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Bavaria self guided motorcycle holiday

Bavaria self-guided motorcycle-tour. Fairytale castles, frescoed houses, pretzels and the iconic Romantic Road.

The Bavaria self-guided motorcycle-tour is one of our longest-running holidays. And it is still as popular as ever.

When you think of Bavaria, you likely think of its pristine lakes, snow-capped mountains and open green countryside. And that’s exactly what type of scenery you get when touring in this beautiful part of the Alps.

Although all this may be true, Bavaria is still not regarded as an obvious choice for a motorcycle holiday. However, this impression quickly changes as soon as you arrive there.

According to many of our clients, Bavaria comes as a real surprise, how stunning it really is. As a matter of fact, it is even more beautiful than some other better-known Alpine regions.

You’ll base yourself in a comfortable town hotel conveniently close to the main tourist attractions and rides. The centre of the historic city of Fussen is often called the romantic soul of Bavaria. It is only a short walk away from the hotel and has many historic buildings as well as tourist attractions.

The old city also has many bars, traditional restaurants and eateries where you can sample various traditional specialities. Müncher Weiβwurst (white sausage) and salted pretzel with Bavarian beer is always a popular choice.

While here, you can visit the castles of Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein. They are widely recognized as the inspiration and referred to as the Walt Disney castles. They are every bit as stunning inside as it is when first viewed from outside. The Throne Room, the Singers’ Hall, and other grandiose rooms are sumptuously decorated with inspiration drawn mainly from Wagner’s operas. The views of the Alps from the windows, as well as various gardens, are simply breathtaking.

Only a short ride away is another of King Ludvig’s magnificent creations. Linderhof hunting lodge is equally fanciful but even more opulently furnished than the other two castles.

Whether you like riding through the open countryside and peaceful alpine villages or visiting baroque castles as well as medieval towns, you’ll never be far away from scenic mountain roads and passes.

Our suggested rides include some of the most scenic roads as well as some breathtaking mountain passes. A tour in the easterly direction will take you to the array of fantastic alpine routes. It is definitely a worthwhile excursion. This way, you will also have a chance to pick up a section of the iconic Romantische Straße (Romantic Road). You’ll pass through the famous ski resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and visit the famous Franciscan monastery and brewery in Ettal. Continuing on, just down the road at the picturesque Oberammergau is where the famous Passion Play is held.

Ride south, and you are quickly in Austria. Here you can ride some impressive mountain passes. These include the famous Arlbergpass as well as Fernpass. Timmelsjoch and Silvretta High Alpine Pass are within an easy-riding distance too. You can also ride the lesser-known ones, such as Kniepass, Hahntennjoch, as well as Gaichtpass and Riedbergpass.

Whichever way you decide to ride in Bavaria, you can not go wrong. This is a splendid tour of relaxed discovery. It offers rewarding mountain rides and beautiful landscapes. You will also experience the very best of famous alpine hospitality.

For more day-to-day information about the Bavaria self-guided motorcycle-tour, please spend some time studying the tour itinerary below.

For a longer alternative to the Bavaria self-guided motorcycle-tour, please use this link: European Castles self guided motorcycle holiday.

If you require a motorcycle rental for the Bavaria self-guided motorcycle-tour, please get in touch with our partner, RoadTrip.

Please visit our Facebook page for up-to-date information regarding the Bavaria self-guided motorcycle-tour.

Tour highlights:

Hohenschwangau Castle
Neuschwanstein – Disney Castle
Linderhof Castle
Ettal Abbey
Silvretta High Alpine road
Fernpass
Hantenjoch pass
Timelsjochpass
Lake Mummelsee
B500

When to go:

May to September - during August, a high-season supplement is applicable

Countries:

Luxembourg, Germany, France

Motorcycle rental:

Available

Day by day tour itinerary

Day 1 – Folkestone to Luxembourg (Approx. 250 miles)

Your Bavaria self-guided motorcycle-tour begins with a morning channel-tunnel crossing. It will be followed by a few hours of smooth motorway riding to Belgium. For the rest of the day, you’ll travel through rolling hills, green pastures, thick woodlands and quiet towns and villages.

On our guided tours, we usually stop in Bastogne for a coffee and cake. The city earned its place in history during WWII’s Battle of the Bulge, and later on, the famous movie production ‘the Band of Brothers’ was filmed there as well.

You will spend your first night in a hotel situated in a small town near the German border. Vianden is overlooked by an impressive medieval castle. If you get there with some time to spare, you can take a cable car to visit the castle. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Luxembourg. From the terrace, you’ll get the best views of the town below as well as the surrounding countryside.

"In Luxembourg, even pretzels have a religious significance.
"Pretzel Sunday" is part of the Lent tradition.
Apparently, it goes well with red wine"

Day 2 – Luxembourg to Black Forest (Germany) (Approx. 240 miles)

This morning, you’ll be leaving Luxembourg, The second day of the Bavaria self-guided motorcycle-tour follows the scenic routes towards the Rhine wine region. Imposing fortresses, castles, monasteries and abbeys can be seen everywhere along this mighty river. As you’ll be crossing several borders, you might split your day into three breaks. A coffee stop in Germany can be followed by lunch in France and another coffee in Germany.

Bad Bergzabern is a charming little town that makes a convenient place for a first short coffee break. It has several bakeries and cafes along the high street with easy access to parking. The bakery La Minzbrueck in Scheibenhardt on the Franco-German border is one of our regular lunch stops. It serves the best fitness chicken salad ever (please note the opening times are subject to the owner’s discretion).

The last stop can be anywhere you fancy. On our guided tours, we usually tie it up with a fuel stop.

"It might be hard to believe, but Germans do have a great sense of humour, and they do love to have a good laugh. It's just that the rest of us often don't understand what's so funny"

Day 3 – Black Forest to Füssen (Germany) (Approx. 200 miles)

From the Black Forest, the Bavaria self-guided motorcycle-tour continues. As you approach Lake Konstanz, you’ll catch your first glimpse of the snowy peaks of the Alps. For hours they will be in front of you, but it will feel like you will never get closer. And then, as you cross the Austrian border all of a sudden, you’ll be there.

You’ll find yourself surrounded by the most beautiful mountain scenery. The famous ski resort of Warth is the gateway to the Lechtal. This vast green valley will gently guide you to your hotel in Bavaria. Even if you do not notice that you crossed the border, one thing you will notice is the quality of the tarmac. It is just perfect. Germans definitely know a thing or two about building roads.

You’ll base yourself in a comfortable town hotel in Füssen. The town claimed its fame as one of the main centres for violin and lute making. It has a fantastic old part of the town with many shops, restaurants, cafes and bars. So, there is plenty to do and see if you fancy a day off the bike.

"The 2017 Schnitzel Fest event in the town of Mengkofen, Bavaria broke a Guinness World Record by cooking up a 2,663-pound schnitzel, measuring 753.5 square feet"

Day 4 – Free day (Approx. 150 miles)

Today is about the halfway point of your Bavaria self-guided motorcycle-tour. Bavaria’s splendid surroundings have long inspired people to build some of the most opulent buildings, abbeys and castles. Today, there is plenty of time to appreciate the beautifully detailed murals adorning many houses and buildings throughout the valleys.

If you wish, within a short ride, you’ll be able to visit three magnificent creations of the Mad King Ludwig II and his father. Hohenschwangau, Neuschwanstein (Disney Castle) and Linderhof Castle are very close to each other and worth seeing. Also, they are all situated in beautiful settings surrounded by perfectly manicured gardens and parks.

Queen Mary’s Bridge (Marienbrucke) over the Pöllat river offers unparalleled views of Neuschwanstein Castle. You might have to battle the crowds to get your ideal shot of the castle, but the postcard-perfect views are worth it.

However, it involves a bit of walking, so make sure that you have spare capacity in your panniers to store some of your biking gear. Also, to avoid some of the crowds, take a trail along the river that takes you by waterfalls. Alternatively, you might choose to visit only one castle and spend the rest of the day as you wish.

"The Mad King Ludwig II is the best known Bavarian in the world. His claim to fame includes a range of achievements such as throwing lavish parties, commissioning expensive art and building fairytale castles"

Day 5 – Free day (Approx. 120 -200 miles)

You may opt to use your second free day of the Bavaria self-guided motorcycle-tour to go for a ride. A popular route is to head towards Oberammergau and Ettal. Oberammergau is well known for its Passion play. Several years ago, on our guided tour while waiting for the rain to stop, we ended up in Oberammergau Reptile House. It was not something we expected in the middle of the Alps. But nevertheless, it was an interesting experience, and we stayed dry. In Ettal, you can visit the world-famous abbey and brewery. It is perhaps one of the most opulently decorated churches ever built.

From here, the route will take you around the Starnberger See (lake). Starnberg is a typical German lakeside town with many cafes and restaurants, making it a perfect place to have lunch. If you wish, you can also go on one of the boat-rides around the lake.

Continuing with your journey, you’ll join the Romantische Straße (Romantic Road) and return to the hotel. This is one of the most iconic biking routes in Germany.

"According to many brew connoisseurs, the best Bavarian beer is made by the monks from the Benedictine monastery in Ettal"

Day 6 – Füssen to Black Forest (Approx. 200 miles)

According to many of our clients, today’s journey is one of our most understated but enjoyable rides. There is only one short section of motorway. It is just to avoid a bigger town. The rest of the route is a relaxing cruise through the endless countryside, green pastures and thick woodlands.

The Steinhauser bakery in Diepoldshofen is a convenient place to stop for lunch. It has an indoor and outdoor seating area and offers a great selection of freshly made salads, snacks, sandwiches and cakes. Also, it is right next to a petrol station, so it ticks all the boxes.

Some of the roads included in today’s route are only single lane ones. However, in a typical German fashion, they all still have a smooth pothole free surface. They will allow you to relax, enjoy riding your bike and wind your way to your next destination in the Black Forest.

If you wish, extra days can be arranged to extend your stay in the Black Forest.

"A typical German breakfast consists of weisswurst (white sausage), mustard, freshly baked pretzels and often beer (for breakfast?)"

Day 7 – Black Forest to Champagne Region (France) (Approx. 240 miles)

Today’s ride will present you with several options to stop and explore. Colmar has a beautiful old part of the town. It can be quite busy with traffic, but it is worth a bit of an effort just to have a coffee in one of the cafes by the canal.

Other places to make a note of today are Munster, Coll de la Schlucht (Schlucht pass) in the Vosges Mountains, lakeside town of Gérardmer, Vittel (where the water comes from) and Chaumont (impressive viaduct).

On our guided tours, we usually stop at the top of the Schlucht pass or lakeside town of Gérardmer. It is a local ski resort situated at the foothills of the Vosges Mountains. It has quite a few boulangeries and cafés as well as restaurants. And also the parking is not a problem. So there is plenty to ride and see if you fancy it.

Alternatively, you can create your own agenda as you go along and enjoy the ride.

"In France "La bise", the cheek kissing is a welcoming way of greeting each other. However, for the rest of us, it is always a potential minefield. It usually results in some sort of head butting"

Day 8 – Champagne Region to Folkestone (Approx. 250 miles)

The good thing about today is that you can stay off the motorways up to Reims. There is still plenty of time to have a nice ride through the vineyards of the stunning Champagne Region.

Thank you for RidingWithUs on this greatBavaria self-guided motorcycle-tour.

We hope to hear from you again soon.

"The best dreams happen when you are awake…
travelling on your bike"

What's included?

Price

Includes

7 nights b&b accommodation
4 evening meals
Return Eurotunnel crossing
GPX routes
Trip check list
Daily itinerary
Suggested tourist attractions
Emergency services numbers

Excludes

What our customers say

“We had the most remarkable biking holiday with you guys. Not only everything was perfect, but we felt very welcomed in each country we visited. We’ll definitely be back.”

Janet & Brian Callaghan

Christchurch, NZ, 2018

Let's go touring…

Bavaria self guided motorcycle holiday

Tour highlights:

When to go:

Countries:

Motorcycle rental:

Day by day tour itinerary

What's included?

Price

Includes

Excludes

What our customers say

Bavaria self guided motorcycle holiday

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