Cycling along the Danube

From Passau to Vienna by bike

How about a bike ride along the shoreline of one of the most beautiful rivers in Europe - the Danube? Why not, especially when we can choose any part of the route or ride the entire route with a lot of free time and even greater fitness. The Danube Cycle Route is one of the most popular in Europe, but its relatively short section between the German capital of Passau and the capital of Austria is of the greatest interest. The route goes along less frequented roads and winds on one side of the river, sometimes on the other side of the river (it is crossed both by bridges and thanks to ferries). You can start it in the beautiful baroque Schärding, approx. 16 km from Passau. The destination may also be elsewhere - not in Vienna or in Hainburg. Along the way, picturesque landscapes and a few stops in charming places await us.

There are several ways to get to Passau. People who decide to travel by train can take the bike with them or rent it on site, as well as a protective helmet. And those who choose their own vehicle will have more freedom, but also the awareness that the car will have to be returned after completing the route. After crossing the border in Cieszyn, they should reach Passawa in less than 6 hours. Passau itself is called " Bavarian Venice " or "the city of three rivers" due to the fact that architects from Italy who stayed in it in the 17th century gave it a Mediterranean atmosphere. The city fully deserves the attention and admiration of tourists, so it is not surprising that it is crowded not only in summer.

The Danube bicycle route

Already at the very beginning of the route, you can look around with delight. The trail surprises with the diversity of the landscape - during the trip we will enjoy the view of gentle valleys, climatic Danube villages, we will also pass majestic medieval monasteries. Driving through the Danube valley, we will see the lush green trees covering the slopes of the mountains, sand dunes and peat bogs. In Engelhartszell, it is worth stopping and visiting the only Trappist monastery in Austria, where the famous liqueur is produced. We will make the next stop in Schlögener Schlinge , one of the most photographed places in this area. It is located about 40 km from Passau, and an overnight stay in such an area is pure pleasure. Where can you stay? For example at Campingplatz Freizeitanlage Schlögen (Mitterberg 3), which offers a wonderful view of the Danube valley.

The next part of the route leads to Linz and covers approx. 55 km. On the way, we pass small Aschach, which houses the Schloss castle with arcades on all three floors. It is now privately owned. We will also pass through Ottensheim, a quiet town with one of the oldest cinemas in Upper Austria, to finally reach Linz. You can spend the night in Camping-Linz, which is surrounded by fields and lies directly on the river, only 10 km from the city center. Another section of the route runs between Grein and Spitz, stretching for 60 km. During the trip we will see the area of the Danube vineyards, we will pass the baroque monastery in Melk and Willendorf - the place where we find the famous Venus with lush female shapes. There is no shortage of campsites in the area, it is worth recommending, among others, Campingplatz & Herberge Grein, 200m from the old part of Grein . In addition to visiting the vineyards, it is also worth getting to know the beauty of the abovementioned monastery. It is one of the largest baroque religious complexes in Europe, and many consider it the most beautiful example of Baroque in Austria.

Vineyards, marmalade and cake

The last section of the route, leading from Spitz to Vienna, can either be divided into two parts, spend some more time exploring the Austrian vineyards (it is really worth staying in this area longer), or speeding up and ending the route at the destination, which is the capital. It all depends on how much time and strength we have. In the approx. 60 km stretch between Spitz and Traismauer, we encounter wonderful, romantic vine fields. We will pass, among others the small towns of Weißenkirchen, Dürnstein and Krems. In each of them there is a lot to stay, and you should definitely visit the Göttweig Benedictine monastery , located south of Krems. Here you can try not only delicious Weingut Stift Göttweig wine, homemade liqueurs or marmalades, but also an original Benedictine cake. Isn't it worth staying here longer? You can easily find accommodation in the town of Traismauer, approx. 17 km away - on the charming Camping Traismauer (Donaustraße 58) located close to the river.

It is only about 40 km from Vienna, and on the spot ... A lot of attractions await, after all, it is one of the most visited European capitals. An additional advantage is the large campsites on the outskirts of the city with a total area of 100,000 m², including Camping Wien West located on the edge of the Vienna Woods, in the immediate vicinity of bicycle routes. You can rest here, and if we want to end the trip, we can return to Passau by one of the means of communication. After seeing so many wonderful landscapes and a solid exercise of leg muscles, you can get back behind the wheel of a car and head towards Poland.