Day 1: Welcome to Strasbourg

The train journey from Cologne to Strasbourg takes just two hours. At 3.30pm we meet at the hotel and set off to explore the European metropolis. We're standing in front of Strasbourg Cathedral, a major Gothic masterpiece. We marvel at the filigree lightness with which the spire rises into the sky. Right next door is the Kammerzell house ─ half-timbered to perfection! You can see three cantilevered floors decorated with sculptures. It's the reflection of a wealthy Strasbourg bourgeoisie of the late 16th century. We stroll through the picturesque district of "Petite France", Little France. Timber-framed houses crowd together along the slowly flowing Ill. The geraniums on the wooden balconies glow red. We learn that fishermen, tanners and millers once worked and lived here directly on the water. Today, rustic wine taverns and souvenir stores hide behind the historic facades. But you can also taste and, of course, buy Mediterranean specialties and homemade delicacies. Before dining in a traditional restaurant, we

Day 2: Franco-German connection

Our bikes ready, not far from the mighty gates of the old town, we leave Strasbourg behind and pedal through the beautiful landscapes of southern Alsace along the Rhine-Rhone Canal. The "Canal du Monsieur" was completed in 1834. This proud waterway stretches 236 km from St. Symphorien sur Saône via Mulhouse to Strasbourg. The lush pastures are leaning. Songbirds accompany us with their songs. Fish can even be spotted in the clear water. In summer, the lush foliage of the century-old plane trees on the canal banks protects us from the sun. At midday, a delicious picnic buffet awaits us on a pretty square. We continue along the Ill to our hotel in the middle of nowhere. (F, P, A) approx. 52 km by bike, approx. 5 hours

Day 3: Issenheim Altarpiece and Little Venice

The day begins with an invigorating breakfast. In the morning, we drive through the villages of the Ried to Colmar. Enjoy the typical half-timbered houses with their beautiful wood carvings. We're drawn to the famous Issenheim Altar in the Musée Unterlinden. The former monastery building houses an important collection of sculptures and paintings from the late Middle Ages - including Matthias Grünwald's late Gothic masterpiece with painted wings framing a sculpted plastic shrine-altar. We continue to Eguisheim. (F, A) approx. 45 km by bike, approx. 4 hours

Day 4: Vineyards and Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg

Our route is undulating. Behind gentle slopes, we cross valleys with the fresh green of vine leaves that seem to have grown with nature. Church bells ring out. Along secret vineyard paths, we approach the hamlet of Riquewihr, with its beautiful medieval gate tower. A short transfer takes us to Haut-Koenigsbourg. Situated on a mountain cone, it symbolizes the medieval castle of the knights. But the castle as we see it today was extensively restored at the request of Kaiser Wilhelm II in the early 20th century. Enjoy the view across the Rhine plain to the Black Forest, before descending through the lush Vosges forest. The route continues through some of Alsace's most famous vineyards. In the old wine village of St. Hippolyte, we end the evening with a hearty wine tasting at a local winemaker's. (F, A) approx. 43 km by bike, approx. 4 hours

Day 5: Treasures of the Humanist Library

We learn that the former fishing village was transformed into a center of humanism during the Renaissance, and welcomed over 1,000 students from all over Europe during this period. Why did this happen? Let's go to the attic. Here you'll find : The Humanist Library. Its well-guarded treasures include manuscripts from the 7th and 12th centuries. Among them, the oldest preserved manuscript in Alsace. We cycle through vineyards and cosy villages with beautiful half-timbered houses to Obernai. Here, in the birthplace of St. Odile, we'll discover everything we need to know about Alsace. Let's take a look around: the pretty market square is surrounded by half-timbered houses from the Renaissance period. The Sainte-Odile fountain undulates in front of the town hall with its late Gothic features. The former imperial city was protected by a powerful city wall, thirty towers of which are still preserved. A hospitable place. (F, A) approx. 49 km by bike, approx. 3 hours

Day 6: Roman to Rosheim

We shouldn't pass Rosheim carelessly, but enter through the town gate. With the church of St. Peter and Paul, a jewel of Romanesque architecture awaits us, in which Rhenish and Lombard influences complement each other perfectly. Our route to Strasbourg takes us along an old railroad line. In Strasbourg's old town, we enjoy our final dinner. (F, A) approx. 42 km by bike, approx. 3 hours

Day 7: Au Revoir Alsace!

As our journey draws to a close, we say goodbye at Strasbourg station. You begin your return train journey with many new impressions. (F) Schedule, hotel and program changes are expressly reserved. (B=breakfast, P=picnic, D=dinner)