Itinerary

The classic Danubian cycle path by bike & boat

Passau – Vienna – Passau

8 days / 7 nights | Ship: Prinzessin Katharina | Individual bike tours

The bike tour along the German / Austrian Danube is a very special pleasure, because your “swimming hotel” is always with you! Gently downhill, you will cycle along lush green river banks, through small, dreamy villages in the impressive Danube landscapes. You will discover the breathtaking natural wonder of the “Great Loop” (a swift 180º turn!) and immerse yourself in legendary Wachau with its vineyard terraces and enchanted castles and monasteries. Then Vienna – an abundance of sights! A city, hardly to describe – you have to see and feel it! Sights like St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the city hall are easy to reach during a wonderful sightseeing tour by bike. A stroll through the Naschmarkt (famous food market) is a wonderful cultural and culinary adventure. You can also relax at any of the cosy coffee houses or at a typical traditional Viennese wine tavern in the suburbs. The highlights of the tour:
Passau, the City of 3 rivers, the Schloegen Danube Loop, the World Heritage Site Wachau, Upper Austria’s capital Linz, the cosmopolitan city Vienna with a plethora of sights.

Highlights of this Bike & Barge Tour

✔  Staying on the premium ship MS Prinzessin Katharina

✔  Discovering wines from the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Landscape WACHAU

✔  The elegant charm of Vienna, the city of the Waltz

✔  Easy cycling along the enchanting Danube

Itinerary 

Day 1: Arrival in Engelhartszell

Individual arrival in Engelhartszell, approx. 30 km from Passau. Embarkation from approx. 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Overnight stay in Engelhartszell.

Day 2: Engelhartszell – Aschach, bike tour approx. 40 - 43 km / boat trip to Linz and on to Tulln.

The Engelhartszell Abbey is well worth seeing, known for its beautifully renovated church, but also for its ‘healing’ herbal schnapps. You cycle downstream on the former towpath. A trip on the nut-shell-sized ferry (approx. €7 per person) through the Schlögener Schlinge provides a special change of pace. From Aschach, you can take a boat to Linz and on to Tulln. Tip: Discover Linz with the bright yellow Cityexpress.

Day 3: Tulln – Vienna-Nussdorf, bike tour approx. 32 - 39 km

Klosterneuburg Abbey is located just outside Vienna. The dome of the 900-year-old baroque masterpiece is visible from afar, and the ‘Verdun Altar’ is one of the highlights of medieval goldsmithing. From the wine tavern village of Kahlenbergerdorf, it is worth taking a short hike through the vineyards to the viewing terrace of the Kahlenberg. You will be rewarded with a wonderful view of the metropolis.

Day 4: Vienna-Nussdorf (rest day)

Today, the sights of the Danube metropolis are on the agenda: perhaps St. Stephen's Cathedral and the Hofburg Palace, the magnificent Ringstrasse boulevard with the Burgtheater, State Opera and City Hall? There are countless possibilities. Nevertheless, take enough time to stroll around or visit one of Vienna's famous cafés. During the night, your ship will sail to Krems in the Wachau region.

Day 5: Krems – Melk, bike tour approx. 37 km

Look forward to a bike tour through one of the most beautiful river landscapes in Europe. The gently rolling hills of the Wachau region, with its picturesque villages, well-tended vineyards, venerable castles, monasteries and romantic ruins, will enchant you. In Dürnstein, the blue Baroque tower of the collegiate church greets you from afar. Finally, in Melk, the magnificent Benedictine abbey towers over the Danube – a place steeped in history, culture and impressive architecture. Enjoy this day with all your senses – it is one of the highlights of the trip.

Day 6: Melk – Grein, cycle tour approx. 51 km

This stage takes you through charming river meadows with sweeping views and small, charming villages. The wild Strudengau region is scenically appealing – once feared by sailors, today it is an impressive river gorge with wooded slopes and rocky banks. In the idyllic town of Grein, the imposing Greinburg Castle towers over the Danube – you can discover Austria's oldest residential castle on a guided tour.

Day 7: Grein - Mauthausen, cycle tour approx. 36 - 40 km, boat trip to Engelhartszell.

The wide plain of the Machland accompanies you with its lush fields and quiet paths. In the Celtic village of Mitterkirchen, you can immerse yourself in a bygone era. Once you arrive in Mauthausen, you can visit the concentration camp memorial – a place of quiet remembrance and historical responsibility. In the evening, a festive farewell dinner awaits you on board. Night boat trip to Engelhartszell.

Day 8: Departure from Engelhartszell

Once again, enjoy the first rays of sunshine and the peaceful morning silence of the Danube Valley on deck. You will reach Engelhartszell at around 9 a.m. Afterwards, disembark and make your own way home. We recommend booking train connections from Passau from around 12 noon.