Hamburg: radial tour 6 days

Pure Hanseatic atmosphere.

Look forward to this varied bike trip, which is our little insider tip for all radial tours. You will discover the Elbe and the Hanseatic region, which attracts with wonderful excursion destinations. You cycle on the Elbe cycle path to the beautiful town of Lauenburg and you will discover the old salt town of Lüneburg with its magnificent patrician houses. Visit the Bergedorf and Reinbeker Castle with their idyllic parks and look forward to a day in Hamburg, the gateway to the world. Cycle through the Port of Hamburg and through the Old Elbe Tunnel, which is mostly used by pedestrians and cyclists, to the famous Landungsbrücken, the Speicherstadt and the old town.

Your hotel: The Zollenspieker Fährhaus

The 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.

Zollenspieker Fährhaus

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 Elbe cycle path to Lauenburg 67/31 km

How nice, you will spend the whole day on the beautiful Elbe! In the morning you cycle on the marshland dam. Enjoy the wide views to the right and left of the Elbe from this elevated position. In Geesthacht you will be amazed by the large and remarkable Elbe bridge with barrage and lock systems. It regulates the entire water level for the port of Hamburg! The Elbe cycle path then takes you through the wooded nature reserve 'Hohes Elbufer' to the boat town of Lauenburg. Look forward to richly decorated, colorful half-timbered houses in the picturesque old town and the interesting Elbe shipping museum. The historic paddle steamer "Kaiser Wilhelm", which exudes a little nostalgia, is idyllically situated on the banks of the Elbe. After this extensive tour, you roll back to the hotel on the left bank of the Elbe.

3. day Round trip to Lüneburg 68/42 km

In the morning you use the Elbe ferry at the hotel and cross over to the left side of the Elbe. Here you follow the well-signposted Ilmenau cycle path. The cycle path leads along the tranquil river Ilmenau, whose area near the banks with its tributaries and floodplains is consistently designated as a European nature reserve. You cycle via Oldershausen with its typical old courtyards and discover Bardowick with the unusual cathedral. Finally, you cycle on a historic towpath on the banks of the Ilmenau directly to the old salt and Hanseatic city of Lüneburg. Marvel at the unspoilt medieval cityscape. Lüneburg proudly presents itself with monumental patrician houses that still bear witness to the rich past. In Lüneburg, a visit to the exciting German Salt Museum should not be missed, because it documents the 1,000-year history of local salt mining in a vivid way with unique exhibits. On the way back, you should take a well-deserved break in Winsen an der Luhe with its castle, before you end the day comfortably in the hotel.

4. day Hamburg Hafen + City 64/49 km

On the Elbe cycle path, you can cycle effortlessly into the city center of the cosmopolitan city of Hamburg. Here you start on an extensive sightseeing tour by bike. On your bike route you will surely be amazed at the historic Hamburg City Hall and you will probably also enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere on the Jungfernstieg. You have time to visit the landmark of the city, the 'Michel' (Michaeliskirche), before you roll on secret paths to the Elbe promenade. The cosmopolitan city of Hamburg can really be felt here! You cycle through the Speicherstadt to the Elbphilharmonie and then over the St. Pauli Landungsbrücken to the Old Elbe Tunnel, which will certainly be a highlight of your trip. The Elbe Tunnel was opened more than 100 years ago and was considered a technical masterpiece at the time. At a depth of 24 meters under the Elbe, it leads over 420 m length. Today the Elbe Tunnel is used by around 60,000 cyclists and 700,000 pedestrians every year. A bike ride through the Elbe Tunnel is truly an experience! At the other end, use the large elevator that takes you into the lively harbor. You cycle safely on a separate cycle path through the "Freihafen" to Wilhelmsburg and on to the beautiful old Harburg Elbe bridge. Now it is not far anymore and you cycle back to the hotel on small roads south of the Elbe.

5. day To the castles in the Billetal 53/39 km

Today also offers a lot of variety. Eight important sights need to be visited on your day's stage. Look forward to the fully functional Riepenburg grain windmill, the Reinbek Castle, built in the style of the Dutch Renaissance, and the Bergedorf Castle with a beautiful park directly at the Bille. Anyone who wants, can visit the Neuengamme concentration camp memorial or feel the work and life of Otto-von-Bismarck in the Bismarck mausoleum (museum, permanent exhibition and mausoleum). And: in the 'Garden of Butterflies' you can be enchanted by the tropical colors of free-flying butterflies from all over the world. Today offers all these possibilities. You cycle through the nature reserve along the winding Bille and through the extensive Sachsenwald. This day combines natural and cultural highlights in a perfect way.

6. day Hamburg-Bergedorf departure

With many memories of the wonderfully located and beloved Hotel Zollenspieker Fährhaus and with many varied experiences from the past few days, you will start your journey home today.

Explanation of the flexible day cycle stages

On all days you can individually choose how many km you want to cycle. Every tour has at least one shorter and one longer version and of course you have the free choice to extend the stage to the center of Hamburg or to concentrate on the city center. You can decide spontaneously how much time you want to spend in the saddle every day. It is also up to you which stage you cycle on which day.

Worth knowing about your Hamburg radial tour

Below you will find specific information about the radial bike tour Hamburg and surroundings. If you have further questions about this trip, you simply call us: Phone: 06421 – 886890.

Arrival by train

Hamburg is easily accessible from all major cities in Germany by train. From the Hamburg mainstation you can take a bus who goes every hour directly to the hotel. Current schedule information and price information can be found at: www.bahn.de.

Train schedule information

www.HVV.de

Parking facilities at the hotel

The hotel "Zollenspieker Fährhaus" always provides free parking possibilities for the entire duration of your bike trip. There are always plenty of parking spots available, pre-reservation is necessary.

Condition of cycle paths

You cycle mostly on flat and paved roads, only some short inclines or even a small sandy passage has to be mastered. Of course, it is not possible to avoid traffic in Hamburg or other larger cities, however, mostly you cycle on separated bike trails.

Available rental bikes

If you choose to rent a velocipede-rental bike for the tour, we take 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

Velociped rental bikes

Extra costs which are not included in the price

A possibly applicable city tax is not part of the travel price and therefore has to be paid at the hotel locally.

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

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

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.

Das Hotel Zollenspieker Fährhaus

The Zollenspieker Fährhaus is a popular excursion destination at the most southern point of Hamburg. 
You will find a small hotel, a spacious restaurant with fresh regional food, banquet hall, beautiful Elbe terrace and an idyllic beer garden. Very popular are the barge trips directly from the investor`s house. But also without going on board, everyone here gets a small holiday from everyday life. 

Hotel Zollenspieker Fährhaus

Bismarck-Museum

From 1871 until his death, Prince Otto von Bismarck spent his life in the "Old House" in Friedrichsruh in the Saxony Forest. Since 1951 you find here the reopend Bismarck museum which is a worthy memorial.

Bismarck-Museum

Bergedorf Castle

Situated in a park at the Bille, the Bergedorf Castle is the only one from the Middle Ages maintained property in Hamburg's territory. The museum's collections include the armory and the gun room in the basement of the building, instruments of torture as well as other artefacts from the Middle Ages and early modern period. The ground floor contains the complete interior of the Art Nouveau Café Möller. In the first floor the courtroom and the richly designed gentleman's room are reminiscent of the former palace when it was a office building. But also an insight into the upscale Bergedorf civic culture is given to visitors.

Bergedorf Castle

KZ memorial Neuengamme

For several decades KZ Neuengamme was not appreciated in the public memory, not only regionally but also locally in Hamburg. Only after the first prison closed in 2003, the memorial was able to expand into a center for exhibitions, international exchanges and historical studies on the site of the former prisoners' barracks. In February 2006, the second prison closed and its grounds were also incorporated into the memorial. The new memorial, which opened in May 2005 on the 60th anniversary of the camp's liberation, covers nearly the entire grounds of the former camp, an area of 50 hectares containing 15 buildings from the Nazi era. This makes it one of the largest memorials in Germany.

KZ memorial Neuengamme

Rieck House - Vierländer open-air museum

The Rieck house in the “Marschhufen” village Curslack is the oldest surviving Low-German “Flachhallenhaus” in the in the rural area of Vierlande. This house as well as the barn, the bakehouse and field drainage system give visitors an insight into the rural material culture and the coexistence of humans and animals under one roof. Learn about the typical manifestations such as alcoves, inlaid furniture, chests and walls with Dutch wall tiles or enjoy the lush cottage garden with its ornamental and medicinal plants.

Rieck House – “Vierländer” open-air museum

Riepenburger grain windmill

The hard and at the same time interesting profession of the wind miller is brought close to visitors in the grain windmill in Riepenburg. During a guided tour you can still see a 4-ton mechanics that mills corn to a grist.

Riepenburger grain windmill

Castle Reinbek

Reinbek Castle was built in the 16th century by Duke Adolf, who took over the power of his newly formed Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp in at age of 18. He returned home from the Crusades wealthy, so he could afford to built castles in his main offices. Enjoy a stroll through the park or be guest in one of the numerous cultural events, exhibitions and art fairs that the castle offers today.

Castle Reinbek

German Salt Museum

Everybody knows salt! In a permanent exhibition the German Salt Museum brings visitors closer to the small white granule. Experience the salt-works-town or learn more about the region of Lüneburg and its projects.

German Salt Museum

Ship lift Scharnebeck

The ship lift Scharnebeck is a remarkable technical theater, a large double vertical ship lift which can lift modern cargo ships to a height of 38 meters. The vertical boat lift was built in 1974 as the largest in the world. More than 500,000 visitors come each year to look how cargo boats and sport boats are lifted in two giant water troughs on their way through the Elbe Side Canel over the stage between Elbmarsch and Geest.

Ship lift Scharnebeck

Elbe Maritime Museum in Lauenburg

Since the 14th century shipping is an important part of the history of the town of Lauenburg. The Lauenburger Maritime Museum shows in a permanent exhibit extensive collections which are of great historical value for the maritime history of the Elbe river and its outlaying districts. Valuable contemporary ship models give visitors an understanding of the development from the canoe, the sail boat through the towboat to modern motor boating. In the 1st floor the museum exhibits changing special exhibitions several times a year.

Elbe Maritime Museum in Lauenburg

Elb river bridge with barrage and sluice gate in Geesthacht

To ensure a evenly depth between Lower and Upper Elbe 1957 a sluice gate was built in Geesthacht. The sluice and the sluice channel enable the shipping industry to overcome the gap created by the weir.

Elb river bridge Geesthacht

Old Elbe tunnel

When the old Elbe tunnel, also called the "St. Pauli Elbtunnel," was opened in 1911, it was a technical sensation. Today it is a nostalgic and lovingly part of Hamburg's history - and celebrates its 100th anniversary.

A slightly different idea for a walk: After crossing the tunnel, from the southern bank of the Elbe you can enjoy an unforgettable panorama overlooking the harbor edge, the Michel and the "Rickmer Rickmers".

Old Elbe tunnel

Jetties

The floating dock - called “jetties” - is 700 meters long. This water "station" is the starting-point for harbor cruises, harbor ferries and the HADAG-steamers Finkenwerder, Oevelgönne and Blankenese. Also impressive luxury cruisers moor from time to time here.

Jetties

Hamburg

Hanburg, the gateway to the world, the high of the north: the green city by the water is not for nothing one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. On the official websites of the city of Hamburg you will find among other things: 

Hamburg

Garden of Butterflies

Once founded by Princess von Bismarck in the historic greenhouses of the chancellor, the butterfly garden offers an extraordinary experience in the Sachsenwald. Be enchanted by the tropical colors of freely flying butterflies from South America, Africa and Asia. The cafeteria at the castle pond or the Café Vanessa as well as a photo exhibition invite you to spend some time relaxing.

Garden of Butterflies