The Saalburg is the Roman fort that Germany rebuilt. On the crest of the Taunus north of Bad Homburg, where the Limes crossed a pass, archaeologists excavated the remains of a fort in the nineteenth century, and between 1897 and 1907, with the enthusiastic support of Kaiser Wilhelm II, it was reconstructed with walls, gates, barracks and a headquarters building. Today it is a museum and archaeological park, and the civil settlement, or vicus, that grew up outside the fort lies east of the B 456 road. It is part of the Upper German-Raetian Limes World Heritage Site.
The vicus was where soldiers' families, traders, craftsmen and innkeepers lived, and excavations have revealed houses, wells, baths and a mansio, a guesthouse for travellers. The foundations are marked out in the forest, and walking among them gives a sense of a small Roman town on the edge of the empire. The reconstructed fort itself is a striking sight, whatever the purists say about its accuracy.
The Taunus is a range of low mountains north-west of Frankfurt, covered with forests and crossed by winding roads. The Großer Feldberg, the highest point at 879 metres, is a magnet for riders from the Rhine-Main area, and its roads are full of bikes at weekends. That popularity has brought problems, and the police are very active, with speed checks and, on some roads, noise or weekend restrictions. Ride respectfully and check local rules.
Bad Homburg, six kilometres away, is an elegant spa town with a palace, park and casino, while Friedrichsdorf, founded by French Huguenot refugees, has long been known for its zwieback, a twice-baked rusk. The roads through the Taunus to the Rhine and the Lahn valley offer great riding, with curves, forests and villages.
Wehrheim, three kilometres away, can refuel you, and the Saalburg itself has a café. Frankfurt is close by, with all services. The local drink is apple wine, Apfelwein or Ebbelwoi, served in ribbed glasses with hearty food like green sauce, a cold herb sauce, and potatoes.