Palatinate wine route and Rhine bike trail

Experience the Palatinate between the Rhine and the vines

Start your varied tour in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, the secret wine capital of Germany. Stroll through the winding streets of the old town and breath the Mediterranean atmosphere with a cappuccino or a glass of Palatinate wine. Two daily stages lead you through the hilly wine-growing region of the Palatinate and in three stages you cycle through the flat landscape of the Rhine Valley. Look forward to places worth seeing such as Speyer, Heidelberg, Ladenburg and Worms. Let yourself be inspired by the old fortress town of Germersheim and the extensive palace park in Schwetzingen. The Palatinate Wine Route, with a length of 85 km the second largest wine-growing region in Germany, attracts with fine wines, Palatinate hospitality, romantic villages, village streets covered with vines, old winegrowers' houses and small and internationally successful winegrowing businesses. Some inclines will perhaps get you out of the saddle for a moment, but with leisure and time you will certainly master the short distances successfully. Whether in spring when the fruit trees are in blossom, in summer or during a visit in the colorful autumn, this circular tour offers pure cycling pleasure at any time of the year.

1. day Neustadt arrival

Look forward to Neustadt. The medieval city center is dominated by a diverse half-timbered idyll in picturesque narrow streets and the market square as the lively center of the city.

2. day Neustadt - Bad Bergzabern approx. 50 km

Today you can expect romantic wine villages with a unique atmosphere. In the former fortress town of Landau, you should not miss a visit to the medieval municipal department store on the town hall square. The picturesque view of the Rhine Valley from Landeck Fortress is worth seeing. The baroque castle, the historic inn "Engel" and the West Wall Museum lure visitors to visit today's stage destination.

3. day Bad Bergzabern - Rastatt approx. 50 km

Today you cycle through the Vinegate in Schweigen to Wissembourg in Alsace, famous for its former Benedictine abbey. The route takes you through the Bienwald and the Lautertal to the Rhine. Your destination for the day is Rastatt with the impressive baroque residence.

4. day Rastatt – Germersheim approx. 55 km

Enjoy today's section along the Rhine before the route takes you to the old residential city of Karlsruhe with its castle and pyramid. You cycle through the largest nature reserve in the Palatinate, the Hördter Rheinauen, to the former fortified town of Germersheim.

5. day Germersheim - Heidelberg approx. 50 km

Enjoy pure nature on wonderfully flat cycle paths along the arms of the old Rhine and look forward to Schwetzingen with its imposing residential palace, built as a summer residence for the Palatinate electors. We also recommend a visit to the associated palace gardens with an international reputation. After a worthwhile break you cycle through the Rhine valley to Heidelberg, the seat of Germany's oldest university. Visit the famous palace complex and enjoy a fantastic view of the Rhine Valley from up here. In the evening, stroll through the old town.

6. day Heidelberg - Worms approx. 45 km

Today you cycle on the cycle path to Ladenburg. It's worth taking a break here, because the old town, which is characterized by the late Middle Ages, still has a unique collection of superbly restored half-timbered houses. The town is imposingly surrounded by the historical remains of the city wall. If you are interested in technology, the local "Automuseum Dr. Carl Benz" will be fascinating with its around 80 historic vehicles. Then you cycle through extensive forest areas and the Rhine plain to the cathedral, Luther and Nibelung city of Worms. A visit to the Imperial Cathedral of St. Peter and a walk to the many architectural testimonies to the city's rich Jewish history are worthwhile.

7. day Worms - Bad Dürkheim 40 km

Today you dive into the slightly hilly wine-growing areas along the German Wine Route. Visit in Bockenheim - the "gateway to the Palatinate" and the beginning of the wine route - the remarkable Martinskirche from the 16th century, enjoy the village streets covered with vines with old winegrowers' houses and stroll through the beautiful and original town of Bobenheim am Berg. Take your time for your day's destination Bad Dürkheim with its large salt works and the largest wine barrel in the world. 1.7 million liters of wine fit in, but this has never been tested, because the container with XXL dimensions has been used as a restaurant since 1934.

8. day Bad Dürkheim - Neustadt departure 20 km

The last stage could be the most beautiful! You follow the wine route from sight to sight and experience well-known wine towns such as Wachenheim, Forst and Deidesheim. Visit the Museum of Wine Culture here. You will learn a lot about the far-reaching importance of grape juice in science, medicine, politics and religion. Then cycle on to the starting point of the Neustadt an der Weinstraße tour with direct departure or booking an extra night.

Worth knowing about your bike tour

Below please find more information about your bike trip. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact us by phone: 0049 - (0)6421-886890.

Arrival by train

Neustadt an der Weinstraße can be easily reached by train from other cities. The best way to get to our partner hotels in Neustadt and the surrounding area from the train station is by taking a short taxi ride or by public transport.
Current timetable information and price information can be found at Schedule

Parking

Our partner hotels in Neustadt offer good parking (the hotel's own underground car park costs around €5-10 per day) for the entire duration of your bike trip. There are always enough parking spaces available, a reservation in advance is not absolutely necessary. You will receive detailed information about the parking facilities at the hotel booked for you with the detailed travel documents two weeks before the start of the trip.

Available rentalbikes

You can choose between 7-speed unisex bikes with hub gears and coaster brake or 21-speed women's or men's bikes with derailleur gears and freewheel, as well as electric bikes (unisex).
The personal tour information with subsequent bike handover will take place between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. at your arrival hotel. The exact time will be announced by the reception upon arrival
If you do not take part in the tour information, the documents are deposited at the reception of the arrival hotel. The rental bikes are also available at the hotel. A short message in advance is desired!

Extra costs which are not inculded

A possibly applicable city tax is not included and has to be paid at the hotel locally.

7 days 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.

Neustadt Wine Route

Located in the Palatinate region on the German “Wine Route”, Neustadt and its wine villages will capture your heart. Surrounded by a sea of grapevines, the city is a centre of German viticulture. As well as for its wine culture, Neustadt became famous for Hambach Castle, which was the scenery of the Hambacher Fest in 1832.

Neustadt Wine Route

Schwetzingen Palace

Schwetzingen Palace is famous for the beauty and harmony of its gardens. Remarkably, the original design, in all its diversity, survives to this day. The origins of Schwetzingen Palace (Schloss Schwetzingen) date back to 1350, when a small moated castle occupied the site. After an eventful history, Schwetzingen flourished under the Palatine Prince Elector Carl Theodor (1724–1799). The palace owes its current form to the Prince Elector Johann Wilhelm, who commissioned alterations in 1697. The addition of two wings significantly increased its size.

Schwetzingen Palace

Heidelberg

Heidelberg. Its beauty and timelessness inspired the German Romantic Movement, and it continues to inspire people today. Known for its university and castle, Heidelberg celebrates both the old and the new, making it the perfect place for everyone. And tourism-heidelberg.com is the perfect place for you to explore this diverse city before your arrival. It is an all-inclusive guide not only for sight-seeing, but for every other aspect of traveling abroad. Discover the city, learn about the German culture, and make your trip to Heidelberg easy, enjoyable and stress-free.

Heidelberg

Heidelberg

Heidelberg Castle

It would be hard to imagine a more striking location: set against the deep green forests on the north flank of Königstuhl hill, the red sandstone ruins tower majestically over the Neckar valley. From its lofty position, the palace’s silhouette dominates the old town centre of Heidelberg.
The rich and eventful history of Heidelberg Palace began when the counts palatine of the Rhine, – later prince electors – established their residence at Heidelberg. First mentioned in 1225, this was destined to become one of the grandest palaces of the Renaissance.

Heidelberg Castle

Heidelberg, Funicular Railway

The lower funicular railway starts at Kornmarkt and runs via Heidelberg Castle station as far as Molkenkur. From there you can continue with one of the oldest electric funicular railways to the city's highest point, the Königstuhl.

Heidelberg, Funicular Railway

Heidelberg Königsstuhl (The King's Seat)

The Königstuhl is 568 m high and offers a fabulous view over Heidelberg and the Neckar Valley to the Rhine Valley. The Königstuhl mountain has several attractions: A network of paths for walkers, the Tinnunculus falconry, the "Märchenparadies" (a theme park for families) and the Observatory.

Heidelberg Königsstuhl

Ladenburg Automuseum Dr. Carl Benz

The Automuseum Dr. Carl Benz is a privately owned automobile museum in Ladenburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Established in 1984, it focuses on the career of the automotive pioneer Karl Benz (also known as Carl Benz), and on the history of the automobile manufacturers associated with him. Since 2005, the museum has been housed in a former factory building used from 1908 to produce automobiles under the "C. Benz Söhne" brand.

Ladenburg Dr. Carl Benz Museum

Worms

There are lots of beautiful sights to discover in Worms: the Romanesque Cathedral, Europe’s oldest Jewish cemetery, the synagogue in the old town, the world’s biggest Reformation monument (Luther Monument), the multimedia Nibelungen Museum, wonderful green spaces with gently splashing fountains, the Hagen statue on the Rhine promenade, Herrnsheim Palace and Park and much more.

Worms

St. Peter's Cathedral, Worms

Romanesque pillar basilica with a double choir and a transept, built 1125/1130 – 1181 on the foundations of a structure erected by Bishop Burchard (1000 – 1025). Elaborate decorations in the east and west choirs. The “Emperor’s portal” on the north side is the setting of the “quarrel of the queens” in the Nibelungenlied epic. Gothic south portal (pre-13th century) with representational designs displaying an “illustrated stone Bible” ; Gothic St Nicholas chapel adjoining. The cathedral’s interior features Romanesque and late-Gothic stone sculptures. After the city’s devastation in 1689, the east choir was given a baroque design (high altar by Balthasar Neumann). Burial vault with sarcophagi of five generations of Salian dukes (10th – 11th centuries). St John’s baptistery in front of the south front demolished in 1807. 

St. Peter's Cathedral, Worms

The Philippshall Saline, Bad Dürkheim

The Philippshall Saline or Bad Dürkheim salt works is a listed cultural monument you can’t afford to miss, especially if have some respiratory ailment that could do with some help. The Salinarium is popular with folks who enjoy the saline tang in the air that re-creates a seaside ambience.

The Philippshall Saline, Bad Dürkheim

The Philippshall Saline, Bad Dürkheim