The German Unity Cycle Route (Radweg Deutsche Einheit) was conceived on the 25th anniversary of German reunification to link the two former capitals, Bonn and Berlin.

Over 1100km, it provides a tour of German history ancient and modern, taking in places rarely visited by international tourists but crucial to the development of the nation: castles and bridges, palaces and border posts. There are nods to industry (the Ferropolis ‘city of steel’) and transport (from the Radhaus bicycle museum to preserved steam railways).

The level sections along the rivers Rhine, Lahn and Fulda are as leisurely as you'd expect, but really, the only section with any significant climbing is that along the northern edge of the Harz mountains (shared with EuroVelo route 2). 

The route is fully signposted and two-thirds on traffic-free paths, with the remainder on generally very quiet lanes. There are even ‘digital service points’ along the way, touchscreen panels with information about the route’s attractions and – increasingly importantly – charging for e-bikes.

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