Cycling tour ideas for 2025 – tips from the Freilauf podcast with cycling tour expert Markus Vogt
Are you looking for cycling tour ideas for 2025? – then this episode of Freilauf is perfect for you.
As a "cycling tour checker," Markus Vogt has made it his mission to discover and evaluate Germany's tourist cycling routes. In this episode of the podcast... Free run He not only shares his most exciting experiences, but also tips for planning your 2025 cycling tours. If you're looking for inspiration, you'll find it here in the article and in the podcast!
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Here you can also read Markus' cycling tour ideas for 2025.
Table of contents:
- Markus' path to becoming a cycling tour checker
- What makes a tourist cycle path?
- Cycling tour ideas 2025: Inspiration for your next river or city tour
- Prefer something sporty? – Then these bike tours might be an idea for 2025.
- Bike tour ideas if you want to start bike touring.
- Multimodal travel: bicycle and train
- What else you'll find on Markus' blog besides ideas for bike tours
How it all began: Markus' path to becoming a cycling tour expert
„"I just wanted to get out and see something new."“, “That’s how Markus tells it,” he explains. In 2016, he took a two-month sabbatical to cycle through Europe. This journey – from Spain to Croatia – changed his perspective on travel. Back in Germany, he had the idea to focus on tourist cycling routes. Since then, Markus has been checking out cycle paths across Germany and Europe: from museum routes to hidden gems like the Czech section of the Elbe Cycle Route.
One of his highlights of the year:
Markus and his wife spent two weeks traveling the Berlin-Copenhagen cycle route.
Photo: Markus Vogt (private)
What makes a tourist cycle path?
Markus explains that signposted routes are the heart of tourist cycle paths: „"You don't even need a map or a mobile phone. The signage is usually sufficient."“
River cycle paths are particularly popular, as they are often well-developed and scenic.
Cycling tour ideas 2025: Inspiration for your next river or city tour
Markus Vogt explored a multitude of impressive cycling routes last year. Here are the routes he cycled. Perhaps you'll find a good idea for your cycling trip in 2025?
- Danube-Lake Constance Cycle Path: A scenic route, passing orchards and hop gardens. Along the Upper Swabian Baroque Route, there are not only many sights to see, but also several lakes for swimming, spas, and thermal baths.
- Altmühltal Cycle Path: A romantic route with historical sights, which Markus has already driven twice.
- Saale Cycle Path: Varied nature and an idyllic route.
- Wümme Cycle Path: Easy, or as a round trip through the Lüneburg Heath with its vast moor and heath areas up to Bremen-Vegesack.
- Loisach Cycle Path: along a former railway line through the Bavarian Alpine foothills, as a perfect complement and connection between the Via Claudia Augusta and the Lake Constance-Königssee cycle path
- Berlin-Copenhagen Cycle Route: Markus and his wife spent two weeks here on a cycling holiday – he with a gravel bike, she with an e-bike.
- Elbe Cycle Route: The Czech section, in particular, presents challenges with its rough gravel, but also offers beautiful landscapes. Highlights: Melnik and Tangermünde.
- Rhone Cycle Route: A breathtaking tour through France, including a side trip to Mont Ventoux.
- Thuringian city chain: A culturally rich tour through some of the most beautiful cities in Thuringia. Eisenach – Erfurt – Weimar – Jena – Gera – Altenburg
- Mur Cycle Path: This route took Markus all the way to Graz, where he also met our cyclebee team.
Photo: Markus Vogt (private)
Prefer something sporty? – Then these bike tours might be an idea for 2025.
- Graubünden route: One of the most beautiful Alpine landscapes in Switzerland.
- Stelvio Pass: Challenging mountain tour in South Tyrol – ideal for experienced drivers.
- Alpe d'Huez: A legendary climb, made famous by the Tour de France. Here, Markus unexpectedly had the opportunity for a picture with the winner of the 2024 Tour de France Femmes., Katarzyna Niewiadoma.
You can find more tours and cycle paths checked by Markus here on his blog.
Photo: Markus Vogt (private)
Bike tour ideas if you want to start bike touring.
Weser Cycle Path: “The Weser Cycle Path and the Elbe Cycle Path are always vying for the title of Germany's most popular cycle path, and honestly, I would probably choose the Weser Cycle Path. It's definitely the easier one, especially since the Elbe Cycle Path still has room for improvement in many places.”
Elbe Cycle Route: Depending on the section, the network is very well developed; however, in Hamburg, the signage is a challenge. „"In Hamburg, for example, the Elbe cycle path is a disaster. You often don't know if you're on the right track."“
Altmühltal Cycle Path: Beautiful scenery, easy to drive and absolutely suitable for families
Multimodal travel: bicycle and train
For Markus, the combination of cycling and train travel is a major topic.
„"I often use platforms like SBB, DB or ÖBB to find the best train connections for my cycling trips."“
He is particularly fond of night trains: „"This gives you the opportunity to start cycling in a new city or country in the morning."“
Unfortunately, the number of bicycle spaces on trains is often lower than the demand. If you're planning to travel by train for your 2025 cycling tours, Markus therefore recommends booking well in advance. Connections with Deutsche Bahn can now be reserved up to a year ahead. Whether this will actually improve your chances of securing a space for yourself and your bike remains to be seen.
Tip: Find out about the rules for taking bicycles on trains and plan sufficient transfer times.
In our joint Track cycling etiquette Markus and our team have compiled many helpful tips for you on the topic of taking your bicycle with you.
What else you'll find on Markus' blog besides ideas for bike tours
On Markus' Blog You'll find many more extensively tested cycle routes – from idyllic riverside paths to challenging mountain tours. In addition to the ratings, you can also download the GPX data and use a tool that makes it easy to divide the cycle route into daily stages.
- You simply enter where you want to start and where you want to end.
- How many kilometers you want to drive daily, or how many days you have.
- The tool calculates your daily stages and displays the daily destinations on the map.
Looking for more inspiration and exchange on all facets of bicycle touring?
Then subscribe to our early bee newsletter! We regularly share tips, experiences, and ideas there.
We also regularly invite you to our online meetups. There you can get to know other cyclists and gather ideas and tips for your cycling tours.
