On April 4, 1997, I quit my desk job to start what is now Zephyr Adventures.
My first task was to fly to Europe to find the very first location for our only tour that year, with two possibilities in mind: the northern area of Friesland in The Netherlands or the Danube bicycle path in Austria.
In Austria I rented a car in Vienna, drove to Passau in Germany, and drove and rode the famous Danube Bicycle Path 320 kilometers along the Danube (Donau in German) river.
Danube Bicycle Path
The Danube Bicycle Path is the most popular bicycle tour location in Europe, which likely makes it the most popular in the world. There is good reason for this:
- The path is almost entirely flat, running the entire way along the river, with options for harder rides in the hills away from the river.
- The trail starts in the small university town of Passau (“City of Three Rivers”) and finishes in the cultural capital of Vienna.
- The scenery is beautiful, with the river always on either your left or your right.
- There are many cute small towns along the way, perfect for sightseeing and lunch breaks.
Perfect for All Levels
Our main route goes from hotel to hotel each day, allowing you to cycle without ever getting in the van (which will carry forward your luggage each day). Distances range from 25 to 50 miles, which might sound like a lot but is actually quite doable given the flat path and the full day to do each ride. Plus, the support van will always be available for a lift.
For those looking for more challenge, there are optional additional rides away from the river to visit additional small towns. This makes the Danube Bicycle Path perfect for couples who wish to ride together for part of the day but split off so one party can get in some extra miles.
Tour Finally Offered 25 Years Later
I elected not to use the Danube bike path for our first-ever tour, only because of Austrian laws that technically made it illegal to skate on bike paths. But I kept it in mind for a future bicycle tour. 22 years later, we finally offered this tour in 2020, only to have it canceled due to the pandemic. The wait to return continued! Finally, in 2022, I’m excited to announc a tour on the Danube bike path via bicycle.
It is one of the best bike tour locations in the world – I hope you can join us to find out why!
It sounds very appealing, and if I were 20 years younger I might consider this, but since I will be 84 next summer I’m going to pass! From Allan’s Mom, Beverly Wright.
Agreed. 84 is not too old for our tours!
Allan should get a tandem and take you along Beverly!
well, that’s what a responsible son would do … no? 😉