In the triad of landscape, history and nature - a picturesque tour that offers beautiful nature experiences north and south of the Elbe and invites you to visit open churches along the way.
The circular tour begins in Zabeltitz, where you can visit the St. George's Church, which is well worth seeing. It opens its doors to visitors from April to October. This small village church is also home to the grave of Imperial Count August Christoph von Wackerbarth. In Zabeltitz, you should definitely visit the beautiful baroque garden with palace and old castle.
The route then continues to Röderaue, through a varied landscape of forests, open fields and meadows. In the Frauenhain district, the Evangelical Lutheran Church is well worth a visit. In Röderaue, an exhibition on the history of the GDR, the baking barn and the grain and sawmill are also worth a visit.
The journey continues through the natural landscape of Röderaue with its numerous lakes and ponds to the castle chapel in Tiefenau. Among other things, it houses an organ created by Gottfried Silbermann in 1728. In the neighboring rose garden with café, you can take a relaxing break on Sundays in the summer months.
The next stop is Zeithain, where you can visit the Saxon Fire Brigade Museum (by prior arrangement). The cycle tour takes you along low-traffic roads through other small villages to Kreinitz on the Elbe. This small village has historical significance, as it was here in April 1945 that soldiers from the Red Army and the US Army met for the first time during the Second World War.
The following village of Lorenzkirch was named one of the most beautiful villages in Saxony. In the village center you will find a public ADAC bicycle repair station with an air pump and all the necessary tools for small bicycle repairs. Here in Lorenzkirch we cross the Elbe for the first time on a ferry.
After the ferry ride, the town of Strehla awaits us on the left bank of the Elbe. Those interested can take a detour to the north and visit the Nixenstein with its 3-metre-high mermaid statue, which dates back to the town's many myths. Nearby, a culinary stop at the "Am Nixstein" inn with beer garden is worthwhile, the historic Strehla Castle with its adjoining castle park invites you to take a cultural break (only outdoor visit possible) and in summer you can refresh yourself in the nearby outdoor pool.
The tour continues towards the district town of Oschatz, where the St. Aegidien Church towers above the town center, visible from afar. It was dedicated to St. Aegidius, a patron saint of farmers, hunters and traders, and is well worth a visit. The free family park "O-Schatz-Park" is an ideal stopover for cyclists with children.
Another church highlight is somewhat hidden on the way to Riesa: the church in Canitz was reopened in 2022 after extensive renovation work and now presents itself with elements of the original sacred building, but also with exciting new ideas by architect Peter Zirkel.
The second major town on the tour is Riesa and offers a culinary stop for refreshments. The Nudelcenter Riesa provides an insight into the production of noodles in the "transparent production", there is a noodle museum and also the right restaurant for the local noodle. Of course, the town is also home to various churches. The monastery church of St. Marien, which originates from a 12th century monastery complex, is located directly on the route.
Further along the tour, you reach the town of Lommatzsch, where not only the town's famous son, Terence Hill, is honored with a museum (open Fri-Sun 2-6 pm), but also the St. Wenzel Church invites you to visit another church. From here, the route returns north towards the Elbe to take the second ferry trip of the day in Niederlommatzsch and cross over to Diesbar-Seußlitz. The town is known for the baroque Seußlitz Castle with its castle park and castle church, which was designed by the famous architect George Bähr. The wineries in the village are perfect for a short tasting stop.
The route back to Zabeltitz continues north along small roads and through villages, past the Goltzscha outdoor pool and the villages of Skassa with its manor house, Wildenhain with its Lutheran church and Walda with its castle mill. You cycle along beautiful nature trails through forests and meadows along the Große Röder river back to the Zabeltitz Baroque Garden, where the tour began.
