Upon arrival in Passau make your way to the MS Prinzessin Katharina where boarding take place at 4pm with a planned departure time of 7pm. Settle into your cabin and explore the ship before enjoying a welcome cocktail with your fellow passengers and hearing more about the coming week from the captain and crew. If you arrive early, Passau is a charming town with plenty to see and do. It is the point at which the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers all meet, so there are plenty of riverbanks to stroll along. We recommend making the climb to Veste Oberhaus, a medieval fortress and museum that offers a fantastic, panoramic view of the town and rivers. Enjoy dinner on-board as the boat cruises downstream to Engelhartszell where she moors for the night.

Before setting off from Engelhartszell you may wish to visit the Trappist Monastery where you can sample the rather good, locally produced liquors. You then enjoy a pleasant, gentle start to your cycling holiday pedalling alongside the river, downstream through gorgeous unspoilt countryside passing pretty towns and villages along the way. A highlight of the day is drinking in the views of the incredibly scenic Danube Loop, a majestic bend in the great river. You then cycle a particularly peaceful and beautiful stretch of the river to Brandstatt where the MS Prinzessin Katharina is waiting for you. The crew then cast off for a night cruise to the Slovakian capital Bratislava.

The boat arrives in Slovakia’s charming old capital city around noon. There is plenty of time to explore this delightful city and highlights not to be missed include the gorgeous medieval old town with its winding lanes and beautiful squares, the wonderful St Martins’s Cathedral and the city’s most prominent feature, Bratislava Castle. In the late evening the MS Prinzessin Katharina slips her moorings and embarks on an overnight cruise downstream to Budapest in Hungary.

In the early morning the MS Prinzessin Katharina arrives in the Hungarian capital of Budapest. Have the camera ready as many of the city’s famous landmarks, including the awe-inspiring Gothic Parliament building are right on the river bank. The river divides the city in two, ‘Buda’ on the west bank and ‘Pest’ on the east. After mooring up you can step ashore and explore this magical city at your own pace. If you are in the mood for more cycling, then you could cycle out to Szentendre, a charming artists’ town 20 kms north of the city. In the evening the boat cast off towards Visegrad during the night.

Visegrad, sits on a very picturesque bend of the river. After disembarking you can opt between two rides, the longer option takes you across to the baroque village of Vac and also includes a side trip to the island of Szentendre before arriving to Esztergom. The shorter ride goes straight along the southern bank of the river, around the beautiful Danube Bend to Esztergom, home to Hungary’s largest Catholic Church, which overlooks the village. You re-board the MS Prinzessin Katharina in Esztergom and during the night she cruises upstream to Vienna, the capital of Austria.

Today is your free day to explore Vienna either on your own or on an optional guided tour (payable locally). Visit Schönbrunn Palace, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and the Imperial Palace. You may also want to take in the ‘Riesenrad’, the giant ferris wheel, made famous in the 1949 British film, ‘The Third Man’, and no trip to Vienna would be complete with out enjoying a coffee and cake in one of the city’s elegant coffee houses. During the night the boat cruises back upstream to Rossatz or Dürnstein in the Wachau Valley.

Your last cycling day is one of the highlights of the trip as you’ll be cycling through the Wachau Valley, the most scenic stretch of the whole river according to many. See the ruins of Dürnstein castle perched on a bluff above the and powder-blue tower of the monastery church of Wachau. The scenery is dotted with charming towns, vineyards, castles and of course the apricot trees, for which this area is famous. You may also want to sample some of the regions superb local wine along the way. In the small village of Pöchlarn we will board MS Prinzessin Katharina again. A farewell dinner on board in the evening brings this very pleasant day to a close. While you sleep the boat cruises back upstream towards Passau.

Enjoy a gentle early morning cruise back to Passau with one last look at the Danube Loop on the way. You arrive in Passau at approximately 10am where it’s time to disembark and head for home or your next adventur