Cycling tours near Hamburg ☀️

Hanseatic city of Hamburg

The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg is the ideal starting point for your cycling adventures. Before you set off on the long-distance routes, you should historic Speicherstadt and  modern HafenCity Explore. The UNESCO World Heritage Speicherstadt (Warehouse District) fascinates with its red brick buildings and canals. In Hamburg, vibrant culture and impressive architecture await you amidst the hustle and bustle of the city!

The Elbphilharmonie: Architectural landmark at the harbor

The architectural masterpiece of the Elbphilharmonie dominates the skyline of HafenCity and is a must-see during your visit to Hamburg. The "Elphi" combines a historic quayside warehouse with a futuristic glass structure. Use the escalator to reach the public plaza, which is a surrounding viewing platform between the brick and glass buildings. From here you can enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the harbor.

The Alte Land: A splendid floral display at the city gates

Southwest of Hamburg, along the Elbe River, lies the Altes Land, the largest contiguous Fruit-growing region of Northern Europe. Especially during the fruit blossom season in spring, the region transforms into a fragrant sea of ​​flowers, which captivates cyclists. You cycle past magnificent half-timbered courtyards With ornate gates, surrounded by orchards and small canals, it's a rural oasis just a stone's throw from the big city.

The Elbe river landscape

On the Elbe Cycle Route towards Magdeburg you leave the urban hustle and bustle and immerse yourself in the unique UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Elbe River Landscape The route takes you through wide floodplain landscapes and past historic dikes. Here you will experience one of the last natural river landscapes in Central Europe. Keep an eye out for rare animal species like the beaver and enjoy the silence far away from everyday life. This stage offers a relaxing introduction to the nature of the north.

Kiel Canal: Ocean giants near Brunsbüttel

A fascinating contrast to nature awaits you at Brunsbüttel. This is where the Kiel Canal (NOK), the busiest artificial waterway in the world. At the monumental locks, you can watch huge cargo ships and luxury cruise ships enter or leave the canal. It is an impressive sight. Spectacle of engineering and a great place for a long break to admire the ocean giants up close.

From Hamburg to Copenhagen

Discover a fascinating combination of Hanseatic history and Scandinavian coastal idyll on this cycling tour. Starting in the Hamburg metropolitan region, the route first leads to Holstein Switzerland. Along the Baltic coast you finally reach the island Fehmarnwhich you can cycle over the impressive Fehmarnsund Bridge or by ferry .

After the relaxing crossing to Denmark, you will immerse yourself in the island world of Lolland and Falster where you will encounter wide fields and tranquil villages. A highlight awaits you on the Island of Møn with the dramatic white Chalk cliffs Møns KlintVia the island of Zealand you will finally cycle along the coast of the Øresund to the Danish capital. Copenhagen welcomes you with a royal flair, the colorful Nyhavn harbor, and an unparalleled cycling culture. Experience Northern Germany and Denmark at their best!

Further information about the Hamburg-Copenhagen cycle tour

Elbe Cycle Route – From Magdeburg to Hamburg

This stage of the famous Elbe Cycle Route takes you from the former Imperial City of Magdeburg to the Hanseatic city of Hamburg, always downriver through the heart of Northern Germany. The journey begins with cultural highlights such as the Magdeburg Cathedral and the Green Citadel (Hundertwasserhaus). We continue through the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Elbe River Landscape. Discover medieval splendor in the imperial city Tangermünde and the island city HavelbergThe route takes you through picturesque villages full of storks, past the Schnackenburg Borderland Museum (a testimony to recent German history) and the Dömitz FortressBefore you reach Hamburg, the Wine town of Hitzacker with its half-timbered island. A relaxing journey through the incomparable floodplain landscape and along historic waterways, culminating in the arrival in the vibrant port metropolis.

Further information about cycling tours from Magdeburg to Hamburg

Old Salt Road – the Hanseatic tour

On this cultural-historical tour, experience the route of what was once the most important trading commodity in the North. The journey connects the “Salt City” Lüneburg familiar with the “Queen of the Hanseatic League” Lübeck and the cosmopolitan city HamburgIn Lüneburg, you will discover the German Salt Museum and the magnificent old town. The route follows the historic Alten Salzstrasse and the Elbe-Lübeck Canal through the Duchy of LauenburgOn the way, the Eulenspiegel town of Mölln and the beautiful island town of Ratzeburg with its cathedral await you. After visiting the Hanseatic city of Lübeck, the route leads through the rural Schleswig-Holstein to the metropolis of Hamburg, before cycling along the Elbe marshes back to Lüneburg. A varied tour that combines nature, Nordic brick Gothic architecture, and the rich history of the salt trade.

Further information about the cycling tour on the “Old Salt Road”