Elbe Bike Path | Magdeburg–Hamburg

This self-guided tour follows the Elbe Cycle Path from Magdeburg towards the North Sea, riding through floodplain forests, wide meadows and quiet river landscapes. The route passes medieval Tangermünde and its castle, the cathedral town of Havelberg at the Havel-Elbe confluence, and the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Elbe-Brandenburg.

Further stages follow the river's meanders past Hitzacker's half-timbered old town, through the hillier stretch into Lauenburg, and on to Hamburg, Germany's great port city. An optional extension continues to Cuxhaven, where the Elbe meets the North Sea.

Highlights:

• Medieval Tangermünde and its castle above the Elbe floodplain
• Havelberg, the cathedral town at the Havel-Elbe confluence
• UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Elbe-Brandenburg
• Hitzacker's half-timbered old town on the "German Half-Timbered House Road"
• Historic Lauenburg, with its castle and Fürstengarten
• Arrival in Hamburg, with an optional extension to Cuxhaven and the North Sea

Surface and terrain: Flat to slightly hilly, with one somewhat hilly stage into Lauenburg. Mostly on the Elbe Cycle Path and quiet country roads.

Suitable for:
Riders wanting an easy, self-guided river-path tour, comfortable with daily distances ranging 38–82 km depending on chosen stage option.