Danube Cycle Path Stage 3 North Bank: Linz - Grein

Of Pill Makers and Celtic Graves

The capital city of Upper Austria, Linz, tempts you with a range of attractive sights for an extensive sightseeing route: through the old town including the main square and Landstraße to the Castle Museum, Botanical Garden, Mariendom Cathedral, Music Theatre at Volksgarten, Lentos Museum and Ars Electronica Center – to name just a few of the most important. Certainly, as you leave, the Pöstlingberg, also a city landmark, waves to you down towards the Danube Cycle Path.

The route soon passes Steyregg with its magnificent castle. Its history dates back to the 11th/12th century, but it only opens its doors for events.

A little away from the Danube you continue on to Mauthausen. The "toll station", founded by the Babenbergs and giving the town its name, gained sad notoriety as the site of the largest Austrian Nazi concentration camp (memorial site!). In the Mauthausen Pragstein Castle, by the way, you can find out everything you ever wanted to know about pill making and ointment mixing. Austria’s only pharmacy museum is housed here.

At Au an der Donau you have the opportunity to take a detour into the lively town centre of the district capital Perg, where restaurants or cafés invite you to take a break. (Tip: Shopping in Perg.) A detour along the R30 Aist-Naarntal Cycle Path is worth it. This stretches from Au/Donau to Schwertberg and Perg and back to Au.

The next resting opportunity can be combined with a visit to the Celtic village of Mitterkirchen, an open-air museum that brings daily life around 700 BC vividly to life. Not far away, by the way, is the Baumgartenberg Monastery, whose monastery church with its magnificent stucco work is considered a jewel of Baroque architecture. From here the river gently leads you to Grein, the "Pearl of the Strudengau". Known in the Middle Ages as the "golden little town", Grein charms today with its nostalgic character. The Grein City Theatre, with its much-admired curiosities, and Austria’s oldest residential castle, Greinburg Castle, welcome you.

Linz - Steyregg - St. Georgen an der Gusen - Mauthausen - Au an der Donau - Grein

Route Description

You start this route in Flussgasse in Linz, near the New Town Hall. You will immediately find the Danube embankment that runs directly along the river and can enjoy the view of the Linz Danube bend. The view of the Pöstlingberg is also not denied to you.

The route continues on the Danube Cycle Path past Steyregg, a name that all castle lovers should remember, to St. Georgen an der Gusen. Here you leave the Danube Cycle Path to the left at Abwinden, where it ends anyway due to the waterworks, and cycle parallel to the railway tracks into St. Georgen. As soon as you reach the L569, turn right towards Langenstein. After a winding ride through the village of Ufer, you finally return to the cycle path at Mauthausen and thus back close to the Danube.

Continuing on the Danube Cycle Path without major stops (except Au an der Donau) to Mitterkirchen im Machland means plenty of nature for you. A detour to Perg is definitely recommended here. Once you arrive in Mitterkirchen, you can again look forward to some culture. A Celtic village from early history has been brought back to life here with an impressive reconstruction. Shortly after the Celtic village, a detour to Baumgartenberg is worthwhile. The monastery there is very impressive, and from here also comes the coat of arms of Upper Austria.

Afterwards, a longer scenic stage on the Danube Cycle Path awaits you until Grein appears before you. The town of Grein has two touristy highlights: on the one hand, the Grein City Theatre, Austria's oldest still-played theatre, and on the other, the magnificent Greinburg Castle with its splendid interior furnishings.

In Grein we recommend taking the Danube ferry to cross to the south bank.

Discovery trips with a delicious stopover! This route passes directly by the following culinary partner: 

• DonAu Stand'l in Au an der Donau