Tour Starts May 20th in Rothenburg ob der Tauber at 4:00pm and finishes in Regensburg where we tour the city and spend the night. Departure on the morning of May 27th. This 8-day/7night Tour is estimated at $1,600.
Contact Drew Reynolds at drew.d.reynolds@gmail.com to sign up or to get more details.
The route generally follows the packed gravel Altmühltal cycle way with about 85% of travel on bike paths and 15% on back roads. The total tour distance is 330km with hills required to visit the castles overlooking the valleys. The route traces the old Limes Germanicus which was the northern border of the Roman Empire. Regensburg was founded by the Emperor Marcus Aurelius in 175 AD.
- Start of the tour is easily accessible by train from airports: Frankfurt, Stuttgart, or Munich.
- Rothenburg is the most famous medieval wall city on the Romantic Road.
- Natural splendor as we traverse the Franken and Altmuhl Nature Parks and the Gunzenhausen recreation area. Fossil museums in Gunzenhausen and Willibaldsburg.
Palaces in Ansbach, Eichstätt, and Regenburg with castles along the Altmühl River: Colmburg, Weissenburg, Wülzburg Fortress, Pappenheim, Willibaldsburg, Hirschberg, Rosenberg, Kipfenberg, and Prunn. Roman settlements.
Itinerary:
Day 0 – Meet at Rothenburg Hotel @4:00pm for bike fitting and the introduction of fellow travelers. Banquet at 6:00pm with the mordant Nightwatchman’s Tour at 8:00pm.
Day 1 – 65km-journey to the source of the Altmuhl River, the Margrave Palace and Gardens in Ansbach for lunch, with a short ride to Herrieden (The City of Storks).
Day 2 – 65km- Gunzenhausen Fossil Museum, old city Weissenburg with Wulfsburg Fortress overlooking the town and finishing in Treuchtlingen on the Danube/Rhine watershed.
Day 3 – 55km – Tour Pappenheim Castle then Follow the river to Eichstätt with Cathedral and Willibaldsburg Castle overlooking the town.
Day 4 – 50km – from Eichstätt through the limestone cliffs of the Twelve Apostles in Sonhofen by way of Kipfenburg Castle to Beilngries, city of festivals, Hirschberg Castle overlooking the town
Day 5 – 55km – First stop Riedenburg and Rosenberg Castle for the falconry show. Lunch on the River. Optional: Prunn Castle can be visited with a steep climb or ride to the Danube R and Kelheim.
Day 6– 45km- Morning boat tour to Weltenburg Abbey with return at noon to Hotel in Kelheim for ride along the Danube River to Regensburg and its historical old city.
Day 7 – Tour Regensburg: Cathedral, Maritime museum, Palace, and departure when desired. Munich Airport is only short train ride away or go on to Munich to extend your vacation in Germany.
What’s Included?
- High quality German touring bikes with two panniers, lock, tools, per couple
- Lodging in Medium 3-4 star small guesthouses/hotels with sumptuous breakfasts
- Luggage transport
- Digital navigation with Komoot app and route maps per pair
- First night banquet, Nightwatchman’s Tour, Admission to Margrave Palace, Pappenheim Castle, Willibaldsburg Castle, Falconry Demonstration at Rosenberg Castle in Riedenberg.
What’s Not Included:
Transportation to and from the Tour, Lodging before and after the tour is RECOMMENDED to have more time to explore Rothenburg but not paid for in the trip cost. Lunches, Dinners, Drinks. Boat Tour to Weltenburg Abbey and other optional museums.
Contact Drew Reynolds at drew.d.reynolds@gmail.com to sign up or to get more details.