Guided bicycle tour Austria – Danube adventure holiday

he Danube is the second longest river of Europe with 2.850 kilometers (1.770 miles) length. It has long been an important route between western Europe and the Black Sea. In the 3rd century the river formed the northern boundary of the Roman Empire. Later the Danube served as an artery for the Crusaders into Byzantium and the Holy Land. In a previous century that was the area where formerly eastern and western Europe met, but today the whole atmosphere of this very attractive region has changed, making it now one of the best regions to visit in the Europe. It is impossible to avoid the rich cultural heritage of the previous dynasties that have ruled the great cities of central Europe over the years, and the natural beauty of the landscape.
Our itinerary will be 400 km (250 miles) long with daily bicycle tours ranged from 40 to 65 km (25 to 40 miles). The most of the path is cycling trail - car free and terrain is flat - we start from 313 meters (1.025 feet) elevation and our goal is Vienna on 157 meters (515 feet) above see level.

OUR GUIDING At least two bicycle guides will accompanied you throughout the bicycle tour. We assure you that you will cycling in your own pace without fear to get lost. Beside bicycle tour guides there will be a driver in a van following us and he will always be in our proximity so whenever you wish you can easily stop to bike and go in a van. We will provide bicycle mechanic support. During the rides we serve snacks, fruit-cereal bars and refreshment drinks. For more details about our guides and guiding visit ACE Guides page.
	ACCOMMODATION One of the most important segment for successful trip is good selection of hotels. Accommodation for this tour will be in a luxury four and sometimes three star hotels. Hotels are located near our bicycle path and most of them are specially adapted for bicycle tourist and belong to bicycle hotel group. All rooms are comfortable, with private bath, telephones, TV etc. All breakfasts and dinners you will have in hotel’s restaurants where you will have a chance to taste some of the Austrian national specialties.

TOUR SCHEDULE
Here you can find a sample for 9 day/ 8 night tour. Longer or shorter option is available.

Day 1 Passau: The small romantic Bavarian town of Passau is located at the confluence of the Danube, Ilz and Inn rivers, giving the area its nickname, the "Venice of Bavaria". Arrival in Passau and check in the hotel. Afternoon we will take a loop ride to Shärding town where is the castle of the Bishop of Passau. Our road follows the Inn river. The castle is located on a hill overlooking the Inn river. 26 kilometers (16 miles) long ride.
	Day 2 Passau - Eferding. If you are early morning person you can walk up to the castle hill in Passau where you can enjoy breathtaking panorama over the towers and roofs of the baroque style city. After breakfast we will start our bicycle tour along the Danube toward the east and Vienna. Our path passes through the beautiful countryside and small towns of Erlau, Obernzell, Engelhrtszell and Schlogen. Today's goal is Eferding town. 65 kilometers (40 miles) long ride
Day 3 Eferding - Enns. Half way to our daily destination, on the bank of the Danube river, lays the old town Linz. The city grew up around the site of Lentia, a Roman castle, and was an important medieval trading center. Today is a modern town with the 13th-century main square dominated by Trinity Column, 15th-century castle that is now a museum, 17th-century cathedral and many beautiful examples of baroque buildings. Just a few kilometers from Linz is St Florian Abbey, founded on the site of Florian's grave in the 11th Century by the Augustinians, this is an eminent cultural center. To go there we should climb up a relatively small hill. 60 kilometers (37 miles) long ride.
	Day 4 Enns - Ardagger. After breakfast we will cycle to memorial place of the former Nazis concentration camp Mauthausen. It is set at the top of the hill so you can choose to ride there or take a walk. During the II WW some 123,000 people died there. The concentration camp was freed in 1945 by Americans. Afternoon we will continue our ride to the goal of today's stage - Ardagger town. 55 kilometers (34 miles) long ride. Day 5 Ardagger - Marbach. In the morning we will ride to town of Grein. There is the oldest still active theater in Austria. After Grein we will continue to ride on the left bank of the Danube till we cross it near town of Ybbs. The small town is worth lingering in. After Ybbs we are proceeding to Marbach. On a small mountain above Marbach is the famous pilgrimage chapel Maria Taferl. 40 kilometers (25 miles) long ride.
Day 6 Marbach - Krems Today we will ride through the most important Austrian wine region - Wachau. Austria presently adheres to the most stringent laws and the highest standards of wine production in the world and turns out many charming, flavorful, natural tasting wines, thanks to legislation mandated in the 1980’s. In 1994 the Wachau was recognized as a Conservancy Area of international value and awarded the “European Nature Protection Diploma”. Our first stop will be beautiful town Melk where no one can miss to visit the biggest baroque monastery in the world. Built on a rocky bluff over 50 meteres (150 feet) above the south bank of the Danube, this mighty structure dominates the Danube for miles. Farther down the river we will pass by a small castle Schonbuhel built on a projected rock above the shore of the Danube and a few kilometers later we will come to a large and highly coveted fortress, the mightiest along the entire Danube, situated on a rock over 300 meters(1000 feet) above the river. A famous castle Aggstein is a stronghold of the Duke of Austria of the Babenberg family.
	After Aggstein we will continue towards our destination - Krems. You will have a time to explore on foot this impressive town where we will stay overnight. 60 kilometers (37 miles) long ride.
Day 7 Krems - Tulln. One more day in a wine country. We will ride a few kilometers back to famous Durnstein town. Terraced vineyards line a ridge above the town, and produce the fine Heuriger wine for which the Wachau is famous. We will visit the Freie Weingartner vinery that specializes in Gruner Veltliner and Riesling wines. For its outstanding production of Wachau wines, Freie Weingartner Wachau has been voted “International Winery of the Year by the influential magazine, “Wine & Spirits”, garnering the prestigious award in 1999. This is the fist time an Austrian producer has achieved this award.Here, in Durnstein is a castle where the Duke of Austria captured and imprisoned King Richard the Lionhearted of England during the Third Crusade. To access the castle one has to take a small twisting path from the village. Afternoon we will continue to the east till we reach the town of Tulln. Only one more leg left to Vienna. 55 kilometers (34 miles) ride.
Day 8 Tulln - Vienna. There is only 45 km (28 miles) left to Vienna - capital of Austria, a city of royalty and outstanding architecture. The site of Vienna was once home to a Celtic village, and from the 1st century BC to the 5th century AD, it was a stronghold of the Roman Empire. Situated along the Danube,Vienna now serves as a cosmopolitan gateway between eastern and western Europe. Day 9 Vienna. Depart after breakfast