Even if it initially goes against the flow. The Main cycle path to Bamberg is pure cycling pleasure. It is not for nothing that the cycle path was once the first to be awarded five stars as an ADFC quality cycle route. Apart from the exemplary signposting and condition of the route, the romantic Wertheim or the royal seat of Würzburg, nestled in the Franconian wine country, provide a magnificent backdrop.
The Main-Danube Canal and its cycle path along the banks provide the connection to the Altmühltal cycle path. From Beilngries, you gently roll along the slowest river in Bavaria past bizarre limestone cliffs and castles towards Kehlheim.
From here, the Danube is your guide for the remaining 2700 kilometres. The Danube cycle path mostly runs on both sides of the Danube, but sometimes only on one side, meaning that the Danube has to be crossed several times during the journey. For years, the Danube Cycle Path between Passau and Vienna or the Austrian-Slovakian border has been the most popular long-distance cycle route. Highlights such as the cultural capital Linz, the majestically situated Melk Monastery or the UNESCO World Heritage Site Wachau with its famous wine villages lie along this quality cycle route. After the Austrian capital of Vienna, the landscape is characterised by unspoilt nature. The route runs through the Danube floodplains and the Panonian Plain. However, the further east you travel, the worse the cycle path becomes. There are more potholes and fewer places to stay overnight. The Danube Cycle Route in Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania is still a real adventure.
Character
The Main and Danube cycle routes to Budapest are well signposted and well developed. In Serbia, however, there are different routes and in Romania and Bulgaria there are no signposts for the most part. Navigation by sat nav or smartphone is a great help here. The road conditions are sometimes poor. Robust cycling equipment is recommended, as repair shops are also rare.
Highlights
Donaustauf: Walhalla memorial, 130 marble busts of important personalities of the "German tongue".
Benedictine monastery Melk Abbey, gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Wachau. www.stiftmelk.at
Vienna: Old Town with Hofburg Palace and St Stephen's Cathedral, Schönbrunn Palace, Prater. www.wien.info
Bratislava: Historic city centre and Bratislava Castle. www.visitbratislava.com
Budapest: Buda Castle District, Gellért Thermal Baths. www.budapest.com
The article was in the Europe special in Trekkingbike issue 4/2016. You can download the issue in the Trekkingbike app (iTunes and Google Play) or order it in the DK shop.
Barbara Merz-Weigandt
Editor-in-Chief
