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. If you have biked the Danube and want something very similar, this is for you. The bike paths are well developed, flat, and very scenic and reveal centuries of history every day.
From the stout sandstone columns and cliffs of Bohemian Switzerland to the peaceful vineyards of Mělník, from the reality of the concentration camp, Terezin, to the silent, ancient volcanoes of the Middle Highlands, this trip will create profound memories and rich impressions. All this lies between two medieval capitals of utmost significance, Prague, "City of a Hundred Spires" and Dresden, every corner filled with recent and ancient stories!
As a bonus, you can enjoy a boat trip or hiking in the Czech Saxon Switzerland!
Interesting in more bike tours in the Czech Republic?
Guided in Low Season (July 1 - August 31): £ 806 $ 1,624 € 940 NOK 8930 kr 8243 $ 1,072 Guided in High Season (April 15 - June 30 + September 1 - October 15): £ 814 $ 1,641 € 950 NOK 9025 kr 8331 $ 1,083 Single supplement: £ 146 $ 294 € 170 NOK 1615 kr 1491 $ 194
Self-Guided in Low Season (July 1 - August 31):
Standard Accommodations: £ 549 $ 1,105 € 640 NOK 6080 kr 5612 $ 730 Single supplement: £ 146 $ 294 € 170 NOK 1615 kr 1491 $ 194 Premium Accommodations: £ 724 $ 1,460 € 845 NOK 8028 kr 7410 $ 963 Single supplement: £ 167 $ 337 € 195 NOK 1853 kr 1710 $ 222Self-Guided in High Season (April 15 - June 30 + September 1 - October 15):
Standard Accommodations: £ 557 $ 1,123 € 650 NOK 6175 kr 5700 $ 741 Single supplement: £ 146 $ 294 € 170 NOK 1615 kr 1491 $ 194 Premium Accommodations: £ 733 $ 1,477 € 855 NOK 8123 kr 7498 $ 975 Single supplement: £ 167 $ 337 € 195 NOK 1853 kr 1710 $ 222extra options
Electric bicycle rental: £ 51 $ 104 € 60 NOK 570 kr 526 $ 68 Road bicycle rental: £ 26 $ 52 € 30 NOK 285 kr 263 $ 34
Dinners included for self-guided tour:
Standard Accommodations: £ 72 $ 145 € 84 NOK 798 kr 737 $ 96 Premium Accommodations: £ 114 $ 230 € 133 NOK 1264 kr 1166 $ 152Extra nights
Prague
Low season (July 1 - August 31):
Standard accommodations:
Twin/double: £ 43 $ 86 € 50 NOK 475 kr 438 $ 57 Single: £ 64 $ 130 € 75 NOK 713 kr 658 $ 86 Premium accommodations:
Twin/double: £ 54 $ 109 € 63 NOK 599 kr 552 $ 72 Single: £ 81 $ 162 € 94 NOK 893 kr 824 $ 107 High season (April 15 - June 30 + September 1 - October 15):
Standard accommodations:
Twin/double: £ 47 $ 95 € 55 NOK 523 kr 482 $ 63 Single: £ 81 $ 164 € 95 NOK 903 kr 833 $ 108 Premium accommodations:
Twin/double: £ 62 $ 124 € 72 NOK 684 kr 631 $ 82 Single: £ 97 $ 195 € 113 NOK 1074 kr 991 $ 129Dresden
Low season: (April 14 to April 30 + June 16 to August 31 + October 10 to October 15)
Standard accommodations:
Twin/double: £ 43 $ 86 € 50 NOK 475 kr 438 $ 57 Single: £ 66 $ 133 € 77 NOK 732 kr 675 $ 88 Premium accommodations:
Twin/double: £ 47 $ 95 € 55 NOK 523 kr 482 $ 63 Single: £ 76 $ 154 € 89 NOK 846 kr 780 $ 101 High season: (May 1 to June 15 + September 1 to September 30)
Standard accommodations:
Twin/double: £ 60 $ 121 € 70 NOK 665 kr 614 $ 80 Single: £ 103 $ 207 € 120 NOK 1140 kr 1052 $ 137 Premium accommodations:
Twin/double: £ 69 $ 138 € 80 NOK 760 kr 702 $ 91 Single: £ 120 $ 242 € 140 NOK 1330 kr 1228 $ 160Guided bike tour of Prague:
2 people: £ 39 $ 78 € 45 NOK 428 kr 395 $ 51 4 people: £ 34 $ 69 € 40 NOK 380 kr 351 $ 46 6 people: £ 30 $ 60 € 35 NOK 333 kr 307 $ 40
Transfers:
Airport/Railway station to hotel in Prague (price is per person)1-3 people: £ 26 $ 52 € 30 NOK 285 kr 263 $ 34 4-8 people: £ 34 $ 69 € 40 NOK 380 kr 351 $ 46
From Dresden to Prague (total cost)
1-3 people: £ 129 $ 259 € 150 NOK 1425 kr 1315 $ 171 4-8 people: £ 171 $ 345 € 200 NOK 1900 kr 1754 $ 228please note
Rates are per person based on double occupancy.
Information to read before you book.
Travel
Fly to Prague, Václav Havel Airport
Local Travel
Taxi or public transportation to first hotel. By public transport, you can reach this hotel via bus and subway. We will provide specific details closer to your tour date.
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!
DOCUMENTS
Before you travel, please check your country's passport and visa requirements and the passport and visa requirements of the country/countries you plan to visit. For US citizens, the US Department of State website is a good source of information. The Country Information tab in the International Travel section provides details about passport validity, blank passport pages required, etc. For our other international clients, please be sure that you research your own country's travel requirements. It is each traveler's responsibility to ensure proper documentation.
*Important note: Beginning July 1, 2021, additional documentation from the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will be required to visit any of the 26 Schengen-member countries for tourism, business, medical, or transit. This is an additional check on security rather than a visa.
Tour Dates
Guided: May 4, June 29, July 1 *, July 27, August 17, September 14 and September 28, 2019
*New date!
Other guided dates can be organized for groups of 6 or more
Self-Guided: Daily arrival possible from April 15 to October 30, 2019
Minimum of 2 people required to confirm a self-guided date, solo travelers will incur an additional supplement.
Where You’ll Stay
Accommodations in 3 and 4 star hotels and guesthouses
What’s Included
- Hotel accommodations for 6 nights
- Breakfasts
- Individual welcome meeting
- Detailed maps and route descriptions
- 24-speed bicycle rental with helmet, handlebar bag, pannier, mudguards, and bike bell
- Luggage transportation
- Telephone support
- 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
- Dinners on self-guided tour
- Dinner on Day 1 of guided tour
- Bicycle Protection
- Entrance fees to museums, castles, chateaux, etc
- Travel Insurance
Extra Stay
Extra nights in Prague or Dresden
| Tour | Bike |
|---|---|
| Type | Both |
| Skill | Easy |
| Length | 7 days |
| From | €640 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. Most of the cycling is along newly constructed paved bike paths. This tour is recommended for families with children.
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 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.
From Roudnice it is only a short bike ride to the impressive 18th-century fortress of Terezín, also used as a Jewish concentration camp during the Second World War, bearing witness to the dark side of the 20th-century. The massive bastion of stone and bricks was built in 1780 by Emperor Joseph II to keep the Prussians back, and could accommodate up to 11,000 solders. The fortress was never used in wartime, instead, it was turned into a prison in the mid 19th century. In 1940, the Gestapo established a prison in the lesser fortress. The following year, all townspeople were evicted from the Main Fortress to accommodate a transit camp for European Jews. In total more than 140,000 passed through Terezin, 33,000 died and 88,000 were sent to Auschwitz. Less than 17,500 remained alive when the Red Army liberated the camp on 9th May.
Tickets can be purchased at the Museum of the Ghetto, or at each of the other venues and cost €180 for combination entry to the museum of the Ghetto, Magdeburg barracks, the Crematorium, and the Lesser fortress, or less for individual venues only. The museum has good multilingual self-guide and guides for hire. Since Terezín is located only 4 km from the overnight town of Litomerice, you can be very vlexible in regards to visiting this site.
More information can be found here.
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 the 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 hike to this unique, natural wonder is one of the highlights of this whole tour! It is definitely worth it and you'll be rewarded by an unforgettable panoramic view. As you continue 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 run by EBT.
We value the strong relationship we have with our local partners and the services we provide.
We are not a broker.
We do not inflate tour prices.
We are simply travelers helping travelers.
Would you like to learn more About Us? How about What Makes Us Different than other companies?
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Customer Feedback
Lyudmila S. 3 weeks ago
I was lucky both with guides and a group. The programme and route were done really well too. It was amazing experience I would recommend to everybody and I already done it and I continuing recommend tripsite.com too.
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Andy 2 weeks ago
How many people were on your trip in the whole group? And what month did you go? Was wondering about the weather.
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Sue & Fred H. 7 months ago
We were on the bike trip from Prague to Dresden. The biking was really enjoyable. I had worried I wouldn't be able to go that far but the kilometers just slipped away. There was always a break with something interesting to see or a time to eat a snack or lunch. We were very lucky that the weather was so perfect for riding.
Vitek and Stepan were excellent guides and kept us informed as to what to expect on each day's ride. They were very helpful and excellent company.
The scenery along the rivers was so picturesque that it seemed we were traveling in a post card!
The breakfasts and dinners were always very enjoyable and delicious. Food and drink for mind and body!
I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone who enjoys biking and seeing
beautiful places. We loved it!!
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Elizabeth C. 7 months ago
Prague to Dresden, A Tale of Two Rivers (self guided) was an outstanding tour! This was my 5th bicycle tour but first without boat. My friend and I were delighted with every day on tour. Hotels (standard option) and breakfasts were excellent. When I booked I specifically asked if an upright sitting wide seat bicycle (like those on my previous tours) would be available since I physically can not ride in a bent over position. Upon arrival we were presented with the bent over style narrow seat bicycles and told that is all they offered. After explaining my issue and that I would not have booked the tour under those terms, I was provided a bicycle that met my needs. Unfortunately my friend had to ride the other style bicycle. The routes on this tour were scenic and the villages/cities were charming. Day 4 was confusing since written instructions conflicted with map which clearly stated official path was closed and detoured route on to a busy hilly road opposite side of river. Read more… Because we decided to ignore the map, we had our easiest most beautiful day. At days end we bumped into the tour guide (same company) who was traveling with guided tour and he said they hadn't updated their maps this season. Extremely poor unacceptable excuse since a simple sharpie mark could have made the important change. Overall, we loved it! Would recommend it! AND would absolutely love to do it again someday. (so please save my upright bike! LOL) Note: Day 1 we took the alternative route beside the river instead of going over the hill and did fine since we are experienced cyclists and could handle following a 10-12 inch wide trench trail path the first part of the way. Be sure to veer in to town where map indicates to leave the river or you end up on a mountain bike trail. If you need a wide path, stick to the hill road. Also note a rear pannier is not included in price. We felt any concerns/problems we had were dealt with quickly and graciously.
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Jenny B. 7 months ago
We had many memorable experiences! Starting in the beautiful city of Prague with it's history & culture, biking through the Czech republic was the best way to experience this wonderful country, meet the Czech people & appreciate the changing landscapes. We were extremely fortunate with brilliant sunshine for the entire tour. The side trips provided further insight into this amazing country. Arriving in Dresden & exploring the side streets away from the main tourist areas was also a bonus.
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Sherry 7 months ago
Just completed the Prague to Dresden tour and am giving it 5 stars based on the overall experience, although I'm going to lead with some negatives. Our group size was 15. I had asked the question early on before booking about size and was told usually 10-12. With 2 guides and a support van we were able to divide on most days, as part of the group was habitually late. It was also an issue for lunches since a group of 15 slows things down for restaurant service. Our lunch stops often approached two hours. In addition, there were times that we were down one guide apparently due to overbooking issues, plus one unexpected issue with the overnight bike storage that caused a huge delay in the start the second day. That was the Terezin day, and while we got into town, the sites were already closed.
But now for the positive, this is a great ride on mostly good bike paths. If you are in any way concerned about hills, weather, trail conditions or stamina, I highly recommend an Read more… ebike. This will mitigate almost all issues and still offers all the benefits of biking. 30-35 miles a day is a lot to cover with the drawbacks of being in a group, so most of the riding was at a pretty quick pace.
Our guides, Richard and Jana, were outstanding. Richard is a veteran guide and a wealth of knowledge. He read the group well and let us divide into two whenever possible. This was Jana's first time on this tour, but she was cheerful and helpful at all times.
The hotels and restaurants were all enjoyable, especially the chateau in Liblice/Melnik. We did enjoy our fellow riders and even with not ideal weather for a couple days, it was a fun time. The positives far outweighed the negatives and made for a memorable, thoroughly enjoyable trip.
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Lindsay Z. 8 months ago
Biking the "Prague to Dresden - Tale of Two Rivers" trip was a very enjoyable experience. We enjoyed the lovely scenery and our hotels along the way. We liked biking at our own pace with our detailed route instructions. I have been highly recommending this trip since we returned home, and I can't wait to do another cycling adventure in the future.
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Brad C. 10 months ago
The Prague to Dresden bike ride was an amazing vacation. Everyday there were beautiful sites and scenery that made the journey a really memorable trip. Each night we lodged in picturesque towns along the route and always near the city square where we enjoyed great dining and sightseeing. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a really unique biking vacation in the heart of Europe.
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Josephine S. 11 months ago
I have just returned from a most pleasant bike trip Prague - Dresden. The well paved and mostly flat bike paths made the cycling quite easy and enabled us to enjoy the wonderful scenery of the countryside. The hotel rooms were clean and spacious, especially the Chateau Liblice, which was a real treat. We were well fed and got plenty of drinks. The Czech and german beers are excellent, the wines are not bad either. Our guide Vitek made every possible effort to meet all our expectations.His stories helped me enrich the knowledge about the country, its history, people, traditions. But above all Vitek is a very nice, kind and friendly person.
Thank you Vitek for all the fun we had and for making me enjoy every minute of the trip.
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Barbara 11 months ago
Just returned from five days of cycling through the Czech and German countryside from Prague to Dresden: A Tale of Two Rivers. A wonderful experience - beautiful countryside, quaint accommodations, good food and excellent service. Lukas and company of Europe Bike Tours do all they can to please and support their riders. Try it - you'll love it!
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Dianne W. 1 year ago
Vienna to Budapest was superb - easy to follow instructions (only got lost once) scenery good for the soul, countryside ducks in flight, historic buildings & bridges, food & wine a delight, accommodation excellent (and 1 unique hotel with a bowling alley in reception) comfortable bikes =easy ride (we are 60+) would be great for family with kids-Yet another Tripsite success (used before will use again)
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Ileana G. 1 year ago
Visiting Strekov Castle was a highlight. First day is the most challenging with a couple of big hills.
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Patricia M. 2 years ago
This was a wonderful vacation (from Prague to Dresden via Bohemia). Being a solo traveler I welcomed the guidance and support offered by this tour. Lucas and Vitek provided historical and cultural info along the route; the hotels, meals, and excursions all combined to make this an easy, active and memorable holiday. Can't wait for the next adventure!
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Ileana G. 2 years 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. 2 years 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 2 years 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 2 years 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. 2 years ago
The most memorable part was the biking along the rivers.
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Cheryl W. 3 years 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 3 years 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 3 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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