The Altmühl Bike Tour

Your journey begins in Rothenburg in the Tauber Valley. Slender turrets, half-timbered houses adorned with flower boxes and imposing fortifications stand door to door here. The well-preserved old town with its winding alleyways is regarded abroad as the epitome of a medieval German town. Booked rental bikes are available at the hotel.

The cycle tour takes you out of the Tauber Valley to the Altmühl spring, which is not far away. If you prefer, you can then take a detour via the Ansbach residence. Or you can cycle directly to the medieval town of Herrieden. The route continues to Gunzenhausen in the Franconian Lake District. Numerous excavation finds prove that this beautiful little town was already a preferred settlement area in prehistoric times.

You cycle through cornfields past the small town of Graben. Shortly afterwards, you are in the Franconian Alb. The valley becomes narrower; wooded mountain slopes with prominent limestone cliffs accompany you; Pappenheim Castle and rock formations such as the Twelve Apostles tower into the sky. You soon reach the university town of Eichstätt.

Today you cycle through the charming nature park, the heart of the Altmühltal. The imposing Kipfenberg Castle invites you to take a break. The route continues through Beilngries, a well-preserved medieval town, towards Riedenburg, also known as the pearl of the Altmühltal. It is worth visiting the sound museum with original sound reproduction devices that are well worth seeing and hearing.

A brisk ride along the canal to Essing with the longest wooden bridge in Europe and the mysterious Schulerloch, a stalactite cave that serves as a refuge for bats in winter. In Kelheim you have reached the Danube. Cycle along the Danube cycle path to Regensburg, perhaps Germany's most beautiful city. The cathedral, Salzstadel and Stone Bridge form the heart of the medieval city.

You shouldn't shy away from the strenuous climb to Walhalla, which Ludwig I opened in 1842. The memorial towers over the Danube like a Greek temple. The panoramic view stretches almost as far as Straubing, the next town on your stage to Deggendorf. You continue to follow the Danube, which now meanders generously through the wide plain of the Gäuboden, to Deggendorf, the gateway to the Bavarian Forest.

The last stage of your sporty Altmühl and Danube cycle tour first takes you to Vilshofen, famous for the Ash Wednesday speeches of former CSU chairman Strauß. You will soon reach your destination, the three-river city and former bishop's residence of Passau. Explore the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers by boat and enjoy the evening with a stroll through the old town or a visit to the Veste Oberhaus.

After breakfast, your sporty Altmühl and Danube cycle tour ends with an individual return journey to Rothenburg or home. We are also happy to extend your vacation on one of the two rivers.