At the Saale river’s light beach.

The Saale Bike Trail from Saalfeld to Magdeburg.

Your tour starts in Saalfeld and takes you along the beautiful banks of the Saale River, from the region of Thüringer Holzland to where the Saale meets the Elbe, and to Barby and Schönebeck. Highlights include the university town of Jena, Naumburg with its cathedral, the vineyard region of Saale-Unstrut, Halle an old Handel’s birthplace and of course Magdeburg. The 1200 year old capital city of Saxony-Anhalt, mentioned for the first time in an official document in 805, has become a cosmopolitan city whose rich and colourful past never fails to surprise visitors.

1. day  Arriving in Saalfeld

Fee-paying parking facilities can be taken advantage of at the hotel, the bikes will be handed over in the next morning.

2. day  Saalfeld - Jena 47 km

You will leave Saalfeld through one of its medieval city wall’s four gates and bike through Heinrich-Heine-Park past the Thuringian farmhouses, one of the oldest open-air museums on German ground. Looking forward to Jena you will be rewarded with the beautiful market ensemble, the really worthwhile Zeiss planetary, Schiller’s birth house and the Goethe memorial in the botanical gardens.

3. day  Jena - Naumburg 44 km

Today will be dedicated to the castles! The three Dornburg castles, which you should plan on visiting, greet already from the distance. The fantastical view, the Goethe memorial and the rose garden are unique. At the confluence of Ilm and Saale you will discover the pride castles of Saaleck und Rudelsburg. After an unforgettable break you will pass Schulpforta and roll along the first vineyards of the Saale-Unstrut-region to Naumburg. There the historical city centre and the cathedral will put a spell upon you.

4. day  Naumburg - Merseburg 45 km

Through the wonderful floodplain woods and meadows you will follow the winding river to Neu-Augustusburg and Bad Dürrenberg castle in Weißenfels. You will be amazed by the longest European salina measuring 850 metres in length! The highlight of your biking day lies in Merseburg. The ensemble of cathedral and castle with its numerous towers and its gardens thrones impressively above the river Saale.

5. day  Merseburg - Halle 33 km

Today you will reach the 1.000-year-old salina town Halle after passing the flooding areas of the Saale river. The city centre of Halle has been left almost undamaged by the war and counts upon the biggest continuous memorials in Germany.

6. day  Halle - Bernburg 60 km

Leaving Halle, the bike trail seems to dive into the charming landscape of the lower Saale valley. This archeologically, geologically and ecologically meaningful area is a national park absolutely worth seeing and an attraction by its landscape. The bike trail winds through the Saale’s floodplains, modern bridges accessible for pedestrians and bikers lead to the most delightful villages and the most beautiful town on the Saale: to Bernburg.

7. day  Bernburg - Barby/Schönebeck 65-72 km

A magnificent biking day with the mouth of the Elbe for destination lies ahead of you. The landscape invites you to free your mind: floodplain woods, untouched nature, quiet paths through fields and small ferries will make this a perfect day!

8. day  Schönebeck - Magdeburg ca. 35km

On the right side of the Elbe river, you will continue your bike trip to Pretzien via Dornburg. A well-paved bike trail leads you through the natural reserve Kreuzhorst, situated shortly before Magdeburg, today’s destination. Make sure to visit the Cathedral, the monastery as well as the Magdeburger Reiter.

9. day  Departing from Magdeburg

Your bike trip ends here in Magdeburg.