Two-wheeling vacations along German riverside bike paths
Two-wheeling vacations along German riverside bike paths
German riverside bike paths link half-timbered towns, gasthausen, and castles.
In Germany, rivers have long been the most important transportation arteries in the country and today they mark some of the most beautiful routes through the countryside. They flow through regions rich with history, lead to Germany's largest cities and provide a romantic backdrop complete with picturesque castles and half-timbered river towns. Today, the same rivers are lined with meandering, well-maintained bicycle paths.
Honestly, I'm not much of a bike guy. However, I love traveling along German rivers. Every curve brings another beautiful view. They flow through vineyards that drop from hillsides to the riverbanks, through tortured rocky gorges carved out by the rushing waters over centuries, and curl through lush farmlands. The German National Tourist Board provided this overview of some of the country's best riverside bike paths.
The Elbe Cycling Path
One of the most attractive in Germany, it leads for 520 miles from Dresden in the southeast all the way to the North Sea. The route is split into several stages, all easily doable in a day, and you can choose between both sides of the river.
Leading through fascinating landscapes from wetlands to hills, connecting UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the city of Dresden, the Luther town of Wittenberg, and the harbor city of Hamburg, there is plenty to discover along the way. The river has historic significance as part of the former German-East German border. You will also find plenty of bike-friendly hotels, hostels, and camping grounds, plus many package tours make this a very accessible route.
The Moselle Cycling Path
Set in Germany’s west between the wine-growing region of the Elbling wine near Trier, a wine specialty of the Upper Moselle, and Koblenz, this biking path invites you on a pleasurable bike tour. For 150 miles discover the 2000-year-old history of the region from old Roman ruins in Trier and Koblenz, to romantic wine villages such as Bernkastel or Cochem and great spas in Traben-Trabach. The trail is predominantly level, with an excellent network of cycle tracks and rural roads as well as old towpaths and accurate sign postings, offering optimum conditions for the casual cyclist.
Main River Cycling path
For 360 miles this biking trail leads from east to west through the northern Bavarian region of Franconia and the State of Hesse to Frankfurt. Highlights along the way are the majestic Wagner town of Bayreuth; the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bamberg, known as Germany’s beer capital and for its Baroque architecture; the wine-growing region around Wuerzburg, and the buzzing financial metropolis of Frankfurt. Stop along the way in one of the many local breweries or vineyards and be enchanted by 1000-year-old castles and cathedrals.
The Danube Cycling Path
Ths path leads for hundreds of miles along the second-longest river in Europe, through the German states of Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria from the Black Forest to Passau in the southeast. The cycling road is well-marked and package tours with several itineraries from seven to 15 days are bookable.
Highlights along the way are the castles Sigmaringen and Hohenzollern of the Hohenzollern dynasty that ruled Germany in Baden-Wuerttemberg, the cathedral and merchant town of Regensburg, with the largest core of undestroyed medieval houses in Germany, and the three-river city of Passau. Discover the Danube from its fast-flowing beginnings until it grows into a wide and impressive river in Bavaria.
Charlie Leocha
Charlie Leocha is the President of Travelers United. He has been working in Washington, DC, for the past 14 years with Congress, the Department of Transportation, and industry stakeholders on travel issues. He was the first consumer representative to the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections appointed by the Secretary of Transportation from 2012 through 2018.
