German Wine Route Cycle Route: A lively ride through the vineyards

Drivers know that the German Wine Route is Germany's first and still best-known holiday route. It runs through Germany's second largest wine-growing region, the Palatinate, with its famously mild climate, which allows figs, kiwis and lemons to thrive alongside wine. The German Wine Route cycle path runs quietly away from the main road and swings through the vineyards from wine-growing village to wine-growing village.

German Wine Route cycle route: culinary and cultural delights

The number one topic is, of course, wine. But beyond the culinary delights, from fine wines to "New Palatinate Cuisine", there is also plenty to see along the north-south route. For example o

• Bad Dürkheim barrel,
• Wachtenburg castle ruins near Wachenheim
• Hambach Castle in Neustadt a.d. Weinstraße
• Südpfalz Therme in Bad Bergzabern

The tour starts in Bockenheim. The destination is Schweigen-Rechtenbach. There are 95 hilly kilometres in between. If you cycle
the sporty detours on the panoramic routes, another 35 kilometres are added.
The German Wine Route cycle route is signposted throughout and 90 per cent of the route is on paved paths, mostly off the road. Along the panoramic routes through the vineyards there are a few metres in altitude (1020 hm)
but you will be rewarded with wonderful views. If you want to cycle further, you can join the Cabbage & turnip cycle path (139 km).

Best time to travel: April-October

Arrival:
You can easily reach Bockenheim by train. The return journey then takes place, for example, from the Alsace railway station
Wissembourg or from Bad Bergzabern. You can also change trains at several stations en route.

Bike service:
Bike hire (also partly with e-bikes) and workshops can be found in Kirrweiler, Bad Bergzabern, Neustadt,
Grünstadt, Wachenheim and Deidesheim.

Bike hotels: Bicycle-friendly houses are, for example, Weingut Peter in Wachenheim, www.weingut-peter.de;
Guesthouse Klohrer Winzerhof in Neustadt-Mußbach, www.weingut-klohr.de;
Ziegelhütte estate in Edenkoben, www.gutshof-ziegelhuette.de
Further accommodation on the Internet at www.bettundbike.de

Package deal: 8 days/7 nights individual round trip "Neckar, Rhine & Vines" costs from/to Neustadt/Weinstraße including accommodation, luggage transport, maps etc. from 538 euros (www.eurobike.at)

Maps/literature:
bikeline "Radatlas Rheinpfalz - mit Deutscher Weinstraße" cycle tour book and map 1:75,000, 200 pages, 12.90 euros. Cycling map "German Wine Route" 1:50,000 for 7.50 euros from Pietruska Verlag.
"The Palatinate. Cycling map" with e-bike hire and charging stations 1 : 160,000 can be ordered at www.pfalz.de

Information (general): Pfalz.Touristik e.V., Martin-Luther-Str. 69, 67433 Neustadt/Weinstr., Tel. 06321/39160

Internet:
www.gastlandschaften.de
www.radwanderland.de
www.pfalz-radtouren.de (important details about the cycle path),
www.pfalz.de (general tourist information)