Check in to your hotel and then take a stroll through the “City of Three Rivers”, so named because this is the point at which the the Inn and Ilz rivers flow into the Danube. The narrow cobbled streets and pretty squares of the old town are a delight to explore and we also recommend a climb to Veste Oberhaus, a medieval fortress and museum that offers a fantastic, panoramic view of the town and rivers.

After breakfast your adventure begins and you start to follow the Danube Cycle Path downstream. You’ll pass through a deep gorge, carved by the river over centuries, before arriving in the charming little village of Engelhartszell. Here you may choose to visit the nearby Monastery where a silent but enterprising order of Trappist monks make and sell some rather good liquors. Cross the river using the quaint little ferry and enjoy some serene cycling on an idyllic cycle path beside the river as you continue eastwards. After a while you arrive at the stunning Danube Loop in the hamlet of Schlögen. Here the great river makes a dramatic 180 degree turn and after checking in to your lovely riverside hotel we highly recommend investing in the 20 minute hike up to the lofty look-out point in the woods to fully appreciate this majestic scene.

The day starts with a truly magical ride through an incredibly peaceful valley where nature still reigns supreme. This is leisure cycling at its best, stunning scenery, charming villages and easy cycling, far from hustle and the bustle of the modern world.

After a few kilometres the valley begins to widen out and soon you are cycling through an open plain with meadows on either side. Stop in Aschach at one of the riverside cafes for some refreshment or lunch before continuing downstream. After a bend in the river, the city of Linz, your overnight stop, comes into view. Linz is the capital of Upper Austria with a lovely old town centre and bustling main square. In the evening head to the bustling Hauptplatz to enjoy an al-fresco drink or meal.

Leave Linz following the level cycle path on the north bank of the Danube. You'll pass the Pleschinger See, a small lake, popular with the locals for for swimming and other outdoor pursuits. After a few kilometres you reach a Mauthausen, where you may like to make a small detour to visit the thought-provoking Concentration Camp Memorial Site. You then follow an idyllic riverside cycle path through the meadows and woodland of the Machland region. Your destination today is the beautiful baroque town of Grein. We recommend a visit to the town's most obvious landmark, Schloss Greinburg. The castle's rather drab exterior belies its more ornate interior and interesting interior. Your hotel will be in the area surrounding Grein.

This morning you cross the river from Grein using one of the small ferry boats and start to ride through the Strudengau, a delightfully quiet and peaceful section of the river. In years gone by this narrow stretch used to be feared by boat captains as the fast flowing water and boulder-strewn river bed created dangerous whirlpools and strong currents but today it is known and appreciated for it's natural beauty. The kilometres click by and after a while the river valley widens again and you arrive in the peaceful town of Ybbs, a good place to stop for lunch. After a couple more bends in the river you will spot the church of Maria Taferl high on the opposite bank's hillside. You will stop for the night in Maria Taferl or a few kilometres further on in the town of Melk.

The day starts with a ride along the riverbank, to the bustling town of Melk, famous for its magnificent baroque Abbey and as the gateway to the Wachau. Further on you reach Spitz, the first of series of beautiful wine villages so typical of this region . As you pedal through the Wachau you’ll see romantic castles and palaces perched on strategic bluffs overlooking terraced vineyards and orchards that cascade down to charming old villages at the water's edge. The iconic baroque church at Dürnstein makes quite a sight and it's up to you whether you park the bike and make the climb up to the ruins of the castle where Richard the Lionheart was incarcerated (top tip: the view along the Wachau valley from the ruin is superb). From Dürnstein it's an easy ride through the vineyards to the charming old town of Krems where you will spend the night.

Your final day in the saddle is an easy ride leading you leads you first to the town of Tulln and then on through the Vienna woods into Vienna itself. Use the rest of the day to explore the beautiful city. The Schönbrunn Palace, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and the Imperial Palace are popular highlights. You may also want to take in the ‘Riesenrad’, the giant ferris wheel, made famous in the 1949 British film, ‘The Third Man’, and no trip to Vienna would be complete without enjoying a coffee and cake in one of its famous, convivial and elegant coffee houses.

After breakfast it's time to head for home or your next adventure.