Danube Bike Path 9 nights
Type of tour: Guided/Self-guided
Level: 1
Duration: 9 Nights
Distance: 26 Miles/day average
Self-guided: Mar 28-Oct 17, 2015
Daily: Mar 28-Oct 17, 2015
Tour price: €1025 (guided) / €815 (self-guided)
Start city: Passau, Germany E
Nd city: Vienna, Austria
The Danube Bicycle Path offers nearly carefree cycling and an ideal way to view the region. It’s downstream all the way, passing through picturesque towns and villages and across lush farmland. It’s paved and almost traffic-free, following an old horse path where teams of horses once struggled to tow barges upstream. Along the majestic river, you pass romantic castles, cozy villages and sprawling vineyards.
To shorten a day’s riding, you can often board a train or ship along the way. Many trains have cars specifically for bicycles, and ships carry them with no problem as well.Unforgettable end of the tour is the Austrian capital, Vienna, with its countless sights.
You start in a deep valley with craggy outcroppings topped with the ruins of ancient castles. Soon, the hills turn to the rolling vineyards of the Wachau region, dotted with medieval towns. As the river widens, flat pastures spread to the horizons, and you meander through farms and villages.
From time to time you cross the river, over dams, locks and bridges and sometimes in small ferries that hold barely a dozen cyclists. You finish in Vienna, where you have a chance to see the city by bicycle.
This is an excellent tour for families with children. Children’s bikes, seats and trailers are available.
Highlights: Guided t is recommended to arrive early because Passau has much to offer. The well-known cathedral houses the world´s biggest church organ. In the evening: personal welcome briefing and handover of the bikes (if booked). Day 2: Passau – Schlögen/surroundings (25 miles/40 km) Day 3: Schlögen/surroundings – Linz (31 miles/50 km) Overnight in Linz. Day 4: Linz – Enns/surroundings (18 miles/30 km) Day 5: Enns/surroundings – Grein/Ardagger (25 miles/40 km) Day 6: Grein/Ardagger – Melk (31 miles/50 km) Day 7: Melk – Krems (25 miles/40 km) Day 8: Krems – Tulln (28 miles/45 km) Day 9: Tulln – Vienna (25 miles/40 km) Day 10: Individual departure, extension or transfer to Passau Bikes available to be rented (in advance at the time of booking) include: Hybrid bike rentals will be equipped with the following at no additional charge
Overnight in Passau.
You will soon reach Austrian territory. First you cycle through the Sauwald region to Engelhartszell, where the only trappist monastery of Austria invites you to a liqueur tasting. Then the route guides you through the nature reserve Donauleiten, from where you reach the Schlögen Bend. This is where granite proved to be too much of an opponent and forced the Danube to change directions by 180 degrees. This natural spectacle will inspire you!
Overnight in Schlögen.
Today you cycle through the green Eferdinger Basin via the market towns of Aschach, Ottensheim and Wilhering to the Upper Austrian capital of Linz. The historic old town has many pubs and eateries for you to discover. Other highlights of the European Capital of Culture 2009 include the magnificent views from Pöstlingberg mountain and a walk through the Donaulände park.
For a change the route guides you away from the course of the Danube via St. Florian (Augustinian monastery) to Enns. There you can view the town square with its 60 meter high town tower, the landmark of the oldest town in Austria, or you visit the archaeological collection in the municipal museum Lauriacum.
Overnight in Enns.
Today you cycle alongside the Danube and reach the beautiful little baroque town of Grein. Here you have the opportunity to visit the oldest municipal theater in Austria that is still being used. Additionally you can visit the maritime museum or Greinburg castle.
Overnight in Grein/Ardagger.
This section of the Danube, the Strudengau, was once feared by sailors, now you can cycle along it. Where they used to fight against the Danube currents you can now take a leisurely cycle ride. In Maria Taferl, high above the Danube, you will find the magnificent pilgrimage church, which attracts many pilgrims every year. In Melk you should definitely make sure you look upwards, otherwise you miss the beauty of the Melk abbey.
Overnight in Melk.
As soon as you leave Melk you get into the picturesque Wachau region, where you can enjoy the charming atmosphere of the region’s typical orchards and vineyards. You pass through the little wine towns of Spitz and Weißenkirchen, cycle past the Dürnstein castle ruin, and finish your journey in the 1000-year old town of Krems. A stay in the Wachau region means that you simply have to take part in a wine tasting.
Overnight in Krems.
Today you cycle to the Roman town of Tulln. There you can enjoy the silence and culture of the rural region over again. Sight to visit: Egon-Schiele-museum.
Overnight in Tulln.
The final kilometers of your bike tour are a relaxed trip to the Danube metropolis of Vienna. As soon as you arrive you can occupy your room and then enjoy all the amenities of the city for the rest of the day. Enjoy a cup of coffee and the typical Vienna cake „Sachertorte“ in one of the numerous coffee houses or treat yourself to a roundtrip with the horse-drawn cab „Fiaker“. Walk along Vienna’s famous shopping street (along Mariahilfer Straße), or visit the St Stephen’s Cathedral.
Overnight in Vienna.
If you are interested in we would be pleased to book some extra nights for you. Our transfer from Vienna to Passau is very comfortable (daily, departure: 3 pm, directly from the hotel, reservation required at time of booking).
The bikes will have FLAT pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and also the necessary equipment to change the pedals. Toe cages are not available to rent.
If you plan to bring your own seat, please make sure it will be compatible with a 27.2 to 31.4 mm seat post. If necessary, you may also need to bring your own adapter. The tour company will assist in switching the seat post for you.
Helmets are NOT included with the bike rentals. You can buy a helmet (not rent) from the tour company. It will be a high quality, brand new helmet. You must let us know your helmet preference upon booking. If you do not buy a helmet through the tour company, we recommend you bring your own.
A Pedelec is an electrically assisted bike which assists you only when pedaling. You can turn the motor on/off, and also increase the amount of assistance you would like depending on the terrain. The motor is fixed in the bottom bracket of the bike, right in front of the rear tire, and can assist you up to a speed of 15 miles/hour (25 km/hr). The supply of energy comes from a removable battery, which can last for up to 50 miles (80 kms). An additional battery is provided too, just to make sure that you always have power (you can charge batteries each night at the hotels). The weight of the e-bike is approximately 50 pounds (23 kgs). It has an illuminated LCD display, cycle computer, and wattage display.
