Quick answer
The single best section of the Danube Cycle Path is the Wachau Valley between Melk and Krems in Austria — a UNESCO World Heritage Site that combines medieval castles, apricot orchards, terraced vineyards, and a beautifully narrow river gorge into roughly 35 km of near-perfect cycling. The runner-up is the Passau to Linz section through the Austrian gorge country. The Vienna to Budapest stretch is flat and pleasant but less visually dramatic than the Austrian sections.
Who is this for
This guide is for anyone deciding which section of the Danube Cycle Path to cycle — whether you have a week and can't do all of it, or you've done one section and are wondering where to go next. It's also useful for anyone already booked on a Passau–Vienna or Vienna–Budapest tour who wants to know which days to look forward to most.
Section-by-section ratings
1. Wachau Valley: Melk to Krems ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The undisputed highlight of the entire route. Melk Abbey — a colossal Baroque monastery perched on a cliff above a bend in the river — is one of the most striking buildings in Central Europe. Below it, the river narrows and the valley walls close in, rising steeply on both sides in terraces of vines and orchards. Medieval castles crown every prominent rock: Schönbühel, Aggstein (a ruined fortress with improbable views), and Dürnstein with its blue-and-white church tower. The village of Dürnstein itself — small, preserved, romantic — is a lunch stop that's hard to leave. Krems at the eastern end is a proper wine town with excellent restaurants and a lively market. The entire 35 km section between Melk and Krems can be cycled in two hours, but most cyclists take a full day to enjoy it properly.
Best side: The north bank (following the signs for the Wachau) gives the most dramatic views. The south bank is flatter and less interesting — stay north.
2. Passau to Grein — the Nibelungengau gorge ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The first section of the Austrian Danube, immediately below Passau, surprises most cyclists who expect flat river riding. Here the hills press close to the river and the path winds through a series of narrow gorges with dramatic rock walls on both banks. The landscape was the inspiration for the medieval Nibelungenlied saga. Key highlights: the Schlögener Schlinge — a tight river loop where the Danube nearly doubles back on itself and can be seen from a viewpoint high above; the fortress of Obernzell; the market town of Grein with its clifftop castle and Baroque theatre. This section sees fewer cyclists than the Wachau and feels more raw.
3. Grein to Melk — the Strudengau ⭐⭐⭐
A transition section between the dramatic gorges of the upper Austrian Danube and the Wachau. The valley widens somewhat but remains attractive — riverside meadows, orchard villages, and the first hints of the wine country to come. Ybbs an der Donau and Persenbeug (with its inhabited castle overhanging the river) are the highlights. A pleasant day's riding but less dramatic than what precedes and follows it.
4. Krems to Vienna — the Kamptal and approach ⭐⭐⭐
Below the Wachau the valley opens significantly. The route passes through more agricultural land with the Kamptal wine region to the north. The landscape is appealing without being dramatic. The long approach to Vienna through the city's northern suburbs rewards patience — the Prater park and the Danube Island (Donauinsel) are pleasant urban cycling infrastructure, and Vienna itself is, of course, magnificent. Allow a full day or two in the city.
5. Vienna to Bratislava ⭐⭐⭐
Flat and well-signed, this 60 km day takes you along dyke paths through the Danube floodplain. The landscape is low-key but the end point — Bratislava — makes the day worthwhile. The approach to the Slovak capital from the west, with the castle above and the old town below, is one of the route's more satisfying city arrivals. Hainburg an der Donau, just before the border, is a good stop.
6. Bratislava to Komárno — Rye Island (Žitný ostrov) ⭐⭐
The long, flat section through Slovakia's great river island. The cycling is easy but the scenery is repetitive — poplar dykes, agricultural fields, occasional villages. Services are sparse. This is the section that gets the most mixed reviews: some cyclists find the solitude and sense of space liberating; others find 100 km of flat cycling through farmland monotonous. It helps to embrace the rhythm of it.
7. Komárno to Esztergom — the Hungarian Danube Bend ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A sudden return to drama. The Danube makes its famous right-angle turn here and squeezes through a narrow gorge between forested hills — the Dunakanyar (Danube Bend). The arrival at Esztergom, with its enormous basilica dominating the hilltop above the river and Slovakia just visible across the water, is one of the great moments of the route. This section rewards those who've pushed through the long flat stretch in Slovakia.
8. Esztergom to Budapest — the Danube Bend towns ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The final approach to Budapest passes through the Danube Bend's celebrated riverside towns. Visegrád has a medieval citadel with extraordinary river views (short but steep climb to reach it). Szentendre is a Serbian-influenced artists' town with galleries, craft shops, and café terraces — genuinely charming and worth a two-hour stop. Budapest itself, arriving from the north with the Parliament building visible across the water, is one of the finest city arrivals in European cycling.
If you only have 3–4 days
If your time is limited and you want the best of the route, focus on: Passau → Linz → Melk → Krems → Vienna. This covers the two finest sections (Nibelungengau and Wachau) and ends in one of Europe's great cities. It's achievable in 5–6 days at a relaxed pace, or 4 harder days for confident cyclists.
Where is the Danube cycle path nicest?
The straightforward answer: Austria. Specifically, the 200 km between Passau and Vienna. The Austrian section combines the best scenery, the best infrastructure, the best accommodation, and the best food and wine of any part of the route. If you cycle only one country on the Danube, make it Austria.
The Danube Bend section in Hungary is the runner-up — smaller in scale but genuinely beautiful, and Budapest is an incomparable endpoint.
Practical tips
- Stay on the north bank through the Wachau — the south bank cycle path is flat but misses the key viewpoints and towns
- Book Wachau accommodation 2–3 months ahead in July and August
- The Aggstein castle ruin (Wachau) has a short but steep climb from the path — worth the 20 minutes for the view
- Morning light is best in the Wachau — cycle the gorge section early before day trippers arrive by boat
- Between Bratislava and Komárno, carry two days' worth of water and snacks
- Esztergom's basilica has free entry to the main nave — the crypt and treasury cost a small fee
Recommended tours
Our Danube cycling tours are designed to showcase the finest sections of the route. Browse our Passau–Vienna, Vienna–Budapest, and full Passau–Budapest options to find the length and style that matches your available time.
