The itinerary
at a glance
For your 7-day round trip in th Cologne area
Arrive in Cologne as early as possible, as there is a lot to discover and experience, including Cologne Cathedral and the historic city centre, which is well worth seeing. Round off the first evening of your cycle tour in one of the many restaurants.
You start your journey with a cycle tour through the inner green belt in Cologne, past the Aachener Weiher and the Lindenthal canals, to the outer green belt. Enjoy the varied urban landscape of the cathedral city from a green perspective! Cycle past the Cologne Forest Laboratory and through the vast farmlands of the Rhineland Nature Park. You will pass the Marienfeld, a local recreational landscape created from the recultivated open-cast lignite mine between Frechen and Kerpen. Pope Benedict XVI celebrated the closing mass at the 2005 Catholic World Youth Day on the Pope's Hill in Marienfeld. The Erft, a tributary of the Rhine, with its unique meadow landscape in the immediate vicinity of Loersfeld Castle near Kerpen, is quickly reached. The Michael Schumacher Kart & Event Center is a household name, especially for motorsport fans. A short drive takes you to Bergheim.
Today's cycle route always follows the Erft. You cycle first to Pfaffendorf Castle with its brasserie and beer garden and then past the decommissioned Frimmersdorf power station into the Grevenbroich recreational area. Your journey continues to Dyck Castle. With the Museum Insel Hombroich and the Clemens Sels Museum, culture is the order of the day on this stage. The extremely scenic route along the Erft offers a 7 km branch via Langwaden Abbey and Hülchrath Castle. You soon reach Neuss, where the Erft flows into the Rhine. You first follow the Rhine Cycle Path on the left bank of the Rhine before crossing the Rhine to Düsseldorf's Rhine embankment promenade and old town. In the evening, enjoy a Düsseldorf Altbier and the fantastic view of the Rhine.
Today's cycling day is also all about the Rhine! You follow the Rhine Cycle Route and cycle to the old German capital Bonn in the morning. Bonn epitomises German politics and democracy like no other place. Authentic sites of German politics, such as the Palais Schaumburg, the Chancellor's Bungalow or the former Bundesrat Hall, can still be visited and illustrate the historical and political context of events from the post-war period to reunification in 1990. But Bonn is not only the former federal capital! Its reputation as a city of the arts extends far and wide. As a city of Beethoven, Bonn commemorates its world-famous son with the Beethoven Festival, a series of concerts that spread the splendour of great classical music every September and October. Bonn is also home to two of Germany's most important museums, the Kunstmuseum Bonn and the Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Take a boat trip from Bonn to Cologne in the afternoon (incl.) and enjoy the beauty of the Rhine from the water!
Look forward to today's cycle excursion along the ‘Erlebnisroute Süd’ to Brühl. Here you will be greeted by Augustusburg Palace and Falkenlust Palace, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the palace park is one of the most important examples of French garden art in Europe. A visit to the Max Ernst Museum is highly recommended for anyone interested in art. It provides a comprehensive overview of the work of the Dadaist and Surrealist Max Ernst. A trip to Phantasialand, which boasts the best rollercoaster and water ride in Europe, is ideal for families! The return journey from Brühl to Cologne is possible by bike or train (without changing trains), so you can plan enough time to explore Brühl.
Unfortunately, your lovely cycling holiday comes to an end after breakfast. We will be happy to book an extension for you so that you have enough time to visit the sights of Cologne and the city.
Level
Beginners and dabblers
You feel right at home on flat terrain. You have nothing against a few little breaks, and sightseeing is a priority for you. These trips are also suitable for cyclists who are not super fit. In short, these tours are for all those who prefer relaxed cycling and easy enjoyment for body, mind and soul.
Route-finding & navigation
You will navigate by yourself using maps and/or GPS data.
Services & Info
Trip details
- 6 x overnight stays in middle class hotels
- 6 x hearty breakfast buffet
- Luggage transport from hotel to hotel
- Boat trip Bonn - Cologne (day 5)
- Carefully designed routes
- Detailed cycling map with route information in English
- PEDALO app and/or GPS data
- Detailed info package per room in English
- 7-day service hotline in English
If you choose not to receive a printed copy of the detailed itinerary, you will receive a discount of € 20,- per room. In this case, we will email you the digital version of the itinerary and hotel list in advance.
In section 4 of the booking form, you can choose between the printed itinerary and the digital bonus.
Local/resort tax: according to tariff
If applicable, these are to be paid directly to the hotel and are not included in the holiday price.
Prices & Dates
at a glance
Arrival: Every Sunday from 13.04. to 12.10.2025
Frequently asked
questions
Your travel documents usually include general travel information, a hotel list, a road book and/or detailed maps as well as a textual description of the route; you will also get luggage tags and possibly also vouchers and/or information material on the various sightseeing attractions. The exact contents of the information package depend on the booked trip and its included services.
The documents will be sent to you approx. two to three weeks before the start of your tour. Depending on the trip, you may receive them partly in digital form and partly by post – or you will receive the hotel list and general travel information in advance by e-mail, and the remaining documents along with the maps on site at your starting hotel.
Please note that the travel documents are issued exclusively for PEDALO guests and are therefore not available without a booking.
The transport of your luggage from hotel to hotel is included as part of the basic service package for all staged tours and round trips in the PEDALO programme. You simply leave your luggage out for our courier in the morning before you set off on your cycling stage. When you arrive at your next accommodation in the late afternoon or early evening, it will be there waiting for you.
Just in case, we recommend always packing a change of clothes in your saddle bag, especially for short stages which you may cover more quickly than the luggage driver.
Depending on how the logistics are organised on site, there may be restrictions on the maximum weight and/or number of pieces of luggage. You will receive more detailed information on this with the travel documents well before the start of your trip.
Travel insurance is not included in our prices. You can decide whether to get a quote elsewhere or simply book your travel insurance online at pedalo.com/en/service/travel-insurance. In any case, we recommend that you take out travel cancellation insurance!
Please note that for last-minute bookings (less than 30 days before the start of the trip), insurance cover can only be taken out within 3 days of booking.