Rückenwind
Perfectly organised bike tours
Rückenwind Reisen is a German cycling tour operator founded in 1990 and based in Oldenburg, Lower Saxony. Acquired by the Austrian company Eurofun in 2002, it has grown from a small specialist into one of Germany's established bike holiday providers, marking its 35th anniversary in 2025. The company has passed several growth milestones along the way, including over 5,000 guest bookings by 2004, more than 11,000 guests by 2017 (over 1,000 of them on Bike & Boat holidays), and what it describes as a record booking year in 2022. It moved into a dedicated operations hall on an industrial estate in Oldenburg-Etzhorn in 2014 and now runs with around 14 in-house staff plus destination-based support teams.
Rückenwind's catalogue covers more than 500 cycling trips across 17 European countries and regions, including Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland, the Benelux countries, Scandinavia, the Baltic States, and Central and Eastern Europe. Tours are offered as self-guided distance (point-to-point) routes, circular round trips, and centre-based holidays from a single hotel, alongside guided group tours, e-bike tours, boat and bike combinations, and shorter or sportier itineraries. Luggage transport between hotels is a standard feature of the self-guided programme. Well-known river and coastal cycle paths such as the Elbe, Danube, Rhine, Weser, Main and Neckar are marketed as flagship routes alongside the country-based catalogue.
The company describes cycling holidays as "more than a business, a passion," and highlights sustainability efforts such as app-based tour catalogues to cut paper use, plus partnerships with bike manufacturers including Velo de Ville for its rental fleet.
Elbe Cycle Path, Prague – Dresden
Tour Operator: Rückenwind
Germany
7 days (Bike: 5 days)
225 km (~45km per day)
Leisure
Mostly flat, Cycle paths and trails
Self-Guided
Semi-Supported
Prices from
Self-Guided
€ 629
Overview
Tour Operator Rückenwind
Lust for life along the rivers Vltava and Elbe
The Elbe Cycle Path from Prague to Dresden follows the Vltava and Elbe rivers across the Czech Republic and into Germany, linking two handsome riverside capitals over seven days. The tour begins in Prague, taking in Wenceslas Square, Prague Castle and Charles Bridge, before riders follow the Vltava to Melnik, home to a hilltop castle and the heart of Bohemia's wine country.
From Melnik the route continues via Roudnice and the Terezin fortress to Leitmeritz, then through floodplains and riverside towns past the Schreckenstein ruins to Decin. Crossing into Germany on day five, riders enter the dramatic Elbe Sandstone Mountains, passing beneath Königstein fortress, one of Europe's largest, before overnighting in Pirna. The final stage runs past Pillnitz Castle and over Dresden's "Blue Wonder" bridge into the city, where the Zwinger, Semper Opera and Frauenkirche await.
Riding is easy overall, with a handful of climbs on the opening Prague-Melnik stage and mostly flat, well-surfaced riverside paths thereafter, though some sections are unsurfaced. This is a self-guided tour, offered by Eurobike as a partner product, with luggage transfer, digital route documents and a navigation app provided throughout.
Highlights:
- Explore Prague's Old Town, Charles Bridge and Prague Castle
- Cycle past Melnik Castle at the confluence of the Vltava and Elbe, in Bohemia's wine country
- Visit the Terezin fortress near Leitmeritz
- Pass through the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and beneath Königstein fortress in Saxon Switzerland
- Cross into Dresden via the "Blue Wonder" bridge, past Pillnitz Castle
- Finish among Dresden's landmarks, including the Zwinger and Semper Opera
Surface and terrain:
Riverside paths along the Vltava and Elbe, generally flat with some unsurfaced sections. A few climbs on the opening Prague-Melnik stage; otherwise easy, well-graded riding. Daily distances range from 25-55 km across five cycling days.
Suitable for:
Riders wanting an easy-graded, self-guided river tour with light climbing on one stage only. Suits beginners and those after a relaxed pace between two culturally rich cities, cycling 25-55 km per day.