How difficult is the cycling?

The route covers around 289 km over six riding days, averaging roughly 48 km per day. The terrain is predominantly flat to gently rolling along dedicated cycle paths. The longest stage is 65 km (Day 3) and the shortest is 50 km (Day 4). This tour suits leisure cyclists and families with older children — no mountain passes or significant climbs are involved.

What kind of bike should I bring or rent?

A trekking bike is ideal for the paved and well-maintained cycle paths. Rental trekking bikes and e-bikes are available. If you bring your own bike, return transport can be arranged for an additional charge.

How does luggage transport work?

Your luggage is collected from each hotel by 9:00 am and delivered to your next accommodation by approximately 6:30 pm. Liability coverage is EUR 1,000 per person.

How do I get back to Rothenburg from Regensburg?

Two options are available. By bus: runs every Saturday throughout the season, plus Fridays in June and September (EUR 45). By train: available on other days with free choice of local trains from 9:00 am (EUR 25, 2-3 transfers per connection). Both must be booked in advance.

What about accommodation?

You stay in 3-star hotels for the first five nights and a 4-star hotel on the final night in Regensburg. Daily breakfast buffet is included throughout.

Can I add dinner to my booking?

Yes. Half-board (6 dinners, 3-course with choice of main course) is available as a supplement. Alternatively, a beer culinary package (3 dinners plus 3 brewery beer tastings in Ansbach, Eichstatt, and Regensburg) is available for EUR 125.

Are there any city taxes?

City taxes of approximately EUR 3 per person per night are not included and must be paid directly at the hotels.

Is the Crystal Museum always open?

The Crystal Museum in Riedenburg is included in the package but is closed on Mondays. If your visit falls on a Monday, you can still explore the town and castle grounds.

Altmuhl Cyclepath The Most Beautiful — Rothenburg to Regensburg

Altmuhltal, Franconia

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Trekking bikeE-bike7 days / 6 nights289 km2/5Medium-EasyLinear

Short Description

Follow the gentle Altmuhl River from the medieval gem of Rothenburg ob der Tauber to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Regensburg on this 289 km self-guided cycling journey through Bavaria's quietest nature park. Six riding days weave past Hohenzollern castles, the Altmuhlsee lake, Roman ruins in Weissenburg, the baroque elegance of Eichstatt, and the dramatic Danube gorge at Kelheim — with a guided Night Watchman tour in Rothenburg and a crystal museum visit in Riedenburg included in the package. Flat to gently rolling terrain on dedicated cycle paths makes this route ideal for leisure cyclists and families looking for a culturally rich, car-free adventure through the heart of Franconia.

Tour Program

Day 1 — Arrival in Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Settle into the walled medieval town at your own pace. Wander the half-timbered lanes, climb the Town Hall tower for panoramic views, and round off the evening with an included guided Night Watchman tour — a theatrical retelling of Rothenburg's darker chapters that sets the tone for the week ahead. Overnight at a 3-star hotel.

Day 2 — Rothenburg to Ansbach (54 km)
Pick up your bike and pedal south to the source of the Altmuhl River at Hornauer Weiher. The route rolls through Colmberg, where a Hohenzollern castle crowns the hilltop, and past Lehrberg into the Margravial residence town of Ansbach — a fine spot for a stroll through its Orangerie gardens. Overnight at a 3-star hotel.

Day 3 — Ansbach to Weissenburg / Wettelsheim (65 km)
Today's longest stage heads past the shimmering Altmuhlsee to Gunzenhausen, then onward through Trommetsheim to Weissenburg, where Roman history comes alive at the Limes frontier fortifications and thermal baths. Overnight at a 3-star hotel.

Day 4 — Weissenburg to Eichstatt (50 km)
Cross the Karlsgraben — Charlemagne's ambitious attempt to link the Rhine and Danube by canal — and enter the Altmuhltal Nature Park. The route threads through a beautiful V-shaped valley in the Franconian Alb before arriving in Eichstatt, an elegant episcopal town with baroque architecture and a lively piazza feel. Overnight at a 3-star hotel.

Day 5 — Eichstatt to Riedenburg (64 km)
Deep inside the nature park now, you cycle past the Roman fort ruins at Pfunz and through the valleys via Arnsberg and Beilngries to Riedenburg. Here the included Crystal Museum visit showcases the world's largest rock crystal group — a genuinely jaw-dropping geological spectacle (closed Mondays). Overnight at a 3-star hotel.

Day 6 — Riedenburg to Regensburg (56 km)
The grand finale. Ride through Essing and into Kelheim, gateway to the Danube Gorge — a boat trip to Weltenburg Monastery and back is highly recommended (approx. EUR 16, payable on site). Then follow the Danube past Saal and the spa town of Bad Abbach into Regensburg, a UNESCO World Heritage city with 2,000 years of history packed into its stone bridges and Gothic spires. Overnight at a 4-star hotel.

Day 7 — Departure
Time to head home, or extend your stay with additional nights in Regensburg.

Tour details

LinearSelfguidedFamiliesCouplesFriendsMinimum 2 people

✅ What is included in the trip?

🏛️ Admission to Crystal Museum Riedenburg
🌙 Guided Night Watchman tour in Rothenburg
🏨 Overnight stay and breakfast
📲 GPS or navigation APP
💼 Luggage transfer
📞 Local telephone assistance 7/7
🗺️ Maps

❌ What is not included?

🛡️ Travel insurance
🚎 Transfers not listed as Included
✈️ Journey to/from the starting point
🍽️ Meals and drinks not listed as Included
🖼️ Entrance fees and extras not listed
🌎 Tourist taxes

🙋 Common questions

How difficult is the cycling?
The route covers around 289 km over six riding days, averaging roughly 48 km per day. The terrain is predominantly flat to gently rolling along dedicated cycle paths. The longest stage is 65 km (Day 3) and the shortest is 50 km (Day 4). This tour suits leisure cyclists and families with older children — no mountain passes or significant climbs are involved.
What kind of bike should I bring or rent?
A trekking bike is ideal for the paved and well-maintained cycle paths. Rental trekking bikes and e-bikes are available. If you bring your own bike, return transport can be arranged for an additional charge.
How does luggage transport work?
Your luggage is collected from each hotel by 9:00 am and delivered to your next accommodation by approximately 6:30 pm. Liability coverage is EUR 1,000 per person.
How do I get back to Rothenburg from Regensburg?
Two options are available. By bus: runs every Saturday throughout the season, plus Fridays in June and September (EUR 45). By train: available on other days with free choice of local trains from 9:00 am (EUR 25, 2-3 transfers per connection). Both must be booked in advance.
What about accommodation?
You stay in 3-star hotels for the first five nights and a 4-star hotel on the final night in Regensburg. Daily breakfast buffet is included throughout.