radial-tour in and around Hamburg

8 days harbor atmosphere and marshland idyll

This tour is still an absolute secret tip! You live in the newly opened 4-star hotel Zollenspieker Fährhaus - directly on the banks of the Elbe river, at the gateway to Hamburg. The hotel, the historical building and the beer garden are regarded as one of the best destinations for a day trip around Hamburg. It is a great starting point for splendid bicycle excursions. You will cycle along the Elbe to the beautiful town of Lauenburg. Here you will make a day trip to the ship lift Scharnebeck on the “Elbe-Seitenkanal” which overcomes a height difference of 38 m and you will visit the Old Town of Lüneburg and its marvelous mansions. Discover Winsen an der Luhe, ride up into the foothills of the Lüneburg Heath, roam around the “Vierländer” nature conservation areas and visit the castles in Bergedorf and Reinbeker with its idyllic park on the banks of the river Bille. Of course Hamburg will not be missed out, since two exciting day tours lead directly into the port metropolis. Cycle through the harbor and through the old Elbtunnel, which is usually only used by pedestrians and cyclists, to the famous piers and landing stages, the historic Warehouse District and the Old Town. As the highlight of the trip you sail on Sunday with “Käpt’n Kuddels“ launch early in the morning to Hamburg's fish market and there you have time to experience the turbulent hustle. Can a tour be more diversified?

Your hotel: The Zollenspieker Fährhaus

The new 4-star hotel Zollenspieker Fährhaus with the associated well-know restaurant and the beer garden is the perfect host. It offers 52 comfortable rooms, all with an open view of the Elbe. For your well being, you can use the free 380qm large sauna landscape with 4 saunas, let the day end at the bar with an open fireplace or relax on the sun terrace and once again gaze over the wonderful Elbe. The restaurant with a large winter garden and a rustic beer garden in all weather conditions provides the perfect setting to let yourself to be pampered in the evening. The bikes are safe and protected. All in all, the Zollenspieker Fährhaus is a perfect host in every respect providing all services for you.

1. day  Hamburg-Bergedorf, Arrival at the hotel

Today you have the longest trip with a great destination: your individual trip to the hotel Zollenspieker Fährhaus. We recommend to arrive early to enjoy the unique location with beautiful views of the banks of the Elbe river and to let the magnificently atmosphere take its effect. Just beautiful, there is no better way to get in the mood for the coming days.

2. day  Trip to Hamburg's fish market. Tour on the Elbe-Bikeway 28 - 40 km

(Sundays only)
The morning starts rustic, the mid morning is lively and the return trip is enjoyable: Early in the morning at 6:00 am you will leave for a cruise with “Käpt’n Kuddels“ launch boat (20 Euro per person, payable in the hotel), using the hotel owned shipping pier (Breakfast on board).You will sail on the Elbe directly to the legendary Hamburg fish market. Since the year 1703 everything not nailed down tightly has been traded here. From fish at bargain prices to porcelain pots or palm trees, you can find everything in the 100-year-old fish auction hall. Bananas are flying through the air, plastic bags full of sausage change hands quickly for a ridiculous price. Aale-Dieter, screams with all his might, clusters of people gathered in front of the dealers – you have to experience that for yourself (and therefore it is worth that you become an early riser)!
Till 09:30am the goods are sold, than you have time to stroll pleasurably on the piers. After an extensive break you go at 10:30am back on board and Captain Kuddel continues the extraordinary cruise with an special tour of the impressive harbor. He takes you to the Süderelbe and then back to the hotel.
You can use the free afternoon for short bike rides, to relax or for a variety of observations on the busy Elbe.

Please note: "Käpt'n Kuddel" is a family shipping line and a true Hamburg Original. The tour is offered every sunday from 21.04. - 22.09.2013.

3. day  Seevetal and Lüneburg Heath 29/56 or 75 km

By ferry you cross over and follow the bike path Seeve in the Lüneburg Heath. In Maschen marvel at the largest railway yard in Europe, with a width of up to 700 meters, pass on the shady paths the Horster Mühle and enjoy Jesteburg with its well preserved thatched houses. Even a visit to the museum barn on the outskirts of the Lüneburg Heath nature reserve is recommended before you start cycling back. Relics from the last ice age are the reason why you have to master some small hills in the otherwise flat and sparsely populated area.

4. day  Round trip “Vierlanden” 43 - 53 km

Look forward to a varied day, you will discover no less than eight major attractions on your route! Whether it is the still functional Riepenbburger grain windmill, or the Vierländer open-air museum ”Rieck house”, it is the castle in Bergedorf with the park at the Bille or the the Dutch Renaissance castle Reinbek. Also, you can visit the KZ-Memorial Neuengamme, trace the life and work of Otto von Bismarck (museum, permanent exhibition and mausoleum). Or visit the Garden of Butterflies' and be enchanted by the tropical colored free-flying butterflies of all continents. All these attractions are in the nature reserve “Vierlande”, at the small river Bille and in the bordering forest Sachsenwald. On this tour natural and cultural experiences are perfectly connected with each other.

5. day  Elbe-Bikeway to Lauenburg 31 - 67 km

A full day along the beautiful Elbe. You start on the marsh embankment and enjoy sweeping views to the right and left of the Elbe. At km 15, marvel at the large and lovely Elbe river bridge with barrage and sluices in Geesthacht. This impressive technical system regulates the water level for the entire port of Hamburg! Later you ride on the rough wooded nature conservation area “Hohes Elbufer” to the shipping city Lauenburg. It features colorful half-timbered houses richly decorated in the picturesque old city, the Elbe Maritime Museum and as a nostalgic eye-catcher on the waterfront of the historic paddle steamer "Kaiser Wilhelm". After a worthwhile break you cycle along the left bank of the Elbe back to the hotel.

6. day  Hamburg Harbor & City 42/56 or 66 km

In the morning you cycle directly from the hotel to the train station Bergedorf, there you take the tram in order to get conveniently and quickly to the city center of Hamburg. Here you will start your extensive sightseeing tour by bike through the center of Hamburg. You have the choice: good cycle paths lead through spacious parks, along the picturesque Elbe landscape and the Alster lake, the Reeperbahn, St. Pauli, to the city's landmark, the 'Michel' (Michaeliskirche) and of course in the warehouse district of Hamburg harbor. Once at the landing stages, you will experience a further highlight of the trip: the Old Elbe Tunnel. Opened 100 years ago as a technical masterpiece, the tunnel is 24 meters in depth and over 420 meters in length under the Elbe and is now used annually by more than 60000 cyclists and 700000 pedestrians. What an experience! At the end you leave the large elevator and directly find yourself in the vibrant center of the port city. Here a new bike route leads safely through the "free port" to Williamsburg and further on to the beautiful old Hamburg Elbe river bridge. There you use the local train for the return trip to Winsen,. You quickly reached the ferry back to the hotel.
Anyone who wants can cycle the two transfer trips, one or both courses on the same bike path and experience the full day tour (66 km) in the saddle.

7. day  Ship lift and Lüneburg 38/47/67 or 75 km

Another day with new goals! Once again you use the Elbe River ferry at the hotel and follow the bike path till the Ilmenau bike path through the flat marshland. Look forward to the modern ship lift Scharnebeck at the Elbe Seitenkanal, which used to be the world's largest elevator and overcomes a height difference of 38 meters. In the accompanying exhibition hall unique technical dimensions will be shown. We recommend to take a tour before you cycle to the old salt and Hanseatic city of Lüneburg. The unspoiled medieval town is characterized by the monumental stone mansions that bear witness to the rich past which is impressively reflected in the German Salt Museum. Have a well-deserved break in Winsed on the Luhe to visit the worth seeing castle, before ending the day with many impressions in the beautiful hotel.

8. day  Hamburg-Bergedorf departure

Today, the goodbye is really hard: the beautifully situated and embosomed Zollenspieker Fährhaus hotel, many fascinating day trip destinations and sights along the way, the beautiful and worth cycling bike paths - all that have made this trip a real experience.

The bike routes

Every day you can individually select how many kilometers you would like to ride. For each tour there is a shorter and a longer version and of course you have a free choice in the center of Hamburg to extend the tours or to focus on the city center. That means you can spontaneously decide how much time you want to spend in the saddle.
You ride mostly on flat paved roads, only short inclines or small sandy passages have to be overcome. Of course, a large volume of traffic can not be avoided in Hamburg and large cities, but in general you cycle on bike paths.

Tourism tax city Hamburg

Since 01.01.2013 every tourist has to pay a tourism tax for the city Hamburg of 2,- Euro per day. Therefore the price of the tour will be plus 14,- Euro per person.