Family-friendly cycling along the Danube to Vienna
Experience a delightful family cycling adventure along the Danube, from Linz to Vienna, with its mild climate, scenic riverside landscapes, and sprawling vineyards. This journey offers an array of activities for all ages. Travel back to 700 BC in the Celtic Village, encounter fire-spitting dragons, witches, and gnomes on the renowned 'Grottenbahn' ride, and soar above Vienna's rooftops on the Ferris wheel.
The cycling routes are designed for families, providing a relaxed and enjoyable experience. On hot summer days, cool off in various waterparks, Aqua Parks, lakes, and public outdoor pools along the way. Enjoy quality time with your loved ones as you explore the enchanting Danube landscapes, creating lasting memories.
Details about cycling holidays on the Danube Cycle Path
Join us on our family tour commencing in Linz, Upper Austria. On the second day, the journey takes you to Enns and its vibrant surroundings, offering exciting encounters with fire-breathing dragons, dwarfs, and witches in the cave railway, as well as a visit to the Aqua Park in Ausee, catering to the enjoyment of both young and old travellers.
Days three and four lead you to Grein and Marbach, with a leisurely 20-kilometre ride through the picturesque Wachau region. Here, young gourmands can indulge in sweet apricots and apples, while parents savor the region's delectable sparkling wines.
Continuing through Krems and Tulln, your route unfolds towards the bustling metropolis of Vienna. As you pedal, the enchanting Viennese atmosphere becomes increasingly palpable.
Experience a delightful mix of adventure and relaxation on your journey from Linz to Vienna. Visit the enchanting Pöstlingberg and enjoy a thrilling ride on the Grottenbahn. Then, head to the Aquapark near Enns for a refreshing break. Enjoy delicious Wachau apricot dumplings before taking a ride on the world-famous Ferris wheel in the Vienna Prater.
Highlights of this family holiday on the Danube Cycle Path at a glance
Aqua Park at Ausee: Enjoy the ultimate summer experience by cooling off in the outdoor pool. Water enthusiasts can have a blast on slides, climbing towers, and slippery surfaces at the Aqua Park.
Vienna: Austria's capital city is a captivating destination for both adults and children alike. The Vienna Prater and the iconic Ferris wheel are the perfect highlights to conclude your memorable family trip.
Scenic routes: Enjoy breathtaking landscapes along the Danube riverside, passing through vineyards and dreamy landscapes.
Mild climate: Experience a wonderfully mild climate, perfect for outdoor activities with your family.
Historical and cultural stops: Explore cultural detours like the Celtic Village and the famous Grottenbahn, where you can encounter dragons, dwarfs, and witches.
Family-friendly cycling: The cycling stages are designed to be easy and suitable for families, ensuring an enjoyable ride for all ages.
Gourmet delights: Sample sweet apricots and apples in the Wachau region while parents can indulge in delicious local wines.
Worth knowing about the cycle tour from Linz to Vienna
The terrain along the Danube River is predominantly flat or slightly downhill, allowing you to cycle almost exclusively on a well-maintained cycle path with no motorized traffic. Only on very brief sections will you ride on side roads. This cycle path serves as an excellent example of an ideal cycling route.
Over the course of eight days, you will cover roughly 190 kilometres on your journey to Vienna, averaging between 20 and 40 kilometres per day. The Danube routes are consistently flat, making it easily manageable for children to conquer the route.
Important: You do not need to be in a family group to book this tour. The route is ideal for those looking to book a cycling holiday for the first time or would prefer shorter distances each day.
The capital of Upper Austria welcomes you. Stroll through the grand old town, see the animals in the Linz Zoo or visit one of the exciting museums. For example, the Ars Electronica Center, the "Museum for the Future"! Here you can experiment, explore and try. The rental bikes (if booked) are available at the hotel.
Fire-breathing dragons, dwarfs and witches - they still exist in the cavern track on the Pöstlingberg! You should definitely plan a visit before you start the bike tour. Then you cycle at your leisure out of the city and along the Danube. Beyond the recreational area Pleschinger See, with playgrounds and bathing place, you will come across less and less houses, but on the other hand more and more nature. Lake Au can be a good opportunity for a break, because the Aqua Park with slides, climbing towers and slippery steps brings a lot of fun. A little further away from the Danube you continue to Enns.
Here in Austria's oldest city, you can visit the Roman ring road, take a dip in the adventure pool with a 65-meter slide or take a stroll through the castle park. Then it goes back towards the Danube bank and continues on the beautifully flat Danube cycle path through the idyllic landscape of Machland. The next highlight awaits you on the route to Grein: the Celtic village open-air museum in Mitterkirchen. During a tour of the Celtic village, you will experience the prehistory of Austria up close.
Grein has always been called the "Pearl of the Strudengau". It was considered the last safe mooring place for ships before the dangerous Struden (= eddies) of Strudengau. Often the ships were even unloaded here before they made their way through the danger zone. This made Grein the magical city it is today. The town offers a climbing gym and an outdoor swimming pool. From here the valley of the Danube narrows and shows the fascinating places of the Strudengau up to your destination of the day, Marbach.
Enjoy a delicious breakfast and relax in the Nibelungenbad in Marbach, a cycling holiday in Austria can be so beautiful! You can admire the blue Danube from Maria Taferl. Today you cycle only a few kilometres until you reach the famous region of Wachau. The name alone makes the mouths of young and old run water! As colourful as the surroundings of the Wachau are, the tasty natural products of the region, such as apricots and apples, are so varied. The Wachau offers delicious regional cuisine at the highest level for the whole family and reasonable prices!
Melk, the gateway to the Wachau! A visit to the monumental Benedictine abbey is almost a must. Then your journey continues as you wish: take a rest day today and instead enjoy a pleasant boat trip to Krems or jump back on your bike in Spitz or Dürnstein for the last kilometres. Or would you rather cycle the entire distance to Krems? Anyway, you can expect varied landscapes, beautiful vineyards and vast plains!
The first kilometres are easy by train to Tulln, the starting point of your last leg to Vienna. You get a wonderful feeling when you cycle the last kilometres over the Danube Island until the end of the journey, the capital of Austria. And finally, the time has come: a visit to Vienna's Prater with its ghost train, wax cabinet and probably the world's most famous Ferris wheel should not be missed. But also a walk through the Mariahilfer Straße, a visit to one of the many coffee houses or spending time in Schönbrunn zoo is all possible. Vienna alone is a big highlight in itself!
Today we say goodbye to enchanting Vienna, you are welcome to extend a few more nights!
Route information
The terrain along the Danube River is predominantly flat or slightly downhill, allowing you to cycle almost exclusively on a well-maintained cycle path with no motorised traffic. Only on very brief sections will you ride on side roads.
This cycle path serves as an excellent example of an ideal cycling route. Over the course of eight days, you will cover roughly 190 kilometres on your journey to Vienna, averaging between 20 and 40 kilometres per day. The Danube routes are consistently flat, making it easily manageable for children to conquer the route.
7 nights accommodation as described, including breakfast
Train journey Krems-Tulln including bicycle
Luggage transfer(s) max. 1 piece of luggage 20 kg per person
Travel folder 1 x per room (German, English with route and overview maps, detailed route description, places of interest, important telephone numbers, suitcase labels)
GPS data available on request
Service Hotline
Not included
Tourist tax, if applicable, to be paid locally
Arrival information
Airport: Airport Linz, Munich or Vienna
Train: Linz station, then by taxi to the hotel, about €10 per journey
Parking: Hotel garage approx. €20 per day, no reservation possible, to be paid on site
Return: Train ride Vienna-Linz, direct connection, journey time approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, costs approximately €14 per person. See www.omio.com
Sample hotel list
This is a sample hotel list. Hotels will be booked depending on availability.