The beautiful game by bike: German Football Route in North Rhine-Westphalia

Football and cycling – not usually two things that go together. Unless, that is, you are in North Rhine-Westphalia following the German Football Route, a premium cycle tour awarded four stars by the German Cyclists' Federation.

This 800km cycling tour right across North Rhine-Westphalia, from the edge of the Eifel to the Teutoburg Forest along the German Football Route will give you a real rush. It not only takes you to many of the region's attractions, but also to places where footballing history has been written. You'll also discover lots of fascinating facts about the beautiful game. The tour kicks off in Aachen. From here to Bielefeld there are 90 footballing highlights to experience based around idols of the game, famous locations and tourist attractions. An absolute must for any football fan. Terrain: the German Football Route is mainly on asphalt paths with hardly any notable climbs. There are some hilly sections in the Bergisches Land region. Traffic volumes are low. Scenery: various regions such as the Rhineland, Lower Rhine, Bergisches Land, Ruhr, Münsterland and Teutoburg Forest, with a broad range of features including wooded hills and peaks, plains with pastures, river meadows and industrial landscapes.

• Length: 800 kilometres
• Starts: Aachen
• Ends: Bielefeld
• Route info: mainly flat terrain, hilly in parts, easily managed with children