Your itinerary
Day 1
Arrive Vienna
Make your own way to the hotel. The rest of the day is left free to explore Vienna at your leisure. It is a metropolis with unique charm, vibrancy and flair. It boasts outstanding infrastructure, is clean and safe, and has all of the culture, architecture and inspiration that you could wish for in this wonderful part of Europe. Highlights that you may consider include visits to the grand Schonbrunn Palace, Sigmund Freud Museum and a tour in the Vienna State Opera House. Don’t miss a visit to one of the many wonderful coffee shops to enjoy the typical cake Sachertorte!
Day 2
Vienna - Hainburg
On leaving Vienna the route takes you through the Donau-Auen National Park, an area of extensive flood plains, which have turned into small ponds offering a rich habitat to countless species of birds, animals and insects. From here, pass Orth Castle and the pretty village of Eckertsau before arriving in Hainburg.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3
Hainburg to Bratislava
Follow the Roman bike trail to one of Austria’s most important archaeological sites, the Roman remains at Petronell-Carnuntum. End your day in the Gothic old town of Bratislava, Slovakia’s pretty capital city that exudes old world charm.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4
Bratislava to Mosonmagyarovar / Gyor
After a short cycle through Slovakia, you cross the Hungarian border into Rajka. Cycle past storybook villages, where you can still find traditional thatched-roofed farm houses. Your route guides you through the Szigetkoz (a small Rye island) towards Mosonmagyarovar; the charming old ‘city of 17 bridges’. After exploring the town centre, take the train to colourful Gyor, with its ancient trading streets and breathtaking historic centre.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5
Gyor to Komarom
Follow a new cycle path as it takes you past open farmland, lush fields and woods to today’s destination, Komarom. Sitting on the banks of the Danube, the town straggles two countries, with one foot in Hungary, the other in Slovakia and the mighty Danube flowing inbetween. On arrival visit the 19th century Fort Monostor, one of the largest fortresses in central Europe, or unwind in the town’s thermal baths. The longer, alternative route (59km/36.7mi) takes you across the river for a wonderfully tranquil ride through the Dunajske luhy protected landscape, with intermittent views of the Danube herself.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6
Komarom to Esztergom
Pedal along the riverbanks of the flat Danube Valley, passing quaint villages and lush vineyards. Fitter cyclists can choose a route over Tata, but be aware this is more strenuous and there are no shops and restaurants along the way. Those interested in the history of the area should plan some time for the Roman archaelogical site of Kelemantia, where a military camp stood from the 2nd to the 4th Century. The absolute highlight of the day however, is Esztergom (also known as Hungarian Rome), with the largest basilica in the country.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7
Esztergom to Budapest
Head to the Danube Bend, probably one of the most attractive sections of the Danube bike trail. Here, the river winds its way through the Visegrad Mountains and makes a sharp turn towards the south. Explore the old Baroque town of Szentendre, before taking a leisurely boat ride into the centre of Budapest and appreciate its stunning architecture.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8
End Budapest
End your trip in Budapest. There is much to see in this iconic city and we are pleased to book additional nights for you if you wish. Hungary’s capital is bisected by the River Danube, and the 19th Century Chain Bridge connects its hilly Buda district with the flat Pest. The city is easy to explore on foot; don’t miss the chance to visit one of the city’s famous thermal baths or walk up to the dome of St Stephan’s Basilica for a fantastic panoramic view!
Meals: Breakfast
What’s included
What’s not included
Additional information
Food
All breakfasts are included.
Breakfast: Continental style buffet breakfast.
Lunch and Dinner: There are numerous restaurants along the route and the route notes will provide more details to help you decide. Self-guided cycling also lends itself really well to picnics. You can stop wherever you please, in a spot that suits you and eat your lunch taking in your chosen view.
Szigetköz Backwaters Cycling to Mosonmagyaróvár
Pedal tranquil levee roads through Szigetkoz (Little Rye Island), a maze of Danube side-arms edged by reeds and willow. Spot herons gliding low over mirror-still channels and scan stork nesting poles above thatched farmsteads as you weave between sleepy hamlets.
Roll into Mosonmagyaróvár, the “City of 17 Bridges”, to find baroque fronts and riverside promenades where the Moson Danube meets the Lajta. The gentle, water-laced scenery and birdlife make this stage a serene counterpoint to grand imperial cities.
Esztergom Basilica & Castle Hill
Visit the Esztergom Basilica, seat of Hungarian Catholicism and the largest church in Hungary. Climb to the panorama terrace for sweeping views across the Danube to Slovakia, with rooftops tumbling toward the river below.
Stroll around Castle Hill and the graceful Mária Valéria Bridge, reflecting on Esztergom’s role as an early royal capital and spiritual heartland. The basilica’s monumental dome, Treasury, and riverside setting provide a memorable cultural crescendo to your day’s ride.
Danube Bend Scenic Ride via the Visegrád Mountains
Follow the river’s graceful curve through the Danube Bend, where forested slopes of the Visegrád Mountains rise steeply from the water. Quiet riverside paths and small ferries link pretty towns as the valley narrows and the current quickens.
Glance up to the hilltop ruins of the Visegrád Citadel and pause for river panoramas from pebble beaches and viewpoints. This stretch pairs gentle cycling with dramatic scenery, revealing one of the Danube’s most celebrated natural corridors.
Szentendre Old Town & Artist Colony
Explore Szentendre, a baroque riverside town famed for galleries and studios that grew from a 20th-century artist colony. Meander cobbled alleys between pastel houses, artisan workshops, and shaded courtyards alive with painters and potters.
Look for slender Orthodox church towers recalling Serbian merchant heritage, browse boutique museums, and enjoy riverfront views before boarding your boat. The town’s creative energy and baroque lanes provide a charming finale to your riverside approach to Budapest.
Danube Boat Cruise into Budapest
Cruise the Danube from Szentendre into the heart of Hungary’s capital with your bike on board. From the open deck, the skyline unfurls: the neo-Gothic Hungarian Parliament, the graceful span of the Chain Bridge, and Buda’s royal terraces.
Glide past spires and stately boulevards to disembark amid grand avenues and café culture. Approaching by river sets a triumphant tone, offering cinematic views of Buda Castle and Pest’s riverside palaces as the city gathers around you.
Carnuntum Archaeological Park Admission
Step into the Roman frontier at Carnuntum Archaeological Park, where a villa, bathhouse, and city quarter have been meticulously reconstructed on original foundations. Walk beneath the triumphal Heidentor and explore an amphitheatre that once echoed with legionary drills and public spectacles.
Interpretive exhibits bring daily life on the Danube Limes to life, from trade to military engineering. This optional visit is at additional cost and bookable on tour, perfect for history lovers riding the Limes corridor toward Bratislava.
Fort Monostor Guided Visit, Komárom
Explore the largest modern-era fortress in Hungary at Fort Monostor (Monostori Erod), a vast 19th-century stronghold guarding the Danube frontier. Walk echoing brick casemates, ammunition halls, and ramparts while learning about Habsburg military strategy.
Views sweep across the river toward Slovakia and the wider Komárom fort system that once secured this strategic crossing. This guided visit is at additional cost and bookable on tour, adding depth to your borderland ride.
Budapest Thermal Bath Experience
Restore tired legs in Budapest’s historic spas, choosing the neo-baroque Széchenyi Baths or the Art Nouveau Gellért Baths. Slide into thermal springs rich in minerals, rotate through steam rooms and saunas, and emerge to open-air pools framed by ornate colonnades.
Bath culture is woven into city life, from Ottoman domes to belle-époque grandeur. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, offering a blissful close to your Danube journey.
Viennese Coffeehouse & Sachertorte Tasting
Settle into a historic Viennese coffeehouse such as Café Central or Café Sacher, where marble-topped tables, newspapers on wooden holders, and waistcoated waiters preserve a beloved ritual. Pair a melange or einspänner with a slice of glossy Sachertorte.
Absorb the city’s literary and musical legacy in rooms once frequented by artists and thinkers. This tasting is at additional cost and bookable on tour, a sweet prologue to your ride along the imperial river.
Donau-Auen National Park Wetlands Ride
Cycle through the floodplain forests of Donau-Auen National Park, where the Danube breathes through backwaters lined with willow and poplar. Listen for kingfishers, look for beaver traces, and glide past meadows alive with butterflies as you follow the levees and shady woodland paths.
Pause by Orth an der Donau Castle and the Habsburg-era Schloss Eckartsau, absorbing a landscape preserved as one of Central Europe’s last great riverine floodplains. The calm, flat terrain makes for effortless spinning with rich opportunities to spot wildlife along the way.
Bratislava Old Town Walk
Explore the compact heart of Slovakia’s capital beneath Bratislava Castle, where pastel facades and café terraces line cobbled lanes. Stroll through the Main Square and under Michael’s Gate, feeling the blend of Habsburg elegance and contemporary creativity in the pedestrian quarter.
Step inside the legacy of the Hungarian Kingdom at the coronation church of St Martin, admire baroque palaces, and browse local craft boutiques. The old town’s intimate scale invites unhurried wandering and photo stops at every turn of its storied streets.
Welcome Bike Fitting & Route Briefing, Vienna
Get set for your journey as you meet your local representative for a professional bike fitting and briefing. Saddles and handlebars are adjusted, gears checked, and the Danube Cycle Path overview is explained alongside use of the navigation app, route notes, and safety guidance tailored to local riding conditions.
Gain practical tips on waymarking, border etiquette, and the included boat and train logistics so your cross-border adventure unfolds smoothly. This hands-on orientation delivers confidence from the first pedal stroke and typically happens early in the tour.
Gyor Baroque Old Town Stroll
Wander elegant Széchenyi Square and the cobbled lanes of Gyor, where merchant houses and arcades reveal centuries of trade along the Danube routes. The air is scented with coffee and fresh pastries as street musicians animate corners and courtyards.
Seek out the Bishops’ Castle (Puspokvár) and the richly decorated Church of St Ignatius, showcasing Jesuit baroque artistry. Gyor’s harmonious architecture and intimate scale offer a rewarding pause between rural rides and river horizons.
