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Mainz packs a thousand years of history into a compact, walkable old town on the Rhine. Most sights sit within a 20-minute walk of the cathedral, so you can see the highlights in two full days. This list covers the main attractions with locations, hours, and ticket prices. For where to base yourself, see our where to stay in Mainz guide, and for the broader city, the Mainz travel guide.
Things to Do in Mainz: Historic Sights
Mainz Cathedral (Mainzer Dom)
The Romanesque Mainz Cathedral dominates the market square and has stood, rebuilt through fires, for about a thousand years. Entry to the nave is free, and it opens daily from about 9:00 to 17:00, though it closes during services. Walk the cloister and look for the medieval tomb monuments of the archbishops; the east choir with its stained glass is the highlight.
Gutenberg Museum
Opposite the cathedral, the Gutenberg Museum holds two of the roughly 49 surviving original Gutenberg Bibles and traces the invention of movable type. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 17:00, and admission costs 5 euros for adults, with live printing demonstrations at set times daily. The building is on Liebfrauenplatz 5, a two-minute walk from the Markt.
St. Stephan’s Church (Chagall Windows)
St. Stephan’s Church on the hill above the city holds nine stained-glass windows designed by Marc Chagall, his only such work in Germany. The blue windows glow strongest in afternoon light, and entry is free, open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 16:30 and Sunday from 12:00 to 16:30. It sits at Kleine Weißgasse 12, about a 10-minute uphill walk from the old town.
Kirschgarten and Augustinerkirche
The Kirschgarten is a small square ringed by half-timbered houses from the 16th and 17th centuries, tucked behind the Gutenberg Museum. Next to it, the Augustinerkirche is a rococo church that is often free and open during the day. Both are free and make a quick, quiet stop between the cathedral and the Rhine.
Things to Do in Mainz: Museums and Culture
Landesmuseum Mainz
The Landesmuseum Mainz, on Große Bleiche, covers art and archaeology from prehistory to the 20th century and is the city’s biggest museum. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00, and admission is around 6 euros, with free entry on the first Saturday of each month. The Roman stone monuments and the collection of 20th-century painting are the two strongest rooms.
Naturhistorisches Museum Mainz
The Natural History Museum on Reichklarastraße is best known for its geology, local fossils, and a large collection of stuffed birds and mammals. It opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00, with adult tickets around 5 euros. It is a practical indoor option for a rainy day, which the Mainz weather by month guide can help you plan around.
Mainz State Theater (Staatstheater Mainz)
The State Theater on Gutenbergplatz runs opera, drama, and ballet across two stages, with tickets typically 15 to 60 euros depending on seat and production. Performances run most evenings September through June, and the schedule is on its website. It is the anchor of the city’s live arts scene and fills up around the Mainz events and festivals calendar.
Things to Do in Mainz: Outdoors and the Rhine
Rhine Promenade and Theodor-Heuss Bridge
The Rhine promenade runs south from the old town past the Winterhafen marina and is the city’s main walking and cycling route. Cross the Theodor-Heuss Bridge on foot for the best photo angle of the cathedral skyline and the half-timbered riverfront. The walk is free and flat, and the busiest, sunniest months are covered in the best time to visit Mainz guide.
Volkspark Mainz
The Volkspark on the southern edge of the city is the largest green space, with lawns, a rose garden, playgrounds, and shaded paths. It is free and open daily, and it is where locals go for picnics and jogging when summer days hit 25 C (77 F). Reach it on tram line 51 toward Hechtsheim.
Roman Theatre (Römisches Theater) and the Isis Temple
Mainz, founded as the Roman fortress Mogontiacum in 13 BC, still has visible Roman remains. The restored Roman theatre near the South Station hosts open-air events, and the small Isis and Mater Magna sanctuary is displayed under the Römerpassage shopping arcade. Both are free to view from outside, and the sanctuary is open daily during shopping hours.
If you are planning where to spend the night between these sights, the neighborhoods breakdown in our Mainz neighborhoods guide and the arrival details in the Mainz travel tips page round out the trip.
