Around 1,400 kilometres and three distinct regional themes give the Upper Bavaria Water Cycle Routes a clear focus for a cycling holiday. The three main routes run throughout Upper Bavaria: hops and beer take centre stage in the north, salt in the southeast, and art and culture in the southwest. Along every section of the routes, cyclists can discover special water-themed attractions. When planning your trip, you can first decide which theme interests you most.

Cycling on themed routes and circular tours

Away from the Water Cycle Routes, cycling offers other perspectives on Upper Bavaria. Cyclists can follow the Isar as it flows naturally through idyllic landscapes or explore Upper Bavaria’s towns and cities. These are different ways to experience the region: the river landscape on the one hand and urban destinations on the other. For another specific option, the Chiemsee-Chiemgau Cycling Region has 20 signposted premium cycling loops. You can consider whether one of the themed main routes, a ride along the Isar, exploring towns and cities, or a signposted loop best suits your plans.

Hiking with a range of character

In Upper Bavaria, hiking options range from challenging mountain tours to meditative trails. Mountain huts, lakes and rest areas are also among the options described. This range helps you make an initial choice: would you like a challenging mountain hike, or are you looking for a more meditative trail? Huts and rest areas can be useful when planning breaks, while lakes add another dimension to the hiking options. Consider what kind of experience suits your stay before combining individual activities.

More than mountains and lakes

Mountains and lakes define Upper Bavaria’s landscape, but the region also encompasses a variety of other settings. These include small historic town centres, established urban centres, cultural landscapes, river valleys and biotopes. A historic town centre and an established urban centre offer a different character from a river valley or a biotope. This variety complements cycling and hiking with different landscapes and townscapes. It can help you decide what to focus on during your trip without limiting Upper Bavaria to just one kind of outing or setting.

Planning your stay and getting there

When looking for a holiday apartment, you can start with the activities you want to shape your stay: cycling, hiking or exploring towns and cities. This lets you choose accommodation based on your travel interests, rather than considering where to stay and what to do each day separately. Regional options vary in theme and character; finding the right one starts with asking what you actually want to do while you’re there.

For travel to and within Upper Bavaria, services are available from Deutsche Bahn, Bayerische Oberlandbahn and the Munich Transport and Tariff Association. Check the relevant services and timetables before your trip. If you plan your travel arrangements together with your cycling or hiking plans, you can tailor your transport research to the stay you have in mind.

Discover more destinations: Rottal-Inn, Schweinfurt, Kronach, Romantic Franconia, Freising, Fichtel Mountains, Inn-Salzach, Traunstein.

View the overview of destinations: Bavaria.