Cycle paths that make your heart beat faster

Just past the German border with the Czech Republic, the river flows into the sandstone outcrops in the Saxon Switzerland National Park in Germany. From there, the route proceeds straight to the Elbe Valley, offering up a spectacular view of the dramatic rock formations. Other highlights soon found along the way include the Semper Opera House and Church of Our Lady in Dresden. Heading in a northerly direction, cyclists pass through fascinating towns such as Torgau, Wittenberg and Dessau. Fans of marvellous feats of technology will feel an urge to stop at the canal bridge near Magdeburg. And the sights of Hamburg alone would make this lengthy journey worthwhile. Ocean liners await a friendly wave at the Elbe North Sea estuary near Cuxhaven.

The Weser Upland hills are lined with historical towns, castles and palaces as far as the eye can see. In Hamelin, the Pied Piper's House is well worth a visit, whilst the Town Hall with Statue of Roland UNESCO World Heritage Site and the historical Old Town are not to be missed in Bremen. The North German Plain consists of a vast expanse of land dotted with moors, villages, farms and windmills. On the way to the coast, cyclists pedal their way through the open green spaces of the Wesermarsch district until they reach the coastal port of Bremerhaven, which is famous for the German Maritime Museum and the German Emigration Centre. The beach and sea at Cuxhaven are the final highlights of the route.

Alongside the Kieler Förde, the route heads towards the island of Fehmarn to start with. The seaside resorts in the Bay of Lübeck have been restored to their former glory and visitors can watch the ferries head out to sea from Travemünde. The centres of the Hanseatic towns of Wismar and Stralsund are UNESCO World Heritage Sites that are simply not to be missed. There is plenty of chance for rest and relaxation in the glamorous seaside resort of Heiligendamm, which is famed for its white building fronts. After the Fischland-Darss-Zingst peninsula, the route carries on to Rügen, Germany's largest island, which is renowned around the world for its chalk cliffs. The last few kilometres are on the mainland, heading towards the island of Usedom and its elegant imperial baths. There is the option to keep on pedalling alongside the Baltic Sea in Copenhagen and Gdańsk. After all, the Baltic Coast Cycle Route runs parallel to the EuroVelo Route 10, which is set to be extended all the way to St. Petersburg.

The River Main starts in two places and so does this tour. Cyclists can either pick up the route in Creußen, at the source of the Red Main (Franconian Switzerland region) or in Bischofsgrün (Fichtelgebirge Mountains).There's no wrong decision as both are as wonderful as each other. Once in the village Mainleus (Franconian Forest), the river Main is rejunited. Passing through the Upper Main Jura region, referred to as "God's Garden" in the Song of Franconia, the path leads to Bamberg Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Meandering through the Steigerwald region and the Hassberge Mountains, the river makes its way to Schweinfurt, into Franconian Wine Country, the Charming Tauber Valley and the Spessart Mainland. Having passed through Frankfurt, the tour ends in Mainz, where the Main flows into the Rhine.

Just like every river, the Danube starts off small. It rises up in the gardens of Fürstenberg Palace in Donaueschingen, before completely disappearing in the Danube Sinkhole for 150 days of the year. But the river soon re-emerges before reaching Ulm, home to the world's tallest church tower, Donauwörth, the location of one of the most stunning streets in the south of Germany, and the spectacular landscape at the Danube Gorge. Many caves, awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status, are just waiting to be explored on the secondary route through the Urdonau Valley. And there are almost a thousand monuments to visit in Regensburg's Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The German Danube Cycle Route, which is part of the EuroVelo 6 European long-distance cycle route, ends in Passau. The Danube is known as the "source of Europe" for very good reason!

The German Moselle Cycle Route, which is part of the international Velo Tour Moselle, takes cyclists on a journey through richly varied scenery on largely level terrain. On the way, Trier is home to impressive Roman architecture. At Schweich, the Moselle starts breaking through the Rhenish Massif and winding through the valley that gets narrower and narrower. There is no end of spectacular cultural heritage just waiting to be discovered here, including the Neumagen Wine Ship and the Middle Moselle Roman wine presses. Other impressive attractions include Bernkastel-Kues and castles tucked away in romantic side valleys along the Moselle. The route comes to an end at the Deutsches Eck in Koblenz, where the Moselle flows into the Rhine. This route is often assigned superior status thanks to its unique charm and sublime scenery along the Moselle.

With panoramic Alpine views from start to finish, picturesque lakes, villages and towns, and the fairytale castles of King Ludwig II, the Lake Constance-Königssee Cycle Path is not to be missed. But these temptations need to be earned by tackling the many climbs that this route has to offer. The route starts in Lindau and makes a detour to Sonthofen shortly after Immenstadt, before getting cyclists back on the original track near Rettenberg.

Passing through the rolling hills of the Allgäu, the route leads nicely past the Bad Tölz Brewery, Lake Tegernsee and Lake Schliersee. Cyclists are also sure to be tempted to stop off at Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein Castles before they ultimately end up at the beautiful spots of Berchtesgaden and Lake Königssee, where the route finishes.

This cycle route around Lake Constance is one of the most popular bike trails in Europe and it doesn't take long to realise why. Cyclists can pedal at a leisurely pace through the stunning countryside setting, revel in the friendly hospitality in all three countries and enjoy the sheer amount of variety on offer along the way. Starting off in Constance, the German leg of the route alone passes well-known towns and magnificent attractions, including the flower-filled island of Mainau, the Monastic Island of Reichenau (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Meersburg Castle and Lindau. From there, it's on to Bregenz, Rorschach and Stein am Rhein with its delightful Old Town, before the route heads back to Constance.

Connoisseurs and families are on the right track on this long-distance cycle path along the leisurely river. The tour begins with the famous medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Afterwards it takes cyclists along the river Altmühl through the lush meadows of the Franconian Lake District. Franconian home cooking along the way and bathing fun at the Altmühltalsee or the UNESCO-World Heritage Limes are not missed out. In the further course the river digs into the limestone of the Juraalb. Besides the rugged rock formations, the baroque bishop's town of Eichstätt can be admired. Historic castles such as the Prunn Castle rise up along the way. The long-distance cycle path ends at the imposing Weltenburg Monastery at the Danube breakthrough near Kehlheim. A further trip on the Danube cycle path is possible.

The importance of the Rhine is constantly documented along its riverbanks in the form of major buildings such as castles, fortresses, monuments and churches as well as historical towns and cities. Many of these attractions have been granted UNESCO World Heritage status. The Rhine is also an important commercial transport route in Europe, with dozens of ports handling the busy shipping traffic. There is plenty of nature to marvel at along the way, including the picturesque Middle Rhine Valley, which is home to the Lorelei, a famous landmark. And the regional culinary specialities are a treat for the taste buds. Wine connoisseurs can look forward to a drop of wine from the vineyards on either side of the Rhine, whilst culture vultures will find lots to keep them entertained too.