Bavaria Cycling Holidays

You will arrive in Munich, where grand history and Bavarian charm set the tone for your journey. In Marienplatz, the Glockenspiel clock of the neo-Gothic Rathaus comes to life with jousting knights and a centuries-old dance. The English Garden, larger than Central Park, invites you to watch surfers on the Eisbach wave. Traditional beer halls like Hofbräuhaus offer a lively taste of local flavors, while the Isar River flows from the lakes and landscapes waiting for you.

Leaving Munich, you will follow gentle paths toward Starnberger See, where Bavarian royalty once escaped the city’s bustle. The shimmering lake, tied to King Ludwig II’s mysterious final moments, offers stunning alpine reflections. Through rolling countryside, you will pass Riegsee, its tranquil waters mirroring the sky, before reaching Murnau, a town once inspiring Kandinsky and the Blue Rider artists with its vivid landscapes.

As you pedal out of Murnau, the landscape opens into the Murnauer Moos, Germany’s largest upland moor, where golden grasses ripple beneath the distant Alps. The towering Zugspitze, Germany’s highest peak at 2962 meters, rises ahead, its glacier shimmering under the sun, offering views across four countries. Rolling into Garmisch-Partenkirchen, frescoed houses and Olympic echoes welcome you beneath the rugged Wetterstein mountain range.

Riding out of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, you will follow the Kankerbach Valley, where forested slopes and rushing streams lead toward Mittenwald, a town famed for its violin-making tradition and colorful Lüftlmalerei murals. Climbing higher, you will reach the source of the Isar, where crystal-clear waters emerge from the Karwendel mountains. Turning back, the ride follows the wild river, ending in Wallgau, where wooden chalets adorned with flower-filled balconies and hand-painted façades reflect centuries of Bavarian heritage.

Leaving Wallgau, you will climb toward the Faller-Klamm-Brücke, where the turquoise Sylvensteinsee stretches like a fjord between forested peaks. The route winds through Lenggries, a gateway to the Bavarian Alps, before reaching Bad Tölz. This historic spa town charms with its colorful Marktstraße street, lined with frescoed facades and traditional Bavarian inns. Above the town, the Kalvarienberg Church, inspired by Jerusalem’s Via Dolorosa, crowns the hillside with a pilgrimage path and panoramic views over the Isar valley.

You will cycle through rolling foothills toward Tegernsee, a lake once home to a 10th-century Benedictine monastery, later transformed into a royal retreat. Its crystal-clear waters, fed by mountain springs, have long been prized for their purity. On the shore, the Bräustüberl Tegernsee, housed in the former monastery, continues a brewing tradition dating back over 1,000 years, offering a taste of Bavaria’s monastic brewing heritage before the return ride.

Following the Isar River, you will ride through tranquil woodlands and open meadows, where the river’s clear waters carve through gravel banks. At Ickinger Wehr, a historic weir, the rushing currents create a favorite spot for kayakers and swimmers. Further on, Projekt Draussen, an outdoor adventure hub, blends sport and nature along the riverbanks. Nearing Munich, the Grünwald Castle, a medieval fortress once used by Bavarian dukes for hunting, rises above the Isar.

Back in Munich, the city’s vibrant blend of history and modern life offers a final chance to explore. You can stroll through the grand Residenz, once home to Bavarian kings, or unwind in the shaded beer gardens of the Viktualienmarkt. Along the Isar’s riverbanks, cyclists and locals alike soak in the city's relaxed rhythm, a fitting farewell to your journey through Bavaria’s lake district.