(8)

Elbe bike path | Dresden-Magdeburg

The Elbe cycle path is always worth a trip

Cycle tour from Dresden via Saxon Switzerland to Magdeburg

Nowadays the region attracts many tourists to the river Elbe, the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and the Saxon Wine Route. Earlier it used to attract artistic builders. They created magnificent baroque buildings and palaces for August the Strong, which you can admire today on a bike tour along the Elbe. They designed the medieval ambience of the porcelain town of Meißen, and built the renaissance town of Torgau and the Luther town of Wittenberg bit by bit.

Your journey on the Elbe Cycle Path starts in Dresden. Buildings like the Frauenkirche, Dresden Zwinger, Semperoper and the castle reveal the aesthetics of high-class architecture. The tour through the Elbe Sandstone Mountains with their bizarre rocky structures, overhangs and crevices proves how magnificent an arcitect nature is. On your cycling trip down the Elbe, you will visit places such as Radebeul, the home of Karl May, and the wine villages near Meißen. You can choose where your journey on the Elbe Cycle Path ends: after six days in Wittenberg? After eight days in Dessau? Or after nine days in Magdeburg? Each of these cities makes a grand finale.

Note
You can also book this tour the other way around and cycle to Dresden. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us and we will be happy to help you plan your trip.

Further information about the elbe cycle path

Germany
Easy
  • 9 Days / 8 Nights
  • Self-guided tour
Yasmine Rohlfs
+49 441 485 97 14 Contact
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Contact & booking
Do you still have questions about the tour? We are happy to help and look forward to your inquiry.
"When planning your next active vacation, I will be very happy to assist you with advice and support."
Yasmine Rohlfs
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Itinerary

Individual arrival in Dresden, where your bike tour through the Elbe river landscapes begins. In the late afternoon we’ll distribute the bikes (if booked) as well as important information for your bike tour. Afterwards you’ll have the opportunity to stroll through the baroque old town of Dresden. Discover the world-famous sights of this city hast to offer such as the Zwinger, the church „Frauenkirche“, the castle and the opera house „Semperoper“.

The Elbe Cycle Path takes you along the river Elbe to the baroque Pillnitz Castle, an important testimony to human architecture from the 18th century with its impressive gardens. Your bike tour continues up the Elbe to the rugged sandstone cliffs of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. A unique ensemble of rocks, table mountains, plains and gorges. The short ascent to the Bastei rocks is certainly worthwhile. A stunning view of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and the course of the river rewards the little effort.

The return trip from Bad Schandau to Dresden takes place either by bike or by train  (optional). (approx. 45 km when returning by train)

On today's tour you‘ll experience the Elbe as a romantic river that flows through a picturesque valley surrounded by vineyards. You arrive at the town of Radebeul, which is closely linked to the name Karl May. The Elbe Cycle Path takes you to the city of Meissen, world-famous for its porcelain. The picturesque streets of the historic town centre are ideal for strolling and shopping. The Albrechtsburg or the world-famous Meissen porcelain manufactory are also worth a visit. (approx. 25 km)

Today you cross several wine villages on the »Saxon Wine Route« and have several opportunities to taste Saxon cuisine and wines. The baroque castle Diesbar-Seusslitz with its baroque castle church and its park is worth seeing on your tour.  (approx. 35 km)

Your journey takes you to Torgau and it‘s Hartenfels Castle, which is considered the most important still existing early Renaissance castle in Germany. About 163 steps lead to the Hausmannsturm, which offers a wonderful view of the city. There are over 500 individual monuments in Torgau's old town and preserve the splendor of the former royal seat of the Electorate of Saxony! (approx. 45 km)

The castles of Lichtenberg and Pretzsch mark the journey on the Elbe Cycle Path towards Wittenberg. When you arrive in the city where Martin Luther posted his theses to the church doors, it welcomes you with the traces of it’s medieval past. The Luther House contains the largest collection of Reformation history in the world. The old town of Wittenberg has been restored lovingly. Wittenberg's Castle Church, the City Church, the Luther House and the Melanchthon House are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Wittenberg. The pretty shops and restaurants make an evening stroll a real pleasure. (approx. 65 km)

From Wittenberg, your bike tour leads you downstream along the Elbe. After just a few kilometres on the Elbe Cycle Path, you’ll immerse yourself in the cultural heritage of the Wörlitz Garden Realm - a spacious and attractive park landscape from the 18th century. Dessau attracts with the Bauhaus buildings erected by Walter Gropius in the mid-1920s with their unmistakable functional style elements. (approx. 30 km)

Your stage leads through Elbe meadows and biosphere reserves. On your tour along the Elbe Cycle Path through the Salzlandkreis, you can visit the oldest saltwater spa in Germany in Bad Salzelmen. The Elbe Cycle Path continues to the city of Magdeburg with the famous Gothic cathedral. Modern buildings in Magdeburg are the "Green Citadel" by Friedensreich Hundertwasser and the "Millennium Tower" in the Elbauenpark. Today Magdeburg is one of the most important inland ports in Eastern Germany. Extremely worth seeing for art lovers and visitors who are interested in history. (approx. 85 km)

Individual departure after breakfast or the start of your optional extension if you want to continue your holiday for more days.

The route

Easy - the daily stages are between 25 and 65 km in flat to slightly hilly terrain. The Elbe bike path offers the opportunity to follow one of the most beautiful and important rivers in Germany. Other sections of the route take you along smaller country roads and little-travelled paths through the varied river landscape. 

Map Bike Tour Elbe

Prices and events

All data for 2024 at a glance
Place of arrival: Dresden
  Season 1
13.04.2024 - 26.04.2024
29.09.2024 - 05.10.2024

arrival daily
Season 2
27.04.2024 - 14.06.2024
09.09.2024 - 28.09.2024

arrival daily
Season 3
15.06.2024 - 08.09.2024

arrival daily
elbe cycling path from dresden to magdeburg, 9 days, cat. a, DE-EBRDM-09A
Base price
839.00
889.00
939.00
surcharge single room 279.00 279.00 279.00
elbe cycling path from dresden to magdeburg, 9 days, cat. b, DE-EBRMD-09B
Base price
789.00
839.00
889.00
surcharge single room 259.00 259.00 259.00
Season 1
Apr 13, 2024 - Apr 26, 2024
Sep 29, 2024 - Oct 5, 2024
arrival daily
Season 2
Apr 27, 2024 - Jun 14, 2024
Sep 9, 2024 - Sep 28, 2024
arrival daily
Season 3
Jun 15, 2024 - Sep 8, 2024
arrival daily
elbe cycling path from dresden to magdeburg, 9 days, cat. a, DE-EBRDM-09A
Base price
surcharge single room
elbe cycling path from dresden to magdeburg, 9 days, cat. b, DE-EBRMD-09B
Base price
surcharge single room
839.00
279.00
789.00
259.00
889.00
279.00
839.00
259.00
939.00
279.00
889.00
259.00
Season 1
Apr 13, 2024 - Apr 26, 2024
Sep 29, 2024 - Oct 5, 2024
Season 2
Apr 27, 2024 - Jun 14, 2024
Sep 9, 2024 - Sep 28, 2024
Season 3
Jun 15, 2024 - Sep 8, 2024
Dresden
double room p.P. cat. a
surcharge single room
Meißen
double room p.P. cat. a
surcharge single room
Riesa
double room p.P. cat. a
surcharge single room
Wittenberg
double room p.P. cat. a
surcharge single room
Dessau
double room p.P. cat. a
surcharge single room
Magdeburg
double room p.P. cat. a
surcharge single room
Dresden
double room p.P. cat. b
surcharge single room
Meißen
double room p.P. cat. b
surcharge single room
Riesa
double room p.P. cat. b
surcharge single room
Wittenberg
double room p.P. cat. b
surcharge single room
Dessau
double room p.P. cat. b
surcharge single room
Magdeburg
double room p.P. cat. b
surcharge single room
70.00
35.00
72.00
46.00
69.00
42.00
65.00
39.00
68.00
39.00
58.00
35.00
58.00
32.00
62.00
35.00
69.00
42.00
55.00
30.00
64.00
39.00
55.00
30.00
70.00
35.00
72.00
46.00
69.00
42.00
65.00
39.00
68.00
39.00
58.00
35.00
58.00
32.00
62.00
35.00
69.00
42.00
55.00
30.00
64.00
39.00
55.00
30.00
70.00
35.00
72.00
46.00
69.00
42.00
65.00
39.00
68.00
39.00
58.00
35.00
58.00
32.00
62.00
35.00
69.00
42.00
55.00
30.00
64.00
39.00
55.00
30.00
Additional nights
Place of arrival: Dresden
  Season 1
Apr 13, 2024 - Apr 26, 2024
Sep 29, 2024 - Oct 5, 2024

arrival daily
Season 2
Apr 27, 2024 - Jun 14, 2024
Sep 9, 2024 - Sep 28, 2024

arrival daily
Season 3
Jun 15, 2024 - Sep 8, 2024

arrival daily
Dresden
double room p.P. cat. a 70.00 70.00 70.00
surcharge single room 35.00 35.00 35.00
Meißen
double room p.P. cat. a 72.00 72.00 72.00
surcharge single room 46.00 46.00 46.00
Riesa
double room p.P. cat. a 69.00 69.00 69.00
surcharge single room 42.00 42.00 42.00
Wittenberg
double room p.P. cat. a 65.00 65.00 65.00
surcharge single room 39.00 39.00 39.00
Dessau
double room p.P. cat. a 68.00 68.00 68.00
surcharge single room 39.00 39.00 39.00
Magdeburg
double room p.P. cat. a 58.00 58.00 58.00
surcharge single room 35.00 35.00 35.00
Dresden
double room p.P. cat. b 58.00 58.00 58.00
surcharge single room 32.00 32.00 32.00
Meißen
double room p.P. cat. b 62.00 62.00 62.00
surcharge single room 35.00 35.00 35.00
Riesa
double room p.P. cat. b 69.00 69.00 69.00
surcharge single room 42.00 42.00 42.00
Wittenberg
double room p.P. cat. b 55.00 55.00 55.00
surcharge single room 30.00 30.00 30.00
Dessau
double room p.P. cat. b 64.00 64.00 64.00
surcharge single room 39.00 39.00 39.00
Magdeburg
double room p.P. cat. b 55.00 55.00 55.00
surcharge single room 30.00 30.00 30.00
Filter
21-gear unisex
21-gear gents
7-gear unisex
electric bike
Bike premium (30-gear)
109.00
109.00
109.00
279.00
179.00
Prices per person in EUR

Services & Extras

Services
  • 8 overnight stays in hotels of the booked category 
  • Breakfast
  • Personal welcome and tour briefing (German, English)
  • Detailed travel documents (1x per room) (German, English, French)
  • Luggage transfe
  • GPS-Tracks available on request 
  • Rental bike insurance
  • 7-day-service-hotline

Not included

  • Arrival and departure
  • costs for parking
  • city tax
  • transfers
  • optional sightseeing
  • city maps
  • Travel Insurance
  • private requirements
Extras

Parking/arrival and departure

  • Underground parking in Dresden, payable on site. No reservation required. 

    Hotel Cat. A: daily rate approx. € 24,- per night, payable on site, no reservation possible
    Hotel Cat. B: approx. € 10,- per day in hotel garage and free parking near the hotel.

Arrival and return

By train to Dresden (approx. 3-4 hours). Return transfer by minibus every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, cost per person from Wittenberg € 85,-, from Dessau € 95,- and from Magdeburg € 105,-. For the return transport of your own bike we charge € 39,- extra. Reservation required, payable in advance with the invoice.

Accommodation

Cat. A: In Dresden you stay in a 4-star first class hotel with a spa, swimming pool and sauna directly on the Elbe bank, only approx. 400 m from the old town. In the further course of the tour, you will be accommodated in comfortable hotels and inns, mostly in the 3 and 4 star category, mostly centrally located so that you can visit the sights of the cities on foot directly from the hotel.

Cat. B: Well-kept hotels, inns and pensions, mostly in the 3-star category, some of them located on the outskirts of the cities. All rooms are equipped with a shower / toilet or bathtub / toilet.

Important notes

Further important information according to the package travel law can be found here!

Ratings

4.6 of 5 Stars (8 Ratings)
4 stars
Jos te Braake NL | 22.06.2023
Dresden Magdeburg
Genoten van de afwisseling in de natuur, de vergezichten,de leuke plaatsen op de route en natuurlijk Dresden met zijn prachtige oude gebouwen, de aanblik vanaf het Elbepad is indrukwekkend. Verder het porseleinstadje Meissen met de rondgang in het porseleinmuzeum was indrukwekkend. De mooie binnenstad van Wittenberg een juweeltje. Goed en betaalbaar eten onderweg. Het Elbepad was over het algemeen goed te fietsen maar rondom de kleine plaatsen helaas te veel kinderkoppen. Dit moet beter,maar is een geldkwestie. Ook in Dresden laat de bestrating voor fietsers te wensen over.Een tochtje naar Pirna is ook de moeite waard. We hebben genoten van deze tocht dat staat vast.
Anke Tammen
Anke Tammen answered:
Hartelijk dank voor uw geweldige recensie, we stellen het echt op prijs. We zijn blij dat u in alle opzichten heeft kunnen genieten van uw fietsreis. We hopen je snel weer te mogen verwelkomen op een van onze mooie fietstochten. Hopelijk is dit allemaal goed vertaald:)
5 stars
Katrin H. DE | 03.10.2022
Schöne entspannte Tour mit sehr sehenswerten Städten
Die Insidertipps sind sehr hilfreich, sowohl Streckenbeschreibung und Zugverbindungen, als auch die Restaurantempfehlungen ( gern in allen Übernachtungsorten ). In Torgau sollte jedoch unbedingt eine Alternative zum Hotel Zum Markt gefunden werden. Man fühlt sich dort wie im Lehrlingswohnheim. Am besten wurden wir im Mercure Hotel Riesa betreut. Der schönste Streckenabschnitt war für uns zwischen Riesa und Torgau.
5 stars
Peter S. DE | 30.07.2022
Elberadweg 2022
Highlights waren das Elbsandsteingebirge sowie die Altstadt von Meißen
4 stars
Anne-Christine Rapin CH | 23.07.2022
A nice trip, beautiful landscapes, bikes are not ever suitebal with the bad ahape oh the paths (paths paved with stones)
Ir was a beautiful trip, with very friendly german people
4 stars
Christiane B. DE | 03.10.2021
Schöne Radreise
Schöne Radreise entlang der Elbe von Dresden nach Magdeburg Beginn in Dresden im Maritim-Hotel, dies war auch das schönste Hotel der Reise. Wir hatten ein super schönes Zimmer und Dresden ist eine Reise wert. Alle anderen Etappenorte sind auch sehr schön, einzig Riesa hat unserer Meinung nach nicht allzuviel zu bieten, dafür waren hier die Mitarbeiter im Mercure-Hotel besonders freundlich. In Meißen hat uns die Albrechtsburg sehr gefallen, ebenso in Torgau Schloss Hartenfels. Das Gartenreich in Dessau-Wörlitz ist wunderschön, wir haben einen Abstecher nach Oranienbaum gemacht und es nicht bereut (nicht so überlaufen und schön). In Magdeburg hat uns die Grüne Zitadelle begeistert. Leider waren teilweise schon einige Einkehrmöglichkeiten geschlossen, offensichtlich ist Ende September die Hautpsaison vorbei. In den Städten sieht es aber gut aus.
5 stars
Martin G. DE | 24.10.2020
Alles bestens, sehr guter Veranstalter
5 stars
Marianne Portner CH | 30.07.2018
Streckenabschnitte
Die Streckenabschnitte waren ungleich verteilt in der Länge, an einem Tag 35 km und an einem andern Tag 85 km. Das könnte ausgewogener sein. Der Ausgang aus der Stadt Wittenberg Richtung Dessau ist ungenügend beschildert, da hat uns eine Einheimische geholfen und gesagt, dass das bekannt sei. Die Unterkunft in Torgau war absolute Spitze. Für uns sind die riesigen unpersönlichen Hotels nicht sympatisch. Herr Seifert hat uns von Torgau nach Pretzsch mit dem Auto geführt, weil ich gesundheitlich angeschlagen war. Dafür war ich sehr dankbar. Am Schluss der Reise hat uns Herr Seer direkt zu unserem Auto zurück gefahren. Beide Herren waren sehr zuvorkommend. Die ganze Reise, die wunderschönne Natur, die Weite, die Radwege, all das hat uns sehr sehr gut gefallen! Einige Grade weniger heiss und die Tour hätten wir noch mehr geniessen können.
5 stars
Franz Schönleitner AT | 21.07.2018
Sehr gut organisiert!
Die Reise bzw. die Vorbuchungen waren sehr gut organisiert! Die Hotels waren stets zentrumsnah und somit zum Besuch der Altstädte und Sehenswürdigkeiten ideal. Ich kann die Kategorie A nur empfehlen.

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