All Aboard the Passau to Budapest Boat & Bike Tour

This is my day-to-day account of our leisurely journey aboard the MV Vivienne from the charming city of Passau in Germany to Hungary's spectacular capital and back again. The cycling was relaxed, the culture was captivating and we had more than enough tasty food and drink to fuel us on our daily rides!

If you'd like to get your own taste of our Danube River - Passau to Budapest Boat & Bike Tour then I couldn't recommend more highly that you book yourself a cabin! You can book online via the tour page, or if you're in need of any more advice then our team are on hand to provide it. Enquire online or call us on +44 (0) 1273 224066.

By Nick Thompson, Sales Consultant

This tour begins in the pretty southern German city of Passau. We knew we wanted to make the most of our time there, so we flew into Munich a day before the tour started to soak up the architecture and history and, importantly for us, eat some food! With just a two-hour train link from Munich airport, we had no trouble arriving in Passau in time for a delicious lunch in a traditional beer garden. As hard as we tried to clean our plates, in the end, we were defeated by the size of the pork knuckle.

With our stomachs filled we set off for an afternoon stroll around Passau, wandering through the winding cobbled lanes which were full to the brim with art shops and cafes. Amongst the maze of streets, we found the impressive St Stephen's Cathedral with its high-rise ceiling, gothic sculptures and paintings - if you take this tour yourself, this is an absolute must-see!

With Passau checked off our list, it was time to hop aboard our 'floating hotel' for the week, the MV Vivienne, a luxurious river cruiser complete with a spacious lounge, a restaurant with panoramic views of the river and a sundeck for resting weary legs - we would spend plenty of fun and relaxing hours on board in between our daily rides. 

After a swift and stress-free check-in, we went to our cabins where all our bike equipment for the week was waiting for us. After that, it was time for a warm welcome meeting with the cruise director accompanied by coffee and cakes followed by a pleasant evening meeting fellow cyclists and a hearty meal.

Our first morning aboard the Vivienne began with a sumptuous breakfast buffet and, after collecting our bikes, we were ready for our first full day of cycling. Beginning in the charming town of Engelhartszell, we breezed along flat riverside paths under glorious sunshine, taking in the stunning views of the banks of the Danube. Our days in the saddle on this tour were made stress-free with the first-rate navigation app which made following the route incredibly simple!

After a pitstop at the Pumberger Family Farm to sample some home-brewed cider (it would be rude to refuse a beverage right?), we headed to the spectacular Loop of Schlögen, probably the most picturesque location on the whole tour. We dismounted our bikes and took a little ferry across the river before hiking up to the Schlögener Blick where the views of the steep, green river banks diving down into the water are astonishing. After that, it was on to the historic village of Aschach to rejoin the boat.

Evenings aboard the MV Vivienne are a perfect way to end a day of cycling, and dining on board is a big part of the experience. Regional specialities were a highlight - we had Kaiserschmarrn, a lightly sweetened pancake, in Austria, Schnitzel and Spätzle, egg noodles typically served as a side, in Germany and many more tasty dishes. You’ll also get to know your fellow travellers as you tour together, sharing stories in the lounge and at dinner, or if you'd prefer a little quiet time to yourself, there's plenty of room for that as well.

After making quick progress through Austria, the Vivienne ferried us to Slovakia and we woke on our third morning of the tour in Devin near Bratislava. Our first stop was the magnificent Schloss Hof Palace which boasts huge, pristinely kept gardens and even a farm where we enjoyed petting some animals!

Sitting on the border of the old Iron Curtain, this is an area of the world that is drenched in history, and we were able to visit a number of poignant memorials to the dead of the Cold War along with some fascinating war bunkers. After our morning exploring Devin we pedalled over the Most Lanfranconi bridge to Bratislava.

The Slovakian capital has enough to keep you busy for months, but since we only had an afternoon we made what we could of our stay in quick time. We took a short hike up to Bratislava Castle which has stunning views over the entire city. After that, we strolled through the old town, grabbed a drink and then headed back to the boat for dinner and a well-earned rest.

With that, it was time for a day out of the saddle in Budapest. No cycling, but a whole day on foot exploring Hungary's vibrant capital. Sailing into the city with the Cathedral, Basilica and bridges flanking our vessel was a fantastic way to start the day and had us keen to get going!

After docking, we hiked up to the Citadella for some awesome panoramic views of Budapest (I always think a good view is the way to get your bearings on your first day in a new city!). Having worked up an appetite following our walk up to the viewpoint, we decided to try the local Hungarian cuisine of lángos, a delicious deep fried flatbread. The tour director had advised us that we only really needed one between the four of us, but, full of confidence in our eating ability, we disregarded the advice and got one each... this was our second mealtime defeat of the tour.

Later in the day, it was time to explore Budapest's cultural highlights. The Fine Arts Museum and the Hungarian House of Photography were brilliant and the golden ceiling of the Basilica was enough to take the breath away. With all these places to go and see, the boat kindly doesn't leave until the next morning, and there's even time for a late-night drink after dinner if you have the energy!

Day five was my personal favourite of the tour. Heading back the way we came along the Danube, we cycled through a wonderful variety of scenery including wooded areas, wide open fields, the usual gentle riverside paths, urban areas and we even found some more animals to pet along the way!

After visiting St. Stephen's in Budapest, we arrived at an equally magnificent Basilica at Esztergom which we had perfect views of as we cruised along on our boat. The imposing exterior is matched by the beauty of the interior with vibrant Christian paintings and ornate carvings adorning the walls. After that, we enjoyed more panoramic views next to the Saint Stephen Statue, which was also one of my favourite views of the tour. For me, Esztergom was truly an unexpected delight!

Having skipped past Vienna on our way to Budapest, it was now time to take in the Austrian capital as we journeyed back upstream. We were unfortunate with the weather, but the rain wasn't going to stop us from making the most of one of Europe's most glittering capitals. Having bought our day ticket for the tram system, we headed to the centre of the city, where almost all the attractions you could hope to visit are placed conveniently close together!

Splendid religious buildings were an obvious theme of this tour and Vienna certainly played a part in this regard. St Stephen's Cathedral was Gothic and imposing, a very different architectural style from the domes of Hungary but just as impressive. Louie truly made the most of Vienna, even taking a tour to see the catacombs underneath the cathedral which house the remains of dukes and commoners from all the way back in the fourteenth century.

After taking in the astounding culture of Austria's capital, it was time for drinks, dinner and board games on the Vivienne.

Day seven and we were coming towards the end of what had been a fantastic trip. Sad as we were that it was nearly over, we wanted to make the most of our last full day and the Danube did not disappoint us. Once again we fuelled up on a generous breakfast buffet on board and prepared our packed lunches ready for the day ahead exploring the Wachau Valley.

We had plenty of scenic pedalling to do along the riverbanks. After hours of pleasant cycling, we eventually reached the pretty town of Spitz where we had one last hike up to the Dürnstein Ruins, a castle from the 12th century that overlooks a stunning bend in the river. After our hike, we were able to sample some of the local schnapps which was extremely tasty.

Towards the end of the day, we rolled gently through the vineyards of the Wachau Valley, crossed the river by ferry for the final time to arrive in Melk, and had a fantastic time visiting the grand Benedictine Abbey. Our final evening aboard the Vivienne was an opportunity to let our hair down a little (a lot?) as we enjoyed a 70s-80s disco with fellow passengers, followed by a warm farewell from the staff and captain.

The crew of the Vivienne were truly helpful and accommodating right up to the point we left the boat, the cruise director even organising taxis and other arrangments for the passengers. After a short pitstop in Passau, we jumped on the train back to Munich to catch our flight home.

I'd been on many cycle tours on my own before, but this was my first ever organised cycle tour and it exceeded my expectations, with some memorable moments and I came away with a real sense of achievement. Which you don’t get with your typical holiday!

I couldn't get enough of cycling the Danube and if you're considering a Boat & Bike holiday, I would highly recommend booking yourself onto this one! You can book online via the tour page, or if you're in need of any more information then our team are on hand to provide it. Enquire online or call us on +44 (0) 1273 224066.

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