When a person is dreaming of places to tackle bucket list adventures, I’m sure Germany tends pop up as an option. That’s because the country is packed with ton of fun and unique experiences. For most people, I am sure items like racing down the Autobahn, taking a river boat cruise down the Rhine River in Cologne, or dancing the Polka at Oktoberfest come to mind. But recently, we discovered a great activity you should add to your bucket list: to Bike Tour Germany.

Wait, you’re not 5, why on earth would you want to spend your day cycling in Germany? I mean aren’t you on Holiday?

Look, we get it! Exploring Germany by bike might sound hard but trust us riding German touring bikes are as easy as, well, riding a bike!

Cycling in Germany is Very Convenient

Travelling around Germany isn’t necessarily hard with countless trains, underground rails, and bus routes. Yet, when you bike tour Germany, you no longer worry about crowds or timetables. Not to mention, often when you arrive by public transportation, you still have to walk to your desired destination.

Of course, you could always rent a car in Germany. However, you still face the challenge of traffic and finding parking. When cycling in Germany, you can easily just ride up to your desired destination and not have to worry about spending hours looking for a spot to park.

When You Bike Tour Germany You Discover More

With over 45,000 miles of bike paths throughout the country, it is definitely easy to take a cycling holiday in Germany. Whether it’s something in the main tourist section of a city or a palace on the outskirts of town, using a German touring bike can get you there. Like in Berlin, a lot of the hot spots are near the Brandenburg Gate in former East Berlin. But the famous Charlottenburg Palace is on the other side of town in the former West Berlin. According to Google Maps, from the Brandenburg Gate, you would need to hop on the S Bahn or a bus, then transfer to the underground or another bus, and then walk 5 to 10 minutes totaling about 40 minutes. A forty-minute trip may dissuade you from visiting this beautiful palace. But with a bike, it is an easy 20-minute ride over there from Brandenburg gate.

Also, while riding a bike in Germany, you get to find the hidden gems like a unique historical site or local hot spot. For example, in Munich, riding bikes allowed us to discover a unique World War II historical site often missed by visitors, behind the Feldherrnhalle known as Shirker’s Alley (Drückebergergasse).

You Save Money When You Explore Germany By Bike

While travelling, getting around can be a rather expensive add on to any adventure. With a car rentals, gas, and paid parking, it can often total as much as the plane ticket to get there. If you decide to skip the car rental, then you are forced to use public transportation which is great in Germany but can nickel and dime you every time you use it.

However, when you bike tour Germany, cost becomes less of a factor. Generally, with bike sharing services like Donkey Republic, you can easily find a bike for about €10 ($12 USD) for the full day. That is, it!

Germany Touring Bikes Are Good For Your Body

It is hard to escape all of the sausages, schnitzels, pretzels, sauerkraut, and strudels in Germany. Then to top it off, there is a ton of great beer everywhere. This is why Germany is considered a food and beer heaven. However, all of that good food and beer can lead to some unforgiving vacation weight gain.

This is where exploring Germany by bike, may help. No sane person would deny a good beer and brat combo. So, riding one of those German touring bikes may help burn off some of those extra yummy calories you will be consuming. For example, according to myFitnessPal, a pint of pilsner is about 150-250 calories, and a typical bratwurst can be around 300 calories. Since most people burn about 500-600 calories an hour riding a bike like the ones offered by Donkey Republic, you just earned your lunch cruising around town.

Cycling Holidays in Germany May Relieve Stress

Vacations are supposed to offer you a much-needed break from life at work and home. But TSA lines at the airport, crowds of people bumping into you at Check Point Charlie, or dealing with jet lag can sometimes be very stressful. However, stress relief can happen in several ways when you bike tour Germany.

First, after an hour of any endurance exercise like riding a bike, hormones like serotonin and endorphins get released. This can give you a feeling of happiness while reducing anxiety and stress.

Second, riding a bike can help you get to sleep better at night and fight jet lag. Cycling holidays get you outdoors which exposes you to sunlight. This is great because that sunlight can help in resetting your circadian rhythms. With big, beautiful parks like the Englischer Garten in Munich or the Tiergarten in Berlin, you can set yourself up for a good night sleep as you soak up the vitamin D.

You Can Bike Tour Germany Easily With Donkey Republic

It is extremely easy to rent a touring bike in many cities in Germany with Donkey Republic. Just Follow the instructions below and start exploring:

1. Visit www.donkey.bike and download the Donkey Republic app on iOS or Android.
2. Once the app is downloaded, open it and search for bikes in your city. If you are planning ahead, see where what cities in Germany or anywhere in the world Donkey Republic has bikes by visiting www.donkey.bike/cities
3. Then locate the bikes you want to rent. When you get there, choose the number of bikes you need and click “Rent Now”.
4. It will next give you Drop-off options. Then choose one of two options. Option 1 is where you return the bike to the original pick-up location. With Option 2, you can choose to return it to any other return location. This is great if you are just using your bike to get to a far-off location but don’t want to have to ride it back to your origination spot.
5. It then takes you to the payment page, where, if you want, you can purchase theft insurance for the day.
6. The payment page will also give you an option to add a Coupon Code. Don’t forget to enter BUCKETLIST to save an additional 15% off your rental!
7. From there it will tell you the Bike Number that is yours for the day. You can see number on the bike by looking at the cell phone holder on the handlebars.
8. Then make sure you turn on your phone’s Bluetooth. Then tap “Unlock” on your phone and the app will open the bike’s electronic lock. What is really cool is that you can lock or unlock your electronic bike lock whenever you want. So, if you are riding by the Chinesischer Turm beer garden in Munich’s Englischer Garten, you can easily lock up your bike and stop for a Beer and Brats. 
9. Explore Germany by bike and have an unbelievable day seeing the sites.
10. When you are done, return the bike, lock the electronic bike lock, and click end your rental.

Now “Get on your bikes and ride!“

Freddy Mercury’s command at the end of Queen’s famous song, ‘Bicycle Race’, always seemed pretty easy to follow. I mean, as a kid, who doesn’t want to ride their bike? So, it only makes sense that even as adults, cycling holidays in Germany sound bucket list worthy. But have you ever wanted to bike tour Germany before? Have you ever tried cycling in Germany on a bike from Donkey Republic? Which of the reasons why you should explore Germany by bike is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!

Don’t forget to Pin “Why You Should Bike Tour Germany” to your Bucket List Board!

Disclosure: The Bucket List Project partnered with the bike-sharing company Donkey Republic in Germany. With that said, all opinions in “Why You Should Bike Tour Germany” are our own. This post may contain affiliate links. Using the links doesn’t cost you any extra, and it helps keep the site free, fun, and community supported! Eric & Darcee will never recommend a product that we don’t genuinely believe in, actually use ourselves, have researched, and trust. Please see the disclosure policy for more information.