Bike Tour along the German Danube

Your bike tour on the Danube in Germany begins in Donaueschingen. It is said that the Brigach and Breg rivers bring the Danube to Donaueschingen. In Donaueschingen, however, the Romans already considered the spring in what is now the park of the Fürstenberg Palace to be the source of the Danube. The Belle Époque-style castle is an impressive testimony to the former importance of the von Fürstenberg family. On your arrival, booked rental bikes are ready and waiting at the hotel.

The first stage of your bike tour on the Danube in Germany takes you along the Danube Cycle Path. In Immendingen you can observe a unique natural spectacle with the Danube seepage. Here, the river disappears into the limestone for a large part of the year. Instead of flowing into the Black Sea, part of the Danube flows via the Aachtopf and the Rhine into the North Sea. You will spend the night in Mühlheim or Fridingen.

Today you accompany the Danube through the scenically impressive Danube valley, which it has created over the course of time. Over 100-metre-high limestone cliffs, on which a castle or ruin can always be seen, line your path. In Sigmaringen, a piece of living history awaits you in the form of Hohenzollern Castle. It is still inhabited by the princely family.

On your bike tour along the Danube in Germany, you will experience a softer landscape instead of rugged rocks. A stop at the Heuneburg in Herbertingen is worthwhile. The open-air museum offers insights into the life of the Celts. Shortly before you reach your destination for the day, Riedlingen, it is worth making a detour to the Hanging Gardens of Neufra, which are supported by vaults and designed in the style of the Renaissance. The townscape of Riedlingen is characterised by medieval half-timbered houses. 

First you follow the course of the river through the river landscape Donauwiesen. Halfway along the route you reach Obermarchtal. Especially the baroque monastery complex will catch your eye. Continue via Munderkingen to your stage destination Ehingen. In this self-proclaimed beer culture town, small breweries brew a wide variety of beers according to traditional methods and invite you to taste them on site.

You can either follow the Danube or take the diversions via Blaubeuren. There, a spring rises in the Blautopf, which also marks the beginning of a large cave system. The intense colour of the water appears to have been dyed. The little river Blau leads you to the Swabian city of Ulm with the highest church tower in the world. The climb up the 768 steps is long, but is rewarded with a fantastic view as far as the Alps.

Between Ulm and Lauingen, one small town follows the next, always a little away from the Danube and safe from flooding. You can marvel at over 50 million small building blocks in every possible colour and shape in Legoland in Günzburg. Lauingen is the town of towers. The most famous tower is the Schimmelturm on the market square. Climb its 54 metres and enjoy the view of the town and the surrounding area. 

Today's stage of your bike tour on the Danube in Germany takes you via Höchstädt with its late Renaissance castle through the Danube meadows to Donauwörth at the mouth of the Wörnitz. The most important trade route between Nuremberg and Augsburg once crossed the Danube here. Even today, the magnificent houses are a reminder of the town's historical importance. The Käthe Kruse Doll Museum will make not only children's hearts beat faster.

Today you will be on the move. Soon you reach the foothills of the Franconian Alb, which enliven the cycling with gentle hills. It is worth taking a look at the old town of Neuburg and here especially at the court church or the town theatre. Ingolstadt offers an amazing medieval flair and is known worldwide as the home of the Audi car brand. Visit the Audi museum mobile and stroll through the old town within the old fortifications.

The Danube Cycle Path first takes you to Vohburg. Visit the historic town centre with its castle hill, the market square and the small Danube gate. After a stroll through the town and a good coffee, the journey continues. In Bad Gögging you have the opportunity to relax in the Limes-Therme. Or how about a visit to the Kuchlbauer Tower in Abensberg? The tower, designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, can be climbed as part of a guided tour of the brewery of the same name. You spend the night in Bad Gögging or in Abensberg.

Back on the Danube, you will soon reach Weltenburg. The monastery there is home to the oldest monastery brewery in the world. From Weltenburg you go by boat to Kelheim. Shortly after the start, a special natural spectacle awaits you - the Danube breakthrough. Here the Danube forces its way through steep rock faces. In Kelheim, a visit to the Liberation Hall is worthwhile. From here you have an excellent panoramic view. Continue on to Regensburg, the northernmost point of the Danube. Stroll through the winding alleys of the old town and over the almost 900-year-old Stone Bridge. 

A first stop on your bike tour on the Danube in Germany is worthwhile at the Valhalla near Donaustauf. King Ludwig I had this memorial built in the middle of the 19th century. Your journey continues along the Danube to Wörth Castle. From here you have a view of the Gäuboden, the granary of Bavaria. Your stage for the day ends in the old ducal town of Straubing, which can look back on Celtic and Roman roots. The striking town tower is Straubing's landmark.

Today you cycle first through the small town of Bogen, which became famous through the discovery of a statue of the pregnant Madonna from 1104. The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on the Bogenberg is even the oldest Marian pilgrimage church in Bavaria. Your bike tour along the German Danube continues through Pfelling and Mariaposching to the Benedictine Abbey in Metten. Your destination today is Deggendorf. It is known as the gateway to the Bavarian Forest. Gothic and Baroque characterise the old town.

Today you cycle along the meanders of the Danube to the City of Three Rivers Passau. Situated at the confluence of the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers, it looks back on a long history, which already had its origins in the settlement of the Celts. After arriving at the hotel, take a walk through the alleys of the city and enjoy the almost Mediterranean flair. The sublime St. Stephan's Cathedral and the Veste Oberhaus above the left bank of the Danube are also worth seeing. 

Your bike tour on the Danube in Germany comes to an end after breakfast. We are happy to extend your stay in Passau or one of the other overnight destinations with an additional night.