Danube Experience
Bike + cruise | MS Theodor Körner ***+ - Vienna - Bratislava - Budapest - Belgrade - Vienna
Join us on this eventful bike tour through five countries and the most diverse cultures to the lesser known parts of the Danube bike path. You'll discover the infinite expanses of the Pannonian Plain, cycle through the Hungarian Danube Bend and the granaries of Croatia and Serbia, and visit charming wine villages and imposing fortifications that sit enthroned high above the river. You'll visit Belgrade, the "white city", be enchanted by Budapest, the "Paris of the East", and marvel at the noble baroque palaces in Bratislava's picturesque old town. Alongside scenic and cultural highlights, good food and a friendly crew guarantee an unforgettable and unique holiday experience.
Highlights:
The Danube cities of Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Belgrade
Kalocsa, "the capital of paprika" and folk art
the formidable Petrovaradin fortress
Novi Sad, the magnificent capital of Vojvodina
Esztergom, the largest basilica in Hungary
the Duna-Dráva National Park
the charming landscape of the Danube bend
Tour profile:
Level 1-2: the bike courses are asphalted for the most part and run through flat to lightly hilly terrain - mainly following the routing of Eurovelo 6 - via cycle paths and country roads with little traffic.
Don't feel like cycling today? You can reach your destination easily by boat.
The cruise ship MS Theodor Körner ***+:
Our spacious, nostalgic ship was completely redecorated in winter 2013/14 and offers a comfortable atmosphere in modern Art Deco style. Excellent service and attention to detail are the priority of the captain and crew who are looking forward to welcoming you on board. Your bike tour through various countries is also a culinary expedition through the diversity of national and the regional cuisine. The ship offers a restaurant, a panorama bar with a dance floor, a salon with a sunny patio as well as a broad sun deck with comfortable deck chairs. Books and magazines from our library provide reading pleasure and parlour games offer all kinds of disport. After an eventful cycling day you will find relaxation in the sauna. In the evening a musician will perform for you to dance! The MS Theodor Körner also offers Wi-Fi (connection speed may vary).
3 passenger decks: Promenade deck + upper deck (windows can be opened), main deck
Cabins: 60 comfortable cabins (approx. 8 - 16 m2) with large picture windows, own bathrooms, flat-panel TV, hair dryer, mini-safe, air conditioning
2-bed-ECO: bunk bed (1 upper and 1 low bed, app. 8-9 m2)
2-bed: 2 low beds (app. 10-11 m2)
Junior Suite: queen size bed (app. 13-16 m2)
3-bed: in junior suite (couch), 2-bed cabin (promenade deck /bunk bed)
Itinerary:
Day 1: Vienna
Embarkation at 11:00 am in Vienna/Nußdorf; departure is at 12:00 pm! From your box seat on the sun deck, you'll glide serenely alongside the setting sun and enjoy the breathtaking view of the idyllic riverside meadows of the Danube-Auen National Park and the fortifications of Devin at the gates of the city of Bratislava.
Day 2: Solt - Kalocsa, approx. 45 km
"Far away, where heaven and earth unite..." is the declaration of love by a national poet to the Pannonian Plain. The bike tour runs through the wild and romantic Puszta to Kalocsa, the paprika capital. Wreaths made of paprika peppers, hand-painted, bright floral patterns on houses and wonderfully embroidered traditional dress shape the image of the town. The cathedral rises like a cliff from the Puszta, the Archbishop's Palace houses a collection of 150,000 books and you can find out all about Hungary's favourite spice in the paprika museum. In the evening, you'll visit a horse ranch, taste wine and regional delicacies and experience the wild horsemanship of the Hungarian horse herders (optional).
Day 3: Novi Sad (day of rest)
The provincial capital of Vojvodina will capture your heart with its southern flair. The Petrovaradin fortress, one of the largest defensive structures in Europe, built in the 18th century by French architect Vauban as his masterpiece, is the symbol of the city. Accompanied by a local tour guide, discover the lively university city with its brilliant historic structures by bike (optional). The perfect end to the day is a romantic evening walk through the breathtakingly beautiful and festively illuminated old town.
Day 4: Belgrade (day of rest)
Discover the fun-loving Serbian metropolis by bike or by bus on the confluence of the Save and Danube rivers, take a little journey in time from the past to the present and discover interesting facts about the rise and fall of Yugoslavia (optional). In the evening, Belgrade is bathed in a sea of light. You'll visit a colourful folklore show with traditional dances from all parts of the country and then enjoy typical specialities of the country in the renowned artists' district of "Skadarlija" with lively music from a Serbian band (optional).
Day 5: Ilok - Vukovar, approx. 38 km
Ilok, the eastern settlement of Croatia, is a wine kingdom on the Danube, known worldwide for its Traminer which the British royal family is also fond of. On the opposite riverbank, right in the Tikvara Nature Park, lies Backa Palanka, the main village of the Danube Swabians. The bike tour runs through vineyards and dreamy farming villages and through the gentle hills of Fruska Gora to Vukovar. The destroyed water tower is a melancholy memorial to the chaos of war, while the city centre, with the Palace of the Count of Eltz and the Franciscan monastery, is a jewel in baroque architecture.
Day 6: Mohacs - Danube-Dráva National Park, approx. 23 - 40 km
At one time, great battles were fought here between the Ottoman Empire and Hungary and Austria. You can discover the historically valuable testimonies as part of a pleasant bike tour through the small village and the beautiful surroundings. Europe's largest population of black storks nest in the Danube-Dráva National Park. Discover these rare natural treasures from the seat of your bike and return to the boat full of great impressions.
Day 7: Budapest (day of rest)
Discover the Paris of the East by yourself with the HOP ON HOP OFF bus or on two wheels accompanied by a local tour guide (optional). You'll experience a fiery spirit at a folklore show with traditional music and dances in the evening (optional).
Day 8: Visegrád - Esztergom, 25 km - 45 km
Another highlight of the trip is the bike tour through the romantic Danube Bend. Along the riverbank, framed by the foothills of the Gerecse mountain, cycle on idyllic cycle paths from the picturesque Visegrád (ruins of the royal palace, the stronghold and the Salomon tower) to Esztergom, the old royal residence and Hungary's original capital city. The dome of the imposing basilica that sits enthroned high over the Danube can be seen from far and wide. Hungary's largest church, with its Tuscan-style high altar and red marble walls, is particularly worth seeing.
Day 9: Bratislava (day of rest)
History comes to life in the gothic St. Martin's Cathedral, the castle that sits enthroned over the city, and the classical Primate's Palace. Our sightseeing tour (optional) by vintage train starts with a grandiose view from the castle hill of the coronation city and ends with a tour through the beautifully restored old town.
Day 10: Vienna
Disembarkation at Vienna/Nußdorf pier: approx. 09:30 am. Individual home travel.
Excursions:
The following optional excursions (not included in the tour price) can be booked either separately or as a package directly on board:
Kalocsa: Puszta trip with traditional horse show
Novi Sad: City tour by bike or bus
Belgrade: City tour by bike or bus, Belgrade by night with folklore show
Budapest: City tour by bike or with the HOP ON HOP OFF bus, Traditional folklore show in a Hungarian "csárda"
Bratislava: Old-timer city tour with a walk of the old town
Prices per person in 2016 in EUR:
Decks: Main / Upper / Promenade
ECO (bunk bed): 867 / 1.017 / -
2 bed: 1.067 / 1.217 / 1.285
Junior Suite: - / 1.655 / 1.655
Extra night in Vienna****: Double EUR 66, Single EUR 95
Parking (including transfer, payable on-site): garage XX
Vienna Airport - Boat transfer: on request
Rental bikes & equipment:
7-speed-UNISEX-hybrid bike with coaster and caliper brake
21-speed-UNISEX-hybrid bike with caliper brake
Electrically assisted bike / Pedelec
Child seat, child trailer or tagalong bike
All rental bikes are equipped with panniers
Helmets available for purchase onboard
General information:
One the one hand, a riverboat is a "holiday hotel", while on the other, it is also a means of transport that moves with motor power and must always be operated, even at night (partially with lock and bridge passages and the retractions and extensions of the structures caused as a result). Faults can happen with lock passages. This is the case for all Danube journeys and cannot be avoided. Please bear in mind that riverboats are restricted (bridge passages, locks) in size (length, height, width) and therefore cannot be compared with sea-going vessels.
The cabins are limited in space but are nevertheless comfortable and furnished. In the event of extremely high or low water, the shipping company reserves the right to bridge stages by bus or even to cancel the trip at short notice without any legal claim arising therefrom (water levels are force majeure). The same applies for officially decreed repairs to locks or bridges, not announced in advance, or in the event of motor or propulsion damage to the ship without attributed fault.
Errors, changes in prices and availability accepted. Tariffs as of July 2015.
All sales prices listed in this document correspond with the prices 2016 published in the RAD + REISEN catalogue. The prices in your offers may NOT fall below.
Please forward your final publications for error checking before publishing/printing.
Helmets are mandatory in Austria for children up to 12 years!
Minimum number of participants: 50 people (has to be reached no later than 4 weeks before the start of the trip)
Characteristics:
Operator:
Participants:
from 50
Tourtype:
individual
Children:
yes
Regions:
Countries:
Benefits:
- 9 nights in an outside cabin with shower/WC/air conditioning in booked cabin category
- Programme according to itinerary from/to Vienna
- Captain's greeting and welcome cocktail
- Daily cleaning of cabins, towels and sheets
- Full board: Breakfast buffet, lunch or lunch pack for bike tours, afternoon coffee and cakes, dinner (2-3 menus to choose from), midnight snacks
- Farewell dinner with farewell cocktail
- Crew show
- Daily live-music
- Travel guides on board (doesn't cycle with the group)
- Daily bike tour meetings
- Detailed route book per cabin
Start date: on request
End date:
Duration:
Price:
Click to order
Startdate
Middate
On request
Additional costs:
- Cabin prices and additional nights see tour description
- ECO or 2 bed single occupancy: + 50% supplement
- Port charges: EUR 99 (mandatory age 12 and older)
- Bike rental (7/21 speed): EUR 97
- Electrically assisted bike: EUR 199
- Using own bike: EUR 15 (payable on-site)
Discount:
- ECO (bunk bed) see tour description
- Reduction children/3rd adult: 0 - 2,99 years: free of charge (in 2 bed cabin with 2 full paying adults)
- 3 - 12,99 years: -50% (in cabin with min. 1 full paying adult)
- 13 - 99 years: -20% (bunk bed in 2 bed cabin with 2 fullpaying adults)