Gelnhausen - seat of Main-Kinzig-Kreis and town in Hesse, Germany

Gelnhausen is a town in Hesse, one of the states of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Understand

Gelnhausen has about 20,000 inhabitants. It's 50 km east of Frankfurt and about 50 km west of Fulda.

Get in

By train

• Bahnhof Gelnhausen, 50.1966°, 9.18945°. There is a train service from Frankfurt (30 minutes) every hour.

By motorcar

Connection to Autobahn A66.

Get around

See

• Kaiserpfalz Gelnhausen (Barbarossaburg), Burgstraße 14, 50.2°, 9.19556°. It was founded in 1170 by Frederick Barbarossa (Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor). 2016-02-13
• Museum Gelnhausen, Obermarkt (behind Obermarkt 24). Entertaining museum with many interesting exhibits, including a gigantic human ear that kids can climb into (reservation required), as well as on historic figures such as Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. 2019-04-15
• Romanisches Haus. 2019-04-15
• Hexenturm. 15th century tower 2019-04-15
• Marienkirche, 50.2028°, 9.19222°. 12th-century church and landmark. 2019-04-15

Do

• Barbarossafreibad, Barbarossastraße 44-46, 50.20109°, 9.20490°, +49 6051 2401. May-Sep: daily 08:00-20:00. An open-air swimming pool. Adult €4, child €2.50
• Hallenbad Gelnhausen, Am Hallenbad 1, 50.20042°, 9.17904°, +49 6051 17070. Tu 07:00-18:00, W-F 07:00-22:00, Sa 13:00-19:00, Su 09:00-16:00. Adult €3.90, child €1.90

Events

• There is an annual festival called the "Schelmenmarkt" (Scoundrels' Market). It features some rides such as a roller coaster and two or three carousels. This is probably a good occasion to get to see the town at its best.
• Kinzigtal total. An "everyone can participate" cycling event.

Buy

Eat

Gelnhausen has a surprisingly wide range of restaurants.

• Sardina. A good place for pasta, pizza, etc.
• Schelm von Berge, Obermarkt, +49 6051 2755. It offers amazing traditional German food, with a gourmet twist. Schnitzel and Käsespatzle are probably the best two items on the menu, but there's nothing sub-par about the food at this atmospheric venue.
• Pizzeria A66, Altenhaßlauer Weg 3 (Hailer), 50.18806°, 9.17407°, +49 6051 67929. The insider tip, in the opinion of many Gelnhausers, is that they have the best wood-fired pizza here, but the other food is good too, and very cheap.
• Blockhaus, Auf der Dürich 1, 50.20953°, 9.18976°, +49 6051 3921. M Sa 12:00-21:00, Su 10:00-21:00. It offers classic Hessian specialties and cheap but very good apple wine. It is an excursion restaurant in a beautiful location on the edge of the forest.

Drink

As in most towns around Frankfurt you will have no difficulties finding the famous Ebbelwei (apple wine).

• Café Art. One of the best pubs in Obermarkt, a 'square' that is anything but square, has cobbles all over it, and is flanked by the region's distinctive, red-sandstone buildings. The beer to go for is Jever Pils, draught. Buy it in small measures the way the locals do.

Sleep

• Schelm von Bergen, Obermarkt, +49 6051-2755.
• Altstadthotel Gelnhausen, Untermarkt 17, +49 6051 97798-0.
• Grimmelshausen-Hotel, Schmidtgasse, +49 6051-92420.
• Burgmühle, +49 6051-82050.

Go next

• Bad Orb, spa town, 15 km to the east (20 minutes by bus)
• Hanau, birth place of the Brothers Grimm, 25 km to the southwest (15–20 minutes by train)