Elbe Cycle Route - Dresden Elbland Section - Right Bank of the Elbe

Along the way, there are countless sights worth visiting. So be sure to set aside plenty of time to tackle this nearly 130-kilometer section of the 1,270-kilometer-long Elbe Cycle Route.

Pirna is the starting point of this route. The city is best known for its picturesque old town around the market square, featuring City Hall, St. Mary’s Church, and the Canaletto House (now the Tourist Information Center). Here, you hop on your bike and ride downstream along the Elbe toward the northwest. On the very well-maintained bike path, you’ll ride leisurely through the charming Elbe landscape all the way to the state capital, Dresden. Here, you’ll first encounter Pillnitz Palace and Park with its surrounding vineyards; then, in the Loschwitz district, you’ll cross the famous Blue Wonder Bridge and continue along the river, past the Elbe palaces, into downtown Dresden. On the opposite bank of the Elbe, the Baroque Old Town captivates visitors with the Frauenkirche, the Semper Opera House, and the Zwinger. On the right bank of the Elbe, Dresden’s Neustadt offers a striking contrast with its creative arts, culture, and a vibrant neighborhood full of clubs and pubs.

The route continues through the beautiful wine-growing region to Radebeul. Here, for example, you can visit the Hoflößnitz Winery with the Saxon Wine-Growing Museum, the historic village green of Altkötzschenbroda, or the Schloss Wackerbarth Wine Experience. In Radebeul, you’ll also find an ADAC bike service station along the Elbe Cycle Route, where you can use the provided tools to make minor repairs to your bike yourself or pump up your tires. The next town you’ll pass through is Coswig. Here, right on the Elbe Cycle Route, lies Kötitz Swimming Lake, where you can take a dip in the cool water during the summer. In the Coswig district of Sörnewitz, the Schuh Winery welcomes its guests. At this family-run business, winemaking craftsmanship and hospitality come together perfectly. Here, it’s all about discovering, experiencing, and enjoying. As you continue your ride along the Elbe, the view opens up to Saxony’s smallest mountain range, the Spaargebirge, with the Boselspitze peak. It’s worth taking a detour: you can stop for a break at the beer garden at the top, visit the biodiverse botanical garden of TU Dresden, and enjoy a wonderful view of the Elbe Valley. Once you’ve passed Coswig, you’ll enter the beautiful city of Meissen. Here, you can visit the Johanniskirche, a church accessible via bike paths. If you take a detour to the left bank of the Elbe, many sights await you, such as Meissen’s Old Town with its quaint alleys, the famous Albrechtsburg Meissen, Meissen Cathedral, or the HAUS MEISSEN interactive museum.

Even after that, you’ll continue to experience the beauty of the charming wine-growing and river landscape as you pass through the next town, Diesbar-Seußlitz. Here, Seußlitz Castle and Park, along with several cozy wineries, await your visit. If you take a short detour into the vineyards, you can enjoy the sweeping view across the Elbe Valley from the“Most Beautiful Wine View 2020.” There’s also an ADAC bike service station in Diesbar-Seußlitz that you can use if needed.

As you continue your ride toward northern Saxony, you’ll pass through the large steel city of Riesa, while the Elbe River continues to widen. You’ll cross the river’s floodplains time and again—a natural experience teeming with flora and fauna; you can even spot white-tailed eagles here. The next ADAC bike service station is located in Lorenzkirch, a district of Zeithain.

Before reaching Torgau, the route takes you through more natural scenery slightly away from the river’s course, passing through several towns such as Graditz, home to the Graditz State Stud —a destination worth visiting not just for horse lovers.

A few kilometers later, you reach your destination , Torgau. The town’s 1,000-year history is evident in every corner of the historic old town. From the Renaissance market square, it’s just a few minutes’ walk to Germany’s most significant surviving early Renaissance castle— Hartenfels Castle. From the Hausmann Tower, for example, you can enjoy a beautiful view over the rooftops of the old town and the Elbe meadows. Torgau thus provides a fitting conclusion to the Dresden Elbland stage of the Elbe Cycle Route.

Following the route along the left bank of the Elbe for this section will take you back to Pirna: Elbe Cycle Route – Dresden Elbland Section (Pirna – Torgau)

You can find all the latest information on detours along the bike path on the official Elbe Cycle Route website:

https://www.elberadweg.de/news-service/aktuelle-informationen-und-news/