Elbe: Dresden – Wittenberg

From Dresden to Wittenberg

The Elbe Bike Trail from Dresden to Wittenberg.

Experience the magnificent countryside, the Saxon vineyards and the culturally significant towns and cities between Dresden and Wittenberg. Baroque palaces, castles and parks invite you to put in numerous stops along your cycle tour. A wide variety of restaurants, wine cellars and rustic pubs on both sides of the river cater to all tastes.

Look forward to the charming town of Torgau and the Lutherstadt Wittenberg. In Wittenberg there are a lot of sights worth seeing. Of particular tourist interest are, of course, the Luther memorial sites, some of which belong to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage. Visit the Schlosskirche where Luther pinned the 95 theses or the city church of St. Marien, where he preached for 30 years. In the Lutherhaus you will find the largest refomation-historical museum in the world and in the Melanchthonhaus the life of the "Teacher of Germany" is brought to you.

But even outside the Reformation Wittenberg has a moving history behind it. If you are interested in the sights of Wittenberg's younger history, the Piesteritzer Werkssiedlung is worth a visit. From 1916 onwards, the "Arbeitersiedlung" is the first and largest car-free housing estate in Germany. Enjoy the beautifully landscaped gardens and the peculiar architecture of these buildings. For architectural enthusiasts, the Hundertwasserschule, which is home of the Luther-Melanchthon-Gymnasium, is certainly worth a visit. The mostly asphalted bike path makes all cycler's hearts beat faster, the routes are often even marked on both sides of the Elbe.

1. day Arrive in Dresden

Come to the city known as the Florence of the Elbe, Dresden, which is beautifully located along the Elbe valley. Whether it's the famous bailey known as the Zwinger, the Semper Opera or the Court Church- a tour for discovering the city on your own is a must. 

Arrival by train is optional/parking site at the hotel.

2. day Bad Schandau about 45 km

Travel by train to Bad Schandau. From there you will cycle via Königstein, Rathen with its rockstage, castle Pillnitz and underneath the Loschwitzer Bridge (called "Blaues Wunder") back to Dresden.  Enjoy the evening atmosphere in Dresden. The restaurants, wine cellars and rustic pubs on both sides of the river cater to all tastes.

3. day Dresden - Meißen about 30 km/60 km with trip to Moritzburg

Today you will cycle via Radebeul, once home town of Karl May, where you have the opportunity to get on the historical lightrailway 'Lößnitzdackel'. By that railway you can get to Moritzburg castle. In Meißen you may visit the world-famous porcelain-manufacture and the worth seeing Albrechtscastle.

4. day Meißen - Strehla/Riesa about 36 km

Along traditional wine villages, which invite for a break, you follow the Elbe-bike path to Riesa/Strehla, whose castle, church and zoological garden are waiting for your visit.

5. day Strehla/Riesa - Torgau about 48 km

In Belgern you can visit the sole Roland in the whole of Saxony and in Torgau you should visit the Hartenfels castle and the castle church. This church was inaugurated by Martin Luther and is regarded to be the first protestant church in Germany.

6. day Torgau - Wittenberg about 69 km

Today you will cycle to Wittenberg, which stands in direct connection with the name of Martin Luther. We recommend staying longer so you can spend more time in the world-famous Wörlitzer park which offers lovely islands, canals, temples and sculptures.

7. day Wittenberg departure

After breakfast your tour will end in Wittenberg.

Worth knowing

Please find more information about the Dresden - Wittenberg tour below. If you have any further questions feel free to contact us by phone: 0049 - (0)6421 - 886890. 

Arrival by train

Dresden is easy to reach by train from all major cities in Germany. Current schedule information and price information can be found at: www.bahn.de.

Train schedule information

Parking at the hotel

Category A between Euro 8.00 and Euro 12.00 per day

Category B between Euro 6.00 and Euro 8.00 per day

Condition of cycle paths

Mostly paved bike-only paths or paved mineral surfaces (~ 80%), partially towpaths (especially Saxony-Anhalt), some quiet side streets, seldom bike path along roads or next to main streets.

Available rental bikes

If you choose to rent a velociped rental bike for the tour we will bring it to your first hotel and bring pick it up at your destination. You can choose between woman’s and men's bicycles either with 7-speed gear shift and coaster brake or 21-speed gear shift and freewheel or electric bikes. All ladies' bikes have a low opening that makes mounting and dismounting much easier. The bikes are suitable for all ladies from 150 cm in height and for all gentlemen from 165 cm in height. You simply specify your wishes at time of booking.

Electric bikes

The electric bikes have no coster brake. Upon request, a few electric bikes with coaster brake are available.

Transfer back to the starting point of the journey

Return transfer in a comfortable minibus including bicycle and luggage capacity for 1 to 4 people respectively 5 to 7 persons (flat rate per bus).

Tourist tax

Tourist taxes (if applicable) are not included in the total travel price and therefore might be charged directly at the hotel.

7 day hotline service

Just in case the bike chain breaks, flooding makes it impossible to continue your tour or any other nasty surprise: You can reach us seven days a week and we will do anything to help you as fast as possible.

Passport and visa requirements, health regulations

For EU citizens, there are no special passport or visa requirements and no health formalities to be considered for this trip.

Corona travel information:
Before booking your trip, please inform yourself about the measures in place to contain the Corona pandemic.

Information on current decisions of the German Federal Government can be found here:
https://www.bundesregierung.de/corona-these-rules-and-restrictions-apply

Current information on entry requirements to Germany can be found here:
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/coronavirus

You can also find more information on our website at:
Corona virus and holiday planning

Travel insurance

The tour price already includes the statutory insolvency insurance. In addition, we recommend that you take out travel cancellation insurance upon receipt of your travel confirmation in order to protect yourself against financial disadvantages in the event of travel cancellation, interruption of travel, illness or accident.

Semperoper

Dresden's opera tradition dates back to the Renaissance. It was initially closely linked to the Electoral Court, which used various venues. In 1838 the architect Gottfried Semper was commissioned to erect a representative opera house on the theater, but this already burned down in 1869. Between 1871 and 1878, the second building under the leadership of Semper's son Manfred was built in the style of the Italian Renaissance. After its destruction in the Second World War, the opera was rebuilt after its original design between 1977 and 1985 and received its artistic decoration and ornamentation back.

Semperoper in Dresden

Melanchthonhaus Wittenberg

The building was erected in 1536 for the distinguished german humanist and reformer Philipp Schwarzerdt, much more famous under the name Philipp Melanchthon.

Melanchthonhaus in Wittenberg

Schloss Hartenfels Torgau

Schloss Hartenfels is one of the main attractions of german Renaissance architecture. The castle is the largest of the completely preserved castles of the early Renaissance- period in Germany.

Schloss Hartenfels in Torgau

Monastery Riesa

Riesa emerged from a monastery first mentioned in 1119 - the oldest in the Meissen area. In the beginning Benedictine nuns lived here. In the course of the centuries the monastery developed into a wealthy supply point for the unmarried daughters of the noble landlords from the surrounding area. Even today the mighty walls of the buildings breathe something of the power and wealth of this monastery.

Kloster in Riesa

Guided tour in Meißen

The over 1000 year old Meißen on the Saxon Wine Route is characterized by its historic cityscape, surrounded by beautyful wine hills and-of course- the finest porcelain. Here, the Wettin princes were once replete with the Mark Meissen - thus began Saxony's history. Meissen is rightly called the "cradle of Saxony". Guided tours are numerous.

Stadtführungen in Meißen

Town Hall Meißen

The late Gothic Town Hall is the most imposing building on the market, next to the beautiful restored Renaissance town houses. As seat of the Meissner Ratsherren built between 1470 an 1486, it was extensively renovated on the outside. Already in old beauty to admire is the 13.000 square meter roof. For this purpose, 52,000 beadback beavers were required, following the original fragments preserved. 

Das Rathaus in Meißen

Frauenkirche Meißen

From 1460 to 1520, the Frauenkirche was built at the market. Since 1929 it houses the first turnable porcelain chimes in the world with its unique sound.

Die Frauenkirche in Meißen

Grünes Gewölbe

One of Europe's richest treasuries, the "Green Vault" is world-famous. With the reopening of the Historic Green Vault in September 2006, the second part of the famous collection of the Wettinian Princes has returned to the Residenzschloss in Dresden. With it the museum accommodates two permanent exhibition areas of different character.

Grünes Gewölbe in Dresden

Cathedral

In 1697 Frederick Augustus, Elector of Saxony, converted to Catholicism on his way to the Polish king's crown. However, the construction of a Catholic court church initiated by him could only be realized by his son, Elector August II, in protest of the predominantly Protestant population.

The Late Baroque church was built between 1738 and 1754 according to designs by the Italian architect Gaetano Chiaveri.

Cathedral in Dresden

Church in Wittenberg

From 1489, Elector Frederick the Wise established a castle under the direction of the architect Konrad Pflüger in Wittenberg. Alter the church was affiliated to the university in 1507, Martin Luther, according to tradition, proposed his 95 theses to the door of the main portal on October 31, 1517.

Church in Wittenberg