Danube to the Iron Gates Bike and Boat

Boarding will begin at 4:00pm in Passau and the boat will depart at 5:00pm for the first cruise. Located at the junction of three rivers, the Danube, Inn and Ilz, Passau has a number of interesting sites including the Fortress “Veste Oberhaus” built in 1219 where there is an observation tower for a good view of the town and the river and St. Stevens Cathedral with the world’s largest church organ. Cruise via a lock to the Jochenstein power plant on the border between Germany and Austria. As we cruise, information will be provided about the daily biking, sights and sightseeing trips. Dinner will follow.

This morning you will receive your bicycles from in front of the boat. Generally we provide bikes with 21 gears (or 7 gears if unavailable or requested). Enjoy a delightful day's cycling through the ruggedly romantic Danube Bend at Schlögen, one of the most beautiful sections of the river lined with sleepy farming villages and a natural landscape. Take a break at Austria's only Trappist monastery where you can taste their delicious liquors and cheese. On your way you will encounter tiny villages and cosy cider taverns. The famous “Schlogener View” provides a wonderful vista of the surrounding Austrian countryside. On arrival in the charming market town of Aschach, you reboard the boat.

After a morning arrival in Devin, you cycle along the former "Iron Curtain", cross the green line and reach the imposing Imperial Palace of Hof with beautifully terraced gardens and idyllic manor farm. You continue along the bike path through Austria's "vegetable garden" to the vibrant city of Bratislava at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains. You can discover the hidden alleyways and sights of Bratislava on an optional city tour before reboarding the boat this evening for an overnight cruise.

Our boat arrives into Budapest in the morning and the panoramic view of the Danube bend is quite stunning. The day is free to explore the many sights of the city, with the vast majority located on the river banks, on your own or on an optional sightseeing tour by bus. You can also choose to cycle on a round trip to the charming town of Szentendre with its Mediterranean atmosphere and lively art scene. In the evening, you can explore the Hungarian metropolis on your own or relax onboard.

From the quiet baroque town of Baja that is famous for its fish soup, you cycle along the flood protection dykes in the Gemenc floodplain, through sleepy river landscapes past fields of sunflowers. At the end of today's cycle stage, you take the ferry to the small town of Mohacs, Hungary's most southerly town on the Danube and the site of two historic battles with the Ottoman Empire.

Optional excursion: discover the vibrant Serbian metropolis by bike or bus on the confluence of the Save and Danube rivers, taking a small journey in time from the past to the present and discovering interesting facts about the rise and full of Yugoslavia. In the evening, Belgrade is bathed in a sea of light. Optional excursion: you visit a colourful folklore show with traditional dances from all parts of the country and then enjoy typical specialties of the country in the renowned artists’ district of “Skadarlija” with lively music from a Serbian band.

Experience the stunning fjord-like landscape from the boat as we cruise through the Romanian Carpathian mountains and the foothills of the Balkan mountain range, or the "Iron Gates". The steep gorges, dark forests with historic monuments, impregnable fortresses and monasteries on the shores that are reflected in the blue waters of the river are spectacular.