Cycling Tour along the Neckar

You start your tour in Constance, Lake Constance’s biggest town. 600 years ago this was where the Council of Constance took place, the only council to elect a pope that was held north of the Alps. The Rhine leaves Lake Constance here and marks kilometre 0 on its way to the North Sea. Only a few minutes by foot from the medieval town centre is the Swiss town of Kreuzlingen with its lively harbour.

First you leisurely cycle along Lake Constance to the old Hapsburg town of Radolfzell. From there you continue past the Hegau volcanoes to Engen, which has a beautiful historical town centre. The ascent to the Swabian Alb lies before you now. However, you can alternatively tackle this stretch by train. You reach today's destination with the Danube within the range of vision.

You cycle along the Danube through the landscape named Baar. The source of the Danube is located in the castle park here. You continue cycling to Schwenningen, where the Neckar originates. You follow this river for the rest of your journey. Rottweil, a town of Roman origin with a closed medieval townscape, is also worth seeing.

Sulz was also originally founded by the Romans and in the Römerkeller museum you can find out all about it. Cycle on to Horb, where the collegiate church and the Schurkenturm tower, which used to house the old prison, can be seen from afar. The narrow Neckar valley ultimately meanders to an end in Rottenburg. Here the style of town is not medieval but Baroque, due to the many town fires the city had to deal with. After cycling only a few more kilometres you finally reach today's destination, the university town of Tübingen.

Today you will leisurely cycle along the river Neckar. Along its course you will find several bathing lakes. Nürtingen and Wendlingen have pretty village centres with half-timbered buildings, Plochingen is the end point of Neckar shipping. The old free city Esslingen is impressive, then you will reach Cannstatt, which insists on its status as independent town. Good train connections allow for a urban night out in the centre of Stuttgart.

You first cycle to Ludwigsburg, the summer residence of the Württemberg kings. From here onwards the hillsides on both sides of the Neckar become steeper again, the river forms river bend after river bend- together with the mild climate these are ideal conditions for successful wine-growing. Trollinger, Lemberger and Kerner are the varieties one should definitely try. In Neckarsulm the history of transport comes to life in a historical setting at the NSU-Museum.

At first today's stage takes you along the edge of the Odenwald forest and then right through it. The stretch is mostly flat and great for cycling on. Eberbach and Hirschhorn are appealing little towns and you cross Hessian territory on the way. Heidelberg Castle announces the nearing end of the Neckar valley and your destination. Enjoy the evening in the lively university city.

Your cycling tour along the Neckar ends after breakfast with your own individual return journey to Constance or back home. We are very happy to extend your holiday in Heidelberg.