The Danube by bike and boat: Passau, Vienna and Budapest with Guide

Day 1: Passau - Engelhartszell
Individual arrival in Passau, a charming city located at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers and thus known as the City of Three Rivers. We recommend a visit to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, which houses the world's largest organ. If you have time, take advantage of one of the concerts held there; it’s an acoustic experience you won't easily forget. Boarding at 4:00 PM. Around 6:00 PM, our first navigation on the Danube, towards Engelhartszell. Dinner and overnight stay on board.

Day 2: Engelhartszell - Aschach (26 miles)
Our first bike stop starts in the classic and suggestive scenery of the spectacular Schlögen loop, one of the most beautiful sections of the Danube. This is an extremely fascinating area where the river takes a U-turn amidst a valley dotted with small, lively villages. At Engelhartszell, Austria's only Trappist monastery, we can sample the delicious liqueurs and cheeses produced by the monks. We'll find the boat waiting for us in Aschach. Dinner and overnight stay on board.

Day 3: Devin - Bratislava (27 miles)
Today’s bike route takes us along the Iron Curtain, the imaginary line that, during the Cold War, divided Eastern Europe, under Soviet influence, from the Western Europe, under U.S. influence. The Danube cycle path will take us to the beautiful Hof Imperial Palace with its terraced gardens and its impressive 17th-century hunting residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy. Crossing Europe’s largest and most unspoilt floodplain, we arrive in Bratislava, at the foot of the Carpathian mountains. Here we may choose to continue our visit of Bratislava with a guided tour (not included), to discover the treasures of the old town: the castle, St. Martin’s gothic Cathedral or the ancient town hall. Dinner and overnight stay on board.

Day 4: Round Trip Budapest - Szentendre - Budapest (33 miles), or Free day
The morning will pass navigating gently among the bends of the Danube, before arriving in Budapest. The entrance into the city, where many of the main tourist attractions are located directly on the river, is breathtaking. We can either visit the city by taking advantage of a guided bike or bus tour (not included), or alternatively, we can continue by bike towards Szentendre, an ancient Roman stronghold, now a pleasant tourist town with an active artistic life. The town is permeated with a warm Mediterranean atmosphere. At the end of the day, we can enjoy a typical evening to experience the local folklore (not included). Dinner and overnight stay on board.

Day 5: Danube Loop - Esztergom (27 miles)
Today's stage will take us cycling through the Hungarian Wachau, a valley with truly unique landscapes, perfect to discover by bicycle. We will then reach the characteristic bishop town of Esztergom, famous for hosting the largest Catholic church in Hungary. Dinner and overnight stay on board.

Day 6: Free day in Vienna
Today we have a whole day available to discover the Austrian capital, savoring the unique atmosphere of the ancient imperial city. We can discover it by bike or by bus (not included), visit St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Prater, a large amusement park, or the Hofburg complex, which was the center of Austrian power for more than six centuries. Finally, we recommend a walk on the Ringstrasse, a long avenue on which some of the most important buildings and monuments of the city face: the National Theater (Staatsoper), Parliament, the Burgtheater. In the afternoon we will have all the time to rest in one of the many Viennese cafes, and then, perhaps in the evening, attend a concert or a waltz in the Wiener Kursalon or in a typical place (not included). Dinner and overnight stay on board.

Day 7: Wachau/Krems - Melk (24 miles)
Today we have a magnificent bike stage ahead of us. The area around the Danube we'll explore alternates small timeless villages, apricots, vineyards, castles, monasteries and ruins on the hills. We cannot help but be enchanted by this fairytale landscape in which it will be really a pleasure to pedal. We will cross the baroque town of Dürnstein, where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned, and in Spitz, we can stop to taste one of the many regional wines in one of the typical taverns directly overlooking the cycle path. Dinner and overnight stay on board.

Day 8: Passau
On the last day of the tour, during the morning, we can enjoy the first rays of sun from the boat deck, immersed in the peace of the Danube Valley. A last section of navigation will take us back, in total relaxation, to Passau. Disembarkation from around 11:00 AM. We recommend you plan your return trip, considering departures from 12:00 PM onwards.