This beautiful river runs through 10 countries, but two trusty gal pals and I plumped for the icing on the cake – the Wachau valley in Austria. You don’t have to be an Olympian to cycle here, just ready to stop regularly for strudel and beer.
1 The route
As we were starting our trip in Vienna, and Salzburg was our next stop, we needed to cycle from east to west. No tour companies seemed to go in this direction until I found Vienna Explorer. The company does a winery tour in the Wachau valley, so I was able to talk them into a one-way bike rental and the delivery of our bags to three stops along the way. Despite this being outside their usual sphere, it worked a charm. We went to the famous Spanish Riding School in the morning, then picked up our bikes and cycled out of Vienna. One turn was all it took until it was just us and the Danube.

Even the promise of wine couldn’t keep us on our bikes in the Austrian heat.
2 Tulln an der Donau
That first afternoon, we cycled on the Donauradweg – the Danube bike path – for 37km. The path is incredibly well signposted and maintained, which is just as well as we hadn’t even thought to get a map. We rode past little Austrian holiday homes, through open fields and forests until we hit Tulln. Luckily, the Hotel Römerhof that I’d booked was very near the path as we were a tad knackered by then. The Japanese buffet across the road was $15 a head for a yummy feast and was just the thing before falling into bed.
3 Krems an der Donau
Our second day on the bikes was a biggie. We needed to get up at sparrow’s fart to cycle the 43km to Krems, where we were meeting the Vienna Explorer Winery Bike Tour. We left at 7am and by 9am had found a riverside tavern for a breakfast omelette. Two hours later, we were in Krems, a gorgeous town with a ridiculously pretty city centre. Our hotel, Zum Goldenen Engel, was stellar – big rooms, nice bathrooms, free wifi, lovely staff and a humungous breakfast, which hungry cyclists very much appreciate.

The stunning Hotel Stadt in Melk is a short walk from the sights – luckily for us!
4 The winery tour
Our guide, not knowing what super-athletes we were, was surprised we made it on time, but then wine can be a great motivator. We cycled to the gorgeous hillside town of Dürnstein, stopping for a grüner veltliner (my new favourite wine) along the way. After lunch – schnitzel, of course – we travelled further up the river to a second winery but abandoned a visit to a third in favour of a swim in the Danube. The tour itself was recommended by another traveller and is a fantastic thing to do if you have a spare day. Don’t worry – everyone but us caught the train!

I replenish lost calories in Krems with a traditional Viennese pastry treat.
5 Melk
Our final day on the bikes took us to Melk, a town famous for its Benedictine abbey, a historically significant castle that sits above the town. We again struck gold with our accommodation – Hotel Stadt turned out to be right in the town square, with the abbey a 10-minute walk in one direction and the train station a five-minute walk in the other. This part of Austria is divinely unspoilt and our ride along the Danube was a lifetime highlight. Put it on your bucket list, but stay put longer than we did. Once you see these riverside towns, you will not want to jump on your bike quite so quickly.