The Best Bike Tours Along the Danube River

The routes we've selected below feature the dramatically varied landscapes, people, climates and cities that characterise the Danube and have drawn travellers to its banks for centuries.

You can choose to journey solely on two wheels on a Hotel & Bike Tour or combine leisurely cycling with even more leisurely sailing on one of our incredibly popular Boat & Bike Tours, or to view our full range of holidays, take a look at our Danube Cycling Tours.

Our team know the paths, bends and towns of the Danube well, so don't hesitate to get in touch for advice - enquire online or call +44 (0)1273 224066.

It would take the average cyclist around fifty days to travel the entire length of the Danube, or a month if you pedalled really hard. For the perfect short and sweet section of this grand route, we recommend our Regensburg to Passau Bike Tour. This four-night holiday is a great introduction to Danube cycling and is perfectly suited to those with less time on their hands.

The starting point, the town of Regensburg in Eastern Bavaria, sits at the confluence of the Naab, Regen and Danube Rivers, where you can enjoy exploring a stunning collection of some of the best-preserved buildings in Germany, including the beautiful Regensburg Cathedral, regarded as the main work of Gothic architecture in Bavaria.

The cycling to Passau is as physically undemanding as you'll find on any bike route, with gentle paths forging an easy passage through the Bavarian countryside along quiet river banks. You'll enjoy fantastic scenery as you breeze through the rural Gäuboden region which is comprised of flat, expansive plains and holds a wonderfully understated beauty.

Refreshed from your three-day ride, you'll roll into the pretty city of Passau. The old town, which is home to some stunning and colourful architecture, is crammed onto a narrow strip of land between the Danube and Inn rivers and looks spectacular when viewed from the hills on either side of the city. This short tour may give you encouragement to explore more of the Danube, but it's a great experience on its own nonetheless.

Freedom Trekkers on our Regensburg to Passau Bike Tour:

"This tour was great for the whole family. My wife and I cycle a fair bit, but the (grown up) kids far less so. The route and the distance was just right for everyone to enjoy. The towns we stayed in were picture-postcard beautiful and the hotels looked after us well. Highly recommended." - David Recaldin

"Great trip alongside the Danube. Lovely area with great towns and villages and great beer!" - Paul Mercer

View tour: Regensburg to Passau Bike Tour

Known as 'the classic', the route between Passau and Vienna is a long-established bike trail that typifies Danube cycling at its best. The well sign-posted and flat paths of the Passau to Vienna Bike Tour are some of the best kept along the entire length of the river, allowing you to relax in the saddle and turn your gaze to the beauty of the Austrian countryside around you.

The Schlögener Loop, where the river performs a dramatic 180-degree turn is a particularly exquisite spot. A short hike up to the Schlögener Blick is worth it for the views of the gorgeous green steeps that dive down into the water.

Following the border between upper and lower Austria, the Passau to Vienna trail guides you to the Wachau Wine region, a UNESCO world heritage site where vines have been cultivated for over a millennium. It vies with the Schlögener Loop as the most picturesque location on the tour, and those partial to a glass of vino can enjoy a decadent dry wine at the feet of gorgeous terraced hills where the grapes are grown.

Many of the cities that lie on the Danube are equally as spectacular as the landscape. On day three you'll pedal into Linz, the 2009 European capital of culture and home to a vibrant music and arts scene. Vienna provides a special finale, with its stunning architectural landmarks and rich musical culture. Spare a thought though for the locals of the Austrian capital who have to listen to the strains of the Blue Danube waltz in shops, restaurants, cafes and hotels all year round - but don't let it stop you from enjoying it!

Freedom Trekkers on the Passau to Vienna Bike Tour:

"A lovely gentle cycling holiday with lovely views. Plenty of beautiful villages to travel through, hotels were excellent and the food was great, we took the half board option and loved it. The bikes were great and the route maps easy to follow, loved the off road cycling. Plenty of time for sight seeing if you want to." - Gillian Morton

"I experienced a Freedom Treks holiday for the first time back in May when myself and four friends did the Passau to Vienna bike tour - we had absolutely the best time! ... The tour organisation was fantastic, with such detailed information provided in our 'tour guide' for the route and each place we were staying at along the way... The standard of accommodation throughout the tour was very good and the scenery along this part of the Danube was stunning." - Jessica Heavey

View tour: Passau to Vienna Bike Tour

If you want even more time to visit monasteries, castles, abbeys and wine-making villages, you can cycle from Passau to Vienna at a slower pace. Our Leisurely Passau to Vienna Bike Tour is spread over ten nights rather than seven, with shorter daily rides lasting no more than three hours.

There are numerous ways to spend your additional hours. Enjoy lazy picnics or long lunches in waterside towns, spend an afternoon at the Trappist monastery in Engelhartszell sampling some of the homemade liqueurs or take leisurely strolls around Linz or Vienna.

View tour: Leisurely Passau to Vienna Bike Tour

Freedom Trekkers on Leisurely Passau to Vienna:

"As relatively cycling novices we opted for the 9 night leisurely tour and this was ideal especially as it was hot and sunny most days, the luggage transfer was very efficient and the hotels we stayed in were excellent" - Kevin Court

The Danube starts its long descent towards the Black Sea from the historic town of Donaueschingen in the south of Germany's black forest. Take our Donaueschingen to Passau Bike Tour and follow the river from its source across almost the entire width of Southern Germany as it passes through an ever-changing cultural and natural landscape.

Some of the best scenic highlights appear between Sigmaringen and Regensburg where the trail is flanked by rising limestone formations embedded in steep valley sides covered in thick Germanic forest. The Danube Gorge near the town of Kelheim is a particularly stunning site.

Your city stops in Ulm, Ingolstadt and Regensburg give you a pleasant break from pedalling and offer a chance to experience the unique culture of Bavaria. Not only are the Bavarians the world's most prolific beer drinkers (and we highly recommend unwinding with a frothy pint in a classic beer hall), they are also extremely friendly with distinctively musical-sounding accents that are very different from the north of Germany.

The greatest architectural landmark of the entire tour is Ulm Minster, a colossal 161 metre high church that dominates the Ulm skyline and is currently the tallest church in the world. It's a phenomenal example of the monumental German gothic style.

Freedom Trekkers on our Donaueschingen to Passau Bike Tour:

"Very enjoyable. The bicycle was first rate and it was very helpful to have an odometer for checking distances during and at the end of each ride. The accommodation was well chosen and met our needs very well." - Fiona Noble

"I really enjoyed my first cycling holiday I am 68! And yet I managed it all and really loved it. Thank you for making it all possible." - Suzanna Jeffries

View tour: Donaueschingen to Passau Bike Tour

Enjoy the amazing spectacles of the Danube from a totally different perspective on our 4 Countries Boat & Bike Tour. As well as enjoying the scenery from the cycle paths, you'll take in the brilliant natural landscape from the comfort of a spacious sundeck or even an open-air swimming pool aboard a luxurious river cruiser.

You'll be ferried not only through mesmerising landscapes but also some remarkable cities. Once again you'll spend time in Vienna, where you can take a bus tour between the famous architectural sites including the Hofburg Palace, St Stephen’s Cathedral and Ringstrasse Boulevard. Next up Budapest, with its riverside cycle paths, thermal baths and traditional coffee houses, and also the nearby city of Esztergom, home to the huge Esztergom Basilica. Last but not least, Bratislava's sleepy old town, magnificent modern buildings and legendary hilltop castle make Europe's youngest capital a treat to explore.

Your time on the boat will be a highlight in itself. You begin your day with a generous breakfast buffet before an expert and experienced tour leader gives you your daily briefing on your cycle ride. They're brilliant at giving you lots of top tips to make sure you make the most of your self-guided cycling. You'll then disembark for a day of easy cycling and enjoy a delicious three-course meal on board in the evening.

The waterborne accommodation options on our Danube River 4 Countries Boat & Bike Tour are particularly luxurious. The MS Prinzessin Katharina hosts a spacious, ornately decorated restaurant, an inviting saloon and sundeck, while the MS Manon has all of this along with the added perks of an on-deck swimming pool and whirlpool. Both boats have upper deck cabins with French balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows, so you won't even have to leave your room to enjoy the views!

Freedom Trekkers on our 4 Countries Boat & Bike Tour:

"The cruise down the Danube on Prinzessin Katharina was superb. The classic style boat was clean, very well organised, and the food was great. The staff were all immensely helpful and fun, and the briefings clear. The bikes and e-bikes were high quality, well equipped and the recommended tours were great rides." - Anthony Johnson

"This is a well-organised trip, with a good combination of healthy exercise in the fresh air and sightseeing in places we were unfamiliar with - here the guided tours were a useful way of getting a quick idea of a place, better than wandering around on your own." - Jessica Tyrell

View tour: 4 Countries Boat & Bike Tour

If you've come this far and are struggling to choose between tours, we're pleased to say that it's possible to pack most of these into a two-week journey on our 6 Countries Boat & Bike Tour. Beginning in Passau, the route winds its way from Germany through rural Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia and Slovenia and features the capital cities of Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Belgrade.

As well as cycling all of the 'classic' route from Passau to Vienna, this is a great opportunity to traverse some paths less cycled in Slovakia, Hungary and Serbia. You'll pedal along quiet cycle paths through sparsely populated countryside and enjoy a luxurious stay aboard the MS Swiss Crown, an impressive river cruiser complete with a beautifully decorated restaurant, sundeck and whirlpool.

There are far too many highlights of this tour to list here, but to give a flavour of what to expect, these are some of the star attractions: exploring the architecture, coffee houses and historic landmarks of Belgrade, navigating past a fjord-like landscape where the Danube opens to its widest and deepest point at Romania's Iron Gates, and enjoying the Nemzeti National Park on the border region between Croatia, Serbia and Hungary where you cycle through gorgeous Canola fields.

Freedom Trekkers on our 6 Countries Boat & Bike Tour:

"An excellent tour - it felt good at the time and left us with a continuing lighthearted glow. The cruise, the rides and special tours, the food and accommodation were all excellent and managed with understanding and wit by a virtuoso cruise director. The travelling along the Danube was, of course, the centre piece and lived up to its reputation." - Reg Phillips

"Well organised and very enjoyable trip. Bike routes were easy to follow and ride. Food was excellent and all staff on the boat were friendly and helpful." - Alan Jackson

View tour: 6 Countries Boat & Bike Tour

If you're a culture buff but don't quite have the time to take a two-week trip across Europe, we recommend our seven-night Vienna to Budapest Bike Tour where to see three incredible capital cities, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest. It's a huge bonus that the tour starts and ends in Vienna and Budapest respectively, where you can easily add extra nights and make even better bookends to your holiday.

It's a relatively short cycle from the Austrian to the Slovakian capital with mostly easy to moderate cycling. As well as following the river, you also pedal inland at various stages - you'll explore the marshy landscape of Szigetköz, a natural sanctuary for birds and fish and pedal into the Baroque-style town of Györ. Budapest is the perfect place to unwind at the end of the tour, where we recommend that you take a well-earned dip in one of the city's many thermal baths.

Freedom Trekkers on our Vienna to Budapest Bike Tour:

"We cycled through some lovely countryside and really enjoyed the food and architecture of the different countries we visited. It was hard work and we were saddle sore at times, but we would totally recommend it if you like to be active on holiday. It felt like a real adventure." - Mark Griffiths

"We thoroughly enjoyed our trip. We stayed in some amazing towns and travelled through some beautiful villages." - Joyce Horne

View tour: Vienna to Budapest Bike Tour