You will set off from Prague and follow the Elbe as it carries you north through castles, chateaux, vineyards, and sandstone cliffs. You will ride from Bohemian valleys into the open lowlands of Saxony and Brandenburg, crossing into a landscape of ferries, birdlife, and riverside towns. You will finish among the lakes of Potsdam and roll on to Berlin—two capitals connected by one mighty, still-wild river.
12 Days
Czech Republic; Germany
Elbe river (Labe), Bohemia, Saxony, Brandenburg, Potsdam lakes
Prague
Berlin
• Prague and Berlin, connected by the Elbe river cycling route. • Trója Chateau, Chateau Nelahozeves, and Chateau Veltrusy. • Elbe lowlands (Polabská nížina) and views of the volcanic cone Říp. • Terezín fortress and Litoměřice. • Porta Bohemica and the Czech Central Mountains. • Czech and Saxon Switzerland National Park sandstone cliffs. • Königstein fortress and Bastei viewpoints. • Dresden and Meißen. • Torgau and Lutherstadt Wittenberg (UNESCO). • Pine forests of Saxony and Brandenburg, ending in Potsdam lakes (UNESCO-protected) and Berlin.
Q: Is the tour guided or self-guided? A: The tour is offered as a self-guided tour (with or without luggage transfer) and as a fully guided tour. Q: Are the nights in Prague and Berlin included? A: No. Night in Prague is not included and night in Berlin is not included. Guests often prefer to add extra nights, and hotel recommendations are available. Q: What is included in the self-guided tour? A: It includes accommodation in selected hotels and pensions, breakfast on all days, day-by-day materials (maps and route descriptions), safety information, and 24-hour hotline assistance. Luggage transfer is included only if you book the luggage transfer option. Q: What is not included in the self-guided tour? A: Personal travel and health insurance, transportation to/from the start and end points, airport transfers, meals except breakfasts, entrance fees, local tourist/spa taxes, and bike rental.Q: What is included in the fully guided tour? A: It includes a tour leader on biking days, pick-up from any Prague hotel on the first day, accommodation, breakfasts, dinners without drinks on specific biking days, refreshments and water, welcome briefing, maps and program materials, safety training, technical service, first aid, support vehicle, and transportation of participants, luggage, and bicycles during the tour. Q: What is not included in the fully guided tour? A: Personal travel and health insurance, transportation to/from Prague, airport transfers, other meals than those listed as included, entrance fees, local tourist/spa taxes, and bike rental. Q: Are rental bikes available? A: Yes. The provider offers regularly serviced bikes in various sizes, including electric bikes, tandem bikes, children’s bikes, and recumbent bikes upon request. Gravel/road bikes are also available for rental. Q: Are there fixed departure dates? A: Fully guided departures are listed for 21 June – 2 July 2026 and 30 August – 10 September 2026. Self-guided tours are available on flexible dates, subject to availability.
**Day 0: Arrival to Prague** After you arrive and check in, the day will be yours to explore Prague, relax, or join an optional Prague-by-bike tour guided by Prague natives, ending with a mug of beer in a carefully chosen place. **Day 1: Prague – Mělník (53 km)** You will leave Prague, pause at Trója Chateau and its gardens, and ride beneath the rock cliffs of the Prague basin. You will pass the Renaissance-era Chateau Nelahozeves and the birthplace of composer Antonín Dvořák, then continue to Chateau Veltrusy and its Romantic-era park. You will finish with a glass of wine in one of the centres of Czech wine-growing. **Day 2: Mělník – Litoměřice (52 km)** You will cycle through the fertile Elbe lowlands, keeping the volcanic cone Říp in view. You will pass the Račice sports facility, reach Roudnice, and continue by the Romanesque monastery in Doksany and the 18th-century fortress of Terezín before overnighting in Litoměřice. **Day 3: Litoměřice – Děčín (52 km)** You will follow the ancient trade route along the Labe into the Czech Central Mountains, entering through Porta Bohemica. Along the way you will see Žernoseky, the Masaryk flood-gates, the ruins of Střekov Castle, the off-centre tower in Ústí, and Velké Březno Castle. You will end in Děčín beneath a chateau perched high on rock. **Day 4: Děčín – Bad Schandau/Krippen area (25 km)** You will ride a short stage through Czech and Saxon Switzerland National Park, lined with sandstone cliffs and pillars. After reaching Hřensko, you can dedicate the day to hiking, with options including Pravčická brána, a gondola ride through the Kamenice River valley, or both.**Day 5: Bad Schandau/Krippen area – Dresden (40 km)** You will cross into Germany and ride to the fortress of Königstein. You will continue on a moderate bike path, occasionally using small ferries to cross the Elbe. At Bastei you will take in views where sandstone formations meet medieval ruins, before arriving in Dresden. **Day 6: Dresden – Strehla/Riesa (52 km)** You will follow the Elbe through Saxony, passing castles, chateaux, and monasteries. You will stop in Meißen to admire its town centre, castle, and the story of famous china, then continue along the meandering river valley to Riesa or Strehla. **Day 7: Strehla/Riesa – Torgau (53 km)** You will cycle through lowlands along the Elbe, watching the river’s wild stretches and birdlife. You will pass old mansions including chateaux in Strehla or Mühlberg, then arrive in the fortress-shaped town of Torgau. **Day 8: Torgau – Lutherstadt Wittenberg (58 km)** You will enjoy another flat day along the Elbe, with more wilderness and riverside castles and chateaux such as Lichtenburg, Pretsch, or Klöden. You will use ferries to cross the river and ride into Martin Luther land, reaching Lutherstadt Wittenberg, a UNESCO-listed cradle of the Reformation. **Day 9: Lutherstadt Wittenberg – Bad Belzig (54 km)** You will follow the Elbe to Coswig, then turn north into pine forest. You will pass a Bismarck-related viewing tower and ride through mildly hilly woodland to Bad Belzig, dominated by a castle with wide views. Option: you can take a morning train to Dessau to visit Bauhaus architecture, then return to Coswig or bike from Dessau directly.**Day 10: Bad Belzig – Potsdam (59 km)** You will start through forest following the Asparagus way and continue among old pre-WW2 spa townships. You will reach Schwielow See, the southernmost lake of the Potsdam area, and begin exploring this UNESCO-protected former imperial residence. **Day 11: Potsdam – Berlin (38 km)** You will choose whether to spend more time in Potsdam or save it for Berlin, with a fast direct train connection available. If cycling, you will follow the Havel to its confluence with the Spree and then continue along it into Berlin city centre. **Day 12: Berlin (Departure)** Departure day in Berlin.
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