Prague to Dresden - A Tale of Two Rivers
Czech Republic, Germany Bike Tours
Cycling along the Vltava and Elbe Rivers
This bike tour in the Czech Republic and Germany from Prague to Dresden follows the flow of the Vltava and Elbe Rivers, through beautiful countryside, picturesque towns, and scenic parks.
Starting in Prague, the “City of a Hundred Spires”, you'll be amazed at the number of historical sites contained in such a small area. Left largely untouched during the great World Wars, it has retained its unique character. Cycle through the natural beauty of the Czech-Saxon Switzerland National Park, and through the romantic region of former volcanoes of the Czech Middle Mountains. As a bonus you can enjoy a boat trip or hiking in the Czech Saxon Switzerland!
Dresden is known for its Baroque architecture. Its Frauenkirche is considered the world’s finest Protestant church. Other notable landmarks are the Catholic Hofkirche (Saxony’s largest church) and the Residenzschloss.
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Guided: £ 810 $ 1,291 € 850 NOK 8500 kr 7846 $ 1,020 Single supplement: £ 129 $ 205 € 135 NOK 1350 kr 1246 $ 162
Self Guided:
Standard Hotels: £ 586 $ 934 € 615 NOK 6150 kr 5677 $ 738
Single supplement: £ 129 $ 205 € 135 NOK 1350 kr 1246 $ 162
Premium Hotels: £ 757 $ 1,208 € 795 NOK 7950 kr 7338 $ 954
Single supplement: £ 171 $ 273 € 180 NOK 1800 kr 1662 $ 216
extra options
Electric bicycle rental: £ 57 $ 91 € 60 NOK 600 kr 554 $ 72
Guided Tour of Prague (Day 1): £ 33 $ 53 € 35 NOK 350 kr 323 $ 42
Extra nights (rates based on double occupancy)
Prague
3 star hotel: £ 37 $ 59 € 39 NOK 390 kr 360 $ 47
4 star hotel: £ 47 $ 74 € 49 NOK 490 kr 452 $ 59
Dresden
3 star hotel: £ 47 $ 74 € 49 NOK 490 kr 452 $ 59
4 star hotel: £ 73 $ 117 € 77 NOK 770 kr 711 $ 92
Transfers
Airport/Railway station to hotel in Prague (price is per person)
1-3 people: £ 30 $ 47 € 31 NOK 310 kr 286 $ 37
3-4 people: £ 58 $ 93 € 61 NOK 610 kr 563 $ 73
By car from Dresden to Prague (price is per person)
1-2 people: £ 63 $ 100 € 66 NOK 660 kr 609 $ 79
3-4 people: £ 58 $ 93 € 61 NOK 610 kr 563 $ 73
5 + people: £ 48 $ 76 € 50 NOK 500 kr 462 $ 60
please note
Rates are based on double occupancy.
Information to read before you book.
Travel
Fly to Prague.
Local Travel
Taxi to first hotel.
Climate
Average high temp in °F for Prague is: May 64º, June 69º, July 72º, August 73º, September 65º, and October 54º.
Remarks
It is possible to extend your trip with extra nights! You can also add a guided tour of Prague. Please ask us for additional details!
Tour Dates
Guided: July 1, July 29, August 19, September 23, 2017
Self-Guided: Daily arrival possible from April 15 to October 30, 2017
Minimum number of 2 bookings required to confirm a request. If travelling alone, tour could be confirmed but with addtional supplement.
Where You’ll Stay
Accommodations in 3 and 4 star hotels and guesthouses
What’s Included
- Hotel accommodations for 6 nights
- Breakfasts
- Detailed maps and route descriptions
- 24-speed bicycle rental for 5 days
- Luggage transportation
- Telephone support
- Helmet and basic repair kit
- Guided Tour only
- Dinners (except on day 1)
- Water and snacks during cycling
- Tour guide
- Support vehicle
What’s Not Included
- Individual arrival and departure to Prague
- Lunches and dinners (dinners included in guided tour only)
- Bicycle protection
- Trip insurance
Extra Stay
Extra nights in Prague or Dresden
| Tour | Bike |
|---|---|
| Type | Both |
| Skill | Easy |
| Length | 7 days |
| From | €615 Rates |
| Client Reviews |
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Skill Level
This is an easy self-guided or guided bike tour with average daily distances between 30 and 33 miles.
Day-To-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Prague
Day 2: Prague - Melnik, 33 mi. (53 km)
Day 3: Melnik - Litomerice, 32 mi. (52 km)
Day 4: Litomerice - Decin, 33 mi. (53 km)
Day 5: Decin - Czech Saxon Switzerland - Bad Schandau, cycling 10 mi. (25 km) - additional cycling or hiking
Day 6: Bad Schandau - Dresden, 30 mi. (40 km)
Day 7: Dresden
*All distances are approximate.
Day 1: Arrival in Prague
After arriving in Prague and checking into your hotel, the rest of the day is up to you to explore Prague on your own. You can either relax or have a unique Prague by bike tour (not included in the tour price). The tour is guided by tour guides born and raised here who truly love the city. Perhaps you might want to think of booking an extra night before the tour as there is also opportunity for a bike tour to Karlstejn Castle or other one day excursions to important places of the Czech Republic (Cesky Krumlov, Kutná Hora, Karlovey, Vary, or Terezin. Please ask us for additional details about this tour! Be sure to end your day with a mug of good local beer.
Day 2: Prague - Melnik, 33 mi. (53 km)
Despite the first small ascent, today's route follows a nice trail to Melnik, the heart of the Czech wine region. Just before leaving Prague, pass the Troja Baroque Castle and continue to the North following the bank of the Vltava River. The river creates very interesting rock formations and deep valleys. Highlights of today include visits to castles in Nelahozeves and Veltrusy. End the day in Melnik with a glass of a good wine from the region.
Day 3: Melnik - Litomerice, 32 mi. (52 km)
Today’s route is fairly flat and leads through a calm Elbe region, one of the most fertile regions in the Czech Republic. At the confluence of the Vltava and Elbe Rivers, the river gains strength and slowly becomes a European major waterway. After passing the Libechov Castle, you'll arrive in the town of Roudnice nad Labem where you can admire an old church and a castle. The most impressive stop is the massive Terezin Fortress, with a history dating back to 1780, when its construction began. It was used in World War I as a prison and then again in World War II as a concentration camp. This era was filled with hatred and cruelty and dramatically spotted the history of Terezin, a place that the Nazis used as a Jewish concentration camp. The day concludes in the old town of Litomerice, a spiritual center of the region.
Day 4: Litomerice - Decin, 33 mi. (53 km)
Today is reserved for exploration of the romantic countryside of the Czech Middle Mountains. Even though this region is very hilly, the route mainly follows the banks of the Elbe River with hills with several old ruins surrounding you. This former volcanic region had always been an ideal terrain for building castles and fortresses, many of which have not been preserved. The Strekov Castle, which was built on top of a steep rock cliff, belongs among one of the most romantic castles in the Czech Republic. After an optional, strenuous climb, you will be rewarded by a magnificent view from its walls. The final point of this stage will be the Northern Gate of the Czech Republic and the town of Decin, which has the lowest altitude in the Czech Republic.
Day 5: Decin - Czech Saxon Switzerland - Bad Schandau, cycling 10 mi. (25 km) - additional cycling or hiking
You'll have two choices today, you can choose to cycle or take a boat to Hřensko. This border town is situated in the heart of the Czech-Saxon Switzerland National Park and offers many attractive activities. If you enjoy hiking, you will want to take advantage of the touristic trails leading through the scenery of the rocky towns, and the mesas, passes, deep gorges, and hillsides. You'll also admire the wonder of the Pravcicka Gate, no doubt, the biggest natural rock bridge in Europe.
Take a boat through the passes of Kamenice River or continue your bike tour on one of many marked bike trails through this wonderful country, or combine a boat trip with a ride through a romantic valley on a historical tram in Bad Schandau. After saying Good bye to Czech Republic, cross the border to Germany just on the edge of the historic spa town of Bad Schandau.
Day 6: Bad Schandau - Dresden, 30 mi. (40 km)
This day is packed with historical sites! After leaving Bad Schandau, visit the Königstein Fortress and see the beautiful rock formation with a romantic rock bridge and Bastei Ruin. An optional climb to this unique, natural wonder is one of the highlights of this whole tour! It is definitely worth the climb and you'll be rewarded by an unforgettable panoramic view. Cycling a few more kilometers by the town of Pirna, you will enter the region of the Dresden Valley. There are several beautiful castles and museums of music masters, such as Karl Maria Weber and Richard Wagner. Today's final destination is Dresden.
Day 7: Dresden
There is probably no other town in Germany which better symbolizes the turbulent history of this country and shows many centuries of cultural and architectural boom combined with religious freedom and economic prosperity. A short admiration of Nazism was followed by a cruel punishment in the form of the biggest bombing during World War II, which turned almost the entire city into ruins overnight. After-the-war resurrection into forty years of communistic unimportance is followed by twenty years of renewal and reconstruction. Thanks to this renovation of the entire city, today we can admire the beauties of this place, which earned the nickname of “Florence upon Elbe”.
You can always extend your stay to further explore Dresden. Accommodations, guided city tours, and transfers can be arranged!
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Email or Call 800-951-4384 +1 570-965-2064
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Pricing Information
Travel Details
This tour is operated by Adventura. We do not run these tours ourselves, we never have. We work on commission from our local partners plus a small administration fee of €20. We pride ourselves on the strong relationship we have with our local partners and the services we provide.
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Customer Feedback
Ileana G. 2 months ago
The visit to Strekov castle was one of the more memorable moments. We had time to explore the ruins. Otherwise, we did not stop anywhere for long. The other spot where we stopped for a while was Terezin, site of a Nazi concentration camp. At Pillnitz castle near Dresden, we were given 15 or 20 minutes to tour the gardens if we wished. Overall, the pace was fast and the trip felt a little rushed. The description of the ride as easy is a little inaccurate. There were some hills to contend with, especially on the first day. I would have liked a little more free time in the pretty towns of Melnik and Litomerice. Most accommodations had no air conditioning, and it was very hot when I made the trip in late July-early August.
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Csop G. 3 months ago
Most memorable part: The scenery. The varied landscape. The entire trip was an adventure. Definitely tack on an extra day or two in Prague and Dresden. It will make for a perfect holiday.
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Ana Karla Oliveira 4 months ago
We loved the whole trip from Prague to Dresden ... Beautiful places to visit and spend a few hours admiring ... All the cities that we slept were special ... We chose premium option to stay in 4 star hotels, really Prague and Dresden were But the rest can be considered 1 or 2 stars ... The level of difficulty of the route is really easy even, very few climbs and are short ... The bikes were excellent, the maps very well elaborated ... I would just like to Suggesting that you take a closer look at Pravcicka Gate, because it was a very long walk, about 5 hours (round trip) to visit it ... It is beautiful, unique, wonderful landscapes, worth visiting , But you have to prepare for long distances ... This was the third time we hired the tripsite and it was great! As of other times, the pedaling was AMAZING! We recommend! We are already dreaming of the next! :))
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Csop Glew 4 months ago
As our first self guided cycling trip, we can not see how this experiene could be better. The scenery was extraordinary, the accommodations were excellent and the trip coordinator was superb! We highly recommend this trip. Can't wait to do another trip!
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Alan G. 5 months ago
The most memorable part was the biking along the rivers.
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Cheryl W. 12 months ago
Mostly we enjoyed the country side. We did not have the greatest weather but we made the most of it.
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Carolyn Gammel 12 months ago
This trip was FANTASTIC! As first time bike travellers, we elected to book the guided tour and it exceeded our expectations. Lukas and Honza were knowledgeable guides who attended to our every need. Cycling through the Czech and German Countryside was breathtaking and we learned so much about the history of the countries/regions. Cycling was broken up with other activities - hikes, boat rides, sight seeing excursions/activities. Our hotels and meals were spectacular -( we stayed one night in an 18th Century Chateau), the wine and beer - second to none, and the laughter and companionship was memorable. Would HIGHLY recommend this tour and this tour company.
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Amanda Uthe 2 years ago
Wonderful experience! We opted not to use the GPS and stuck to the maps. This allowed us ample opportunities to chat with locals and ask them for directions when we went off track to visit different areas of the towns on the route. Beautiful views and welcoming people made for a memorable trip!
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