Vienna is a city full of surprises with its varied array of attractions satisfying any need, even for those looking for a destination to explore in the surrounding areas with only one day available.

Thanks to its strategic location, nestled on the banks of the Danube, surrounded by the Viennese Forest and gentle hills brimming with vineyards, Vienna offers a variety of bucolic landscapes dotted with abbeys, elegant palaces and villages that seem to have stood still in time, even in the immediate vicinity of the center.

If you are planning a trip to the Austrian capital, remember that there are many places to explore between Vienna and its surroundings, all reachable by bike and connected by the magnificent Danube cycle path. Here are 6 interesting stages each less than 100 km away from Vienna.

6 tips for a trip around Vienna

Tulln an der Donau

About 30 km from Vienna, Tulln an der Donau is visited at a leisurely pace, among the suggestive green areas bathed by the Danube and the interesting museums.

Tulln was the birthplace of the painter Egon Schiele, remembered in a museum set up in a former prison and in his reconstructed birthplace within the railway station complex.

Tulln is also an explosion of colors, scents and beauty. Its themed gardens reproduce 40 different realities for an incredible journey around the world. And then there is also a magnificent Rococo style church from the 1700s with an unusual unfinished octagonal bell tower.

The Donau Auen National Park

In the vicinity of Vienna there is an incredible and unique river landscape, which was declared a National Park in 1996 and extends to Bratislava. Crossed for a good 36 km by the Danube, the Donau-Auen preserves the last great floodplain of Central Europe and is a paradise for nature and hiking lovers, whether on foot or by bike.

Here the floodplain forests grow wild, and rare animals have found the perfect habitat for species conservation. The area closest to the center, the Lobau, is even defined as "the jungle of Vienna". It's hard to believe that you are just steps away from a European capital.

Despite the sacredness of the park, visitors can count on any support. The information center is located inside the Schloss Ort, a medieval castle that later became the hunting estate of Prince Rudolph.

Bratislava

Just 80 km from Vienna, Bratislava is perfect for a day trip: a vibrant low-cost destination, it has recently been reevaluated as a tourist destination.

The pedestrian old town takes you back to the 18th century, with a maze of alleys in which the curious bronze statues, now a symbol of the city, hide.

There are also numerous traces of the long communist dictatorship while the Middle Ages reveal themselves in the Porta San Michele. The castle dates back to 913 and has been reconstructed several times, but it is still there, in all its stark splendour, watching over the city from above. The Grassalkovich Palace is one of the highest expressions of the Baroque style, while the Blue Church is that of Art Nouveau.

And then there's that touch of modernity that reveals Bratislava's desire to keep up with the times: the new bridge over the Danube with the Ufo observation tower, whose name says it all.

There are so many things to see in Bratislava, all within pedal distance. And in a day trip there's also time to taste some delicacies of Slovak cuisine, which transforms simple ingredients like milk, potatoes and cabbage into delicious dishes.

The Viennese Forest with Mayerling and Heiligenkreuz

The Viennese Forest delimits the western boundaries of Vienna, a few tens of kilometers from the center.

During a day trip, a visit to Mayerling and the nearby Cistercian Abbey of Heiligenkreuz is a must. Mayerling is now an oasis of peace surrounded by the greenery of the forests that will however not erase the memory of the tragic death of Crown Prince Rudolf and his lover Mary Vetsera. The guided tour of the former imperial hunting estate, now a convent, allows for an in-depth investigation of this dark chapter that contributed to the decline of the Habsburgs.

4 km away, Heiligenkreuz dates back to 1133 and is the second oldest Cistercian abbey in Austria. A place that attracts the faithful from all over the world, but also visitors eager to admire the precious architectural, artistic and historical treasures it houses.

The Abbey of Klosterneuburg

The abbey of Klosterneuburg is one of the most surprising destinations in the vicinity of Vienna. It is just over 10 km from the center and can be reached by bike along the Danube cycle path. However, a complete visit requires a whole day.

A nearly a thousand-year-old history based on a romantic legend and numerous remodeling that left it unfinished, but equally fascinating: Stift Klosterneuburg is a real gem. It houses the famous Verdun altar and the relics of St. Leopold, the Marble Room and the Imperial Apartments, the treasury rooms with the holy crown of the Archduke of Austria and the "veil of Agnes", frescoes, colorful stained glass and the ancient monks' cellars where the famous local wines are still produced and stored, available for tasting at the end of the visit.

The Wachau Valley

The Wachau Valley is about 70 km from Vienna and extends for 40 km. A succession of picturesque landscapes, where the Danube and the hills covered with vineyards and orchards frame monasteries, castles and villages from another time.

UNESCO heritage, cradle of famous wines and the Wachau DOP apricot, the Wachau Valley can be traveled by bike, always following the Danube cycle path.

Here are the must-see stops:

Krems and the Abbey of Göttweig, which looks like a princely palace and hides precious artistic and architectural works. Its church with the antique pink façade is disarmingly beautiful.

Dürnstein is the classic enchanted postcard village. The iconic blue bell tower reflected in the water, topped by the ruins of the old castle where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned, are worth the trip alone.

The market town of Weißkirchen is the largest wine community in the Wachau. Vineyards, flower-filled alleys, romantic courtyards, inns and wine shops form the backdrop to this imposing fortified church that dominates the surrounding landscape and is one of the most important ecclesiastical fortresses in all of Lower Austria.

The ruins of Aggstein castle date back to the Middle Ages and extend for 150 meters on a rocky spur immersed in the woods. The castle was considered "the home of the Danube pirates" and is the site of historical reenactments.

The Benedictine Abbey of Melk, from the top of a rocky cliff, reflects its spectacular baroque forms and the thousand shades of orange in the Danube. In the book "The Name of the Rose" the young man traveling with the protagonist came precisely from Melk.

Article by Usa la Valigia

The treasures to discover between Vienna and its surroundings are really many and as always we invite you to do so in a green way, that is by bike! With Austria's impeccable cycle paths and the Danube Cycle Path, we are certain you will have a unique and unforgettable experience.

Choose the most suitable route for you on Cyclando.com and start with a click!