutenberg Museum, Mainz
Definitive Mainz
Johannes Gutenberg was one particularly special resident of Mainz, and arguably the most famous, having revolutionised world history by inventing letterpress printing. There is a museum devoted to him that lets visitors immerse themselves in the world of writing culture and the history of the printing industry. The real highlights are the two original Gutenberg Bibles from the 15th century and a reconstruction of a printing press.
The Collegiate Church of St Stephan with its glittering blue church windows is also a must-see in Mainz. These were designed by world-famous Jewish artist Marc Chagall in 1979 as a symbol of reconciliation. They bathe the interior of the church in a mysterious azure blue glow.
Cities on rivers always have charm all of their own, and this also applies to Mainz. Mainz is not just next to the river, the river brings Mainz to life. The Rhine and its banks are a meeting point, an oasis of calm and a picnic spot and popular destination at all times of day. Enjoy the bustle along the Rhine, either at peace with your own company or over a glass of wine and a chat into the night.
For a perfect end to an evening at a wine bar, take a gentle stroll over Theodor Heuss Bridge to the other side of the Rhine. From here, you can enjoy a wonderful view over Mainz, especially at sunset.
Enjoying the sun on the banks of the Rhine at Mainz Winterhafen, Mainz
At a glance: 24 hours in Mainz
- mainz STORE
- Old town
- St Martin’s Cathedral
- The Collegiate Church of St Stephan
- Gutenberg Museum
- Wine and wine festivals
- Cycling and walking in and around Mainz
- ShUM Cities, UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Mainz app
Leisurely stroll or cycle along the banks of the Rhine, Mainz
