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Freiburg and the Alsatian Wine Road

  • 4.3

    (4)

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  • 7 nights | 28 miles/day
  • Difficulty Level: 3
  • Self-guided from: €680
  • View Dates

Level of difficulty

Tours using road, hybrid or touring bikes:

  1. Mostly flat
  2. Flat with some gentle slopes
  3. Rolling, hilly terrain
  4. Some long and/or steep climbs
  5. Extensive climbing

Tours using mountain bikes:

  1. Mostly flat, wide trails
  2. Some gentle slopes, wide trails
  3. Rolling, hilly terrain and/or narrow trails
  4. Some long and/or steep climbs and/or technical trails
  5. Extensive climbing and/or highly technical trails

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Why book with us?

Why Book with BikeTours.com?

  1. Variety: Choose from more than 200 tours offered by local operators in 35 countries.
  2. Advice: Our informed advisors help you choose the trip that's right for you.
  3. Lower cost: You pay local tour company prices—less than what big American companies charge.
  4. Great exchange rates: Pay low rates thanks to the millions of dollars in foreign currency we buy each year.
  5. Convenience: We handle the full booking and payment process.
  6. Support: We’re your advocates from initial planning through final pedal stroke.
Tour Type: Guided Self-guided
Description

Tour description

On this Freiburg and Alsatian Wine Road tour you travel through France and Germany, passing beautiful scenery and diverse regions.

Enjoy such cultural highlights as beautiful Freiburg, Strasbourg, the most important city in the Alsace region, or Colmar, also known as little Venice, featuring lovely old buildings. Cycle in the beautiful German area, Kaiserstuhl, where you follow the Rhine valley, dotted with vineyards and picturesque villages. After a loop tour, you return to Freiburg.

If you love wine, cuisine and culture, this tour is perfect for you!

Highlights

  • Freiburg's historic town center and picturesque alleys
  • Strasbourg
  • Vineyards of the sunny "Kaiserstuhl" (Emperor's Chair)
  • Baden's "Europapark"
  • Colmar, known as "Little Venice"
  • Romantic towns of Ribeauville and Riquewihr

Learn more

Learn more about self-guided tours.

Program

Daily program

Day 1: Freiburg
Individual arrival in Freiburg. The sunny city at the foot of the Black Forest has a lot to offer including the old part of town with picturesque alleys, famous "Freiburger Bächle," cultural and historical monuments like the Minster, and numerous wine and snack bars where you can strengthen yourself before your bike tour.
Overnight in Freiburg.

Day 2: Freiburg – Endingen/Malterdingen (19-21 miles/31-33 km)
After a hearty breakfast, you start out on your first bike tour beneath the vineyards of the sunny "Kaiserstuhl" (Emperor's Chair). This region is one of the sunniest in Germany and the volcanic loam earth guarantees ideal grapes for the production of wines. Your destination is the medieval framework town Endingen or Malterdingen.
Overnight in Endingen or Malterdingen.

Day 3: Endingen/Malterdingen – Rust (21-26 miles/34-42 km)
Passing the wine village Sasbach you reach the Rhine shore. You cycle through the green Rhine meadows and sometimes along on the embankment of the Rhine, on your way to Rust. This small town in Baden in known for the "Europapark," an amusement park with many attractions.
Overnight in Rust.

Day 4: Rust – Strasburg (29 miles/47 km)
Today you cycle once again along the Rhine with the beautiful backdrop of the Black Forest on your right. The beautiful Alsatian metropolis Strasbourg with its attractive old town center is the highlight of the day where you will spend the night.
Overnight in Strasbourg.

Day 5: Strasbourg – Molsheim/Obernai (28-35 miles/45-57 km)
In the morning, you have time to visit the numerous sights of Strasbourg. The cycle tour leads you to Molsheim, the hometown of the famous car manufacturer Bugatti. From there you travel along the Alsatian wine road. The day's destination is Molsheim or Obernai, a pretty wine town.
Overnight in Molsheim or Obernai.

Day 6: Molsheim/Obernai – St. Hippolyte (22-30 miles/35-49 km)
Today you continue cycling southward on the Route du Vin. An attractive stretch of road takes you through lush vineyards and past lovely Alsace towns with beautiful truss buildings. You'll reach St. Hippolyte, which is uniquely located beneath the majestic Hochkönigsburg Castle by way of Dambach-la Ville.
Overnight in St. Hippolyte.

Day 7: St. Hippolyte – Colmar/Eguisheim (14-18 miles/23-29 km)
The last day on the Alsace wine road takes you through the romantic towns of Ribeauville and Riquewihr, where medieval alleys invite a stroll. You then continue until you reach Colmar. Explore the picturesque town known as "Little Venice" with its beautiful half-timbered houses in the Gerbergasse and the world-famous Isenheimer Altar in the Unterlinden Museum.
Overnight in Colmar or in the neighboring Eguisheim.

Day 8: Colmar/Eguisheim – Freiburg (37 miles/60 km)
Today you cycle through the Rhine Plain, past the mighty Minster in Breisach and the Tuniberg, before you go back to Freiburg. After you return of your bikes and pick up your luggage, you depart individually, or you can choose to spend an extra night in Freiburg.

**Please note this tour ends on a cycling day.

Surface and terrain

The quality of the roads vary widely in the Alsace and Kaiserstuhl regions. In Alsace, only the bigger cities have develped cycle paths. Usually you will cycle on roads with minimal traffic. At some village entrances and exits, there might be slightly heavier traffic. In Germany you cycle on side roads or streets with a seperate cycle path.

The terrain on the tour is mostly flat with occasional hills. Approximately 50% of the tour follows roads shared with traffic, 30% on quiet roads and 20% on dedicated bicycle paths. This tour is appropiate for road bikes and hybrid bikes.

Hotels

These are sample hotels and may vary based on availability. 

Hotel Minerva, Freiburg
www.minerva-freiburg.de

Hotel Garni Pfauen, Endingen
www.pfauen-endingen.de

Hotel Löwen, Rust
www.hotel-loewen-rust.de

Hotel Diana Dauphine, Strasbourg
www.hotel-diana-dauphine.com

Hotel La Diligence, Obernai
www.hotel-diligence.com/de

Hotel La Vignette, St. Hippolyte
www.alavignette.com

Hotel Mercure, Colmar
www.mercure.com

Interested in visiting other areas before or after your tour? Visit our hotels page to learn more about lodging options.

How to get there

Tour Start and End
Nearest airport: Basel, Swizerland; Stuttgart, Frankfurt or (further away) Munich, Germany

Nearest train station: Freiburg, Germany

Airport transfers

Tips on getting to and from your tour.

Map

Route Map

Maps are for information purposes only and reflect typical routes between overnight locations. They may not reflect your actual route.

Dates & Prices

Dates

Sundays: Apr 7-Oct 6, 2019 (Additional dates upon request for parties of 4+)

Prices

Tour package
Per person, double occupancy
€680
Single room surcharge (1 person/1 room)
€265
Bike Rentals
Hybrid touring bike, 21/24-speed
€65
Electrically assisted bike
€175
Extra Nights, Freiburg
Per person, double occupancy
€73
Single room (1 person/1 room)
€105
Discounts
Children, ages 0-4 sharing a room with two full-paying adults (on base package price)
100%
Children, ages 5-13 sharing a room with two full-paying adults (on base package price)
25%
Third person, ages 14+ sharing a room with two full-paying adults (on base package price)
10%

Included services

  • Accommodation in middle-class hotels or good to very good inns and guesthouses (3- and 4-star)
  • Breakfast (mostly buffet)
  • Luggage transfer from hotel to hotel (unlimited number of luggage pieces)
  • Detailed information with maps, route descriptions, sightseeing recommendations
  • Service Hotline available in case of problems or questions
  • Entrance fee at the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar

Please note visitor's tax not included. You will be required to pay the tax at each hotel upon check-out (approximately €2-5 per person).

Bike rentals

Bikes available to be rented (in advance at the time of booking) include:

  • Hybrid touring bike, 21- or 24-speed
  • Electrically assisted bike

All above bike rentals will be equipped with the following at no additional charge:

  • Saddle bag
  • Cycle computer
  • Repair kit (one per group)
  • Lock (one per 2 bikes)

Additional equipment available upon request:

  • Map holder
  • Handlebar bag
  • Second saddle bag
  • GPS tracks

Pedals:
The bikes will have flat pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and also the necessary equipment to change the pedals.

Helmets:
Please plan to bring your own helmet for safety and hygiene purposes. Helmet rental is not available on this tour.

Tour Company Terms

Terms & Conditions

Please note: Instead of operating bicycle tours ourselves, BikeTours.com represents local bicycle tour operators around the world. Review the tour operator's information and terms below, then submit your booking request through BikeTours.com. The primary benefits of booking your tour through BikeTours.com include:
  • Lower cost: You pay local tour company prices—less than what big American companies charge
  • Variety: Choose from more than 200 tours offered by local operators in 35 countries.
  • Advice: Our informed advisors help you choose the trip that's right for you.
  • Great exchange rates: Pay low rates thanks to the millions of dollars in foreign currency we buy each year. Or pay in euros!
  • Convenience: We handle the full booking and payment process.
  • Support: We’re your advocates from initial planning through final pedal stroke.
Contact us with any questions about booking and paying for your tour through BikeTours.com. We look forward to serving you!

velotours Terms and Conditions

1.Cancellation
For a cancellation of the entire journey or a reversal of individual participants of the group the cancellation percentages stated in our conditions are valid. Fair dealings are possible and need to be requested in advance.

Computation of the cancellation fees:

  • up to 28 days before arrival: 20 %
  • up to 14 days before arrival: 30 %
  • up to 8 days before arrival: 50 %
  • up to 4 days before arrival: 70 %
  • from 3 days before arrival or not arrival: 90 %

2.Changes of the date
For changes of the travel date the charges stated in our conditions are valid. Fair dealings are possible and need to be requested in advance. Alteration fees are net prices. Usually we charge €55.00 per change (till 28 days before the starting date of the trip). Costs for later changes need to be requested in advance.

3.Changes in booking
The amount for changes in bookings is stated in our conditions. Fair dealings are possible and need to be requested in advance. Alteration fees are net prices. Usually we charge € 55,00 per change (till 28 days before the starting date of the trip). Costs for later changes need to be requested in advance.

4.Children reduction
a) Children up to 4 years travel free of charge, with the except that additional costs for a cot/crib or breakfast are payable locally in the hotel.
b) We give a reduction of 25 % for children between the age of 5 and incl. 13 staying in a 3-bedded room or in a 4-bedded room with 2 full paying adults (maximum discount is for 2 children).
c) For 3 adults (or aged from 14 years) we grant 10 % discount for the 3rd and 4th person in a 3 bedded or 4 bedded room (minimum 2 paying guests).

All photos used by permission. ©Velotours

Reviews

Ratings

Ratings Snapshot

  • 5 Star 1
  • 4 Star 3
  • 3 Star 0
  • 2 Star 0
  • 1 Star 0

Average Ratings

  • Overall

    4.3

  • Difficulty level (Actual vs. expected) 3
  • Value 4.5
  • Included meals 5
  • Bikes & equipment 4.5
  • Hotels or boat 4.8
  • Scenery 4.8
  • Ease of navigation 2.5
  • Tour documents 3.7
  • Local tour company services 4.5
  • Route selection 4.5
  • Guides (if applicable) 3

Reviews

Biabattistella September 19, 2017

A great trip

The trip was great, the landscapes are fantastic, the little villages are very charming, well preserved! What could be better is having gps files for the path. The orientation, sometimes, are not clear and cost some kilometres more!

MaryB May 4, 2017

Biking Adventure of a Lifetime!

This was the perfect bike tour for us to combine with a visit with our son and his family who were living in Freiburg for the year. The bike company was very accommodating and let us rent the bikes a few days early so that we could ride around Freiburg with our kids. Getting the bikes early was a good chance to get
familiar with the bikes so that we could exchange one of them when we found out
that it was too big. Although we gave our height so that the tour company could estimate the right size bikes for us, it might have been more helpful to give our inseam length to determine if our legs could swing over the bar or touch the ground from the seat. Estimate your height a little lower than you actually are to get the right fit bike. The bikes were a great weight, had nice sized tires for the type of terrain we rode over, and they shifted very well. The saddlebag was roomy and held all my day gear, but the weight of it tended to tip the bike over on slanted hills. You might want to get a saddlebag on each size to balance out the weight more evenly. There is no mirror or water bottle holder on the bikes. I carried my water bottle in my back pack and trusted the cars and bikes behind me to pass carefully! I loved the countryside and trails through the woods. Riding on the Rhine was awesome. The quaint villages we rode through and stayed in were beautiful. Our hotels were all lovely and had delicious breakfasts. Our luggage arrived every day on time or early and we had secure locations to park and lock up our bikes every night. We did have trouble following the maps and directions given. It was almost like going on a scavenger hunt when you aren't sure that you are interpreting the clues correctly. The map was way too small to read and the written directions were on a separate page from the map so you had to keep flipping back and forth to get the full picture of where you were going. It seems that the directions and/or maps were old and had not been updated recently. We ran into construction along the Rhine River path and had to take a long detour----following the German signs was hard and it added many miles to that day's ride. We also had construction in two other cities and had to find our way on our own as the detour was not obvious. Sometimes there are bike signs at an intersection that say you can go in directly opposite ways to the same place. Quite confusing. One time we were told to turn right in our written directions but according to the map we should have gone left....what to do? We were directed to ride on one way streets going the wrong way. There were no directions to get to the hotel in Strasbourg if you took the new bike path over the river. That was very difficult. We were quite frustrated with having to figure out if we were on the right path or not. My suggestion is to have the tour company check the current directions before each trip and indicate detours and update street names. Definitely provide new directions for getting into Strasbourg over the bike bridge. The German tour company should try following their directions with someone who is not familiar with the route and who does not speak German - then correct each turn where it is confusing. That would saved a lot of frustration and make the trip more enjoyable. Or, provide GPS devices for everyone. If we had had one, it would have been easier. It costs $10 per day to use our smartphone as a GPS device so we opted not to. It might have been worth it. I think adding an option of staying an extra day in Strasbourg and Colmar would be nice...a break from biking every day and a chance to see more of the cities. Other than the directions, we loved the trip and felt a real sense of accomplishment when we were done. Our kids and grandkids were very proud of us for going on such an adventurous bike tour!

fudledudle September 26, 2016

Allsace wine route

This tour is fairly easy to do, great scenery particularly on the French side of the Rhine, some minor detours due to missing signage, all in all a great tour