Elbe Cycle Path: Source of the Elbe to Dresden

This 11-day self-guided tour begins in Prague. After a morning of sightseeing, a shared transfer takes riders to Spindleruv Mlyn, near the Elbe's source, for the cycling start. The route passes the Elbe Dam and Vrchlabí to Dvůr Králové, then via the fortress town of Josefov to Hradec Králové and on past Kunětická Hora Castle to Pardubice or Přelouč.

Riders continue via the UNESCO-listed National Stud at Kladruby nad Labem and Poděbrady to Nymburk, then follow the Elbe past Mělník, at the heart of Bohemia's wine country where the Vltava meets the Elbe, to Litoměřice and the fortress town of Terezín. The route crosses into Germany near Děčín, entering the dramatic rock formations of Saxon Switzerland, and passes the Bastei, Königstein Fortress and Pillnitz Castle before finishing in Dresden, the "Florence on the Elbe."

Highlights:

• Vrchlabí, "Gateway to the Giant Mountains," and the fortress town of Josefov
• UNESCO-listed National Stud at Kladruby nad Labem, home of the Old Kladruber horse
• Mělník, where the Vltava meets the Elbe, in Bohemia's wine country
• Historic Litoměřice and the fortress town of Terezín
• Saxon Switzerland's rock formations, the Bastei and Königstein Fortress
• Pillnitz Castle en route to Dresden's Frauenkirche and old town

Surface and terrain:
Mixed surfaces, including country roads and unpaved tracks in the Czech stages, becoming smoother paved cycle path through Saxon Switzerland to Dresden. Rated "average to demanding" difficulty. Not suitable for riders with mobility impairments.

Suitable for:
Riders of average to demanding fitness comfortable with mixed surfaces and daily distances of 22-83 km, crossing two countries. Bookable from 2 people (not solo).