Hamburg: radial tour 8 days

Radial tour in Hamburg and the surrounding area

8 days harbor atmosphere and marshland idyll

This tour is an absolute insider tip! You live in the first-class hotel "Zollenspieker Fährhaus" - right at the banks of the Elbe, at the gates of Hamburg. The hotel, the historic traditional house and the large beer garden are considered to be one of the most beautiful destinations in Hamburg and offer ideal opportunities for wonderful bike trips. You cycle along the Elbe to the beautiful town of Lauenburg and you visit the old salt town of Lüneburg with its magnificent patrician houses. Discover Winsen an der Luhe, stroll through the Vierland nature reserves comfortably and visit the Bergedorf and Reinbeck castles with their idyllic parks on the banks of the Bille. Of course, Hamburg is not neglected either, because a varied day tour takes you through the center of the beautiful port metropolis. You cycle to the historic town hall and the 'Michel', through the Speicherstadt to the Elbphilharmonie, on the landing bridges and through the old Elbe tunnel, which is mostly used by pedestrians and cyclists, and through the port of Hamburg. A radial tour can hardly be more varied!

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

The longest stage with the most beautiful destination is ahead of you today: the individual journey to the Hotel Zollenspieker Fährhaus. We recommend that you arrive early today and enjoy the unique location with a wide view over the banks and the Elbe and let it sink in. There is no better way to get in the mood for the upcoming days.

2. day Vierlanden and Boberger Dunes 48/39 km

Today's round trip offers pure variety and leads to the 'Dreistromland' Vierlanden in Hamburg. In the morning you cycle on a former railway line to the open-air museum "Rieck Haus", a remarkable ensemble from the 16th century with thatched-roof farmhouse, original barn, old bakery and historic mill. Then you roll along the canal on beautiful bike paths through the garden settlement Nettelnburg and experience why Hamburg has more bridges than any other major European city. Enjoy the beach feeling here or stop by the rustic Dorfkrug with an excellent cuisine. At the Eichbaumsee it is worth taking a bathing break before you escape the hustle and bustle into the “Die Reit” nature reserve and finally follow the winding course of the Gose-Elbe on a winding dike road.

3. day Elbe cycle path to Lauenburg 67/31 km

A whole day at the beautiful Elbe! You cycle on the marshland dam and enjoy wide views to the right and left of the Elbe. After 15 km, marvel at the large and remarkable Elbe bridge with barrage and lock systems in Geesthacht. This impressive technical system regulates the entire water level for the port of Hamburg! Then the Elbe cycle path takes you through the wooded nature reserve 'Hohes Elbufer' to the boat town of Lauenburg. Richly decorated, colorful half-timbered houses await you here in the picturesque old town, the Elbe shipping museum and, as a nostalgic eye-catcher on the promenade, the historic paddle steamer "Kaiser Wilhelm". After a worthwhile break, you can roll back to the hotel on the left bank of the Elbe.

4. day Round tour to Lüneburg 68/42 km

Another day with new destinations! You use the Elbe ferry again and in the morning follow the well-signposted Ilmenau cycle path along the tranquil course of the river, whose area is consistently designated as a European nature reserve with its tributaries and floodplains. Via Oldershausen with typical old courtyards and Bardowick with the unusual cathedral, you finally cycle on the historic towpath on the Ilmenauufer directly to the old salt and Hanseatic city of Lüneburg. The undestroyed medieval cityscape still presents many stone witnesses of the rich past with the monumental patrician houses. Visit the exciting German Salt Museum in Lüneburg with unique exhibits on the 1,000-year history of local salt mining. Then take a well-deserved break on your circuit in Winsen an der Luhe with its beautiful castle, before you end this day with many impressions in the beautiful hotel.

5. day Hamburg Hafen + City 64/49 km

In the morning you cycle from the hotel to downtown Hamburg on the Elbe Cycle Path and take an extensive sightseeing tour by bike. Marvel at the historic Hamburg City Hall, enjoy the atmosphere at the Jungfernstieg and visit the city's landmark, the 'Michel' (Michaeliskirche). On secret paths you roll on to the Elbe promenade, where the cosmopolitan city of Hamburg can really be felt! We continue through the Speicherstadt to the Elbphilharmonie and over the St. Pauli Landungsbrücken to another highlight of the trip, the Old Elbe Tunnel. Opened more than 100 years ago as a technical masterpiece, it leads over 420 m length under the Elbe at a depth of 24 meters and is now used by over 60,000 cyclists and 700,000 pedestrians every year. What an experience! At the other end, you leave the large elevator and stand right in the lively harbor. Here a safe bike path leads you through the "Freihafen" to Wilhelmsburg and on to the beautiful old Harburg Elbe bridge. You then cycle south of the Elbe back to the hotel on small roads.

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

Today also offers a lot of variety, because eight important sights are on the route. The functioning Riepenburg grain windmill, the Reinbek Castle, built in the style of the Dutch Renaissance, or the Bergedorf Castle with its parks on the Bille. You can also visit the Neuengamme concentration camp memorial and trace the work and life of Otto von Bismarck (museum, permanent exhibition and mausoleum). Or visit the 'Garden of Butterflies' and be enchanted by the tropical colors of free-flying butterflies from all over the world. All of this is on your route today, which runs through the marshland, in the extensive Sachsenwald and through the nature reserve along the winding Bille. On this day tour, natural and cultural experiences are perfectly combined.

7. day In the Seevetal between Hamburg and Heide 65/57/29 km

You cross over with the ferry and after a few kilometers you cycle on the edge of the nature reserve 'Untere Seeveniederung'. In April and May you can expect a very special and rare floral magic of the chessboard flower, which is worth protecting, a botanical rarity that grows here on an area of 130 ha and is therefore one of the largest occurrences in Germany. You continue to cycle idyllically on the Seeve cycle path to Jesteburg. Marvel at the well-preserved thatched roof houses that still shape the village character today. Look forward to the Bossard art site, which is right next to the bike path. The artist couple Bossard has created an impressive work of art with a tree temple and monastery garden, art temple and studio house, vegetable and fruit tree gardens on a 30,000 m² forest property. In addition, the café in the courtyard invites you to linger and enjoy homemade cakes and delicious snacks. On the way back, a stop at the medieval Horster Mühle is particularly worthwhile before you finally take the ferry to the 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.

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.
You cycle mostly on flat asphalt paths, only short inclines and individual forest path passages have to be mastered. In Hamburg and in the cities, it is not always possible to avoid heavy traffic, but you cycle on separated bike paths.

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, 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.

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

Marshalling yard Maschen

With a length of 7,000 meters and a maximum width of 700 meters, the marshalling yard in Maschen covers an area of 280 hectares, making it the largest marshalling yard in Europe.

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's fish market

Legendary and a must for all visitors to Hamburg: Hamburg's most traditional market since 1703 has pretty much everything that is not nailed down tightly. From fish at bargain prices to porcelain pots or palm trees, you can find everything in the 100-year-old fish auction hall.

Hamburg's fish market

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