Want a bike route that’s easy to follow, well-marked, and specifically designed to pass points of interest and amenities?
Here are our favorite bicycle-friendly routes—a combination of greenways, dedicated bike paths, and quiet back roads.
The full Danube River flows about 1,800 miles, from Germany’s Black Forest to the Black Sea, making its way through ten countries. In Germany and Austria, cyclists will find wide asphalt paths that are mostly flat and accompanied by road signs that direct cyclists to their next destination or upcoming attractions like the baroque town of Durnstein and the Wachau World Cultural Heritage Site.
Danube Impressions Bike and Boat Passau – Vienna – Passau
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
Cycle past picturesque villages, inviting vineyards, and sleepy hillsides along the Saar and Mosel Bike Path. With few climbs, the route continues on mostly flat, asphalted paths. Cyclists will travel through a countryside full of castles and, of course, with vineyards producing the region’s famous Riesling wine.
Mosel and Saar by Bike and Boat
Mosel and Saar-Bike and Barge (and reverse)
Setting off in Interlaken on Lake Thun, the Aare Cycle Route takes cyclists along a Swiss adventure with the Jungfrau, Mönch, and Eiger mountains in the background. The route meanders along dedicated cycle paths or quiet regional roads. Mostly-flat paths make this a perfect route for all riders. One of the most famous routes in Switzerland, the Aare takes you through the Bern UNESCO World Heritage Site, home of the delicious Toblerone chocolate.
Aare Cycle Route: Along the Jura, Aare, and Rhine Rivers
Spanning 72 miles through the southern Burgundy region of France, the Voie Verte offers easy riding for cyclists of all experience levels. Dedicated bike paths from Charnay Le Macon to Givry provide a flat and paved portion of the route. Then, cyclists find themselves on mostly-flat small, country, side roads from Givry to Beaune. With lots of shade cover and little traffic, this French route puts cyclists up-close-and-personal with quaint villages, charming vineyards, and Romanesque churches.
Burgundy Wine Trails: Beaune to Macon on the “Voie Verte”
The Tauern Mountains set the stage as the backdrop and also lends its name to this route. But, the “Mountain” name isn’t an indicator of the route’s terrain, which is mostly-flat, running alongside the rivers Salzach and Inn. The 1860-mile route flows from Salzburg to Passau, allowing cyclists a close look at beautiful Austria, rich with stunning landscapes, vistas, and culture.
Tauern Bike Path (Salzburg-Salzburg)
Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
Need some more bike route inspiration? Check out our eleven favorite tours on dedicated bike paths!