Elbe Cycle Path: Prague to Dresden

This eight-day self-guided tour links Prague to Dresden along the Elbe (Labe) Cycle Path, mostly on paved paths with only light country-road riding. After two nights and a full sightseeing day in Prague, riders follow the Vltava to Mělník, in the heart of Bohemia's wine country, where the Vltava meets the Elbe.

The route continues via Roudnice and the fortified town of Terezín to Litoměřice's old town, then through Ústí nad Labem, past Střekov castle ruins, to Děčín. Crossing into Germany, riders enter the bizarre rock formations of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains en route to Bad Schandau or Pirna, before a final stage past Königstein fortress, the Bastei and Pillnitz Palace to Dresden, the "Florence of the Elbe."

The tour can also be ridden in reverse (Dresden to Prague).

Highlights:

• Full day exploring Prague, including the Old Town Square and Charles Bridge
• Mělník, where the Vltava meets the Elbe, in Bohemia's wine country
• Historic Litoměřice and the fortified town of Terezín
• Děčín's baroque castle, with views that once inspired Chopin
• The bizarre rock formations of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains
• Königstein fortress, the Bastei and Pillnitz Palace en route to Dresden

Surface and terrain:
Mostly paved cycle path, with occasional country roads carrying light to moderate traffic. Rated "easy to average" difficulty. Not suitable for riders with mobility impairments.

Suitable for:
Riders of easy to average fitness wanting a flat to gently rolling, self-guided point-to-point tour crossing two countries, with daily distances of 21-58 km. Bookable from a single traveller.