Connected to our visit to Frankfurt that I wrote about here, we spent two nights in Mainz and got to explore it for one full day. Finding a last-minute Airbnb in Frankfurt was proving to be too challenging so Grégory suggested trying a nearby city. Not only to escape the big city but also to get an opportunity to explore something new. I liked his reasoning so I booked a place in a quiet neighborhood of Mainz. I was drawn to it since I remembered the cathedral’s importance back from college and for Grégory, well they had a printing museum so it was a win-win for both of us!
We arrived in Mainz by train, which takes only half an hour, and relaxed for the rest of that Friday evening. After waking up early, we spent the entirety of Saturday in the city center of Mainz. We were treated to empty streets and oddly warm sunny weather for a February morning. Mainz didn’t disappoint when it comes to that timber-framed architecture I adore. I spent too much time photographing one specific corner from every possible angle!
We decided to sit down for breakfast at a local bakery and I became obsessed with those German pretzels. I had at least one every day and I still miss them! It was time to explore the city so we first headed to the cathedral. Generally, the first thing I’ll check about a church is if it has a cloister. I’ve always daydreamed about reading a book there all day long! After visiting the Frankfurt cathedral the previous day, I was much more impressed by the Mainz one. Romanesque churches have always been my favorites.
We spent almost two hours at the Gutenberg museum, which proved to be about more than Gutenberg itself. After such an engrossing visit, we were ready for some food. Thinking of Grégory, I chose a vegetarian place called Möhren Milieu. I’m not vegetarian but I’m always up for strictly vegetarian food because I find it delicious. And this place didn’t disappoint! We ordered two different dishes and shared them between us.
We walked through the town one last time and decided to visit the Museum of Ancient Seafaring. A variety of vessels dating back to the Roman Empire were accidentally discovered during construction work near the river. It was fascinating to see 4th-century shipwrecks and their real-size reconstructions. I was craving ice cream due to the sunny weather so we made one last stop before coming back to the Airbnb.
Even though our stay in Mainz was a short one, we still enjoyed it. Getting to know two cities rather than just one was surprisingly relaxing. You would expect it to feel hurried and stressful but it somehow turned out to be the opposite of that. I think we’ve just figured out what kind of tempo suits us best when traveling together. And I’m glad about that because it makes sightseeing together so much easier!
