Franconia, Germany
Altmühl Valley Cycle Route
Limestone cliffs and small Franconian towns make for an easy introduction. Choose a short stretch between two towns for a relaxed weekend.
Read the route guideA cycling guide to Europe
Where to go for a cycling holiday?
Find ideas for a weekend or a longer cycling trip, from easy routes to rides with a theme, with practical tips on trains and places to stay.
Find a route
01
Why cycle?
On a cycling holiday, sightseeing starts the moment you leave your accommodation. Between towns there is time for coffee by the river, a museum or a swim. Short stages leave room for those stops. A rest day in a town along the route can be as memorable as a day in the saddle. A short ride can be enough to discover somewhere new.
At your own pace
Short stages or day rides from one base leave time for sightseeing. Build in time for an unplanned stop.
Closer to the places along the way
Small towns, ferries and old stations become part of the trip. A ferry crossing can be a memorable part of the day.
Plan the journey as well as the ride
Pick a comfortable surface and check where accommodation and stations are available. Check both ends of a linear route before setting off.
02
Easy routes
Start with gentle terrain, clear signs and regular places to stop. The routes below work for longer holidays too, but a single section can make a good first weekend. Look for railway stations when choosing where to start and finish. A riverside route is a good place to start if the group wants gentle terrain and frequent stops. Look for a route with several possible places to finish the day.
Carinthia, Austria
Drava Cycle Route
Ride through Carinthia with mountain views and riverside stops. Check gravel sections when planning.
Read the route guide
Germany
Elbe Cycle Route
Follow the river from Dresden via Meissen towards Magdeburg. Meissen makes a natural stop on the way downstream.
Read the route guide
Flanders, Belgium
Kempen Route
Follow Flemish canals through forests and heathland, with time to ride through a lake. In Limburg, leave time for the path through the water.
Read the route guide
Wallonia, Belgium
Meuse Cycle Route
Follow the RAVeL paths and visit the citadels of Dinant and Namur. For a shorter ride, choose the stretch from Dinant to Namur.
Read the route guide
the Netherlands
Waterline Route
Canals, windmills and forts trace the old Dutch water defences. The forts offer a reason to stop and explore on foot.
Read the route guide03
Bike-friendly trains
Stations along the route let you start and finish in different places. Check bicycle carriage on every leg and reserve a space if needed. Leave enough time to change platforms with a loaded bike. Check the last suitable train home before deciding how far to ride on the final day. Check whether your bike needs its own ticket.
04
Best cycle routes
A convenient rail connection makes a longer trip easier to plan. These rides take in the Alps, the Moselle vineyards and the Swiss lakes. Compare the climbs and decide which towns make good overnight stops. For a trip of several days, leave room for one shorter stage near a place worth exploring. Plan a shorter day after a demanding stage.
Austria & Italy
Alpe-Adria Bicycle Route
Ride from Salzburg to Grado through the Alps and old railway tunnels. Stop at Chiusaforte station.
Read the route guide
Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
Moselle Cycle Route
Vineyards, castles and towns between Perl and Koblenz, with time for Trier. Leave time to see the Roman sites in Trier.
Read the route guide
Switzerland
Lakes Route
Link Swiss lakes and Alpine views. Check the profile between the lakes before choosing stages.
Read the route guide
Loire Valley, France
Loire by Bike
Plan time for riverside towns, vineyards and the châteaux you want to visit. Choose the châteaux to visit before deciding how far to ride each day.
Read the route guide
Switzerland
North–South Route
Cross Switzerland from north to south and tackle the cobbled bends of the Gotthard Pass on the historic Tremola Road. Allow extra time for the climb to the pass.
Read the route guide
Provence, France
Around the Luberon by Bicycle
Combine hilltop Provençal villages with a gentler day on the Calavon rail trail. The hilltop villages are worth a slower day with longer stops.
Read the route guide05
Cyclist-friendly stays
The end of each stage determines where to look for accommodation. Ask about lockable storage, step-free access and when the room is open. For an e-bike, check where the battery can be charged. Ask whether the storage room has a fixed stand to lock the bike to overnight. Ask whether the storage is accessible early in the morning.
06
Themed routes
Once transport and overnight stops are clear, choose what to explore along the way. Country houses on Funen, industrial heritage in the Ruhr and old railway viaducts in Hesse each give a ride its own focus. A route built around one theme can reveal how much the landscape changes from one town to the next. Plan the day around the opening hours of the places you want to visit.
Berlin, Germany
Berlin Wall Trail
Follow the former border through Berlin and its outskirts, past memorials, watchtowers and wooded sections. Leave time for the memorials along the former border.
Read the route guide
Funen, Denmark
Castle Route
Follow country houses, parks and coastal scenery on the Danish island of Funen. Check which houses and gardens are open to visitors.
Read the route guide
Bavaria, Germany
Altmühl Valley Geology Route
Explore the geological history of the Altmühl Valley, from limestone cliffs to fossil sites and former quarries. Pick a section with enough time to stop and look at the rock formations.
Official route guide
Hesse, Germany
Hesse Railway Cycle Route
Follow former railway lines across the Klausmarbach viaduct. Look out for former stations along the trail.
Read the route guide
Lower Lusatia, Germany
Lower Lusatia Mining Route
Ride past former lignite mines and see how they have been transformed into lakes and recreation areas. Make time for a stop beside one of the lakes.
Read the route guide
North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Ruhr Valley Cycle Route
Ride from the Sauerland to the former industrial sites of the Ruhr. Make time for Zollverein.
Read the route guide07
Infrastructure worth riding for
Sometimes the cycle path is the sight itself. Routes through a lake and among treetops, a bridge over the Oder and a former railway in Provence show what good cycling infrastructure can add to a trip. An unusual bridge or cycle path can also make a good destination for a short ride from a nearby town. The examples below can also be destinations for a short outing.
