Germany offers passionate Vespa riders wonderful routes all over the country. Deep forests, magnificent Alpine regions and natural spectacles are waiting to be discovered. In bright sunshine and a pleasant wind, it is especially fun to ride your scooter through the most diverse flora and fauna. Each federal state not only offers different sights and routes, but also a completely different flair. So if you want to enjoy the Vespa routes in Germany, this article provides a valuable overview of the most beautiful tours.
Scootering around Lake Constance
Mountain peaks, lakeshores and a diverse culture make up the route around Lake Constance. The starting point here is in Lindau. Admiration begins already in the town, with lavishly decorated houses from the Middle Ages. A short break can be taken with a look at the famous Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichshafen. Further along the lake promenade in Meersburg, you can linger in restaurants, cafés and wine shops. Another beautiful sight is the oldest residential castle in Germany at the top of the town of Meersburg. Now the journey can continue to Unteruhldingen. There, a visit to the Lake Dwelling Museum, which takes interested visitors back to the Neolithic Age, is worthwhile. In the warmer months of the year, a visit to the flower island of Mainau is also recommended. You can cross the island by boat or ferry. After a nice excursion on the island, you can continue on to Constance. A lively atmosphere and splendid town houses await you there. Along the Swiss shore, you can take another scooter break in Rorschach and stroll through the museum in the Kornhaus. If you want to continue directly, you will end up on the Austrian side in Bregenz with its well-known and famous lake stage. If you feel like it, you can of course also book picturesque accommodation on this route and only continue the journey the next day. In this way, everyone can arrange the route as they wish. Blossoming fruit trees and a fabulous display of flowers characterise Lake Constance in spring and summer. Castles, museums and even animals in the wild make this route a special one.
Start/Destination: Lindau
Distance: 180 kilometres
Highlights: Meersburg, Mainau Island, Bregenz, etc.
On the road in Sauerland
The Sauerland region invites scooter riders to take a winding and varied route. Passing mountains, caves, reservoirs and valleys, the Sauerland offers plenty of variety. The route begins in Attendorn. This town is best known for the Atta Cave, where you can marvel at wonderful stalagmites and stalactites. The route continues past forested mountains and smaller hills at the so-called Versetalsperre. This leads via Lüdenscheid to Altena. The historic Höhenburg castle towers above this town and is a popular tourist attraction. Another visitor magnet on this route is the Dechenhöhle cave in Iserlohn. The German Cave Museum even provides information about this dripstone cave. The scooter ride continues in a relaxed manner along the wildly rugged rocky sea of Hemer. The scooter ride takes you past the Sorpesee lake and then winds through the Rothaargebirge mountains. Dream views guaranteed! A final stop just before Attendorn is the Biggesee. Especially in summer, this provides a nice place to cool off and a grand finale to the route.
Start/finish: Attendorn
Distance: 220 kilometres
Highlights: Att cave, Altena castle, Rothaarsteig, Sauerlandpark Hemer, etc.
Spectacular scooter tour on Rügen
A longer route across the island of Rügen promises spectacular views of white chalk cliffs, untouched nature, the wild Baltic Sea and stylish seaside resort architecture. In addition, shady avenues and curvy drives on scooters will delight you. The journey begins and ends in the Hanseatic city of Stralsund. The two-wheeler takes you along the old Rügen Dam across the Strelasund. The route leads through the west of Rügen and continues with the Wittower ferry to the Wittow peninsula. There, a 9-kilometre-long sandy beach of the Schaabe stretches between Glowe and the Baltic resort of Breege-Juliusruh. The most famous sight on Rügen is the Königsstuhl, which is easy to reach from Hagen. The scooter stays in the car park and a shuttle bus takes you to the Jasmund National Park. A beautiful natural landscape that everyone must have seen. The elegant hotels and villas in Binz are also impressive. Continuing on the German Avenue Road, the tour goes via Garz to Glewitz. From here the ferry returns to Stralsund.
Start/finish: Stralsund
Distance: 192 kilometreslong
Highlights: Baltic Sea, orangery in Putbus, Ummanz Island, Jasmund National Park, etc.
Discover Saxony by scooter
For a longer scooter route in Saxony, the roads in the Vogtland region are recommended. This area is characterised by flowering meadows, high hills and green lush forests. The starting point and also the destination of the route is the 800-year-old Reichenbach. From there, the first stop is the Eibenstock dam. Past the Auersberg, which with its 1018 metres in altitude is the second highest peak in all of Saxony. Then Morgenröthe-Rautenkranz is reached, where visitors can find out about space research at the old railway station. Those interested in instruments will find some facts worth knowing about their manufacture in Klingenthal and in Markneukirchen. In addition, instruments from all over the world are on display in the museum. Near Oelsnitz, the route passes the Pirk dam and then makes a wide turn directly to Syrau. Here, a visit to the famous dragon’s cave is worthwhile. Shortly before the finish, the largest brick bridge in the world, the Göltzschtalbrücke, rises up. Back in Reichenbach, you can linger in a restaurant or café in historic surroundings.
© André Karwath aka Aka, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5
Start/finish: Reichenbach
Distance: 177 kilometres
Highlights: Auersberg observation tower, Markneukirchen Music Museum, German Space Exhibition, Dragon’s Cave, etc.
Enchanting landscapes in Thuringia
In eastern Thuringia, the route leads through particularly unspoilt places, important small towns and into the Thuringian Forest. The tour starts in Jena. There you have the opportunity to visit the high JenTower at the beginning, which offers a panoramic view over the whole of Jena. The beautiful round tour continues along the Saale to Rudolstadt, where steep steps connect the old town with the magnificent Heidecksburg Castle. The next stage destination is Saalfeld, where the Saalfeld Fairy Grottos with their colourful world are well worth a visit. After the first few stops, the route continues in a relaxed manner through the northern part of the Thuringian Schiefergebirge/Obere Saale Nature Park, as far as Ziegenrück. The last stop is in Gera. Here the so-called Höhler await, these are cellar caves from the 16th century that were built for storing beer. If you wish, you can book a guided tour of the caves.
Start/finish: Jena
Distance: 184 kilometres
Highlights: Zeiss Planetarium in Jena, hydroelectric power museum in the nature park, Leuchtenburg Porcelain Worlds.
Other exciting tours:
- Bavarian Alps: From Oberaudorf to Garmisch-Partenkirchen
- Attractive route through Saarland: start and finish in Saarbrücken
- Scooter tour through the Allgäu: From Weilheim in Upper Bavaria to Lindau
If you are now in the mood for a longer scooter trip, you should definitely take a look at our article on how to plan a Vespa tour properly and pick up some useful tips!
