Routes
Rivers, coasts, castles and vineyards – Germany’s long-distance cycle routes are among Europe’s best-organised. Start with a classic.
D-Netz: twelve official national routes (D1–D12) form the backbone – uniformly signposted from the North Sea to the Alps.
ADFC Qualitätsradrouten ★★★★★ rated
Voted Germany’s most popular route for years. From the Czech border through Dresden, Meissen vineyards, Magdeburg and Hamburg to the North Sea – mostly flat, well surfaced, rich in culture. Perfect first long tour.
Flensburg to Usedom: beaches, Rügen chalk cliffs, Hanseatic Lübeck, Wismar and Stralsund. Constant sea air and one of Europe’s great coastal rides.
Donaueschingen to Passau (and on to Vienna). Gently downhill, superbly signed – Europe’s most-ridden river route.
Loreley, Middle Rhine castles (UNESCO), Cologne and Mainz. Wine villages as rest stops. EuroVelo 15.
Würzburg to Füssen: Rothenburg, Augsburg, Neuschwanstein finale. Rolling Franconia and Bavaria – more demanding, unforgettable.
Germany, Austria, Switzerland in one loop. Alpine panoramas, Mainau, medieval Konstanz – three to five days.
~700 km from the capital through Mecklenburg lakes, ferry from Rostock, Danish islands to Copenhagen – two cycling cultures, one journey.
Best bikes for touring