The Autobahn A3 between Frankfurt and Würzburg, the one we take going back for visits to Lower Franconia, has been rated one of the Top 30 in regards to Stau (traffic jam).

Just this past Friday we experienced a Vollsperrung (complete closure) and had to take the scenic route towards Schweinfurt. It was worth it, though.

The ADAC published the following results for the A3 (Frankfurt – Würzburg) for 2010:

3000 traffic jams, 3500 hours of waiting, with 6600 km in total.

As the Autobahn A3 was fully blocked on Good Friday, our long Easter weekend, we had to get off and take the scenic route once more.

We passed through villages we had never seen before, some with unusual names such as the one below – Opferbaum (victim tree of sacrifice tree).

Village of Opferbaum (Victim Tree) in Franconia

Rolling hills, plenty of bikers and bicyclists, and tons of sunshine were our companions on this trip.

Springtime in Germany

We even got to take the ferry across the Mainschleife as we had to make a book drop-off to Schloss Zeilitzheim and there was no other way to get there, but to cross the river by ferry.

Mainschleife ferry

It was a good 3:15 hour scenic drive instead of the usual 2:15 hours on the Autobahn.

Impressions of Franconia can vary greatly as these photos can attest to. They were taken within fifteen minutes from each other on two different Autobahnen, A3 and A7.

Luke and Duke, the Nukes in Grafenrheinfeld

Luke and Duke, the Nuclear Power Plant towers, have been around since the 1970s. Their ugly pillars loom over the industrial town of Schweinfurt and really darken its rainy skies occasionally.

Schlossresidenz Würzbug

Vineyards in the sun

While resting at a Autobahn Raststätte on the A7, I got to see a very different view of Franconian culture and  its agricultural highlight – vines on every hill.

The area between Schweinfurt und Würzburg, especially around Zeilitzheim, is full of lovely wine fests in the summer.