Radtour: 2000 Jahre Mobilität - Eine Zeitreise auf zwei Rädern

What do a Roman road, an electoral love story, a palace garden, oiled wooden poles, a running machine, and Carl Benz have in common? More than you might think at first glance. On this bike tour, we’ll explore 2,000 years of mobility history between Heidelberg, Ladenburg, and Schwetzingen—right where it’s still visible today: on old roads, historic routes, former transportation corridors, and future bike paths. Our journey through time begins with the Romans. Almost 2,000 years ago, a dead-straight road connected Heidelberg-Neuenheim with Ladenburg, the Roman settlement of Lopodunum. From there, we move on to Carl Benz, whose invention of the automobile changed the world—and whose later life and business history are closely tied to Ladenburg. In Schwetzingen, we encounter Karl Drais and his running machine, considered the precursor to the bicycle. We also come across the great Kurpfalz axis between Königstuhl, Schwetzingen Palace, and Kalmit. We follow a particularly fascinating section between Schwetzingen and Heidelberg: a route that has been repurposed time and again over the centuries—as a palace and sightline axis, as an electoral route, as the basis for an early map of the Electoral Palatinate, as a mulberry tree-lined avenue, partly as a railroad line, and today once again as a potential high-speed bike route. The tour combines history, landscape, and the present. It’s not just about individual inventions, but about a larger question: How do paths, maps, vehicles, and ideas change the way people get around? A bike tour for anyone who wants to rediscover this part of the region—with surprising stories, historical traces, and many moments when you realize: the history of mobility sometimes lies right beneath our wheels. The focus is on cycling together at a leisurely pace—with short stops, fascinating stories, and plenty of time to take in the scenery along the way.

Route length: 37 km
Elevation gain: none
Average speed: 17 km/h
Route: Bike paths and dirt roads, including side streets
Route/Suitable for which bikes? Touring bike, pedelec, gravel bike, e-bike
Food and drinks: Bring your own snacks and drinks

Rhein-Neckar Bike Guide: Jochen Sandmaier
Register by email at: radguide@yahoo.com

The meeting point will be announced upon registration.

Number of participants: maximum of 12
Registration deadline: September 3, 2026