By Boat & Bike from Passau to Belgrade

Welcome to the Danube! Your journey by bike and boat starts in Passau and takes you to Belgrade in the coming days. Excited? Don't worry, the embarkation in Passau will take place between 4 and 5 p.m. Then it's already cast off! Almost unnoticed you cross the border to Austria. Enjoy the first hours on board, while you are approaching Engelhartszell.

On your bike! Before you turn your back on Engelhartszell, a short detour to the Stift Engelszell, the only Trappist monastery in Austria, is a good idea. Continue on to the Donauschlinge (Danube loop) near Schlögen. From one of the lookout points you can observe the Danube turning 180 degrees quite wonderfully. Only a few kilometers away you will reach Aschach. Stretch your legs a bit during a stroll through the historic town center before you leave for Bratislava in the afternoon.

In the morning you will have the opportunity to take a cycling trip along the former Iron Curtain from the impressive castle ruins in Devín to Hof Castle. The chateau has its origins in the 17th century and, together with its seven-tiered Baroque garden and outbuildings, is a real eye-catcher. Continue on to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. If you like, take a slow train city tour (not included) and get to know the beautiful old town below the castle, which can be seen from afar.

The next capital city is waiting for you! In the morning you will already catch a glimpse of some of Budapest's famous buildings, which are located directly on the banks of the Danube. Upon arrival, join a city tour (not included) or explore the Hungarian metropolis on your own. Visit the Parliament building, the Fishermen's Bastion and the Castle Palace and enjoy typical Hungarian specialties. If you feel like biking, we recommend a bike tour to the artist town of Szentendre. Overnight, the ship will take you to Baja.

From the small town of Baja, known nationwide for its fish soup, the Bajai Halászlé, you will travel along the Danube through quiet river landscapes and past fields. Before reaching Mohács, you will cross the river by ferry. The town became famous for two important battles in the 16th and 17th centuries. Likewise, the Busójárás, a carnival festival, attracts countless visitors every year. In the early evening, your tour will depart from Passau by bike and boat to Belgrade.

In the morning you will reach Belgrade. If you like, join a city tour by bike and by bus (not included). Or simply explore the capital of Serbia individually. Visit Belgrade Castle, located at the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers. Stroll through the extensive grounds and enjoy the view of the city and the rivers again and again. Or how about a detour to the artists' quarter Skadarlija with its small galleries and restaurants? In the late evening, the ship picks up speed towards the Iron Gate.

Today you will spend the day on the ship. Enjoy the passing landscapes and sit back and relax. The Danube cuts through the Romanian Carpathians and the foothills of the Balkan Mountains on this route. With the Iron Gates you will reach one of the most famous breakthrough valleys of the Danube. There is something wildly romantic about ancient castles and monuments, dense forests and steep gorges passing you by. So beautiful and yet so eerie – who doesn't get a shiver down their spine?

In the morning you will reach Novi Sad. Particularly worth seeing is the Petrocaradin Fortress on the right bank of the Danube. It was the most important fortress in Europe in the 17th century. Remarkable is the inverted clock in the clock tower, where the big hand shows the hour, the small one the minutes. Back on the bike, we continue along the Danube and the Fruška Gora National Park to Ilok, the easternmost town in Croatia. It is a center of regional wine growing. If you like, you will go by slow train to a wine tasting (not included). In the late evening we will go by boat to Batina in Croatia.

Welcome to the border triangle of Croatia, Hungary and Serbia! Starting from Batina, we cycle not far from the Danube through the Duna-Dráva Nemzeti Park. The national park is home to rare plant and animal species, some of which are found only here. Stop en route to visit the memorial commemorating the momentous Battle of Mohács in 1526. In the evening, the ship leaves Mohács and heads for the Hungarian town of Kalocsa.

Enjoy the passing landscapes until you reach Kalocsa, the capital of paprika, in the morning. Mostly available in ground form, it is an ideal souvenir to take home. Likewise, Kalocsa is known for its colorful embroideries. On the bike you will ride through the seemingly endless expanses of the Puszta. On the way there are always opportunities to cool off in the Danube. Leisurely you will reach Solt. There you have the opportunity to watch a show of the Csikós, Hungarian horse herders (not included). Overnight the ship will take you towards the Danube bend.

On the tour by bike and boat from Passau to Belgrade, you will reach the Danube Bend in the north of Hungary in the morning. The Danube runs here in an almost right-angled bend and squeezes through steep mountain slopes. You will cycle briskly through small farming villages. Soon you catch sight of the imposing dome of Esztergom Cathedral. It is one of the largest churches in the world and looks back on a history of more than 1,000 years. In the afternoon, you will travel by boat overnight to Vienna.

After the eventful last few days, relaxation is on the agenda today. Enjoy the view of the natural Danube floodplains and the approaching skyline of the Austrian capital on the ship during the entrance to Vienna. After arriving in Vienna, get on your bike and explore the elongated Danube Island in the middle of the river, take a trip to the nearby Klosterneuburg Abbey or go for a hike through the vineyards of the Kahlenberg – panoramic views of Vienna included. In the evening, you have the opportunity to attend a waltz and operetta concert at Schönbrunn Palace (not included).

Today in Vienna you can leave the bike once and explore the city quite comfortably on foot. Visit the Vienna Hofburg, St. Stephen's Cathedral or stroll through the Museum Quarter. Treat yourself to a large piece of Sacher cake and a Viennese Melange in one of the traditional coffee houses and let the flair of the city take effect on you. However, if you still want to pedal, take part in a guided city tour by bike (not included) or decide spontaneously for a sightseeing hop-on hop-off bus tour (not included).

After leaving Vienna yesterday evening, you will reach the Wachau in the early morning with the small town of Krems. The landscape of the Wachau is characterized by wine terraces, castles and monasteries – simply wonderful! Stop in a Heurigen in the village of Spitz and taste different wines (not included). Following the course of the Danube, you will reach Melk. Already from a distance you can see the Melk Abbey. The Benedictine abbey is considered a landmark of the Wachau and impresses with one of the most beautiful Baroque ensembles in Europe. In the afternoon, your ship sets off on its way back to Passau.

After you have reached Passau in the early morning, disembarkation takes place around 10:30 a.m. After that your journey by bike and boat from Passau to Belgrade ends and you start your individual journey home.