Cycling through the World Heritage: Welterbe Sachsen-Anhalt

Experience the Inspiring Six Tour by bike

Discover the World Heritage Sites of Saxony-Anhalt at a leisurely pace: by bike along the Elbe, Saale and Unstrut rivers or across the wild Harz Mountains. Here are some tour suggestions that combine nature and culture in the most beautiful way.

WORLD-CHANGER TOUR along the Elbe Cycle Route

34 kilometers along the Elbe—from Lutherstadt Wittenberg to Dessau-Roßlau. The route takes you through the UNESCO Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve and past the Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz. The tour is perfect for three days:
On Day 1, you start in Wittenberg with the Luther Memorials.
On Day 2, you continue to the Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz with its sprawling parks.
On Day 3, you reach Dessau and the Bauhaus.

Along the way, you’ll encounter idyllic riverine landscapes, cozy swimming spots, and impressive views—for example, from the tower of St. Petri Church in Wörlitz. A relaxing bike tour full of nature, culture, and UNESCO World Heritage sites.

To the Elbe Cycle Route

Special World Heritage experiences

From garden to garden
The "Fürst Franz" Garden Kingdom Tour leads through the unique Elbe landscape and connects the parks of the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Kingdom over a distance of around 70 kilometers. This circular tour shows how Prince Franz succeeded in combining nature and architecture in a cultural landscape 250 years ago. You can even spend the night in one of the historic buildings, the red Wallwachhaus. Important: Cycling is not permitted in the parks, bikes can be parked safely at the entrances.

All Bauhaus buildings in Dessau by bike
A signposted "Bauhaus Tour" (red square on a black background) leads 22 kilometers through Dessau, past Bauhaus buildings and master houses to the Kornhaus and to Dessau-Süd in the Gropiussiedlung Dessau-Törten. The tour can be divided into a north route (8.5 km) and a south route (13.5 km). Rental bikes and cycle maps are available from the Dessau Tourist Information Office.

Eat & stay overnight

Take a break in the countryside
There are many great places for cyclists to stop for refreshments along the Elbe cycle path: stop off at the Forsthaus Leiner Berg beer garden just 15 minutes by bike from Dessau-Roßlau. Or visit the Elbterrasse Wörlitz and relax with a view of the Elbe. Both restaurants are open from April to October.

Cycle-friendly in Wittenberg
For example, you can spend the night at the Heinrich Heine guesthouse in Lutherstadt Wittenberg. Here you will find a lockable bicycle garage as well as a charging station for your e-bike. Thanks to its proximity to the Wittenberg-Piesteritz train station, the guesthouse is also a great starting point for the tour if you are traveling by train. Don't feel like bringing your own bike? Then hire a bike from the guesthouse for the next few days.

Cycle-friendly in Wörlitz
The Hotel Elbterrasse Wörlitz is located in the immediate vicinity of Wörlitz Park. After breakfast, you can set off for the Wörlitz parks, which are around 5 kilometers away, feeling rested and in a good mood.
The Bed+Bike-certified Hotel Elbebrücke in Vockerode, which is just 800 meters from the Elbe cycle path, is also a great place to stay. There is a secure bike cellar, e-bike charging stations, a repair station with tools and a bike washing area for your bike.

More time?

Other tours you can embark on here are the R1 European Cycle Route and the World Heritage Tour. This guided, fee-based tour starts in Wittenberg and takes you to the Bauhaus, Garden Kingdom and Biosphere Reserve World Heritage Sites. With breaks, it takes around 7 hours.

Cyclists in front of the Thesis Door in Lutherstadt Wittenberg

Cyclist in front of a vineyard in Freyburg

Cycling on the Saale Cycle Route, Bernburg

SKYWARD TOUR by Bike

Halle (Saale) and Naumburg are connected by the Saale Cycle Route (Stage 7/approx. 60 km). Check out the Nebra Sky Disk at the Museum of Prehistory in Halle, then cycle along the Saale River to Naumburg to visit St. Peter and Paul Cathedral. Highlights such as Schönburg Castle and Goseck Palace await you along the way.

On the Unstrut Cycle Route, you’ll cycle on a mostly flat route through the “Tuscany of the North” from Naumburg to Nebra (Stage 6/approx. 35 km), where you can visit the Arche Nebra visitor center at the site where the Nebra Sky Disk was discovered. The route starts below at Blütengrund. The idyllic landscape here is characterized by vineyards, along the foot of which you’ll cycle. Above the picturesque town of Freyburg lies Neuenburg Castle, one of the most significant architectural landmarks on the “Romanesque Road.”

Eat, stay overnight, enjoy the wine

Time for a sweet waffle
For pastry fans, the bike-friendly Lamaja waffle lounge in Leuna is the perfect place to take a break. Here you will find savory and sweet waffle creations, coffee and delicious ice cream varieties. The Saale cycle path will take you there.

Meals at the Ruderhaus
Enjoy steaks, burgers, pickled salmon or schnitzel at the Ruderhaus Halle restaurant. You can also spend the night here.

Through the vineyards
You cycle through picturesque vineyards along the Saale and Unstrut rivers - so it makes sense to take a break and sample the local Saale-Unstrut wines. There are plenty of opportunities to do so. Along the way, you will pass numerous idyllic wine taverns and wineries. On the Unstrut, for example, at the Bobbe winery in Nebra or Boy's Gutsauschank in Gleina. In the wine capital of Freyburg, there are many wineries as well as a wine museum at Neuenburg Castle. And on the Saale cycle path, you will find the cozy ostrich tavern Weingut Gaudig in Kriechau near Weißenfels. A few kilometers further on is the Naumburg Wine and Sparkling Wine Manufactory. Here you can enjoy your wine in a stately 19th century building with an adjacent vineyard and a view of the Saale.

Good night on the Saale cycle path
In Weißenfels there is the Bed + Bike Pension Zur Saale. Located on the outskirts of Weißenfels and therefore directly on the Saale cycle path, it is a great stopover on your cycle tour.

Bike-friendly estate
In Nebra, the vacation apartment on the estate is just 300 meters from the Unstrut Cycle Path and the Sky Disc Cycle Path. This Bed+Bike-certified guesthouse offers 2 rooms and sleeping accommodation for 3 people.

Bed+Bike in Naumburg
You will find another accommodation option for you and your bike in Naumburg an der Saale. Here you will find the Steinmeister guest house. You can choose between a vacation apartment, single, double and multi-bed rooms. You will find a total of 35 beds and many bed+bike add-ons. Perfect if you need a break after visiting the cathedral.

More time?

The Sky Disc Cycle Path leads 72.5 km from Halle (Saale) to Nebra. You can cycle from the exhibition site of the Sky Disc to the place where it was found and visit the Nebra Ark Adventure Center there. Along the way, you will cycle past the Mansfeld lakes and follow the Salza and Welda rivers.

Bike tour in Halle with a view of Giebichenstein Castle

City Bike Route of the Saale Cycle Route in Halle (Saale)

Wine Tasting on the Saale Cycle Route near Naumburg

TREASURER TOUR by bike

There are a good 50 kilometers of cycling between Eisleben and Quedlinburg. However, there is no official cycle path. So you can put together your own individual tour to suit your mood. You start with the Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Mansfeld. Afterwards, you can also look forward to the collegiate church, the Münzenberg and the old town of Quedlinburg.

We recommend including the almost 7-kilometre-long Ballenstedt-Gernrode railroad cycle path on your tour. This is an elevated cycle path that follows an old railroad track. It is super comfortable to cycle on and offers great views of the countryside and Roseburg Castle. The path ends in Gernrode, from here it is only a short distance (approx. 7 kilometers) northwards to Quedlinburg.

Food & Accommodation

Overnight stop in Harzgerode
On the route from Eisleben to Quedlinburg there is a Bed+Bike accommodation, the Alexisbad Morada. The accommodation is 200 meters from Harzgerode train station.

A touch of America in Harzgerode
If you decide to cycle through Harzgerode, you can look forward to a stopover at Diner Route 242. Here you will find a combination of German classics such as farmer's breakfast, schnitzel and fried fish and decor in the style of an American diner. Of course, you will also be served burgers to match the look of the restaurant.

Lunch on the Bus
If you are heading north from Eisleben instead, you can take a break at Hahndorf's Gulaschkanone between Hettstedt and Quenstedt. It is operated in a unique converted bus and is open from Monday to Friday from 10:45 to 14:30.

Extra tip: Charging stations

There is a solar charging station at Mansfeld Castle where you can charge your bike and smartphone. You will find another charging station at Anhaltiner Platz in Ballenstedt. There are also several cafés and restaurants here where you can spend time while charging. At the end of the tour in Quedlinburg, you can also charge your bike at Carl-Ritter-Platz. For orientation: look out for the Hotel Zum Brauhaus, as it is located directly opposite the charging station.

More time?

Saale-Harz cycle path
The Saale-Harz cycle path offers a nice extra loop. The 70-kilometre route takes you from Wippra via Lutherstadt Eisleben and the Mansfeld Lakes back to Halle (Saale).

European Cycle Route R1
Alternatively, the European Cycle Route R1 in Saxony-Anhalt offers you 261 kilometers of cycle path. The Harz section of the R1 is particularly recommended. It connects the towns on the northern edge of the Harz National Park from Goslar: Wernigerode, Blankenburg, Thale and Ballenstedt. From there, it moves away from the Harz again. It continues to Bernburg, Köthen and Dessau.