Elbe Cycle Route, From the source of the Elbe to Dresden, 12 days, self guided

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival in Špindlerův Mlýn
Arrival in Špindlerův Mlýn by microbus or individually. Options for this day include a bike trip or a hike or to the source of the Elbe.

Day 2: Špindlerův Mlýn – Dvůr Králové, 50 Km
The day begins with a cable car ride up to the peaks of the Giant Mountains National Park. Here, at an elevation of 1,212 meters above sea level, the Elbe Cycle Path begins as a ridgeline trail. The trip to Vrchlabí includes a drop of more than 700 meters. The town is situated at the foot of the mountains, and offers an excellent insight into life with and in the country’s highest mountain range. There follows a rapid leg to Hostinné, where we recommend checking out the two giants on the town hall and their fascinating story. The “Les Království” reservoir bears not only a fairy-tale name (“Forest of the Kingdom”), but its dam is an impressive and fabulous architectural gem. And soon you arrive in the “safari city” of Dvůr Králové nad Labem. Dvůr Králové is the first royal town on the route.

Day 3: Dvůr Králové n. L. – Hradec Králové, 40 Km 
Most of the day is spent on beautiful, paved cycling paths. Definitely not to be missed is the unique baroque hospital in Kuks, with Matthias Bernard Braun’s famous statues of the Virtues and Vices. In 2013, a brand-new cycling path connecting Kuks with Hradec Králové was opened, thanks to which the route passes by the old Theresian fortress of Jaroměř. Along with Josef Gočár’s famous architecture in Hradec Králové close to the historical city center, Kuks and Jaroměř represent this day’s historical points of interest. We recommend taking your time in Hradec Králové to view and enjoy this modern, lively city and historical town of Bohemian kings.

Day 4: Hradec Králové – Pardubice, 22 km
The next stage leads us to Pardubice, the “city of gingerbread”. The short journey gives us time to visit the castle on Kunetitz Mountain (Kunětická Hora). In Pardubice, you will be enchanted by the town’s historical center, which has been declared a historical preservation district.

Day 5: Pardubice – Kutná Hora, 54 Km 
This longer stage concludes with a night in Kutná Hora, one of the Czech Republic’s 12 UNESCO cities. Along the way, you can look forward to the Kladruby National Stud Farm, which in the 16th century began breeding the grays and blacks that served at nearly all royal courts. The Stud Farm welcomes your visit. In the afternoon, you arrive in Kutná Hora, the medieval gem of our tour. Here, you can see well-preserved buildings such as the Church of St. Barbara, the ossuary in Sedlec with its 30,000 human remains, the Italian Court, and the Czech Museum of Silver. If you find yourself enchanted by the town – which in its heyday was of greater importance than Amsterdam – you can book an extra night so that you will have enough time to see all the sights.

Day 6: Kutná Hora – Nymburk, 38 Km 
Following the Elbe River, our route brings you to the historical towns of Kolín, Poděbrady, and Nymburk, which you will pass on comfortable cycling trails. Poděbrady was the hometown of George of Poděbrady, Bohemia’s Utraquist king who proposed forming a European federation in the 15th century. You will find his statue in the city center. From Poděbrady, you head towards Nymburk. Here, the Elbe Cycle Train leads close along the river, and so you can enjoy the river and the surrounding landscape to the fullest. Nymburk – yet another royal town on our route – greets you with its majestic defensive wall, made of fired clay bricks since no other source of stone was available.
In town, you can visit a legendary brewery known to every Czech beer drinker.

Day 7: Nymburk – Mělník, 65 Km 
Following the Elbe, we next come to Brandýs nad Labem. At the local chateau, Emperor Franz Josef of Austria, King Frederick William III of Prussia, and Tsar Alexander I of Russia met to plan their offensive against Napoleon. But perhaps more important for all of Czech history was the murder of St. Wenceslas in the year 929 by the door to the church in nearby Stará Boleslav.
The day ends in the royal town of Mělník and its vineyards above the confluence of Elbe and Vltava. Today’s stage is quite long, so if you prefer not to pedal the whole way, you can save time and energy with our microbus.

Day 8: Mělník – Litoměřice, 50 km
Departure from Mělník by bike. The route passes through the historical town of Roudnice nad Labem, the fortress city of Terezín (small fortress and ghetto museum), and the historical town of Litoměřice. Accommodation in Litoměřice.

Day 9: Litoměřice – Děčín, 50 km
Departure from Litoměřice by bike. Along the way are the Píšťany gravel quarry, the center of the Velké Žernoseky wine region, the Porta Bohemica natural monument, the regional capital of Ústí nad Labem with Střekov Castle, the Větruše lookout point (cable car and church with leaning tower), Velké Březno (the Březňák Brewery and the Chotek family’s neo-classicist chateau), the royal town of Děčín (chateau and rose garden). Accommodation in Děčín.

Day 10: Děčín – Pirna, 45 km
Departure from Děčín by bike. This stage offers wonderful views along the Elbe Valley as the river winds its way past the region’s sandstone cliffs. After you cross into Germany, there come the historical spa town of Bad Schandau, the monumental Fortress Königstein, and the historical town of Pirna. Accommodation in Pirna.

Day 11: Pirna – Dresden, 25 km
Departure from Pirna by bike. The shorter journey means that there is plenty of time after arriving in Dresden to see the historical city center. Accommodation in Dresden.

Day 12: Departure from Dresden

Dates and prices:

 01. 04. - 30. 09. 2024

All prices are per person. 10% discount for groups of 6 or more.

Special prices for early booking min. 60 days prior to arrival

 Prices for booking less than 60 days prior to arrival

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Accommodation categories 

Cat. A: 3- to 4-star hotels with breakfast
Cat. B: comfortable pensions to 3-star hotels with breakfast

Services:

• 11x accommodation with breakfast in the category of your choice
• A comprehensive information package with insider tips and sights that should not be missed, including detailed maps.
• Hotline

Extras:

• Luggage transport 280 €/ Person – by tours with luggage transport your luggage is picked up every day from your accommodations and brought to the next hotel or pension.
• Personal transportation Dreden - Spindleruv Mlyn 340 € / group