Danube Cycle Path – Culture & Culinary Delights along Danube Limes

Welcome to Schärding, one of the most beautiful baroque towns in Austria. Colourful town houses, romantic alleys and the cosy Inn promenade invite you to arrive relaxed. Stroll through the magnificent Silberzeile and enjoy the unmistakable charm of this historic border town. To start your culinary journey, a freshly tapped Baumgartner beer is of course not to be missed. If you want to end the evening with culinary delights, you can choose between creative award-winning cuisine at LUKAS or traditional Austrian tavern culture at the historic Wirtshaus Zur Bumsn. Because in Austria, your holiday begins where you simply feel at home with good food and a warm 'Grüß Gott'.
Example of hotel: Hotel Biedermeierhof in Schärding

The first cycling stage leads comfortably along the Inn to Passau. On the way, the wildly romantic Vornbacher Enge, one of the most beautiful river sections in Bavaria, inspires before you cross between Austria and Germany via the Mariensteg. In Passau, the Inn, Ilz and Danube meet at the famous triangle of the three rivers. The baroque old town and the imposing St. Stephen's Cathedral invite you to linger. In the Boiotro Roman Museum, you will discover the history of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Danube Limes, the former northern border of the Roman Empire. Today, Bavarian and Austrian specialities merge culinarily, from crispy roast pork to freshly caught Danube fish.
Example of hotel: Hotel Spitzberg in Passau

Today you cycle right into the heart of the Upper Austrian Danube Valley. In Engelhartszell, Engelszell Abbey awaits you with its award-winning abbey beers and fine liqueurs. A few kilometres later, you will reach the Römerburgus Oberranna, an important testimony to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Danube Limes. The scenic highlight is the spectacular Schlögener Schlinge, where the Danube winds its way through the granite rock in a unique loop. The Danube bus takes you comfortably through this natural wonder. In the evening, you will experience Austrian hospitality at its most enjoyable: a multi-course themed menu 'Mühlviertel cuisine' is accompanied by the cider sommelier with exquisite musts, frizzante and regional beers. After all, beer, cider and warm tavern culture simply belong together in Upper Austria.
Example of hotel: Hotel-Gasthof Aumüller in Obermühl

Passing the historic Danube markets of Aschach and Ottensheim, you will reach Linz, a city full of contrasts. Here, baroque facades meet modern architecture, traditional coffee houses meet digital art. As a UNESCO City of Media Arts, Linz combines culture, innovation and creativity in a unique way. Perhaps you will treat yourself to a piece of original Linzer Torte in the traditional coffee house - after all, it is considered the oldest traditional cake in the world and tastes twice as good with a melange.
Example of hotel: Hotel Park Inn in Linz

Today you will follow in the footsteps of the Romans again. The magnificent St. Florian Abbey is one of the most important Baroque complexes in Austria, before you discover the Roman lime kilns and the Lauriacum Museum as other fascinating stations of the UNESCO World Heritage Danube Limes. The Basilica of St. Laurenz also tells of the eventful history of the former Roman city of Lauriacum. In between, there is time for a cider tasting at the Maleninsky farm, after all, cider is much more than a drink in Upper Austria, but a living tradition. In the evening, you can enjoy an exclusive themed menu 'Roman cuisine on the Danube Limes'.
Example of hotel: Hotel-Gasthof Zum Goldenen Schiff in Enns

At the end, a perfect combination of culture, nature and enjoyment awaits you once again. In the Celtic village of Mitterkirchen, you can travel even further back in time before the magnificent Greinburg Castle and the oldest continuously performing municipal theatre in Austria set cultural highlights in Grein. If you like, you can take a short detour to the Gobelwarte and be rewarded with a magnificent view over the Strudengau and the Danube. Of course, enjoyment should not be neglected either: a creamy ice cream at the Schörgi, a wine tasting at the Greindl winery or a freshly tapped beer at the Donaustandl form the enjoyable end to your trip.
Example of hotel: Hotel-Gasthof Zur Traube in Grein

Your culinary journey ends with numerous cultural impressions, culinary highlights and unforgettable encounters along the UNESCO World Heritage Site Danube Limes. Between baroque cities, Roman history, modern media art and genuine Austrian hospitality, you have got to know the Danube from its most enjoyable side. The return journey to Schärding is comfortable by train and is already included in the tour price. On Saturdays and Sundays of season C, an alternative bus transfer is available for an extra charge.

Hotel note: We make every effort to book the hotels mentioned by name. However, if one is not available, we will switch to an equivalent company.