Danube Bike Tours | Biking the Danube Cycle Path

Danube Cycle Path Tours

The Danube River is one of the oldest and longest rivers that flows for over 1800 miles through the heart of Europe. Bike along the Danube Cycle Path and follow the river for much of its length through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. This is Europe's most popular cycling route with miles of dedicated and largely traffic-free cycle paths and country roads.

Visit some of Europe's most beautiful, culturally significant cities, such as Vienna, Bratislava, and Budapest. Sample the local cuisine of each region as you travel through the typical countryside and wine-producing villages of the Danube. The route is mainly flat, with some slight elevation in the Wachau Valley, making it ideal for families and cyclists of all ages and abilities as described by The Guardian.

Macs Adventure has been booking cycling holidays along the Blue Danube since 2011. We have a strong relationship with our local partner in Austria and combined with the knowledge of our team you can rest assured that you have booked with confidence. Simply choose one of our itineraries and we will help you plan and prepare for your Danube adventure!

Discover Danube Cycle Path

Which itinerary is for me?

Passau to Vienna – Also known as the "Classic", this 8-day itinerary is the most popular choice. Setting off in Passau you discover countless Austrian highlights such as the world-class city of Vienna, the wine-growing Wachau Valley, and the iconic Schlögener Schlinge, where the river makes a dramatic bend of 180 degrees.

Vienna to Budapest – Similar to Passau to Vienna, this is an 8-day itinerary, allowing you to discover a trio of nations: Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. Starting in the musical city of Vienna you can enjoy traffic-free paths through sleepy towns and villages. Take in Bratislava, Europe’s youngest capital city, before continuing to the fairy tale city of Budapest.

Passau to Budapest – For those with a little more time this 2-week itinerary visits in Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. One of the highlights of this trip is the scrumptious regional food you get to try! Finish in Budapest, where Eastern meets Western Europe, perhaps the prime opportunity to rest your legs in one of the capital's many thermal baths.
The Danube Experience

The Danube Cycle Path is Europe's most popular cycle route. Whether you embark on one of our land-based tours or enjoy the best of both worlds on a cruise, the choice is yours.

Easy Cycling - Cycling along the Danube is easy-going as you will be following riverside paths that are predominantly flat and traffic-free. This makes the trip quite relaxing and suitable for mixed abilities and families. There are various ways of shortening daily cycles by taking ferries or catching a train and on Bike & Boat trips you can also decide to stay on board and skip a day of cycling.

Convenience - On our Danube Cycle Path trips you can set off each day knowing that your luggage will be transferred to the next hotel for you. If you would prefer to only unpack your suitcase once, our Bike & Boat trips might be ideal for you. The boat drops you off at the start of your cycling route and you will have a table reserved on board at the end of the day.

Meet New People - Many people enjoy our Danube holidays as a great way to meet new, like-minded people - whether these are locals or fellow cyclists. On Bike & Boat Cruises the trip becomes a shared experience with plenty of social spaces including the restaurant, lounge area, and sun-deck, but with the privacy of a private cabin when you need your own space.
Stay Local, Eat Local

One of the absolute highlights of an adventure along the Blue Danube is getting the chance to sample the fantastic food and drink of the regions that you cycle through. Here are some of our favourites!

Wiener Schnitzel: One of the best-known specialities of the Viennese cuisine and considered the national dish of Austria. The traditional Wiener Schnitzel is a crispy, thin slice of breaded meat (veal, pork or chicken) accompanied by a potato salad.

Goulash: Originating from Hungary and predominantly eaten in Central Europe, Goulash is a traditional soup or stew with tender beef and onions, spiced with paprika. Many recipes also include potatoes, celery, tomatoes and carrots - richly flavoured and best enjoyed with rice, bread, or mashed potatoes.

Grüner Veltliner & Riesling: The respected Wachau Valley wine region is known for its full-bodied wines and the Grüner Veltliner is arguably the most iconic of all Austrian wines. It can be described as intense and aromatic, with zesty citrus notes and a touch of white pepper.

Sacher-Torte Cake: A sweet chocolate sponge cake, with apricot jam and dark chocolate icing - who doesn't like the sound of that? It was invented in 1832 by Franz Sacher who made this for Prince Von Metternich in Vienna who was desperately trying to impress his dinner guests. Safe to say it has been popular ever since!

Potato dumplings: Probably the most famous local dish in Slovakia that is very similar to gnocchi and contains sheep's cheese. The steamed dumplings are typically served with lashings of pork shoulder, cabbage, sour cream and fried onions. It's a must-try when visiting Bratislava!