Getting To Mainz
Mainz is just a 30 minute train ride from Frankfurt Airport, the largest airport in Germany.
Frankfurt Airport is a major hub of Lufthansa and thus you can easily get flights to Frankfurt from around Europe and beyond (from Asia, Africa, North America, and South America).
For us, Frankfurt is just a 2 hour flight from Dublin and therefore an ideal location for a long weekend workcation in Germany.
Note that local trains from Frankfurt Airport to Mainz are a little confusing. The ticket machine asked if we wanted to go via Russelheim or Frankfurt.
S8 seemed like the only choice running every 30 min. Then saw RE3 to Saarbrücken which stops in Mainz Hbf. The ticket cost about 5 EUR for the 30 min ride.
We also learned that Google Maps only has S-Bahn data which likely explains our confusion when we were comparing Google Maps to what we were seeing on the schedule board at the Frankfurt Airport train station.
Fortunately, Mainz is a relatively small city and is easy to just walk around once you are there. If you do want to avail of public transportation, download the RMV Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund app on Android or iPhone.
Where to Stay in Mainz
Things to do in Mainz at a Glance
- Walk around the Mainz Christmas Market Before Opening Time
- Shop Römerpassage
- Tour Mainzer Dom
- Pick up a Sweet Treat at Dom Confiserie
- Explore the Gutenberg Museum
- Watch the Sunset over the Rhine River
- Warm up with a Glass of Wine
- Channel Your Inner College Student and Grab a Kebab
- Drink Gluhwein at the Christmas Markets
- Appreciate the Chagall Windows at St. Stephan's Church
- Grab a Bracing Outdoor Coffee
- Have Dinner at the Christmas Market
- Go on a Mainz Door Hunt
- Eat Lunch at the Mainz Christmas Market
- Look for an Edgy Exhibit like the Mystery of Banksy
- Take a (non-Christmasy) Photowalk in Mainz
- Stroll along the Rhine
- Check Out St. Christoph's Church
Things to do in Mainz in Detail
1. Walk around the Mainz Christmas Market Before Opening Time
The Mainz Christmas markets open at the end of November. We timed our visit to arrive the day before the Christmas markets opened.
We had a fantastic time walking around Mainz Old Town on the afternoon we arrived taking pictures before the crowds descended.
We were very happy to resume our tradition of visiting a different city in Germany each year for the Christmas markets!
If you arrive later in December, you can recreate this experience by taking a photowalk in the Mainz Christmas markets in the morning before they open.
2. Shop Römerpassage
The area around Römerpassage in Mainz is full of festive decorations in November and December. Römerpassage is a good option to warm up a bit on a winter walk in Mainz.
We enjoyed self-service sandwiches for lunch at a local bakery near Römerpassage. The prices felt like such a bargain after our last trip to Norway!
We got 2 sandwiches, a coffee, and a bag of cookies for less than 10 EUR. Römerpassage is a great destination if you need to get some Christmas shopping done on your winter workcation.
Fun fact: you'll find the ruins of an ancient Roman temple below the shopping center.
3. Tour Mainzer Dom
Mainzer Dom (The Mainz Cathedral) dominates the landscape of the city and is free to enter. Definitely make time to check it out.
I loved how the light played off the stained glass. This 1000 year old cathedral also features a spectacular organ and a small below ground crypt.
Mainzer Dom is even more impressive from the outside both day and night!
4. Pick up a Sweet Treat at Dom Confiserie
Dom Confiserie is located in the shadow of Mainzer Dom and offers some amazing treats to eat in or takeaway.
We picked up a chocolate covered marzipan log and some walnut marzipan confections local to Mainz to enjoy back at the hotel when I needed a break from work.
5. Explore the Gutenberg Museum
The Gutenberg Museum is the most famous Mainz tourist attraction and so we took a self-guided tour.
Quick history refresher: Johannes Gutenberg was a German inventor who democratized reading by bringing printing to Europe via the moveable-type printing press at the tail end of the Middle Ages.
For just 5 EUR per person, we saw countless historic books including intact Gutenberg Bibles. Less than 200 were made and less than 50 have survived intact since the 15th century.
The Gutenberg Museum features four storeys of exhibits. The first two storeys have English subtitles, the top two storeys, not so much.
The Gutenberg Museum also featured an exhibit on the history of printing in Asia and a modern art exhibit in the ground floor.
I highly recommend the Gutenberg Museum as a must-go thing to do in Mainz.
6. Watch the Sunset over the Rhine River
In winter, the sun goes down early in Mainz. Head to the Rhine to watch the sunset. I'll admit that I got a bit distracted by the elegant buildings and doors along the way.
There is a promenade and park along the river. Dress warmly and go for an evening stroll.
A Medieval Wooden Tower (Holzturm) caught our eye as we were walking along the Rhine and we headed toward it.
A section of what I imagine is the Medieval city wall stands out among the neighboring apartment blocks.
7. Warm up with a Glass of Wine
Time for a glass of local wine at Vinotheka Moguntia. We tried a dry Riesling and a Rivaner. Just 3.50 EUR for a pour advertised to be a very generous 200 ml.
Our glass was filled to the brim. We enjoyed Vinotheka Moguntia so much that we popped in again for another 3 EUR glass of local wine the next night.
This time we tried a Silvaner and a Halbstrocken Dornfelder. The Christmas Market closed at 8:30 pm so we waited for the crowds to clear before heading back to the hotel.
We enjoyed the twinkling lights on our walk back from Mainz City Centre to our hotel near the Hauptbahnhof (about 20 min). We stopped to pick up a bottle of Organic wine at the supermarket.
Just 4.99 EUR for a Landlust Dortfelder and Spätburgunder blend. This area of Germany along the Rhine River cultivates some great wines at even better prices!
8. Channel Your Inner College Student and Grab a Kebab
There is a kebab shop on almost every corner in Mainz, something we don't get as easily in Dublin. That's dinner sorted!
We enjoyed a takeaway kebab and a glass of wine at our hotel. The kebab only cost a fiver and was so filling!
SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT: Looking for more traditional German Christmas Market destinations to add to your list of candidate workcations next year? Why not:
Did you know that Christmas markets aren't just a phenomenon in Germany?
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9. Drink Gluhwein at the Christmas Markets
The Christmas markets in Mainz opened at 11 am sharp the day after we arrived. We took a break at lunchtime to visit the Christmas market on Schillerplatz.
Potato pancakes with applesauce (Reibekuchen mit apfelmus) plus weisser glühwein (hot white wine) was the perfect midday treat for our winter workcation.
10. Appreciate the Chagall Windows at St. Stephan's Church
Another cool thing to do in Mainz is stopping to see the Chagall stained glass windows at St. Stephan's Church. St. Stephan's dates back over 1000 years. Much of the church was destroyed during World War II.
Marc Chagall was convinced to do the windows of the church despite the fact that he was born into a Hasidic Jewish family. The Chagall windows in Mainz feature amazing blue colors!
The pipe organ and cloister courtyard are also worth a look.
11. Grab a Bracing Outdoor Coffee
On a workcation, it's important to do things in smaller, bite-sized chunks. We took time out and enjoyed cake and coffee at Baristaz Coffee Heroes including a slice of an elegant Mozartkuchen!
12. Have Dinner at the Christmas Market
In winter life centers around the Christmas markets in Mainz and, as you can see, so did our workcation. We ate currywurst with glühwein for dinner at the Mainz Hauptbahnhof Christmas market.
All the tables were taken and we were having trouble finding a spot. The glühwein seller saw us struggling and kicked out someone who hadn't bought from him to make room for us.
We loved the beautiful Christmas lights and glitz at the main Mainz Christmas Market. It was a bit crowded so we decided not to stay long.
We made sure to nab some roasted chestnuts before leaving. It's important to have a beverage when you eat chestnuts since they can be quite dry and cough-inducing if you aren't careful.
We noted that the Mainz Hauptbahnhof Christmas market was open later than one by Mainzer Dom. We couldn't resist buying one final order of Reibekuchen to finish out the day on the way back to our hotel.
The vendor made fun of me because he thought I said mit "apple juice" when I actually said "apfelmus".
13. Go on a Mainz Door Hunt
My regular readers know that I absolutely love doors and find the beauty in this architectural expression wherever we go. Mainz did not disappoint in the door department.
One of my recommended things to do in Mainz is to go on a door hunt. Wander around the heart of the city and snap the prettiest doors you find.
I even spotted one door featuring bird-inspired street art painted on a garage. A garage door is still a door, in my opinion, especially when it's beautifully decorated.
14. Eat Lunch at the Mainz Christmas Market
On the second day of our workcation in Mainz, we worked for a few hours in the morning and then went out to the Mainz Christmas Market next to Mainzer Dom.
Here we ate the best potato pancakes of the trip so far. Pay for a token, then pick up your portion! Reibekuchen appear to be a Mainz Christmas market specialty. This batch of reibekuchen had an excellent crispy finish.
Browsing further, we opted to eat a Christmas market classic: sausage! We ordered a Rindswurst and a Thuringer sausage which is uniquely flavored with caraway seeds.
We also picked up some chili almonds as a snack for later while working.
Don't limit yourself to just Christmas market food in Mainz. We discovered cheesy bread with pumpkin seeds and a donut filled with vanilla pudding at a local bakery near the Christmas market.
I love trying local treats when we travel; another advantage of a workcation.
SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT: Looking for other short city break destinations to visit in Germany? Have you considered:
Are you seeking city break inspiration in Central Europe beyond Germany? Have you thought about:
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15. Look for an Edgy Exhibit like the Mystery of Banksy
When we visited Mainz, there was an unauthorized Banksy exhibit on. We paid 18 EUR to enter The Mystery of Banksy which was located on the top floor of a local artisan's market. The exhibit was pretty pricey and I was left wondering who would get the money.
Allow at least 90 minutes to tour The Mystery of Banksy. There were many works on display including classic stenciled pieces, full-blown art installations, painted over canvases, and 3D objects like a case of Di-faced tenners featuring Princess Diana. Even the WC on-site was decorated.
This is yet another advantage of basing yourself somewhere for a workcation. You can pretend you are a local and take advantage of time-bound exhibits like this one.
16. Take a (non-Christmasy) Photowalk in Mainz
Winter in Mainz isn't only about Christmas cheer. Look beyond the Christmas markets and explore the other sides of Mainz by taking a photo walk.
Keep an eye out for vintage neon signs and shopfronts which make for amazing photo compositions. You may spot some cool street art as you are out and about as well.
We chanced upon Kurfürstliches Schloss which is situated near the Rhine on our Mainz photowalk. The schloss features absolutely fabulous architecture. Of course, it was the door that caught my eye.
17. Stroll along the Rhine
The Rhine River in Mainz sports a tree-lined path for walking, cycling, our running. The Rhine River promenade is lovely for a stroll even in November.
We discovered some interesting stone panels along the Rhine near the Hilton Hotel in Mainz. The figures pictured on the panels were quite jaunty.
18. Check Out St. Christoph's Church
Another bite-sized thing to do in Mainz on a workcation is explore the remains of St Christoph Church. The first reference to a church here dates back over 1000 years.
The most recent church was destroyed during WWII. Learn about the history of the church and Mainz' fate during the war in colorful panels with pictures and short English translations.
Summing Up Our Workcation in Mainz
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