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Germany + Austria Bike Tour

Storybook Castles of Bavaria + the German Alps

6 days / 5 nights Level: 2Price From: $6,395Collection: Classic

Tour Highlights

  • Ride from Germany into Austria via the idyllic Risstal valley, and bike through sylvan forests, wildflower fields, and peaceful pastures
  • Visit two of Bavarian King Ludwig’s fairytale castles, including Neuschwanstein—the inspiration for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle
  • Order a grosses Bier with the locals at a beloved family-run brewery
  • Enjoy both Michelin fine dining and local, rustic Bavarian cuisine, like the raw milk cheeses produced at a family farmstead

Eat

Raw milk cheese, rustic whole grain breads, spätzle, garden-fresh vegetables, and Kaiserschmarrn (bite-sized Austrian pancake)

Drink

Weissbier, Helles, and more locally brewed beers; German Riesling and Austrian Grüner Veltliner

Print Itinerary
  • Day 1

    Willkommen in Bavaria

    Meet your guides at the Oberstaufen train station and take a look around: you’re now in the storybook setting of rural Bavaria, where cobbled streets are lined with wooden chalets and the Bavarian Alps beyond. At a historic inn in town, we’ll get fitted to our bikes before heading out on a little country lane that’s part of an amazing network of designated bike paths. After passing through swaying meadows, we reach a small family-run farm awaiting our arrival with a spread of fresh-baked bread and local cheeses. From here, keep riding to rack up more distance and elevation or head back to the hotel for a swim. Tonight’s stylish dinner serves as an introduction to Bavaria’s many farms and their hyper-local agriculture.

    Meals: Lunch / Dinner
    Destinations: Oberstaufen, Stiefenhofen
    Accomplished: 20 miles / 32 km, elevation gain: 2,004 feet / 611 meters
    Longer Option: 31 miles / 50 km, elevation gain: 3,083 feet / 940 meters
    Accommodations: Haubers Naturresort

  • Day 2

    Of See and Spätzle

    Picture Bavaria, and its crystal-clear mountain seen (lakes) come to mind—the places where locals gather to relax, swim, and soak up the Alpine scenery. Our route today weaves through pastures and pine forests, passing countless lakes as we work our way east towards the Allgäu Alps. We’ll stop for our own mid-ride swim followed by a pop-up lunch with our friend, chef Florian. After plenty of spätzle, you’ll be well-fueled for the optional longer ride that approaches our next boutique hotel. Either way, we’ll settle into this mountain-top property and have dinner at the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant this evening.

    Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch / Dinner
    Destinations: Alpsee, Moosbach, Mittleberg
    Accomplished: 25 miles / 40 km, elevation gain: 1,919 feet / 585 meters
    Longer Option: 42 miles / 68 km, elevation gain: 4,133 feet / 1,260 meters
    Accommodations: Blaue Burg Falkenstein

  • Day 3

    The Brewer, The Baker, The Cheesemaker

    Today we take a loop through Ostallgäu, the region on the Germany-Austria border where Bavarian King Ludwig II—sometimes called the Fairytale King—built his collection of castles. Our route is something of a fairytale itself: we’ll be introduced to local characters at each stop, beginning with a small bakery where the scent of fresh-baked bread and cream-filled pastry draws us in. Keep pedaling to meet a family of cheesemakers whose hay-fed cows produce traditional raw-milk cheese. To round out the ride, we’ll end at a brewery and sit side-by-side with Bavarians sipping steins at communal wooden tables. Tonight we find our own happily ever after in nearby Füssen, where the Fairytale King built his Neuschwanstein castle. Choose to visit this hilltop palace (which inspired the iconic Disney castle) or explore the pretty pastel town before dinner on your own.

    Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch
    Destinations: Eisenberg, Seeg, Füssen
    Accomplished: 29 miles / 46 km, elevation gain: 1,686 feet / 514 meters
    Longer Option: 33 miles / 52 km, elevation gain: 2,512 feet / 766 meters
    Accommodations: Blaue Burg Falkenstein

  • Day 4

    Castles, Monks, and Mountains

    Auf wiedersehen, Germany! We’re riding into Austria for the day, so we’ll kick things off at a café serving apple strudel and Viennese coffee. Then, set out for a climb to the Plansee, an impossibly blue Alpine lake at the base of the Wetterstein Mountains. After lunch (and back in Germany), hop off the bike to visit King Ludwig’s most complete masterpiece: the Linderhof Palace. Take a turn around the manicured grounds and opulent interiors, then ride the rest of the way to Ettal Abbey—a 14th-century Benedictine monastery where the monks are master brewers and we’re treated to a well-earned beer. Transfer to our final hotel of the week, Schloss Elmau. Thanks to its location in a private valley, this property has hosted high-profile guests including presidents, kings, artists, and musicians. Spend the afternoon at the pool, spa, or sauna; this evening we regroup for a laid-back dinner in the crisp mountain air.

    Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch / Dinner
    Destinations: Reutte, Plansee, Ettal
    Accomplished: 33 miles / 53 km, elevation gain: 2,007 feet / 612 meters
    Longer Option: 40 miles / 64 km, elevation gain: 2,257 feet / 688 meters
    Accommodations: Schloss Elmau

  • Day 5

    The Hidden Valley

    Our final day of riding takes us deep into the Bavarian countryside. We’ll cross a section of Roman road that runs ruler-straight through the forest before turning onto the Risstal—a traffic-free ribbon of tarmac surrounded by a sea of wildflowers. Here, there’s precious little sound except your shifting gears and the occasional clang of cowbells. Cross back into Austria once more as we gradually climb into Grosser Ahornboden, or “Great Maple Floor,” an Alpine pasture peppered with ancient sycamore trees. Opt for a transfer to the hotel after lunch, or ride back for one final push. Tonight, the dinner table is set in a remote alm (mountain hut), affording us one last spectacular sunset over the Alps.

    Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch / Dinner
    Destinations: Wallgau, Risstal, Eng
    Accomplished: 30 miles / 49 km, elevation gain: 2,388 feet / 728 meters
    Longer Option: 61 miles / 99 km, elevation gain: 4,166 feet / 1,270 meters
    Accommodations: Schloss Elmau

  • Day 6

    Last Stop: Mittenwald

    Sleep in and enjoy a leisurely breakfast, then spend your last morning in Bavaria hiking, swimming, or taking one final ride to the bustling town of Mittenwald—nothing could be more Germanic than its gingerbread cottages with flower boxes and painted facades. After, we’ll say auf wiedersehen at the train station in Garmisch-Partenkirchen as you head back to Munich (or to your next destination).

    Meals: Breakfast
    Destinations: Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Mittenwald
    Optional Ride: 16 miles / 27 km, elevation gain: 1,535 feet / 468 meters

DuVine itineraries may be subject to slight route changes, hotel substitutions, and other modifications.



Arrival Details

Airport City: Munich, Germany Pick-Up Location: Oberstaufen Train Station Pick-Up Time: 11:00 am
Departure Details

Airport City: Munich, Germany Drop-Off Location: Garmisch-Partenkirchen Train Station Drop-Off Time: 12:00 pm

Arrival and departure details for 2025 tours may be subject to change.

Any scheduled tour can be made private. Your group, your dates. Go Private

2025

Confirm the hotels on your desired date by speaking with a Travel Specialist.

Single Supplement From: $1,250

See our cancellation policy

Weather by Month
Average Temperature + Precipitation

Average Temperature + Precipitation

Month
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
High (°F)
36°
38°
46°
54°
62°
67°
71°
71°
64°
56°
44°
38°
Low (°F)
24°
24°
30°
37°
44°
50°
53°
53°
47°
40°
32°
26°
Rain (in)
251
125
251
376
4102
5127
6152
5127
4102
376
251
251

Accommodations

  • Thoughtfully selected accommodations that reveal the true character of the region
  • Luggage transfers

Meals

  • Daily breakfasts, all lunches, nutritious snacks, and après velo cocktails
  • 4 gourmet dinners at our favorite local restaurants and renowned culinary establishments
  • Carefully selected local wine, beer, or spirits with every meal

Activities

  • Wine tastings and activities as outlined in the tour itinerary
  • Entrance fees to historic sites, museums, parks, and all other exclusive events
  • Gratuities for baggage, porters, and hotel service

Gear

  • Top-of-the-line bicycle selection
  • Bike helmet
  • Complimentary DuVine gear including a custom cycling jersey, DuVine t-shirt, water bottle, and drawstring bag
  • GPS in most destinations

Support

  • Expert bilingual guides with extensive local knowledge
  • Support vehicle that follows the day’s route, distributes refreshments, and offers lifts
  • Pick-up and drop-off before and after your tour from predetermined meeting points
  • Daily bike maintenance to ensure optimal performance
NOT INCLUDED:
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Synapse 2 RLE

Manufacturer: Cannondale

Type: Road

Included in trip price

Roadmachine AMP TWO

Manufacturer: BMC

Type: Road E-Bike

$400 supplement, subject to availability

Turbo Vado SL 4.0

Manufacturer: Specialized

Type: Hybrid E-Bike

Included in trip price