Bike tour along the Elbe River

The former imperial city is the starting point for your bike tour along the Elbe River. Ottostadt, as it is affectionately called by its inhabitants, is not short on charm and sights. The 1200-year-old history is evident in almost every corner of the old town. Be sure to visit the Magdeburg Cathedral. It is the first Gothic-style cathedral to be built on German soil and one of the largest church buildings in Germany. Grüne Zitadelle, created by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, is also well worth a visit. Stroll across the longest canal bridge in the world and visit the Magdeburger Reiter (the Magdeburg Horseman) on the Old Market Square.

You cycle through the wide floodplain landscapes of Jerichower Land, which is known as a region rich in storks and beavers. The towers of the small town of Burg, which is also known as the Town of Towers, greet you from afar. Take a stroll through the very pretty old town and visit the Hochständerhaus, which was built in 1450 and is the oldest building in the town. Here you will find the historic tannery, which offers interesting guided tours. The Nicolai Church dating back to 1186 and the three-nave Gothic-style church Our Lady are also worth a visit.

First you cycle leisurely to the village of Ferchland. The Ferchlander Steilufer, which reaches a height of a proud 42 meters at the famous Galgenberg, is well worth seeing here. The view of the Jerichower Land and the Elbe lowlands is wonderful. The Jerichow monastery church is the next worthwhile stop on your bike tour along the Elbe River. Built in the brick Romanesque style, the monastery is considered to be one of the most important Romanesque buildings in Germany. The stage destination is Tangermünde, the town at the mouth of the small river Tangier into the Elbe. Stroll through the castle complex dating back to 925.

You cycle through the Alte Elbe nature reserve on this stage. Large nature and bird sanctuaries, extensive reed beds, open water areas and picturesque swamp forests await you. The overnight stay in Havelberg is located at the confluence of the Havel and Elbe rivers. The townscape of the Hanseatic town and former bishop's seat is dominated by the cathedral, which stands on a hill, and the associated monastery buildings. The ring-shaped old town with its market square, town hall and several gabled and eaves houses is beautifully situated on the town island.

It is up to you whether you cycle this leisurely stage of the bike tour along the Elbe River through Brandenburg or Saxony-Anhalt. After Werben, the state border runs right through the middle of the river. You will soon reach Wittenberge through the Elbe's glacial valley. Windmills used to be erected on the white sand hills to which the town owes its name. You can either spend the night here or continue cycling through the UNESCO Elbe-Brandenburg River Landscape Biosphere Reserve to Gartow am See.

The longest stage of the bike tour along the Elbe River lies ahead, first taking you to Wahrenberg, the village with the most storks in Saxony-Anhalt. The journey continues through vast nature reserves and along the romantic meanders of the Elbe. You will love the charming town of Hitzacker, your overnight stay in the joint municipality of Elbtalaue. Don't shy away from the climb up the vineyard hill, from where you have a fantastic view of the Lüneburg Heath and the Elbe floodplains. No worries – the hill only rises 40 meters above the Elbe valley. The old town of Hitzacker is idyllically situated on a small island and impresses with its pretty brick houses.

The next stage of the bike tour along the Elbe River goes up and down. You cycle through the Elbe floodplains either to the left or right of the river and can marvel at the typical heath landscape, lush forests and the magnificent farms that lie within them. The day's destination is Lauenburg, the old shipping town on the river. The lovingly renovated half-timbered houses nestle high up on the slopes of the Elbe. Take a stroll along the old cobblestones, through the small alleyways and enjoy the wonderful ambience of the shipping town. Visit the Elbschifffahrtsmuseum (Elbe Shipping Museum), it is well worth a visit.

You cycle through the Elbe marshes and along the steep slopes of the Elbe, the Hohen Elbufer. Visit the world's largest ship lift in Scharnebeck and the lively town of Geesthacht, where Alfred Nobel invented dynamite. Take a worthwhile trip to the small town of Winsen an der Luhe, beautifully situated in the Lüneburg Heath. After a few kilometers, you will have reached the port city of Hamburg, which can be seen from afar. Almost two million people live here. Plunge into the hustle and bustle of this vibrant metropolis. Elbphilharmonie, Speicherstadt, fish market, Reeperbahn, Schanzenviertel, Michel: There is so much to see!

Between Hamburg and the North Sea, many large ships will accompany you on your bike tour along the Elbe River. After all, Hamburg is the second largest container port in Europe and an increasingly popular destination for cruises. However, after a short flying visit, you leave the Hanseatic city via St. Pauli and Blankenese, one of Hamburg's most beautiful districts. The Elbe Cycle Route then takes you along the right bank of the Elbe towards the sea via Wedel to Glückstadt. Almost everyone in Northern Germany is familiar with this little town, as it is here that the much-loved Matjes is made according to traditional recipes. There is even the annual Glückstädter Matjeswochen in June, when the new season is heralded with the traditional matjesanbiss. Away from these festivities, Glückstadt is an atmospheric, maritime town with its inland port and magnificently decorated row of houses, where there is plenty to discover.

The last cycling stage of your bike tour along the Elbe River is coming up. The Elbe ferry (not included in the tour price) takes you to Wischhafen. You cycle through the vast fruit-growing region of Altes Land. It is the largest closed fruit-growing area in Northern Europe, with 10 million apple, cherry and plum trees. The Elbe widens more and more and the smell of the sea becomes more intense, the dykes more massive and soon you and the Elbe have reached your destination: the North Sea! Cuxhaven is located directly on the Wadden Sea, which has been declared a World Heritage Site. Go on a mudflat hike, visit Alte Liebe, Kugelbake or board the museum ship Elbe 1.

After breakfast, your bike tour along the Elbe River, followed by an individual return journey. We are also happy to extend your stay in Cuxhaven.