Wittichenau: Cycling Routes, Moorland and Easter Tradition

Wittichenau can be discovered through specific experiences: the Easter horseback procession, four themed cycling routes and leisure activities at the forest and lido. Nearby, the Dubringer Moor offers another perspective on wetland landscapes. Which of these aspects shapes your stay can also help guide your choice of accommodation in Wittichenau.

The Easter horseback procession: a tradition at Easter

The Easter horseback procession, known locally as Kreuzreiten, travels from Wittichenau to Ralbitz. Prayer and singing in German and Sorbian are part of this religious tradition, which dates back to 1541. The custom therefore highlights both the connection between the two towns and its bilingual character.

The tradition takes place regularly, but the date and participation requirements vary from year to year. If you would like to include the Easter horseback procession in your travel plans, check the details for the relevant year. The Easter date therefore calls for a different kind of planning than a stay focused on cycling or seasonal leisure activities.

Cycling on four themed routes

Wittichenau has an extensive cycling network with four named themed routes: the Frog Cycle Route, the Black Elster Cycle Route, Sorbian Impressions and the KRABAT Cycle Route. A bicycle repair shop offers practical assistance, and there is also a repair station at the market square. The route names give you options for planning your ride, without every route necessarily having the same focus.

For specific tour and repair plans, it is advisable to check the current infrastructure. If you are looking for accommodation in Wittichenau, you can weigh up your travel dates and cycling plans together, rather than assuming that a particular route or service will be available.

Dubringer Moor and wetland landscapes

The Dubringer Moor nature reserve borders the ponds near Wittichenau and covers around 1,700 hectares. A viewing tower on the KRABAT Cycle Route offers views across the wetland landscape. The moor and the viewpoint provide different experiences: the reserve itself is the focus in one case, while the other offers a view from a spot along the cycle route.

Conservation measures may affect paths and access. So, if you are planning a visit to the moor or viewing tower, check the current situation beforehand.

Forest and lido swimming area and pump track

The forest and lido swimming area offers swimming and family activities. Facilities listed include a playground, diving tower, slide, beach volleyball courts, a football area and a table tennis table. It operates seasonally; before your visit, also check which individual facilities are available. This makes it easier to plan a day at the swimming area than relying on the town’s name alone.

There is also a 120-metre-long pump track by the town pond. Along with its cycling network, Wittichenau offers various ways to stay active: themed cycling tours, a pump track and the swimming area, which operates seasonally. If you are travelling with children, you can take these different activities into account when planning, without assuming they are part of a single combined offer.

Routes in Bautzen District

Bautzen District has additional regional cycling routes. The Bautzen Northern Tour is a 43.1-kilometre loop: it runs from Bautzen through Quatitz, Großdubrau, Milkel, Klix and Malschwitz and back to Bautzen, through the heath and pond landscape and along the nature trail in Crosta. The Hills and Valleys Route is a regional loop through the West Lusatian hills in Bautzen District. The Krabat Cycle Route is also a regional loop in the district and follows in the footsteps of Krabat, the hero of Sorbian legend.

The long-distance routes follow different paths: the Central Route is a long-distance cycling route from Zittau to Aachen; one section passes through the Upper Lusatian Highlands in Bautzen District. The Spree Cycle Route runs from its source in Upper Lusatia to Berlin; its section from Taubenheim to Zerre lies in Bautzen District. These regional routes extend the range of options beyond Wittichenau’s four themed cycling routes, but are distinct from them.

Upper Lusatian Carnival is also part of the cultural landscape of Bautzen District. Its strongholds are Schirgiswalde and Wittichenau. Thus, regional cycling routes and carnival take place in different locations and at different scales across Bautzen District; for your stay in Wittichenau, the local cycling routes, the Easter horseback procession and the leisure activities mentioned here remain the specific points of interest.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Weißenberg, Burkau, Wachau, Doberschau-Gaußig, Löbau, Haselbachtal, Großnaundorf, Crostau.

Back to the main travel overview: Bautzen District.