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Trip Overview Gay cycling across Austria.
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An illustrated itinerary of one of our many travel adventures for gay men, lesbians, and friends. This information supplements our
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The most popular cycling route in Europe, the Danube cycle path ("Donauradweg") constitutes the most developed part of the Eurovelo Route 6, which stretches from the Atlantic coast in France all the way to the Black Sea. For most of the journey from Linz to Vienna, riders have the choice to ride on either the left or right bank of the storied river, most often on paved, traffic-free cycling paths. Passing through splendid scenery - forests, vineyard-covered hillsides, ancient villages, and the constantly-changing flow of the Danube - cyclists will also appreciate stopping at the many sights along the way: castles, abbeys, wineries, museums and, surprisingly, concentration camps, to name just a few!
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1: Welcome to Linz
Our tour begins as you arrive from home or with our Czech Republic pre-tour extension group from Prague and Cesky Krumlov. We meet in Linz - Austria's third-largest city. Straddling the Danube, bustling, mercantile Linz dates back to Roman times. A recent European capital of culture, Linz boasts multiple museums and music festivals. Linz was once home to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (and to Adolph Hitler, alas)! While in Linz, you must visit the Hauptplatz, the enormous medieval center of old town with its beautiful baroque-style architecture, featuring Trinity Column. Also not to be missed is the sleek new riverside Lentos contemporary art museum. The building is itself a work of art, remarkable for its transparent glass casing, attractively lit at night. The Ars Electronica Center is Linz' "museum of the future," and the Palace Museum showcases the city's past. Both are located just across the long span of the Niebelungen Bridge.
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2: Linz to Grein
On day two of our tour, we'll ride 60 km along the north bank of the Danube taking in some significant historical sights. 11th century Steyregg Castle features a chapel with magnificent gothic frescoes from the 14th century. Mauthausen Memorial is a World War II concentration camp where an estimated 123,000 people were murdered by the Nazis. After sightseeing, we'll spend the night in one of Austria's oldest and most picturesque towns: Grein.
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3: Grein to Melk
Our third day includes a 50 km trek, but not before we cross the Danube by boat. The ride begins from a shady pathway right alongside the river. Beer and wurst stands line the route, populated almost entirely by cyclists! The first town we'll encounter is Ybbs, with its lovely old Renaissance houses, a Gothic church and a Renaissance fountain in the town center. It also boasts a museum devoted to, of all things, the history of bicycles! Further along the ride, the town of Pochlarn offers interesting museums, a modern market square, and many exquisite samples of rare flora and fauna, while also providing an ideal spot for lunch. Melk, our resting stop for the night, is dominated by a gigantic Benedictine Abbey, one of the best-known monasteries in Europe. Well worth visiting, Leopold II of Babenberg presented this palace to Benedictine monks in the 11th century. They turned it into a fortified abbey, and its influence and reputation as a center of learning and culture spread throughout Austria, as reflected in Umberto Eco's popular novel The Name of the Rose. (Eco researched his novel in the abbey's library.)
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4: Melk to Krems
Today's 45 km ride begins by crossing the fabled Wachau wine-growing region, perhaps the most scenic stretch of our excursion. Lovely towns like Weisskirchen, Durnstein and Spitz prosper from the vines which surround them. Make sure to stop for a tasting of the local Gruner Veltliner, a varietal white wine whose grapes are grown primarily in Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. It has a reputation as a particularly food-friendly wine, and is made into many wines of different styles. As we approach the end of our riding for the day, we'll enter Krems, the largest town in the Wachau, through its atmospheric, timeless suburb of Stein. Krems is located at the confluence of the Danube and Krems rivers, and features an amazingly well-preserved medieval core, ideal for exploring on foot once the bikes are secured for the day. The town is more than 1,000 years old, and impresses visitors with the different faces of Krems within the old town center.
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5: Krems to Tulln or Vienna
Our final scheduled day leaves two options: a 40 km ride to Tulln; or an 80 km ride to Vienna. The highlight of the day's ride is Tulln, an ancient town dating back to Roman times with many attractions: a Roman tower (one of the oldest structures in Austria); the Roman Museum; a lovely planted promenade along the river; the Egon Schiele Museum; and the famous Tulln Gardens. The Gardens were the first permanent Horticultural Show in Europe, and are surrounded by a beautiful woodland with waterways for canoeing, walking paths, and a connecting bridge to the charming town. Because of the abundance of parks and other green spaces, Tulln is often referred to as Blumenstadt, meaning city of flowers. From Tulln you'll have the choice of taking a quick train ride into Vienna, or pedaling all the way to town through forests and atop a long manmade pleasure island, the Donauinsel. History and architecture buffs will be tempted to make small detours to the famous towns of Stockerau and Korneuberg. A Stockerau museum is located in the cellar of one of the 16th century castles. Korneuberg is located on the left bank of the Danube, 12 km northwest of Vienna. Most cyclists, however, will likely heed the call of Austria's monument-filled - and bike friendly - capital, Vienna.
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6: Departure Day
Our trip officially ends after breakfast, but if you've got early connections, you can rise and depart as early as you need to. An experience as intense as this creates strong bonds, and it's sad to say goodbye to new friends. But if the past is any guide, we'll see each other again on future adventures. And if you've got a few extra days, you can join our group cycling from Vienna to Budapest (and receive a discount on the second tour!).
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