The Wetterau is a broad, fertile basin north of Frankfurt, a land of rich loess soils, wheat fields, orchards and old villages, and the Romans wanted it badly. Their frontier, the Upper Germanic-Raetian Limes, bulged out here to take in the whole basin, looping around it in a wide arc. At Ober-Florstadt stood a fort with a civilian settlement beside it, where soldiers' families, traders and craftsmen lived. Today little is visible, but the site is part of the World Heritage frontier, and information boards help to picture the scene.
The Wetterau has always been a crossroads. Friedberg, a few kilometres west, has a large castle and a medieval Jewish ritual bath, a deep shaft descending to the groundwater. Bad Nauheim, next door, is a spa town with Art Nouveau bathhouses, and it was here that Elvis Presley lived while serving with the American army in the late 1950s, stationed in Friedberg. Fans still come to see the house where he stayed.
To the east, the land rises towards the Vogelsberg, one of the largest volcanic massifs in Central Europe, a wide, rounded dome of basalt covered with forests and pastures. Its roads are popular with riders from the Rhine-Main area, with long climbs, plenty of bends and quiet villages, and the summit area of the Hoherodskopf has views across the region.
The riding in the Wetterau itself is gentle, with country roads through fields and villages, mostly flat or slightly rolling. Traffic can be heavy closer to Frankfurt, but quieter further north. The Vogelsberg offers more challenging roads, but some are restricted for motorbikes at weekends because of noise and accidents, so check local rules. Weather is moderate, with warm summers and cool, damp winters.
Florstadt, about a kilometre away, has fuel, shops and inns. The Wetterau is apple country, and the local drink is Apfelwein, cider served in a ribbed glass or poured from a stoneware jug called a Bembel. Try it with Handkäs mit Musik, a sour milk cheese marinated with onions, vinegar and oil, or a plate of Frankfurt green sauce with boiled eggs and potatoes, though with a ride ahead, a single glass of cider is wise.