Cycling Holidays - Bike & Barge: Passau-Budapest-Vienna-Passau (MV Fortuna / MV Carissima)

Bike & Barge: Passau-Budapest-Vienna-Passau (MV Fortuna / MV Carissima)

From £779 P/P

While being accompanied by a comfortable cruise ship you cycle along Europe's second largest river Danube from the charming Bavarian “three river city” of Passau straight into the heart of a once glorious Imperial and Royal Monarchy.

Enjoy three of the most enchanting European capitals: the lively Vienna, the Slovak coronation city of Bratislava at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains and Budapest, the "Hungarian Queen of the Danube"!

By bicycle you discover the stunning Schlögener Donauschlinge ("Great Loop"), the legendary Wachau with romantic towns and mighty castles amidst lovely vineyards, the untouched alluvial forests of the Danube National Park, as well as the picturesque Hungarian Danube bend where the important cupola of the basilica in Esztergom salutes from the distance. Guided and Self-Guided tours available in 2020 subject to arrival date.

Make an Enquiry Book this Holiday

Itinerary
Itinerary

Day 1: Passau (Embarkation)

Boarding time at 4.30 p.m. Located at the confluence of Danube, Inn and Ilz, Passau has numerous interesting sites to visit. Use your free time and stroll through the cobblestoned old town centre, listen to the bells of Passau's Gothic Town Hall or have a look at the world's largest Catholic Church organ in the Passau Cathedral. At 6.00 p.m. we cast off!

Day 2: Great Loop | Engelhartszell to Aschach, approx. 42 km

Your first day's tour begins with a ride through the classic scenery of the 'Great Loop' Donauschlinge - one of the most beautiful sections of the Danube. Along the way you will encounter tiny villages and cozy cider taverns. In Austria's only Trappist monastery at Engelhartszell you can taste their delicious liquors and cheese. The famous 'Schlogener View' provides a wonderful panorama of the surrounding Austrian countryside. The boat welcomes all cyclists back on board in the charming market town of Aschach.

Day 3: Devin to Bratislava, approx. 18-43 km

You pedal along the former 'Iron Curtain', cross the green line and reach the imposing Imperial Palace of Hof with its beautifully terraced gardens. Follow the bike path through Austria's 'vegetable garden' to the coronation city of Bračislava and the slopes of the Little Carpathians and discover the hidden alleyways and sights of Bratislava on an optional city tour.

Day 4: Budapest | Szentendre, approx. 54 km

The entrance to Budapest, Hungary's capital, is stunning. Savour the beauty of Budapest during a coach tour or a guided bike tour (optional) to discover many of the highlights of this beautiful city. You can also choose to cycle to the charming town of Szentendre with its Mediterranean atmosphere and lively art scene. You will get a very close experience of Hungarian culture at an evening show with traditional music and dance (optional).

Day 5: Danube bend to Esztergom, approx. 43 km

Situated in the middle of the Danube River the idyllic isle of Szentendre exudes silent Puszta romance. History, folklore and hungarian way of life will accompany you on your way to Esztergom where the gorgeous basilica of Hungary's largest Catholic Church is impressing its guests.

Day 6: Vienna (day of rest)

Discover Vienna's most beautiful attractions. During a city tour by bike or bus (optional) you will experience Vienna's most famous examples of architecture: the imperial Hofburg, St. Stephens Cathedral, the gorgeous Ring boulevard and the State Opera House, the Burgtheater and town hall and, of course, the colorful "Hundertwasserhaus". Take time to relax in one or more of Vienna's famous cafes, while the evening ends impressively at a classical concert (optional) in one of Vienna's most famous palaces.

Day 7: Wachau - Krems/Melk, approx. 37 km

Your last biking day is a special highlight! A powerful ruin looms above the small Baroque town of Durnstein, while the blue spire of the monastery church is a landmark of the renowned Wachau Valley. Amidst dreamy towns, apricot trees, vineyards and castles, this hilly landscape enchants everybody who visits ... you will be biking on cloud nine! In Weissenkirchen (possibility to do a wine-tasting (optional) you will find comfortable wine taverns along the bike path.

Day 8: Passau

As you cruise back up the Danube enjoy the early morning sunshine as you wind your way to Passau, where you'll disembark at approx. 10.00 a.m. Connecting travel should be booked for 11.30 a.m. onwards.
Route Overview

Route Overview

Nearly all flat, as you cycle along the Danube valley on metalled towpaths and minor roads.

Route Map (For guidance only):

Routes maybe subject to change or alteration. All route notes, maps and day-by-day information will be given to you upon arrival at the first hotel or at the welcome meeting. GPS/GPX Files are available for most our the cycling holidays we offer. Please ask us for details.

Starting point of the cycling holiday: Passau

Passau
Getting There

Getting There

We recommend flying to Munich, Nuremberg, Linz or Salzburg airport to reach the starting point of this cycling holiday.

Flights are available with a number of airlines to your required airport or you can travel to the start using alternative methods such as rail or road.

We recommend using Skyscanner to find the best flight prices by date or Voyages SNCF for European rail travel. There is customer car parking available at most hotels for a supplement. Please contact us for more details.

Please use local transport to arrive at the starting point or call us on 0800 755 5385 for more specific travel advice.

You do not need to go back to the starting point of the cycling holiday as all hire bikes are left at the final hotel.

Important: Please book your flights only after the cycling holiday has been confirmed by invoice or email. Flights and transfers are not included in the advertised holiday price.
What’s Included?
What’s Included?

The Bike & Barge: Passau-Budapest-Passau cycling holiday includes the daily transfer of luggage to the next hotel and local support if required. On some arrival dates the cycling tours are Guided where the minimum number of cyclists would be 10.

Included Services (Subject to confirmation)
- 7 nights' accommodation on on MV Fortuna or MV Carrissima
- Full board including tea & coffee
- Bike hire
- Captains greeting and welcome cocktail
- Daily cabin cleaning, towels & bed linen
- Gala dinner with farewell cocktail
- Farewell crew show
- Daily live music
- Daily Information meeting
- Detailed route notes & maps (1 per cabin)
Not Included
- Flights to/from the start and finish
- Evening meals (unless stated)
- Local daily taxes (Payable at the hotel)
- Helmets
- Water Bottles
- Travel Insurance
- Bike Insurance (unless stated)
- Welcome Meetings (unless stated)
- Transfers (unless included)
Bike Hire

Bike Hire

This cycling holiday uses hybrid bikes with gearing suitable for the local terrain. All bikes are regularly maintained and offer comfort along with good quality components.

You will receive an accessories package including a bicycle pannier bag with a good capacity, repair kit, lock, key, and air pump.

When you make a booking with us, we take your height(s) and the appropriate bike size is matched up accordingly.

Helmets are not provided and you will need to bring your own to use. We always recommend wearing a helmet when on your cycling holiday.

E-Bike Upgrades:

Why not upgrade your cycling experience to an E-Bike (Electric Bike)? Using a power assisted bike is a great way to go on a cycling holiday and will help you smooth out inclines or longer days in the saddle. Each E-Bike features an LCD display, removable batteries for easy charging and assistance up to 25 km/h with a range of around 120 km for each full charge depending on usage.

E-Bike upgrade prices vary per tour, but if you require any more information about bike hire and electric bikes, please get in-touch with us on +44 (0) 800 7555385.

Date & Prices

You can find out more about this cycling holiday by completing a Contact Form or call 0800 755 5385 to speak to one of the team.

Sailing Information:

Ship	Route Summary
MV Fortuna	Passau - Vienna - Bratislava - Budapest - Passau

2020 Cycling Holiday Prices:

Season	Date Band	Arrival Day
Season 1:	April / October	Sundays
Season 2:	May / August	Sundays
Season 3:	June / July / September	Sundays

Main Deck Twin Cabin Information:

Season	Prices per person including bike hire
Season 1: 2 Bed Cabin:	£779
Season 2: 2 Bed Cabin:	£879
Season 3: 2 Bed Cabin:	£919
Single Room Supplement:	Plus 55% supplement (Upper deck only)
Electric Bike Upgrade:	£99
Guided Tour Supplement:	£229

Middle Deck Twin Comfort Cabin Information:

Season	Prices per person including bike hire
Season 1: 2 Bed Cabin:	£909
Season 2: 2 Bed Cabin:	£999
Season 3: 2 Bed Cabin:	£1049
Single Room Supplement:	Plus 55% supplement (Upper deck only)
Electric Bike Upgrade:	£99
Guided Tour Supplement:	£229

Middle Deck Twin Superior Cabin Information:

Season	Prices per person including bike hire
Season 1: 2 Bed Cabin:	£999
Season 2: 2 Bed Cabin:	£1099
Season 3: 2 Bed Cabin:	£1139
Single Room Supplement:	Plus 55% supplement (Upper deck only)
Electric Bike Upgrade:	£99
Guided Tour Supplement:	£229

Upper Deck Twin Deluxe Cabin Information:

Season	Prices per person including bike hire
Season 1: 2 Bed Cabin:	£1139
Season 2: 2 Bed Cabin:	£1239
Season 3: 2 Bed Cabin:	£1289
Single Room Supplement:	Plus 55% supplement (Upper deck only)
Electric Bike Upgrade:	£99
Guided Tour Supplement:	£229

Upper Deck Suite Cabin Information:

Season	Prices per person including bike hire
Season 1: 2 Bed Cabin:	£1429
Season 2: 2 Bed Cabin:	£1519
Season 3: 2 Bed Cabin:	£1569
Single Room Supplement:	Plus 55% supplement (Upper deck only)
Electric Bike Upgrade:	£99
Guided Tour Supplement:	£229

Sailing Information:

Ship	Route Summary
MV Carissima	Passau - Vienna - Bratislava - Budapest - Passau

2020 Cycling Holiday Prices:

Season	Date Band	Arrival Day
Season 1:	April / October	Saturdays
Season 2:	May / August	Saturdays
Season 3:	June / July / September	Saturdays

Main Deck Twin Cabin Information:

Season	Prices per person including bike hire
Season 2: 2 Bed ECO:	£879
Season 3: 2 Bed ECO:	£919
Season 2: 2 Bed Cabin:	£939
Season 3: 2 Bed Cabin:	£989
Single Room Supplement:	Plus 55% supplement (Upper deck only)
Electric Bike Upgrade:	£99
Guided Tour Supplement:	£229

Middle Deck Twin Cabin Information:

Season	Prices per person including bike hire
Season 2: 2 Bed ECO:	£999
Season 3: 2 Bed ECO:	£1049
Season 2: 2 Bed Cabin:	£1079
Season 3: 2 Bed Cabin:	£1139
Single Room Supplement:	Plus 55% supplement (Upper deck only)
Electric Bike Upgrade:	£99
Guided Tour Supplement:	£229

Upper Deck Twin Cabin Information:

Season	Prices per person including bike hire
Season 2: 2 Bed Cabin:	£1159
Season 3: 2 Bed Cabin:	£1209
Single Room Supplement:	Plus 55% supplement (Upper deck only)
Electric Bike Upgrade:	£99
Guided Tour Supplement:	£229

Date From	Date To
26 April 2020	04 October 2020

PREVIOUS NEXT

Book this Holiday

Leave a review on Feefo

Overall Trip rating:

4.2^/5

Customer Experience:

4.2^/5

Latest News

Sights of Sardinia

2019-10-07

There are few islands that can match the classic Italian magic of Sardinia. Sun, sea and cycling holidays galore!...

October 2019: Last-minute Cycling Getaways!

2019-09-09

Looking for a last-minute cycling holiday? We've still got some of our best getaways booking for October 2019!...

The Most Picturesque Sights Along the Danube

2019-08-28

Let's take a look at some of the awesome sights you might see travelling along the Danube!...

Things to know for your first cycling holiday

2019-08-21

Worrying about your first cycling holiday? We've got you covered!...

SHOW ME ALL NEWS POSTS

Three countries in one?! That’s what you’ll get with our #Venice to Porec #cycling #holiday – one of our regular be… https://t.co/axf0FbWc61 @Freewheel Holidays 17 h
Did you know #Italy is home to more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country? Now wonder it’s a great cho… https://t.co/MQMTmlraTC @Freewheel Holidays 2 d
#Sicily holds a special place in the hearts of countless Italians. Isn’t it about time you discovered the magical i… https://t.co/3ETLuFlERT @Freewheel Holidays 3 d