On arrival in Regensburg make your way to your hotel, after which you are free to relax or explore this Bavarian city at the confluence of the River Regen and the Danube. Its large medieval core is a World Heritage Site.

Leaving Regensburg you’ll start your tour by crossing the Nibelungen Bridge to join the ‘Tour de Baroque’ cycle route. This will take you along the river to Donaustauf, famous as the site of the Walhalla – a hilltop reproduction of the Parthenon. Continue along the Danube towards Straubing, with its charming main square and impressive collection of Roman artefacts in the Gauboden Museum.

Today your ride will take you along flat pathways in the Danube Valley to reach Bogen, set at the foot of the vertiginous Bogenberg Mountain. From here you’ll continue to Metten, with its impressive old abbey, onwards to Deggendorf, where you’ll be on the doorstep of the Bavarian Forest and finally to Hengersberg for your overnight stop. Worth a visit is the Basilika Niederalteich.

Today’s ride takes you through the pretty little village of Winzer before arrving at the baroque town of Vilshofen with its cathedral and historical centre. Continue cycling, following the Danube before you finally arrive in Passau, the ‘city of three rivers’. Here the Danube meets the Ilz and Inn and you’ll enjoy exploring this beautiful old town, set on a promontory between the rivers.

After breakfast you continue following 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. You’ll spend the night either in the little village of Wesenufer or slightly further on in the village of Schlögen.

First stop on today’s route is the stunning Danube Loop at Schlögen. Here the great river makes a dramatic 180 degree turn and 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.

Afterwards, follow the riverside cycle path through a 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 kilometers 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.

The day starts with a ride along the northern bank of the Danube to the village of Mauthausen. Nearby you will find the former Mauthausen Concentration Camp and Memorial – a thought-provoking place to stop for a break. You then follow an idyllic riverside cycle path through the meadows and woodland of the Machland region. After passing Castle Wallsee standing guard over the river you’ll enjoy a particularly scenic stretch of the river to Ardagger of Grein where you will overnight.

Today’s ride leads you through the Strudengau, a beautiful and serene stretch of the river where nature still holds sway. This is leisure cycling at its best with stunning scenery and only the sounds of the birds and your tyres on the cycle path. After a while the valley widens again and you ride through open meadows past the towns of Ybbs and Metzling. The day’s ride concludes in the riverside village of Marbach. You will overnight either in Marbach or in the nearby village of Maria Taferl.

Make sure your camera is charged and ready today as you will be cycling through the magnificent Wachau Valley which many consider to be one of the most beautiful stretches of the whole river. 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 the way you’ll see romantic castles and palaces perched on strategic bluffs overlooking terraced vineyards and orchards that cascade down to charming villages such as Weißenkirchen and Dürnstein. Beautiful old taverns and inns invite you to stop and enjoy hearty Wachau hospitality along the way. The locals are justly proud of their wine so if you abstain during the day be sure to visit one of the many wine cellars in Krems/Traismauer to sample some of the fine local product in the evening.

Your final day in the saddle come with a few choices depending on how far you wish to cycle.

Your first option is to follow the river through a fertile valley, famous for its prolific vegetable production to the city of Tulln ( a distance of around 40 km). Here you can drop your bikes off and take the train (approximately €10 payable locally) on into Vienna.

Alternatively, you can start by taking the train (approximately €10 payable locally) from Krems to Tulln, then cycle along the flat bike path (28 km), past the impressive spires of Klosterneuburg monastery to the Viennese suburb of Nussdorf, where you drop off your bikes off before taking the local tram on into Vienna.

The third option is to cycle the whole way from Krems to Nussdorf on the bike path (72 km), drop off your bikes and then take the tram on into Vienna.

A fourth option is to cycle the whole way from Krems to your hotel in Vienna (roughly 82 km). It’s a long way but the vast majority follows a flat bike path.

Once in Vienna, 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.

*Important note: E-bikes can only be returned at the drop-off point in Nussdorf on the outskirts of Vienna. It is not possible to return e-bikes in Tulln or at your hotel in Vienna.

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