Rhine: sportive, Mainz - Cologne

Arrive early and look forward to the beautiful old town of Mainz with its half-timbered houses and medieval market square. Marvel at the renaissance-style market fountain with its red pillars and the Romanesque Mainz Cathedral with its deep red sandstone and the striking octagonal tower. If you have a lot of time, you can visit the Gutenberg Museum, which is dedicated to the inventor of the printing press.

Your cycling tour begins with a highlight, because you cycle through the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, which is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site! Enjoy the wonderful bike route along gentle vineyards and through well-known wine-growing towns. On the way you should take a break in the interesting half-timbered town of Eltville and plan a detour (+ 10 km) to the Eberbach monastery in the Rheingau. Here you can visit the medieval monastery, whose wines are world-famous. In Rüdesheim, the world-famous Drosselgasse is waiting for your visit before you take the Rhine ferry to Bingen. On the well-developed Rhine cycle path, you roll to Bacharach quickly. You will pass the Mouse Tower, the Rheinstein and Reichenstein castles, Sooneck and Hohneck castles, as well as the Fürstenberg ruins. Take a break in Bacharach, because it is the secret capital of Rhine romanti-cism. The historic city fortifications are one of the best preserved in the Rhineland. A walk along the old towers and walls is an experience in itself. Then St. Goar can be reached quickly. Use the time and the Rhine ferry to climb the Loreley. A hiking path leads up and gives you the most beautiful view of the narrowest point in the romantic Rhine Valley. The modern visitor center on the Loreley offers interesting insights into the history, nature and culture of the region and clearly explains the myth of the Loreley.

In the narrow Rhine Valley you first cycle to the well-known wine town of Boppard, which is very turbulent. If you want, you can take the chairlift to the Vierseenblick to the quiet, wooded heights and enjoy a wonderful view of the Rhine Valley from here. The well-preserved Marksburg and Stolzenfels Castle are located on your further cycle route to the Deutsches Eck in Koblenz. Both want to be visited and viewed! Other castles and palaces are your companions today. You can visit, see and be amazed at Sayn Castle with its magnificent park, Neuwied Castle, which was built in the Baroque style, and Namedy Castle, a moated castle in the Andernach district. On the flat Rhine Cy-cle Path you cycle quickly from sight to sight and from castle to castle. Even at the end of the day you will still find enough time for the old spa and spring town of Bad Breisig. Take a walk and be amazed at the old customs house, stroll through the spa park with its trees from all over the world or relax in the warm thermal healing water of the Römer Therme.

After just a few kilometers, a first break is worthwhile. Here in Remagen, visit the worth seeing Peace Museum, which is housed in the former towers of the famous bridge on the banks of the Rhine. Then take the ferry to Bad Honnef, where a visit to the island of Grafenwerth attracts with lush meadows, old trees and a sunny beer garden. The Siebengebirge is now slowly moving closer to the river. Get on the oldest rack railway in Germany in Königswinter and drive up to the "legend-ary" Drachenfels. You will surely enjoy the wonderful views from up here. After a short ferry ride back to the left bank of the Rhine, you continue cycling quickly. Look forward to the old federal capital Bonn with its numerous sights and museums. On the flat Rhine cycle path you then cycle directly along the shore, so that this stage to Cologne is a real pleasure. From the hotel in the city center you can admire the diverse sights of the 2000 year old city carefree in the afternoon and evening. You should definitely plan a visit to the world-famous Cologne Cathedral with its 157 m high towers, because it is Cologne's landmark. In Cologne there is something to discover on almost every street corner. Enjoy imposing buildings, fascinating museums and of course the Cologne life-style.

Today your beautiful cycling holiday ends after breakfast in Cologne. If you want to go back to Mainz, we recommend our practical transfer service.