Passau to Vienna Cycling Tour, Austria

The route from Passau, on Germany’s eastern border, to Vienna is one of the most popular cycle paths in Europe - and no wonder! This stretch of the Danube carves its way through a thousand years of history – 60 dramatic castles and palaces lie along the river, and the ever-changing landscape is a kaleidoscope of fertile plains, narrow gorges, lowland forests, bird-rich marshland and acres of picturesque vines.

Much of the cycling is on the old river towpath – now lovely, flat and surfaced – where in olden days up to 60 horses strained to drag heavy cargo boats upstream against the powerful current. Today, dozens of farms and cafés offer waterfront lunch stops as you trundle between sun-baked villages and wayside stalls piled high with apples, peaches and plums. Most cycling days are completely flexible, as local boat and train services are excellent, cheap and cater brilliantly to cyclists.

Highlights include the bustling medieval centre of Linz – EU capital of culture last year - the immense C11 Baroque abbey at Melk, and UNESCO celebrated Krems, whose fabulous buildings once dripped with money. Finally the river meanders down to the Viennese woods where Vienna, the waltz capital of Europe, rises like a vision from the plain.

Our hotels are all individually charming with Passau, Schlogen and Tulln on the riverbank, and range from a quirky C15 convent in Linz, to unabashed four-star luxury in Krems, with two pools and a world class spa! Unlike many itineraries, we have included two nights in Linz, Melk and Krems to allow time to explore at leisure. It is easy to add nights before or after the tour to enjoy time in Passau and Vienna, and you are looked after throughout by our expert local agent Greenways Travel.

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1 - Arrive in Passau
Take the train from Munich airport to Passau. From the station it's a short 5 minute taxi to your riverfront hotel. Enjoy dinner in the heart of the old town tonight.

Day 2 - Passau to Schlogen 23km/14mi or 47km/29mi
After receiving your bike and welcome brief, pedal east to Obernzell, famous for pottery, before popping into the Keramic Museum in a riverside castle! The scent of wood smoke and grilled trout may tempt you into lunch as you cross into Austria where the valley is steeper and cloaked with oak woods. On reaching the hotel, relax in the pool before dinner on the terrace watching passenger boats sparkling with fairy lights cruise past.

Day 3 - Schlogen to Aschach (Linz) 27km/17mi or 46km/29mi
Spot kingfisher today in the Donauschlinge nature reserve. Picnic tables dot the waterfront below weeping willows before you reach Aschach's frescoed waterfront. Catch the Linz ferry, or follow the towpath through reed marshes to Ottensheim beach for a swim. Hop on the train here and in no time you arrive at your hotel - an ancient convent - in Linz's extravagant town square. Dine out in one of the many lively restaurants here for the next two nights.

Day 4 - Free Day in Linz
Linz's ornate Baroque architecture in the Hauptplatz leads to boutique shops on Landstrasse, and to the old castle Schloss Museum, creaking with ancient armour. Browse the all-glass Lentos Art Gallery - it is filled with bright artwork and lit up in spectacular colours at night. Perhaps catch the train to explore tiny C12 Enns, Austria's oldest city, or for a chilling history lesson on the holocaust, steel yourself and visit the WW2 Nazi camp at Mauthausen.

Day 5 - Linz to Melk 31km/19mi or 49km/31mi
A short train ride to C16 Grein (30 mins, included) has you spinning through orchards as the Danube valley becomes more fertile. Admire the statuette 'Venus of Willendorf' - dated to 23,000BC - as you pass through, before lunch in Ybbs, home to a wacky collection of penny-farthing bicycles. The hilltop twin towers of Maria Taferl appear and Melk's monastery looms high above as you pedal towards Margaret Ebner's welcoming family hotel in Melk.

Day 6 - Free Day in Melk
Melk's massive Benedictine monastery was rebuilt in 1683 and the interior abbey is as breathtaking as the countryside views from the rooftop terrace. For a day trip, cycle to Schloss Schallaburg (8km return), one of the finest Renaissance castles north of the Alps, and stroll in magnificent rose gardens and enjoy acclaimed cultural exhibitions. After dinner, enjoy wandering Melk's atmospheric cobbled streets.

Day 7 - Melk to Krems 39km/24mi
Today you coast along a necklace of villages afloat on acres of vines, anchored by pretty churches along the north bank. Each is charming - especially Durnstein where Richard the Lionheart was held for ransom in the craggy hilltop castle. Taste wine along the way, and buy cherries and peaches from people's gardens! Arrive in Krems for a splash in the pool, and candlelit dinner on the terrace overlooking the valley.

Day 8 - Free Day in Krems
Krems has one of the most beautiful historic centres in Europe. It is packed with interest - from the Wine Museum housed in a restored Dominican monastery to the C13 abbey that exhibits paintings of Martin Johann Schmidt. You can cycle out to Schloss Grafenegg (14km away), a gargoyle encrusted Gothic castle set in 85 acres of parkland perfect for picnics, or just relax in the fabulous hotel spa and pool!

Day 9 - Krems to Tulln 39km/24mi
Freewheel downriver to Tulln - known as the 'Town of Roses'. Pop into the Roman museum - packed with artefacts - and dine out tonight amid the fountains, statues and ornate buildings that crowd the pretty centre before returning to your waterfront hotel.

Day 10 - Tulln to Vienna 21km/13mi
Coast along the last stretch to relax over lunch in imperial Klosterneuburg. Drop into the Essl Art Gallery, full of contemporary pictures. We recommend you hop on the train for 15 minutes for the last stretch into Vienna, then follow the Donaukanal cycle path to your hotel - right in the heart of the city. Enjoy dinner out in Vienna's lively centre - breathtakingly floodlit at night!

Day 11 - Return home

Is this trip for you?
This is 1 cycle holiday (See Headwater’s Cycle Rating System), which is as easy as it gets – there are NO hills at all, and the only remotely difficult thing is the distance between the hotels. This can be shortened by paying locally to take river ferries and trains to shorten the day. The bike routes are perfectly signposted with green and white cycling signs throughout the tour, and the map we provide is excellent. The cycling days are flexible so it will appeal to families and the quality of the hotels are high appealing to anyone wanting a fabulous cycling trip.