Danube Impressions Bike and Boat Passau – Vienna – Passau – 8 Days
Type of tour: Guided
Level: 1
Duration: 7 Nights
Distance: 25 Miles/day average
Dates: May 9, Jun 20, Jul 11, Aug 15, Sep 26, 2015
Tour price: €844
Start city: Passau, Germany
End city: Passau, Germany
Tour Description
Biking along the German/Austrian Danube is a very special pleasure because the hotel is always with you! Gently downhill, mostly with a helpful tailwind, you are experiencing the impressive river as it meanders in the Donauschlinge (“Great Loop”) and enjoying the gorgeous landscape of the legendary Wachau with its castles and fortresses.
Then Vienna, rich with architecture, a firework of places of interests! A city, hardly to describe – you have to see and feel it! Sights like St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Town Hall and the world’s oldest Ferris Wheel (Riesenrad) are easy to reach during a wonderful sightseeing tour by bike. At the Naschmarkt (famous food market), a stroll will become a cultural and culinary adventure. You can also relax at any of the cozy coffee bars or at a typical Viennese wine tavern.
On the guided tour, you cycle in a small group guided by a local tour guide who’s familiar with the region. Taste some Austrian delicacies: at an Upper Austrian tavern, you’ll try sweet and bitter must; at a wine tavern in the world famous Wachau region, you savour a small variety of regional wine specialities. You experience the Upper Austrian capital Linz on an excursion train. During a guided tour by bike you’ll pass by numerous of the sights of Vienna – the city of Waltz.
Highlights: Guided Special Themed Dates: Daily Program: Guided Day 1: Passau Day 2: Mauthausen – Grein (22 miles/35 km) Day 3: Grein – Melk – Tulln (30 miles/50 km) Day 4: Tulln – Vienna (22 miles/35 km) Day 5: Vienna (rest day) Day 6: Wachau/Rossatz – Emmersdorf (29 miles/42 km) Day 7: Great Danube Loop – Engelhartszell (22 miles/35 km) Day 8: Passau Included Services: Guided Bike Rentals: Guided All rental bikes are equipped with: Helmets
Wine and Viennese Waltz (includes dancing lesson and wine tasting course for no additional surcharge)–May 2, Jun 6, Jul 4, Aug 29, 2015
Family cruise (includes kids’ activities like Mini Disco and treasure hunt for no additional surcharge)–Jul 25, Aug 8, 2015
The “Bishop City,” close to the Bavarian/Austrian border, is also known as the “City of three Rivers.” Boarding time is at 5 p.m. Use your free time and stroll through the old charming centre, visit theworld largest catholic church organ in the cathedral and enjoy the easy atmosphere of a typical Bavarian beer garden. At 6.30 p.m. cast off! Your vacation begins with a boat ride through the romantic Danube Valley.
Today’s bike tour takes you directly along the Danube where you have enough time to enjoy thenatural state of the meadow landscape. Visit the medieval village and former concentration camp at Mauthausen. The celtic village Mitterkirchen gives you an insight into the past. The alternative route, “Clam Castle,” through the beautiful back country of the “Strudengau” is slightly hilly but a fantastic scenery. Grein is the destination of today’s stage. Home of Austria’s oldest city theatre and a mighty castle (optional, not included).
Today’s stage is marked by diversity. Starting at the Strudengau – a narrow point of the Danube which used to be notorious amongst skippers – the valley expands from Persenbeug and the bike tour leads you further to Melk with its gorgeous baroque monastery of the benedictine brethren. On deck, you can enjoy the sunset and beautiful evening illumination of the Wachau. Today’s final destination is Tulln, famous for its numerous market gardens. Additionally, the famous Art Nouveau artist Egon Schiele was born here (museum).
Right in front of Vienna’s entrance, embedded in a breathtaking scenery, the monastery of Klosterneuburg is situated. You can already see the dome of this 900 year old baroque building from a distance. “Kahlenbergerdorf” with it’s wine taverns is only a hop from the shipping pier and definitely worth a visit. After a stroll through the vineyards, you can enjoy the panoramic view over Vienna. During a city tour by bus in the afternoon. You will pass most of the numerous and famous sights and have a guided walking tour though the historic center of Austria’s capital (optional, not included).
You should be sure to see the most famous places of interest like the Prater, the St. Stephens Cathedral and the Hofburg. You can take a city tour by bike (optional, not included). The gorgeous boulevard “Ringstraße” with the Burgtheater, the State Opera House and the town hall takes you back to the past. There is enough time in the afternoon to stroll or visit one of the famous Viennese coffee bars. The evening end simpressively with a Waltz and Opera concert at the Hofburg (optional, not included), or at a wine tavern.
Today’s biking day is a special highlight! Amidst small dreamy towns, apricot trees, vineyards, castles, monasteries and ruins, this hilly landscape enchants everybody. You will be biking on cloud nine! A powerful ruin looms above the small baroque town of Durnstein, while the blue spire of the monastery church is a landmark of Wachau. In Weißenkirchen (possibility for a wine-tasting – optional) you will find comfortable wine taverns right along the bike path.
What does mossy forest floor and freshly mown meadow smell like? Close up you cycle through the Danube valley with pretty villages. Along the cycle path you may smell freshly grilled mackerels – small pubs are inviting cyclists to stay. Follow the small walking trail to the viewpoint high above the Danube Loop – what a breathtaking panoramic view of the Danube valley and the impressive meanders! Need a refreshment? Try some of the special cordials in the trappist monastery Engelszell, your today’s destination. After a ceremonial gala dinner, lots of fun and entertainment can be experienced during a crew show.
Enjoy the first sunbeams and the peaceful silence of the Danube Valley on deck before you arrive relaxed at Passau. Disembarkation approx. 10 a.m. We recommend arranging connecting trips from 10:30 a.m. onwards.
Bikes available to be rented (reserved at time of booking) include:
Helmets are not available to rent, but can be purchased on board (€25, payable upon arrival). Please make a note on the booking form to reserve in advance. We recommend for health and safety that you either take your own helmet or plan to purchase one upon arrival. *Helmets are mandatory for children under 12.
