From Passau to Budapest : in the heart of Danube by bike

Arrival in this beautiful Bavarian Baroque city, also known as the city of 3 rivers. The Danube meets the Inn and Ilz at the same time. You can even tell the difference between the rivers as they join: The Danube is brown, the Inn green and the Ilz black. Take a stroll through the city, discovering the majestic cathedral and the pedestrianized historic center.

You start your bike tour along the Danube, quickly leaving Germany for Austria. Be sure to stop off at the Trappist abbey of Engerzell, then continue your bike ride to Schlögen, where the granite rock forces the Danube to make almost a U-turn, and take the ferry to the other bank of the Danube, where you spend the night.

After the Danube loop, the river narrows and forms a bottleneck. You continue your bike ride through lush green countryside, passing through the small, typically Austrian villages of Aschbach, Ottenheim and Wilhering before arriving in Linz, the regional capital. Take a stroll around the main square, framed by Baroque facades, and sample Linz's famous pie, the Linzertorte.

You pass through the Machland nature reserve, home to many varieties of dragonflies and birds. You leave the banks of the Danube for a while to discover St. Florian's Abbey and Enns, Austria's oldest town. After a stop at the market square, dominated by an imposing 60 m tower, symbol of the town, you return to the banks of the blue river, which lead you to the charming Baroque town of Grein.

You cross the Strudengau valley, stopping a few kilometers further on in Persenbeug to admire the small town and its castle. Continuing along the banks of the Danube to Ybbs, you come within sight of the Baroque abbey of Melk, which majestically overlooks the Danube valley.As soon as you leave Melk, you arrive in the Wachau region, where you'll enjoy the charming atmosphere and the surrounding vineyards and orchards.

Wachau is one of the many green valleys of the Danube, world-famous for its wine and liqueurs (especially apricot). Be sure to stop off for a wine tasting! You'll pass through many small wine-producing villages, including Spitz and Weissenkirchen. You can stop off to visit the ruins of Dürnstein Castle, where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned.

You overnight in Traismauer (~40km) or Tulln (~60km).

On your last stage, you'll cycle through the Wienerwald, the forest that borders Vienna, before arriving in the heart of Austria's majestic capital. On arrival, settle in and enjoy the rest of the day sightseeing and tasting a Viennese-style Americano or Sachertorte cake in a typical Viennese café. Don't miss a visit to the Gothic St. Stephen's Cathedral in the heart of Vienna's Baroque Quarter.

Cycle along the banks of the beautiful Blue Danube on specially laid-out cycle paths, signposted with bicycle signs: everyone receives a route booklet and can go at their own pace to enjoy the superb scenery.You descend gently towards Bratislava. For the last few kilometers, you wind your way through fields, admiring the Slovak capital from afar. When you arrive in Bratislava, you'll be struck by the contrast between the two capitals: after Vienna, ancient and wealthy, you'll discover Bratislava, a festive city still marked by the Communist era.

You cross the Hungarian border at Rajká. You discover charming villages and drive through fields. You cross the Szigetköz region, an island on the Danube, characterized by its countless side arms. You arrive in Mosonmagyaróvár, also known as the “town of 17 bridges”.

You travel through the natural paradise of the small island of Rye. On your way, you pass Hédervár. The castle is located in the middle of a protected park. Make time to visit Györ. The district capital boasts numerous sights and a magnificent historic center.

You reach the small Hungarian village of Böny. From here you continue on to Bábolna, a charming town with a beautiful town center. The town is famous for its stud farm. Racehorses are bred in the magnificent inner courtyard. The last part of the route takes you back along the Danube before reaching the divided town of Komárom / Komárno. This town, through which the Danube flows, is now partly Hungarian and partly Slovak.

You cycle along the banks of the Danube valley, passing small villages along the way.

You arrive in Esztergom for the night, a city known as the “Rome of Hungary”, and don't miss a visit to its basilica, the largest in Hungary.

In the first part, you cycle along the “Danube Bend”, one of the most picturesque stretches of your tour: the Royal Palace and Castle of Visegrád will fill you with wonder, while the open-air museum and baroque town center of Szentendre invite you to linger. Spend the last few kilometers on a boat (or train, depending on the day of the week) on the Danube, from where you can admire the surrounding landscape in complete relaxation.

At the end of the day, stroll through the magnificent Hungarian capital, visit its old town or its famous royal palace, and end the day at the famous Széchenyi thermal baths.

Monday to Thursday: You cycle from Esztergom to Vac, not forgetting to stop and visit Visegrad. You will then take the train from Vac to Budapest. You will receive train tickets in your travel documents.

Friday to Sunday: Cycle from Esztergom to Szentendre, then take the boat from Szentendre to Budapest.

Boat tickets will be provided with your travel documents.

Take time to stroll through this magnificent city before heading home (return transfer possible on request).