CYCLING THROUGH THE WORLD HERITAGE REGION OF ANHALT-DESSAU-WITTENBERG
A dense network of international and regional cycling and hiking trails connect the tourist highlights of the region, such as the four sites recognized by the UNESCO Commission: Luther monuments in Wittenberg; Bauhaus, master houses and arcade houses in Dessau-Roßlau; the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Kingdom and the Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve as part of the transnational Elbe River Landscape Biosphere Reserve.
The World Heritage-listed region also has much to offer sports enthusiasts who love cool water. The rivers Elbe, Saale and Mulde and the idyllic lakes such as the Goitzsche, Muldestausee, Gremminer See, Gröberner See, Bergwitzsee and Edderitzer See, with their various water sports facilities such as a modern wake park and other water attractions, invite plenty of action and relaxing hours even beyond cycling.
The area therefore invites you to explore by bicycle. The terrain lends itself to the use of either racing, gravel, electric or mountain bikes. Escape the daily grind and explore the Anhalt-Dessau-Wittenberg region your own way!
Our tip for your vacation budget: With the World Heritage Card you pay only once and get free admission to more than 130 art, culture, nature and leisure activities in one go. You can buy this card both for 24-hour, as a 3-day or as a family card including a travel guide. We chose the electric bicycle in this region. This way we can combine all possible sights while cycling without being covered in sweat every time we stop for a new culture shot. Here we share two of our tours that we enjoyed immensely.
Tour 1 – Gartenreich Tour “Prince Franz” // discover paradise gardens
An eventful tour takes cyclists through Prince Leopold II’s Dessau-Wörlitz garden empire. Friedrich Franz von Anhalt, a grandson of the “Old Dessauer”.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site with its romantic palaces, parks, avenues and small-scale architecture, is embedded in a beautiful landscape along the rivers Elbe and Mulde. At the beginning of the route in Großkühnau (Dessau), the Kühnauer Park is a scenic gem. The route leads past the Weinbergschlösschen to the palace and park Georgium. The palace houses the Anhalt Picture Gallery with a collection of old German and Dutch paintings. The route continues through Sieglitz Park, the Elbe Meadows and Vockerode to the parks of Wörlitz. Via Oranienbaum with its Baroque town, palace and park ensemble, the route leads to the beaver castle and the “Auenhaus” information center of the UNESCO Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve to Mildensee and via Mosigkau Park back to the starting point.
www.naturfreude-erleben.de/de/tour/radfahren/gartenreich-tour-fuerst-franz/800811644/
Tour 2 – Mulderadweg // on old castle hunt
Old town centers, historic castles and palaces, museums and impressive buildings line this route.
At the beginning, cyclists can decide whether to start on the slightly longer Zwickauer Mulde or the Freiberger Mulde. At Sermuth, both branches of the river flow together to form the United Mulde. At the spa town of Bad Düben, the course of the river reaches Saxony-Anhalt and the Mulde reservoir. The bike trail leads from Löbnitz through the Pouch peninsula to the Goitzsche, a flooded opencast mine near Bitterfeld-Wolfen. A detour to Ferropolis on the coal-steam-light route via the bypass around the Mulde reservoir is worthwhile. The Mulde bike trail takes you to Mühlbeck-Friedersdorf, Germany’s first book village, and on to Altjeßnitz with its maze, estate and castle park. Along the river meadows, the route reaches Dessau-Roßlau.
Tip: Discovery tour – Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve
The Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve extends 303 kilometers from the Elbe through Saxony-Anhalt and is part of the transnational Biosphere Reserve of the Elbe River Landscape – UNESCO World Heritage Site. The variety of different habitats in the floodplain is impressive and the basis for great species diversity. Countless plants and animals live here, including many endangered species. The beaver, for example, which was almost extinct here decades ago, has returned to the river landscape.
www.naturfreude-erleben.de/de/tour/fernradweg/auf-dem-mulderadweg-von-dessau-nach-bad-dueben/2810894/
Learn more at: www.welterbecard.de
WelterbeRegion Anhalt-Dessau-Wittenberg e.V.
Neustraße 13 – 06886 Lutherstadt Wittenberg
Telefon 03491-402610
info@anhalt-dessau-wittenberg.de
www.anhalt-dessau-wittenberg.de
