Six bike laps that will really get you going

Rhenish cycling paradise 

It's in the nature of things - the Rhine is a wonderful place to cycle. In Düsseldorf, the resourceful city planners have even made this possible on both sides of the river, so that, including the bridges, there are countless opportunities for short and longer tours within the city. We will tell you below what you can discover and which tour is suitable for which fitness level. And that's not all: for those who really want to step on the gas and pedal even in the worst weather, we can recommend a very special indoor cycling course. So get on the saddle and get pedaling! 

To Benrath Castle 

The starting point for this tour is the south of Düsseldorf, more precisely the Zeitfeld at the Volksgarten. The beauty of this route is that it is very varied, connecting some of Düsseldorf's more rural districts with one of the city's architectural highlights, Benrath Palace. Many sections are car-free and lead through the countryside, which also makes the tour child-friendly. However, a bit of fitness is required to cover the approximately 25 kilometers. So plan enough time. First, the Volksgarten is crossed lengthwise, with a bridge at its southern end leading over the A46. Then follow the signs towards Himmelgeist, pass the Botanical Gardens and cycle along the embankment of a canal for a while before turning off towards Himmelgeist. You now cycle through Himmelgeist on roads with little traffic. At Mickeln Castle, turn left onto Am Steinebrück and continue on Am Trippelsberg past idyllic paddocks and a small chapel. From here, follow the signs towards Benrath. It becomes urban for a few minutes at the large Bonner Straße, but a dead straight cycle path runs alongside the four-lane road. As soon as the Rhine comes into view, turn right and follow the course of the river until the Schlosspark comes into view on the left. Now immerse yourself in it, cycling along the dead-straight and symmetrical paths straight to Düsseldorf's "Versailles". A picnic in the park? A cake in the palace café? A visit to the kitchen garden or the garden museum? Or would you prefer to swap your pedals for felt slippers and indulge in a bit of Baroque romance on a guided tour of the palace before returning to the city center? Anything you like. You already know the route back.   

To Kaiserswerth 

The starting point for this tour is the Varieté Apollo under the Rheinkniebrücke bridge. The advantage of this tour is that you don't need a map, as it runs along the Rhine for around twelve kilometers. So you can't get lost, so to speak. The riverside promenade designed by Niklaus Fritschi and Benedikt Stahl takes you steadily north along the right bank of the Rhine. You pass the old town, Burgplatz square with the castle tower, the only remnant of Jan Wellem's city castle, and then follow Father Rhine downstream. The Rhine meadows begin behind the Rhine terraces. Here, a shady, gravel path leads you to the Theodor Heuss Bridge, under which you will once again have asphalt under your wheels and share the path with inline skaters and joggers. Behind the trade fair and the stadium, which you leave on your right, you reach the embankment, where a paved, car-free path leads into the countryside. Although it feels like you are always cycling straight ahead, you are following the large curves of the river, which is easy to see from the position of the sun or the position of the Rhine Tower behind you, which sometimes seems to be to the left and sometimes to the right of the river. Up here in the north of the city, there are Rhine meadows as far as the eye can see, interrupted only by the striking pylons and tensioning cables of the airport bridge. After crossing under the bridge, your destination is already in sight: Kaiserswerth, the village-like district with the picturesque ruins of the imperial palace from the 12th century. In summer, you should definitely make a stop in the beer garden of the neighboring "Burghof". Not only do you have a great view of the Rhine from here, you can also see the small ferry that will help you cross it as you head back on the left bank of the Rhine. The river is also always in sight on the way back. After around 50 minutes, you will reach the Rheinkniebrücke bridge and can enjoy a sundowner at the KIT Café next to the Apollo after crossing it.     

The city bridge tour 

You don't always have half a day or a whole day at your disposal if you fancy a bike tour. So here is a short city tour that is just right after a long day at work and still includes a few highlights. You start on the left bank of the Rhine at the junction of Düsseldorfer Straße and Kaiser-Wilhelm-Ring and follow the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Ring northwards. On the left, you will pass a row of villas in spectacular prime locations with exclusive views of the Rhine and the old town. You pass under the Oberkassler Brücke bridge. Where the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Ring merges into the Kaiser-Friedrich-Ring, a small paved path branches off to the right. It leads you onto a beautiful cycle path on the Rhine dyke, which runs parallel to a separate pedestrian path. The Rhine meadows here are not only a popular pasture for sheep, but also a feast for the eyes. The expansive green of the meadows against the glistening blue of the river has a calming effect on the senses. You cross under the Theodor Heuss Bridge and then come to the Lörick outdoor pool. Turn left here and follow a higher dyke path that takes you back to the Theodor Heuss Bridge. Cross the river once, then down the spiral bike ramp and continue right along Cecilienallee, where a shady gravel path along the Rhine Park takes you past the neo-baroque Higher Regional Court on the left and the Rheinterrassen on the right. The Fortuna-Büdchen, a cult meeting place for locals, is a great place for a little refreshment at sunset before you return to the Rheinkniebrücke on the Rhine promenade, past the Tonhalle and the old town.   

Hamm and harbor tour 

This tour shows you both the urban and the rural side of the city. You start in Düsseldorf's MedienHafen, more precisely at the "Neuer Zollhof" by star architect Frank O. Gehry, a building ensemble that has been one of the landmarks of the Rhine metropolis since its construction in 1999. From here, head towards the Rhine Tower, in whose shadow a pedestrian bridge spans the harbor. This small bridge is one of the best vantage points in the city, as you can see the harbor, the Rhine and the Old Town from here. (When the famous fireworks are set off on the evening of Düsseldorf's Japan Day, it is the place to be). Behind this bridge begins the Paradisstrand, which bears its name for a reason! Above the long beach, you now cycle relaxed along the dyke until you reach Hamm. Here it is worth taking a short detour into the town center to see the almost village-like life of this part of the town. Back on the Rhine, cycle on to the Südbrücke bridge, follow the Südring towards the city center for a while and then turn left onto Volmerswerther Straße and follow its course until it first becomes Martinstraße, then Neusser Straße and finally Lorettostraße a few meters behind the Bilk church. Here, countless cafés and restaurants are waiting to reward you for your sporting efforts. The Rhine Tower greets you again when you turn left into Fürstenwall at the northern end of Lorettostraße.        

Aaper Forest 

Now for the sporty types, for whom leisurely cycling along the Rhine only elicits a tired yawn. A few nice climbs await them in the Aaper Forest. The mountain range in the east is no comparison to the Alps. The highest points of Aaper and Grafenberger Wald are just 150 meters. But if you take the paths at the steepest points, you can get your pulse racing. The participants of the Tour de France, who completed part of the first stage here as part of the Grand Départ 2017, will confirm this. However: you are preferably on a mountain bike. The route starts and finishes at Staufenplatz. Head north on Ernst-Poensgen-Allee, from where you turn right onto the steep Fahneburgstraße, just like the Tour de France riders. At the bend in the road where it becomes Rennbahnstraße, head towards the golf course and then towards the glider airfield until you reach Neu-Dellerhof, which runs parallel to the A44. Congratulations! You have now reached the highest point of the tour. The route then descends rapidly down Knittkuhler Straße. Shortly before the Bergische Kaserne barracks, turn right onto Am Mergelsberg after Knittkuhl. The speed limit here is 30 km/h - also for cyclists. At the end of the village, you will come to the small road In der Flieth, which leads into a narrow forest path. This always leads along the edge of the forest and once around the Gallberg. If you follow the path over the next two crossroads and also over Forster Weg and turn right at the Benninghoven farm garden, you will end up at the racecourse. Via Rennbahnstraße and Fahneburgstraße, you then descend at lightning speed to Staufenplatz, where you can replenish your energy reserves at Eiscafé Luna.  

Becycle 

It's raining, it's storming. And you still feel like cycling? Then you've come to the right place at Becycle on Oststraße. The concept comes from the German capital; in Düsseldorf, the sister-in-law of the Berlin founder, Jennifer Goelitzer, runs the boutique sports studio, which specializes in indoor cycling. Excuse me? Cycling indoors sounds boring? Not at all! The cycling room, which forms the heart of the studio, is modeled on a club and that's exactly what it's like. At the front is a DJ booth and a sound system that packs a punch. Next to it is a trainer who will whip you up to peak performance. The 26 bikes available to you here are arranged in a semicircle on two levels, creating a special dynamic in the ride course. Once a month, DJs play live music and these events are of course particularly popular. Once you're completely exhausted from your fitness bike, the yoga classes on offer here will help you to stretch your muscles and calm your breathing. In short: the perfect match. By the way: all courses are held in English, as many of the expats are Becyclists. 

Cover picture: Düsseldorf Tourismus