The Donauradweg through the Wachau, downriver among vineyards and apricot trees.

What it is

The Donauradweg, the Danube cycle path, crosses the Wachau from Melk to Krems along about 35 km of almost flat valley, always downriver. It is part of the Passau–Vienna route and passes terraced vineyards, apricot orchards, winegrowers' villages and castles above the water. There is a path on both banks and ferries to change from one to the other, so you can choose the side with less traffic and stop wherever you like. It is done in an easy day, with stops, and you return by boat with your bike on board.

The classic way is west to east: start in Melk, after seeing the abbey, and finish in Krems, with a direct train to Vienna.

Which bank to choose

• South (right) bank: Melk, Aggsbach-Dorf, Aggstein, Oberarnsdorf, St. Lorenz, Rossatz and Rossatzbach. It is the quietest, among orchards, vineyards and riverside meadows, and avoids the main road until Rossatzbach, where the path runs beside the road.
• North (left) bank: Emmersdorf, Willendorf, Spitz, Weißenkirchen, Dürnstein, Loiben and Krems. It passes through the best-known villages, but between Emmersdorf and Spitz and between Weißenkirchen and Dürnstein it runs on the pavement beside the B3 federal road, with a lot of traffic: with children, better avoided. From Spitz to Weißenkirchen it runs on the old Wachau road, which is quiet.

A comfortable combination: south bank from Melk to Oberarnsdorf, ferry to Spitz, north bank as far as Weißenkirchen and back to the south via St. Lorenz if you want to avoid the stretch beside the B3.

The ferries

There are three river crossings in the Wachau: Spitz – Arnsdorf and Weißenkirchen – St. Lorenz, with cable ferries that operate from April to October, with no fixed timetable, depending on demand; and Dürnstein – Rossatz, with a motor boat. Mautern and Krems-Stein are joined by a bridge.

Bike hire

• Wachau Touristik Bernhardt: hires city, trekking, mountain and electric bikes in Melk (Pionierstraße 2) and in Spitz (Bahnhofstraße 6). Book by telephone (+43 2713 2222) or email; the website does not publish prices. If you ask, e-bikes hired in Melk can be returned in Krems or in Spitz.
• nextbike: public bikes with stations along the Danube, from April to mid-November, which you can leave at another station.

Getting back

• By boat: the DDSG Blue Danube boats between Krems and Melk carry bike racks; the bike pays €3, and is handled at the landing stage.
• By train: direct trains to Vienna leave from Krems.

When to go and how long

From April to October, when the cable ferries are running. If you want to see the apricots, check the apricot season. Allow a whole day with stops: about 5 hours on the bike or less, plus the visits. There is little shade along much of the path.

With children

It is flat, so it suits children who already cycle, but avoid the stretches beside the B3 on the north bank. With small children, do only one stretch, for example from Spitz to Weißenkirchen along the old road, and return by boat.