Germany + Austria Bike Tour

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.

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. Along the way, we’ll meet some local characters and enjoy 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.

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 as we pedal to the Alatsee, a tiny gem of a mountain lake, then follow the Lech River to Füssen. Here we’ll step into the story ourselves during a guided visit to Hohenschwangau Castle, where Ludwig spent his childhood. From there, climb the hill to admire Neuschwanstein Castle—Ludwig’s crowning achievement and the inspiration for Disney’s iconic castle—which rises majestically amidst the mountain peaks. Continue cycling to Füssen for lunch then spend some time wandering the cobbled streets, admiring the traditional architecture of this pretty pastel town. Our day ends in true Bavarian style with a ride to a local brewery, where we’ll raise steins alongside the locals at communal wooden tables. 

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 opt to ride the rest of the way to Ettal Abbey—a 14th-century Benedictine monastery. Transfer to our final hotel of the week, Kranzbach, nestled in a peaceful alpine valley. Spend the afternoon at the pool, spa, or sauna. This evening, you’re free to choose from one of the restaurants on property for dinner on your own or head into nearby Mittenwald.

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 awaits in a magnificent setting that affords us one last spectacular sunset over the Alps.

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).