Overview
An eight day, self-guided adventure cycling following the Rhine River through Germany and France, starting in Basel and finishing in Strasbourg. This is a journey that takes in not only some of the most handsome and historic cities of Freiburg, Colmar and finally Strasbourg, each boasting medieval marvels, but also through some of Europe’s finest wine-producing landscapes, such as the Route des Vins in Alsace. You also have the backdrop of the Vosges Mountains, and some ancient Roman sites en route, so you are never short of history. Or fine food and wine. Hybrid and e-bikes are available on this tour and it’s also easily accessible by train.
- Basel
- Freiburg
- Müllheim
- Colmar
- Strasbourg
- Alsace Wine Route
- Neuf-Brisach
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Basel
Arrive in Basel. Check-in at the hotel and explore the Old Town, fabulous museum collections and a rich architectural heritage of Switzerland’s third largest metropolis, all on the River Rhine.
- Accommodation: Hôtel La Villa K or similar in Basel
Day 2: Basel – Müllheim | 45km
After leaving Basel, follow the cycling route northwards, parallel to the Rhine. Arrive in Müllheim, where we recommend visiting the Markgräfler Museum and the St. Martin Church with its 14th-century frescoes. From Müllheim, it is easy to reach Badenweiler for a visit to its castle and the remains of a Roman bathhouse, as well as a modern day thermal spa.
- Accommodation: Hotel Garni Schacherer or similar in Müllheim
- Cycling for the day: 45km
Day 3: Müllheim – Freiburg | 35km
On today’s cycling route, head towards Heitersheim, where it’s worth stopping to visit Villa Urbana (2,000 year old Roman villa) and Schloss Heitersheim, a castle built by the Order of Malta. Continue on to the spa village of Bad Krozingen. From there, head to Freiburg, in the heart of the Breisgau region. Climb to the top of Schlossberg to watch the sunset over the roofs of the city and the Vosges Mountains.
- Accommodation: Hotel Stadt Freiburg or similar in Freiburg
- Cycling for the day: 35km
Day 4: Freiburg – Colmar | 60km
Cycling along the Breisgau-Radweg bike path, head to the border town of Breisach on the banks of the Rhine. Take time to explore this riverfront town, with its landmark St. Stephen Cathedral overlooking an ancient centre, cobbled streets and pastel-coloured buildings. Once you cross the border into France, the fortified town of Neuf-Brisach, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of your first stops. Your last stop for the day is Colmar, the Alsatian wine capital and home a beautifully-preserved historic centre. We highly recommend the Unterlinden Museum, which houses the Issenheim Altarpiece, a masterpiece of western art.
- Accommodation: Hotel Beauséjour or similar in Colmar
- Cycling for the day: 60km
Day 5: Colmar – Riquewihr | 40km
From Colmar, cycle across the Alsace plain and take the Route des Vins, a wine route that takes you through traditional wine-producing town, villages and of course vineyards. At the foot of the Vosges Mountains, Alsace’s most famous wine villages include Eguisheim and Kaysersberg.
- Accommodation: Hotel les Remparts or similar in Riquewihr
- Cycling for the day: 40km
Day 6: Riquewihr – Obernai | 35-50km
Still following the Route des Vins, cycle through the villages of Hunawihr, Ribeauvillé, Bergheim and Andlau, before arriving in Obernai. Each of these villages offers numerous possibilities for visits dedicated to biodiversity, culture, local folk arts and traditions, such as the fortified church of St-Hune in Hunawihr, Bott Frères winery in Ribeauvillé, or the House of Witches (a museum dedicated to the dark history of the witchhunt) in Bergheim.
- Accommodation: Le Kastelberg or similar in Obernai
- Cycling for the day: 35-50km
Day 7: Obernai – Strasbourg | 40-55km
Follow the cycling trail to Rosheim, home to Saints-Pierre-et-Paul Church, one of the jewels of Alsatian Romanesque architecture. Continue to Molsheim and join the Bruche canal cycle path, which leads to the heart of Strasbourg. End the day by visiting Notre Dame Cathedral, the 18th-century Palais Rohan or stroll around the La Petite France neighbourhood.
- Accommodation: Hotel Tandem or similar in Strasbourg
- Cycling for the day: 40-55km
Day 8: Departure
Departure on your own after breakfast or extension upon request.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of mostly small, locally-owned 3* and 4* hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms. Please note that, in Germany, it is common practice for hotels and other accommodations to join twin beds together to make a double, with separate linen for each person. If you prefer to opt for twin beds, we will happily request this at time of booking, however they can’t always be guaranteed.
Click to view standard hotels
- Hotel La Villa K (Basel)
- Hotel Garni Schacherer (Müllheim)
- Hotel Stadt Freiburg (Freiburg)
- Hotel Beauséjour (Colmar)
- Hotel les Remparts (Riquewihr)
- Le Kastelberg (Obernai)
- Hotel Tandem (Strasbourg)
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Accommodation is on a bed and breakfast basis. When no restaurant location is available on route lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops or you can pre-order a packed lunch at your hotel. Dinner is available either from the restaurant in your accommodation or the ones in the town.
Difficulty and terrain
This trip is rated easy to moderate, with daily cycling distances between 35-60km. Mainly on cycle paths, minor agricultural tarred roads and little secondary roads without much traffic with occasional ascends on certain days. (read more about difficulty grades). If you are having doubts about the difficulty, it is possible to rent an e-bike as well. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from the end of March until the beginning of October. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your trip on any date during the season
Switzerland, France and Germany have changeable weather, although it tends to be most stable in the summer. Early spring till late autumn is the best season for a cycling tour. The countries have four distinct seasons and summers are rarely hot (usually about 25C).
To find out more about when to go, take a look at our blogs, Best time to go to Switzerland, Best time to go to France and Best time to go to Germany.
Getting there
FCO up-to-date travel advice on Switzerland, Germany and France.
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airports for this holiday are EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg (BSL) for arrival and Strasbourg Airport (SXB) for departure.
By train or bus
Arrive in Basel:
- If you are able to travel to Basel without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail with train stations in Basel and Strasbourg. For more details, see the national rail operators SBB for Basel, SNCF Connect for Strasbourg, or use the Omio planner above
- From Basel Airport take the bus service 11 to Saint-Louis Gare Ouest (10mins), then change to the bus service 604 to Claude Hess (7mins). For more information and tickets visit SWEG, PostBus or use the Omio planner above
Departure from Strasbourg:
- Strasbourg is only 10mins away from the airport by train, for tickets and timetables visit SNCF Connect or use the Omio planner above. Alternatively there are also bus services which take 30mins, for tickets and timetables visit Fluo – Grand Est or use the Omio planner above
- From Strasbourg, there are train services to many destinations like Paris and Frankfurt. For more details, see SNCF Connect and Deutsche Bahn or use the Omio planner above
Inclusions
Included
- 7 overnights with breakfast as detailed in the itinerary
- Luggage transfer on all cycling days (no limit on the number of pieces per person, max 20kg per piece)
- Digital travel package including route description, maps and GPS data (printed documents available at extra cost)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses such as phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc.
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable locally)
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers
- Bike rental (standard hybrid bike or e-bike)
- Extra nights available on request
Bike rental
If you would like to rent a bike from us, we can offer a different variety of bikes and e-bikes. All our bikes are equipped with a waterproof handlebar bag with map holder, waterproof rear bag, repair kit with small tools and spare inner tube, bicycle pump, key or combination padlock and odometer. Sample pictures attached below, note that the exact models may differ depending on the availability, but the standard will be the same.
Hybrid bike
- KTM 7 hybrid bike
- 7 speeds indexed in the Nexus 7 type hub
- Shimano V-Brake front and rear
Hybrid bike
- KTM 21 hybrid bike
- 21 speed, with Shimano Acera derailleur
- Shimano V-Brake front and rear
E-bike
- Vélo de Ville e-bike
- Front and rear Shimano Déore disc brakes
- Eight speeds integrated into the hub
- Bosch power pack 500 battery with an average range of 90 km
