Oder-Neisse: Zittau - Usedom

Arrive early or even plan an extra night - it's worth it! Zittau in the border triangle awaits you with a historical old town worth seeing. The 'culture trail' will lead you to the town hall, the stables, the flower clock, the famous Zittau Lenten Cloth in the Church of the Holy Cross and other sights. From the train station you can take a trip to Liberec (Reichenberg) with the Czech "Bimmelbahn" or ride the narrow-gauge steam train to the spas in the Zittau Mountains. Arrival by train possible / parking at the hotel.

In the morning the rental bikes are adjusted and off we go! After a few kilometers through the woods along the Neisse River, the baroque monastery Marienthal, romantically situated on the river, appears behind a bend. The energy-ecological model town Ostritz (part of the EXPO 2000) is also too interesting to simply drive by. Finally, Görlitz crowns the day. The wonderfully restored old town is without a doubt one of the most beautiful in Germany and offers a variety of historic buildings from different eras.

Today you cycle along the river Neiße through forest and moorland to Bad Muskau. You can look forward to the old town with its old and new castle, orangery and especially to the Fürst-Pückler Park, one of the largest landscape parks in Europe, which is located on German and Polish territory.

A colorful day is ahead of you. First you cycle through a wonderful and varied forest landscape and then always on the Oder dike to Forst to the East German Rose Garden. On two river islands 40,000 roses bloom here! Just a few kilometers further on, you will discover huge craters in the landscape - evidence of open-cast lignite mining, which are now being recultivated. End the day in a cozy inn in Guben.

Today you change the course of the river, because at Ratzdorf the Neiße flows into the Oder. The cycle path continues to lead you mainly on the Oder dike to Frankfurt on the Oder. However, we recommend a short detour to the Neuzelle Monastery with its baroque collegiate church and the famous black beer brewery. You should also take a break in Eisenhüttenstadt to visit the St. Nikolai Church and get an impression of the first 'planned city' of the GDR.

Today you will experience pure nature on the stage through the Oderbruch. Shortly after Frankfurt, the cycle path leads you to the Lebuser heights, from where you can enjoy a magnificent view. However, if you want to shorten the stage a bit, take the train for the first kilometers to Küstrin, where the overgrown ruins of the former old town, completely destroyed in 1945, leave a deep impression and enjoy the remaining kilometers comfortably on your bike.

Today you should plan a side trip to the ship lift Niederfinow, an impressive technical masterpiece from the last century that is still in operation. In the afternoon you cycle through the Lower Oder Valley National Park. The visitor center is well worth a visit, where you will get an impression of the rich flora and fauna along and in the Oder River.

Today it is time to say goodbye to the Oder River, which continues to flow on Polish territory shortly after Mescherin. Through hilly countryside, the route continues to Penkun with its late Renaissance castle in a picturesque location on the lake. Passing Krackow with its carriage museum you cycle to the 1000 year old oak tree in Löcknitz. There your hotel is located directly at the lake.

Through the Ueckermünde Heath and along the Neuwarper Lake you cycle towards the Szczecin Lagoon. You can look forward to Ueckermünde with its interesting town center, St. Mary's Church, the harbor and the Pomeranian Castle! A beautiful bike path leads from Ueckermünde harbor directly to the sandy beach, so that nothing stands in the way of a swim at the end of the trip!

In the morning you will cycle to Kamp, where you will cross over to Usedom in a few minutes. The Green Island awaits you with wooded paths and wide sandy beaches. You will spend the last night of your cycling tour on the north coast in one of the amber spas between Ueckeritz or Trassenheide.

2024: Your overnight stay will be in one of the imperial resorts on the island Usedom in Bansin, Heringsdorf or Ahlbeck.

Your beautiful cycling tour ends on Usedom after breakfast. We recommend an extension on the island.