Cycling holidays along the Bavarian Danube

Nestled between Donauried, Franconian Alb, Bavarian Forest and Gäuboden, the Bavarian part of the Danube winds its way some 350 km from Ulm to Passau. Along the Bavarian Danube, you will encounter famous towns such as Regensburg, Ingolstadt and Passau. Weltenburg monastery, Neuburg Renaissance Palace, Valhalla and the Danube Gap at Kelheim are just some of the highlights and shape the unique scenery here along the Bavarian Danube. By bike you become acquainted with the changing nature of this beautiful river as you cycle along the level and well-established Danube cycle path.

This cycling tour in the valley of the young Danube is considered a cycling classic on the Danube. Once you've mastered the first part of the tour, you reach the Bavarian part of the Danube in Ulm. Ulm scores not only because it has the highest church tower in the world, but the picturesque fishers' quarter, Wiblingen monastery and the inventive museum for bread culture are all worth a visit. On the way to Donauwörth, you cycle through river countryside of the Donauried, rich in a variety of species. Away from the cycle path, many sandpit ponds and lakes tempt you in for a cool dip. Along the way, the historic town centres of Günzburg, Dillingen and Lauingen await your visit. Donauwörth is the only Danube town on the Romantic Route. The town invites you to a walk along the Reichstrasse and to a visit to a Late Baroque pilgrimage church, Heilig Kreuz.

Donauwörth is an ideal starting point for a cycling tour through Bavaria. On the roughly 300 kilometres to Passau, in addition to the high chalkstone cliffs and the Danube meadows rich in species, the route is almost without a single hill. A total of four lovely castles are on your way to Ingolstadt. The Neuburg Renaissance Castle, which is home to four museums, is a particular highlight. Before you get to Regensburg, visit Weltenburg Monastery. Treat yourself to a cool beer in the beer garden of the oldest monastery brewery in the world and go on a boat trip through the magnificent Danube Gap at Kelheim. You'll experience museum-like flair in the lively town of Regensburg. Wander along the Danube bank and soak up the atmosphere of this old town with its churches and patrician houses. Visit St. Peter's Cathedral and St. Emmeram. You have a beautiful view of the old town and the Danube from the stone bridge. One of the more spectacular views of the Danube valley can be seen from the Valhalla. It was King Ludwig I's idea to build a monument for distinguished people in German history in the form of busts and memorial plaques. This impressive building behind you, you have the Bavarian Forest on your left and the Lower Bavarian Gäulandschaft on your right. Visit Straubing, famous for its town tower, the pilgrimage church on Bogenberg and Niederaltaich Monastery. Take a break on your way to Passau in one of the lovely beer gardens and watch the busy ship's traffic on the Danube. In Passau, you have a wonderful view from Veste Oberhaus of the merging Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers, the Baroque St. Stephen's Cathedral and the towers that shape this townscape with its colourful facades.

Whipping along on a bike? With our athletic tour from Donaueschingen via Passau to Vienna. With an average 75 km/day, you cycle from the source of the Danube to the Austrian capital. The Bavarian Danube has everything to offer keen cyclists. Cyclists who want to take a break should take advantage of the options at Höchstädter Schloss, in the Limes thermal baths in Bad Gögging, at the Ingolstadt fortress and Kelheim Liberation Hall. After a day of cycling, a snack and an alcohol-free wheat beer are a real treat.