Where do the almond trees, cherry trees, and apple trees bloom while elsewhere there is still snow on the fields? Where do kiwis, figs, grapes and tobacco grow on the roadside? Where do people feel so comfortable that their hospitality even became legendary? By the Rhine and Neckar rivers and by the German wine road! Enjoy the mild Mediterranean climate and the varied bike routes, good food and many cultural highlights along the rivers Rhine and Neckar and along the German wine route.
Your holiday starts with a tour information meeting and bike fitting in the secret wine capital of Germany, where you can visit the city’s winding alleyways, mighty abbey church and the Elwedritschenbrunnen fountain.
The route will lead you through romantic wine villages with unique atmospheres. In the historic fortified city, Landau, you can visit the medieval market hall (Altes Kaufhaus) on the large main square (Rathausplatz) and enjoy the view of the Rhine Valley from the castle Landeck. At the end of today’s stage, we recommend visiting the Baroque palace, the historic Inn “Engel”, and the Westwall museum.
Today, you will pass the wine gate in Schweigen and get to the Alsace city of Wissembourg with its former Benedictine abbey. You will enjoy a leisurely bike ride through the forest Bienwald and the valley Lautertal to the river Rhine. At the end of your tour, you will get to the impressive baroque residence in Rastatt.
After cycling a very nice part of the route along the river Rhine, you will get to the residential city of Karlsruhe with its castle and pyramid. Then, you will cycle through the largest nature reserve of the Pfalz region – the Hördter Rheinauen – and get to the former fortified city Germersheim.
The river Rhine will take you to the imperial city of Speyer and its impressive cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The famous palace and palace garden in Schwetzingen are further highlights of the tour before you will end your day in Germany’s oldest university town.
Today, you will cycle along the river Neckar to Ladenburg, where you can trace two millennia of cultural history. In the old imperial city of Worms, you can visit the imperial cathedral of St Peter, the Luther memorial, or the largest Jewish cemetery in Europe.
The route will take you to the northern part of the German wine road. The medieval village Neuleiningen as well as Freinsheim with its historic old town are worth a visit. In Bad Dürkheim you can visit the biggest wine barrel in the world and the large salt producing site at the spa park.
On this short stage, you will have enough time to enjoy some wine on your way; for example, in the wine villages Wachenheim, Forst, and Deidesheim. Then, you will cycle via the region called “Balcony of the Pfalz” to the city where you started your tour - Neustadt an der Weinstraße.
Tour character
The routes on the Rhine and Neckar run entirely on the level, with no inclines. A rather hilly profile is offered along the German Wine Route.