Passau to Vienna Cycling

• Flexible, easy and varied cycling along the Danube - one of the most beautiful rivers in Europe
• Hilltop castles, Baroque palaces, historic abbeys, ornate monasteries
• Fields of sunflowers, acres of vineyards, orchards of peaches and apricots
• Masses of culture: art galleries, Roman remains, 23,000 year old sculptures
• Eclectic range of *** and **** hotels from C15 convents to riverfront mansions

The route from Passau, on Germany's eastern border, to Vienna is one of the most popular cycle paths in Europe - and no wonder! This stretch of the Danube carves its way through a thousand years of history - 60 dramatic castles and palaces lie along the river, and the ever-changing landscape is a kaleidoscope of fertile plains, narrow gorges, lowland forests, bird-rich marshland and acres of picturesque vines.

Much of the cycling is on the old river towpath - now lovely, flat and surfaced - where in olden days up to 60 horses strained to drag heavy cargo boats upstream against the powerful current. Today, dozens of farms and cafes offer waterfront lunch stops as you trundle between sun-baked villages and wayside stalls piled high with apples, peaches and plums. Most cycling days are completely flexible, as local boat and train services are excellent, cheap and cater brilliantly to cyclists.

Highlights include the bustling medieval centre of Linz - EU capital of culture last year - the immense C11 Baroque abbey at Melk, and UNESCO celebrated Krems, whose fabulous buildings once dripped with money. Finally the river meanders down to the Viennese woods where Vienna, the waltz capital of Europe, rises like a vision from the plain.

Our hotels are all individually charming with Passau, Schlogen and Tulln on the riverbank, and range from a quirky C15 convent in Linz, to unabashed four-star luxury in Krems, with two pools and a world class spa! Unlike many itineraries, we have included two nights in Linz, Melk and Krems to allow time to explore at leisure. It is easy to add nights before or after the tour to enjoy time in Passau and Vienna, and you are looked after throughout by our expert local agent Greenways Travel.