2023-04-20 16:49:00
WHow will cycle tourism develop in 2023? That’s the question for ADFC tourism board member Christian Tänzler. His answer is unequivocal: “The desire to cycle travel is unbroken.”
The outdoor experience is right at the top of the list of travel desires. As a result of the corona pandemic, the bicycle was also discovered by many as a new means of travel. And many new cyclists would remain true to this type of locomotion.
What is changing, however, according to the ADFC board, is the advance of travel decisions. It will be booked at short notice. This sometimes requires greater flexibility in the choice of travel destination. And of course it also poses a challenge for providers.
When asked which regions were in particularly high demand, Tänzler replied: “Radland Deutschland is the bestseller, just like it was many years ago. Almost 80 percent of cycle tourists cycle through their home country. The classic cycling regions, such as the Allgäu and Lake Constance, as well as the well-known river cycle paths on the Weser, Elbe, Rhine, Main, Ruhr, Moselle and Danube are still very much in demand.”
The topic of cycling on the water, whether on a river, sea or lake, is very often the focus when making travel decisions. In addition, not so well-known cycling regions with good infrastructure are becoming more and more popular. For example the Osnabrücker Land or the Lausitzer Seenland.
Radland Germany: many new offers
Germany has great potential for beautiful routes, even outside the well-known classic regions. Especially due to the ongoing e-bike boom, more and more the German low mountain ranges are being discovered for cycle tours. Whether in the Harz or in the Westerwald, whether in the Bavarian Forest or in the Eifel – hilly routes with many meters of altitude are no longer a serious travel obstacle.
Regions that are not immediately thought of when it comes to cycling are also becoming more attractive. This is how Andreas Bunge, Managing Director of Rückenwind Reisen, describes it: “My personal tip is the tours in the Ruhr area, which is also an up-and-coming region in terms of cycle tourism. With many green lungs, with well-preserved mines. Gray turned green. All very surprising.”
Cyclists at the Chiemsee
Quelle: picture alliance / Westend61
Those who prefer the classic picture book landscape will find a new Chiemgau Highlights Tour in the Pedalo Reisen program: Eight days and 320 kilometers through the gently undulating foothills of the Alps with its many bathing lakes and through idyllic Alpine valleys with stops at Lake Chiemsee and in the worth seeing Places Reit im Winkl, Bad Reichenhall, Berchtesgaden, Salzburg and Laufen.
Star tours for more comfort
A recommendation for cyclists who do not like to change their bed every day are star tours from a fixed holiday location. The new variant of this are the double star tours from Mecklenburger Radtouren. The Western Pomeranian Bodden landscape and Rügen’s seaside resorts are the highlights of such a weekly program.
The day tours start from two locations: from the Hanseatic City of Stralsund (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and from the seaside resorts of Binz or Sellin. From Stralsund it goes through the attractive coastal region of Western Pomerania and to the island of Hiddensee. Then you cycle through the idyllic southern Rügen to the seaside resorts of Sellin or Binz.
Trees stand on the chalk cliff “Königsstuhl” on Rügen
Quelle: picture alliance/dpa
Incidentally, a hotel or guesthouse does not always have to serve as the location for star tours. A holiday apartment is the more practical solution for many cyclists, especially for families and self-catering. The cycle tour operator Velociped offers a six-day individual package in the Mecklenburg Lake District, with an overnight stay in the MareMüritz Marina Resort directly on the lake shore and a road book for various star tours.
Interesting destinations abroad
And beyond the borders? ADFC tourism board member Christian Tänzler explains: “The neighboring countries are traditionally at the forefront here, especially the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark and northern Italy.” More distant destinations are less in demand because of the more difficult, longer journey.
Nevertheless, countries that are further away are also making more efforts to attract cycling holidaymakers, such as Slovenia. The small EU country has created a new, exciting long-distance cycle route, the Green Gourmet Route. The culinary experience of the country is in the foreground of the route recommended for eleven cycling days with more than 400 kilometers.
The Slovenian capital Ljubljana invites you to an evening round
Quelle: picture alliance / AA
The route runs from Ljubljana towards Goriška Brda, through the Vipava valley and the Karst region, back through the capital and on to Sevnica, Podčetrtek, Ptuj and Maribor. Some sections of the route can be covered by train.
Southern Sweden is good cycling country
Skåne is the name of the tip for Scandinavia fans. The topography and climate in the southernmost tip of Sweden are ideal for cyclists. You can take your bike with you on public transport almost everywhere, and the diversity of the landscape offers excellent opportunities for leisure cyclists and those with sporting ambitions.
If you want to discover more of Skåne right away, you can turn to one of the long-distance cycle paths, such as the Kattegatleden, almost 400 kilometers along the west coast, the 300-kilometer Sydostleden or the 260-kilometer Sydkustleden.
The backdrop of Skåne in southern Sweden is perfect for an evening reward drink
Quelle: picture alliance / Wolfram Steinberg
And then there is an insider tip for experienced touring cyclists on the Mediterranean: “Albania is one of the few cycling destinations that is still relatively unknown in Europe,” describes Yörn Kreib from Natours Reisen, which offers suitable tour programs: “That means spectacular ones Landscapes with mountains and Adriatic beaches and lots of hospitality.”
How about Spain?
Also in Spain there are still quite unknown cycling areas. Between Madrid and the Portuguese border stretches one of the most unspoilt regions in the country. Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla y León are part of the historic central Spanish region of Castile.
Lonely natural landscapes with wooded mountain ranges and breathtaking gorges, medieval castles and traditional towns form the backdrop for a guided week-long tour of “Die Landpartie”, with six cycling stages between 23 and 59 km in length and a total of 252 kilometers.
There is a lot to discover in Castile – even if it is probably better to walk this bridge
Quelle: picture alliance / Design Pics
Even passionate long-distance cyclists don’t always have to organize everything themselves. A current offer takes you through half of Europe: It goes from Tallinn to Gibraltar – Europe in the diagonal. 5800 kilometers from Estonia to Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, France and Spain to Gibraltar.
If you want to cycle along, you need not only a well-filled travel budget, but also the time and physical condition for 57 cycling days and 15 rest days. However, individual sections can also be booked, for example from Barcelona to Gibraltar.
Gravel biking and bikepacking
“The zeitgeist was captured with the topics of gravel bikes and bikepacking,” explains ADFC board member Tänzler: “Out into nature – also in the immediate vicinity.” Cycling off the classic routes with little luggage satisfies the longing for being outdoors – especially also in younger people. “This trend will probably continue.”
More and more tourism associations and cycle tour operators are taking up the topic and developing appropriate tours and offers. The Haßberge, Black Forest and Tyrol regions are pioneers among them. And outdoor bikes with drop handlebars are a big seller in bike shops.
But: whether you are touring with a trekking bike, e-bike or gravel bike – the type of bike is not that important. In any case, cyclists do something for their health, relaxation and beautiful landscapes are on top of that. In addition, you are traveling in an environmentally friendly way. That sounds like a well-packaged vacation package.
For many cyclists, the real fun begins when the asphalt ends
Quelle: picture alliance / Westend61
Additional Information:
ADFC tips on cycling tours: www.adfc-radtourismus.de; www.deutschland-per-rad.de
RadRevier Ruhr area: www.radrevier.ruhr
Cycling in Slovenia: www.slovenia.info/de
Skåne cycling region in Sweden: visitskane.com/en
Cycle tour operators (selection):
www.rueckenwind.de
www.mecklenburger-radtour.de
www.velociped.de
www.pedalo.com
www.natours.de/radreisen
www.dielandpartie.de
https://tdaglobalcycling.com/trans-europa
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