Prague to Budapest

Day 1: Prague
Day 2: Prague - Konopiste, 38 mi. (61 km)
Day 3: Konopiště / Benešov - Tábor,  40 miles (65 km)
Day 4: Tabor - Jindrichuv Hradec, 32 mi. (52 km)
Day 5: Jindrichuv Hradec - Telc, 28 mi. (45 km)
Day 6: Telc - Vranov nad Dyji, 42 mi. (67 km)
Day 7: Vranov nad Dyji - Znojmo, 29 mi. (46 km)
Day 8: Znojmo - Mikulov (Lednice/Valtice cultural landscape)
Day 9: Mikulov - Mistelbach, 38 mi. (55 km)
Day 10: Mistelbach - Vienna, 40 mi. (64 km)
Day 11: Vienna - Bratislava, 44 mi. (71 km)
Day 12: Bratislava - Györ, 48 mi. (77 km)
Day 13: Györ - Komárno/Komárom, 38 mi. (55 km)
Day 14: Komárno/Komárom - Esztergom, 30 mi. (48 km)
Day 15: Esztergom - Budapest, 48 mi. (77 km)
Day 16: Budapest

Day 1: Prague
This day is yours to arrive and to explore the "Paris of Central Europe." Recover and relax from your long flight and then plan on participating in a unique "Prague-by-bike" tour which you can reserve for a supplement. The tour is guided by locals who love and know their city and can showcase much more than any travel book. You will finish your experience with a glass of good beer in a carefully chosen place. Ask us for details. 

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Clement

Day 2: Prague - Konopiste, 38 mi. (61 km)
Your first biking day starts easily on bike trails bordering the calm Vltava River.  After 20 km on flat ground, the trail leads away from the river valley and climbs to the romantic Posázaví highlands. Every climb will reward you with peaceful views of the surrounding countryside. At Zbořený Kostelec, you can take a short hike to a hidden castle ruin. You will continue to nearby Týnec nad Sázavou, home to the former Jawa factory and the center of Czech motorbike culture. The day will end by visiting Konopiste Castle, the summer palace of Archduke Franz Ferdinand D´Este. The assassination of this would-be emperor in Sarajevo in 1914 began the conflict that resulted in World War I.

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Atlas (standard), Hotel Bellevue (premium)

Day 3: Konopiště - Tábor,  40 miles (65 km)
Today consists of easy biking on side roads and byways through peace-filled Central Bohemia, sometimes called Czech Meran for all its little undulations or Czech Siberia for chilly winter mornings. Fantastic views reward every climb. The route ends in Tábor. This mighty fortress served as the headquarters of the Czech Reformation during the 15th-century Hussite wars. 

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Grand (standard), Hotel Nautilus (premium)

Day 4: Tabor - Jindrichuv Hradec, 32 mi. (52 km)
In the morning, it is recommended to stroll about the medieval streets within the monumental city walls. This careful incorporation of the landscape and countryside during its construction resulted in several successful repulsions of sieges during the Religious Wars. By bike, you enter South Bohemia. The green, calm scenery is the setting for the romantic water castle of Červená Lhota and the majestic complex of the castle and chateau buildings in Jindřichův Hradec. Together with the adjoining town, it is combined into a harmonious unit whose historical character and unique architectural and artistic sights make up an urban conservation area. Today, it is hard to believe it housed the hustle and bustle of the largest medieval centers in Bohemia! Based on a legend, it might even be possible to meet Perchta of Rozmberk – the famous “White Lady” ghost!

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Kasper (standard), Hotel Concertino (premium)

Day 5: Jindrichuv Hradec - Telc, 28 mi. (45 km)
Departing South Bohemia, you enter the Bohemian-Moravian highlands area. Today’s highlight will be visiting the Renaissance town of Telč, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Telč is considered the most beautiful Renaissance town in the Czech Republic!  A wooded, hilly, and beautiful 45 km ride will lead you there, passing by many ponds and lakes - try to count them all or relax amid this peaceful scenery. You may pass an antique steam engine as it chugs along these highlands.

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Anton (standard), U Hraběnky (premium)

Day 6: Telc - Vranov nad Dyji, 42 mi. (67 km)
Today the route leads through undiscovered highlands and peaceful villages close to the Austrian border. As you bike, you can see a well-preserved system of fortifications from the beginning of WW II. These fortifications were never used. You will visit the Renaissance castle of Pisecna and the medieval castle of Frejstejn. Before reaching the day's final destination, you will take a detour to the scenic Vranov water dam to reward yourself with amazing views of Bítov castle. You can also enjoy the views from one of the biggest castle ruins in Moravia – Cornštejn. The final destination of today’s stage is the town of Vranov nad Dyji, nestled on the edge of the Podyji National Park.

There is an easier option available! You can take a morning train transfer to Slavonice to bike along the Austrian border. 

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Kormoran (standard), Penzion Jelen or Schüttkasten (premium)

Day 7: Vranov nad Dyji - Znojmo, 29 mi. (46 km)
On this day you will explore the enchanting Podyji National Park. From the ruins of Novy Hradek and the viewpoint over the majestic medieval castle of Hardegg, you can see where the Dyje River finds its way through the countryside creating unforgettable memories. A memorial of the Iron Curtain in this area is a quiet eyewitness of somber, relatively recent times. The bike trail will lead along the national park's borders, where no auto traffic is allowed. While descending to the Dyje River through Šobes vineyard, why not pause for a glass of white wine? This place was marked as one of the ten best vineyards in the world! Your next stop will be the town of Šatov, where you will have the opportunity to visit a uniquely preserved Cold War fortification, a curiously painted wine cave, cozy wine cellar streets, and an educational path leading through vineyards of old wine varieties. The day will conclude in the Moravian Premyslid Dynasty seat town of Znojmo.

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Solnice (standard), Hotel Lahofer (premium)

Day 8: Znojmo - Mikulov (Lednice/Valtice cultural landscape)
You pedal through fields and vineyards to the Austrian border, which you will follow east with a stop in the town of Jaroslavicew with its Renaissance chateau. Crossing over the border into Austria, you will enjoy the picturesque wine-growing area of Galgenberg, from which you can follow a nice new bike trail meandering through the peaceful countryside to Mikulov. This hidden gem will capture your attention with its Baroque Castle,  wine museum, historic synagogue, and last but not least, the local curiosity, a gigantic wine cask big enough for a chamber orchestra. 

Culture and wine lovers can take a morning train transfer to Břeclav and spend the whole day biking in the unique Lednice - Valtice UNESCO area!

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Piano (standard), Hotel Galant (premium)

Day 9: - Mikulov - Mistelbach, 38 mi. (55 km)
The last half day of the tour in the Czech Republic will follow the Iron Curtain trail framed with storyboards of those who tried to escape from the communist Eastern Block. After crossing the border, you will bike through Herrnbaumgarten Village, famous for its poetic museum of nonsense, to the wine museum in Poysdorf, where you will have a chance to complete your Central European wine "training"!  Then, passing through Wilfersdorf with its chateau, you will end your day in Mistelbach.

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Zur Linde

Day 10:  Mistelbach - Vienna, 40 mi. (64 km)
You will follow the EuroVelo 6 bike trail, partly built on ancient railroad tracks, to the empire's capital, Vienna, the former capital of the Habsburg Monarchy. You can request a transfer to Vienna to get the most out of your time in the city.  Visit the palace complex, take a coffee (or something stronger) in one of the famous cafes, or stroll the regal streets.

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Austria Classic

Day 11: Vienna - Bratislava, 44 mi. (71 km)
How often have you managed to bike from one capital to another in just one day? Today you can and you will! Following the mighty Danube river you can visit numerous chateaux and retreats of the Viennese nobility. Explore the excavations of the biggest Roman settlement in Carnutum or a dominant castle ruin in Hainburg just before entering the capital of Slovakia - Bratislava! Those tired of biking can have a rest day and take a shortcut by speed boat or train, saving time to explore these unique cities! 

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Gracia (standard), Hotel Devin (premium)

Day 12: Bratislava - Györ, 48 mi. (77 km)
Today is another border crossing day beginning in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava, biking on the right bank of the Danube on a new bike trail. The first stop right on the edge of the town is the mighty Čunovo dam. After crossing the border to Hungary, you will continue to the town of Mosonmagyárovár and then on to Györ, a lovely, mostly Renaissance university town.

Sample accommodation:
Klastrom (standard), Barokk Hotel Promenád (premium)

Day 13: Györ - Komárno/Komárom, 38 mi. (55 km)
The first part of the day consists of cycling through the Hungarian countryside from the little town of Böny to Bábolna. This town is world-known for its stud farm. After leaving Bábollna, you get closer to the Danube again, mostly represented by rich wetlands full of storks and other birds. The twin town of Komárom/Komárno will welcome us with its mighty baroque fortresses. The Austrians built all three to protect the border against the approaching Turks. Today the towns are in two different countries - it is your choice where you would like to spend your evening

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Banderium (standard), Hotel Peklo (premium)

Day 14: Komárno/Komárom - Esztergom, 30 mi. (48 km)
Today you again explore Slovakia on a flat bike trail nearby the Danube. Leaving Komárno along the fortress, you hit the newly built bike trail with stunning views of the hills and vineyards on both sides of the Danube. Our first stop will be the remnants of a Roman fortress near Iža, illustrating how old some local settlements are. The Danube guides us again, offering us some nice spots for a swim as we slowly approach the border. Crossing the Maria-Valeria bridge between Štúrovo and Esztergom you return to Hungary. The town of Esztergom will serve as the day's lodgings. Take your time to admire the old town dominated by the archbishop's castle and residency. Esztergom is considered the cradle of the Hungarian kingdom and the stronghold of Christianity, also nicknamed Hungarian Rome.

TIP it is possible to choose the sporty option over the Tata Highlands

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Bazilika (standard), Hotel Bellevue (premium)

Day 15: Esztergom - Budapest, 48 mi. (77 km)
The last day of your journey through four countries will continue along the Danube River. We will explore one of the most scenic parts called Danubeknee, where the mighty river enters steep hills, creating stunning meanders! The first stop will be the dominating Visegrád castle nesting on a hill above a small town. Following the Danube on a peaceful bike trail, you arrive in the small historical town of Vác. There you take a ferry to cross to the right bank of the river. Zigzagging through small towns on its banks, you are close to Budapest - the lively Hungarian capital. To get to the city center, you bike past countless little bars and restaurants on the suburban banks enjoying the buzz and fun, finishing the journey right in the city center, admiring the views of the imperial buildings of Budapest!  Rest your legs at your centrally-located hotel before hitting the town for an exotic evening in the multi-faceted city

Sample accommodation:
Hotel T62

Day 16: Budapest
Be sure to explore medieval Buda or 19th-century Pest! 

Day 1: Prague
Day 2: Prague - (Konopiste) Tábor
Day 3: Tabor - Jindrichuv Hradec, 32 mi. (52 km)
Day 4: Jindrichuv Hradec - Telc, 28 mi. (45 km)
Day 5: Telc - Vranov nad Dyji, 42 mi. (67 km)
Day 6: Vranov nad Dyji - Znojmo, 29 mi. (46 km)
Day 7: Znojmo - Mikulov (Lednice/Valtice cultural landscape)
Day 8:  Mikulov - Mistelbach - Vienna, 38 mi. (55 km)
You can request a morning transfer to Vienna to maximize your time in the city. Visit the palace complex, take a coffee (or something stronger) in one of the famous cafes, or stroll the regal streets.  
Day 9: Vienna - Bratislava, 44 mi. (71 km)
Day 10: Bratislava - Györ, 48 mi. (77 km)
Day 11: Györ - (Komárno) Esztergom, 30 mi. (48 km)
Day 12: Esztergom - Budapest, 48 mi. (77 km)
Day 13: Budapest

Day 1: Prague
This day is yours to arrive and to explore the "Paris of Central Europe". Recover and relax from your long flight and then plan on participating in a unique "Prague-by-bike" tour which you can reserve for a supplement. The tour is guided by locals who love and know their city and can showcase much more than any travel book. You will finish your experience with a glass of good beer in a carefully chosen place. Ask us for details. 

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Clement

Day 2: Prague - (Konopiste) Tábor
Your first biking day starts easily on bike trails bordering the calm Vltava River.  After 20 km on flat ground, the trail leads away from the river valley and climbs to the romantic Posázaví highlands. Every climb will reward you with peaceful views of the surrounding countryside. At Zbořený Kostelec, you can take a short hike to a hidden castle ruin. You will continue to nearby Týnec nad Sázavou, home to the former Jawa factory and the center of Czech motorbike culture. The day will end by visiting Konopiste Castle, the summer palace of Archduke Franz Ferdinand D´Este. The assassination of this would-be emperor in Sarajevo in 1914 began the conflict that resulted in World War I. From Konopiste, on self-guided tours, you will take a train to Tabor, and on guided tours, a car or van transfer is offered.

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Grand (standard), Hotel Nautilus (premium)

Day 3: Tabor - Jindrichuv Hradec, 32 mi. (52 km)
In the morning, we recommend a short walk on the ramparts of Tábor, where you can admire its genius loci. By bike, you will enter South Bohemia. Among the green, calm scenery rests the romantic water castle of Červená Lhota, and the third-largest castle complex in the Czech Republic - the town of Jindrichuv Hradec a small but bustling city of architectural splendor. Today, it is hard to believe it housed the hustle and bustle of the largest medieval centers in Bohemia! Based on a legend, it might even be possible to meet Perchta of Rozmberk – the famous “White Lady” ghost!

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Kasper (standard), Hotel Concertino (premium)

Day 4: Jindrichuv Hradec - Telc, 28 mi. (45 km)
Departing South Bohemia, you enter the Bohemian-Moravian highlands area. Today’s highlight will be visiting the Renaissance town of Telč, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Telč is considered to be the most beautiful Renaissance town in the Czech Republic!  A wooded, hilly, and beautiful 45 km ride will lead you there, passing by many ponds and lakes - try to count them all, or relax amid this peaceful scenery. You may pass an antique steam engine as it chugs along these highlands.

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Anton (standard), U Hraběnky (premium)

Day 5: Telc - Vranov nad Dyji, 42 mi. (67 km)
Today the route leads through undiscovered highlands and peaceful villages close to the Austrian border. As you bike, you can see a well-preserved system of fortifications from the beginning of WW II. These fortifications were never used. You will visit the Renaissance castle of Pisecna and the medieval castle of Frejstejn. Before reaching the day's final destination, you will take a detour to the scenic Vranov water dam to reward yourself with amazing views of Bítov castle. You can also enjoy the views from one of the biggest castle ruins in Moravia – Cornštejn. The final destination of today’s stage is the town of Vranov nad Dyji, nestled on the edge of the Podyji National Park.

There is an easier option available! You can take a morning train transfer to Slavonice to bike just along the Austrian border.

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Kormoran (standard), Penzion Jelen or Schüttkasten (premium)

Day 6: Vranov nad Dyji - Znojmo, 29 mi. (46 km)
On this day you will explore the enchanting Podyji National Park. From the ruins of Novy Hradek and the viewpoint over the majestic medieval castle of Hardegg, you can see where the Dyje River finds its way through the countryside, creating unforgettable memories. A memorial of the Iron Curtain in this area is a quiet eyewitness of somber, relatively recent times. The bike trail will lead along the national park's borders, where no auto traffic is allowed. While descending to the Dyje River through Šobes vineyard, why not pause for a glass of white wine? This place was marked as one of the 10 best vineyards in the world! Your next stop will be the town of Šatov, where you will have the opportunity to visit a uniquely preserved Cold War fortification, a curiously painted wine cave, cozy wine cellar streets, and an educational path leading through vineyards of old wine varieties. The day will conclude in the Moravian Premyslid Dynasty seat town – in the town of Znojmo.

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Solnice (standard), Hotel Lahofer (premium)

Day 7: Znojmo - Mikulov (Lednice/Valtice cultural landscape)
You pedal through fields and vineyards to the Austrian border, which you will follow east with a stop in the town of Jaroslavicew with its Renaissance chateau. Crossing over the border into Austria, you will enjoy the picturesque wine-growing area of Galgenberg from which you can then follow a nice new bike trail meandering through the peaceful countryside to Mikulov. This hidden gem will capture your attention with its Baroque Castle,  wine museum, historic synagogue, and last but not least, the local curiosity, a gigantic wine cask big enough for a chamber orchestra. 

Culture and wine lovers can take a morning train transfer to Břeclav and spend the whole day biking in unique Lednice - Valtice UNESCO area!

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Piano (standard), Hotel Galant (premium)

Day 8:  Mikulov - (Mistelbach) Vienna, 38 mi. (55 km)
The last half day of the tour in the Czech Republic will follow the Iron Curtain trail framed with storyboards of those who tried to escape from the communist Eastern Block. After crossing the border, you will bike through Herrnbaumgarten Village, famous for its poetic museum of nonsense, to the wine museum in Poysdorf, where you will have a chance to complete your Central European wine "training"!  Then, passing through Wilfersdorf with its chateau, you will end your day in Mistelbach, from where you will be transferred by car to Vienna.

If you prefer, you can be transferred in the morning to spend more time in the city of music. Visit the palace complex, drink a coffee or wine in one of the famous cafes, or simply stroll the streets.

If you want more days in Vienna, we can plan a special itinerary for you.

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Austria Classic

Day 9: Vienna - Bratislava, 44 mi. (71 km)
How often have you managed to bike from one capital to another in just one day? Today you can and you will! Following the mighty Danube river you can visit numerous chateaux and retreats of the Viennese nobility. Explore the excavations of the biggest Roman settlement in Carnutum or a dominant castle ruin in Hainburg just before entering the capital of Slovakia - Bratislava! Those tired of biking can have a rest day and take a shortcut by speed boat or train saving time to explore these unique cities! 

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Gracia (standard), Hotel Devin (premium)

Day 10: Bratislava - Györ, 48 mi. (77 km)
Today is another border crossing day beginning in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava, biking on the right bank of the Danube on a new bike trail. The first stop right on the edge of the town is the mighty Čunovo dam. After crossing the border to Hungary, you will continue to the town of Mosonmagyárovár and then on to Györ, a lovely, mostly Renaissance university town.

Sample accommodation:
Klastrom (standard), Barokk Hotel Promenád (premium)

Day 11: Györ - (Komárno) Esztergom, 30 mi. (48 km)
A morning transfer from Györ to Komárom will bring you to the twin town of Komárom/Komárno, where you can explore the mighty baroque fortresses. The Austrians built all three to protect the border against the approaching Turks. From here, you will explore Slovakia on a flat bike trail nearby the Danube. Leaving Komárno, you hit the newly built bike trail with stunning views of the hills and vineyards on both sides of the Danube. Our first stop will be the remnants of a Roman fortress near Iža, illustrating how old some local settlements are. The Danube guides again, offering nice swimming spots as you slowly approach the border. Crossing the Maria-Valeria bridge between Štúrovo and Esztergom, you return to Hungary. The town of Esztergom will serve as the day's lodgings. Take your time to admire the old town dominated by the archbishops' castle and residency, as Esztergom is considered the cradle of the Hungarian kingdom and the stronghold of Christianity, also nicknamed Hungarian Rome.

It is also possible to choose a more sporty option over the Tata Highlands.

Sample accommodation:
Hotel Bazilika (standard), Hotel Bellevue (premium)

Day 12: Esztergom - Budapest, 48 mi. (77 km)​
The last day of your journey through four countries will continue along the Danube River, through the most scenic parts called Danubeknee, where the mighty river enters steep hills, creating stunning meanders! The first stop will be the dominating Visegrád castle nesting on a hill above a small town. Next is the small historical town of Vác, from which there is a ferry crossing to the right bank of the river. Zigzagging through small towns, you get closer and closer to Budapest - the lively Hungarian capital. To get to the city center, you bike past countless little bars and restaurants on the suburban banks enjoying the buzz and fun. The journey ends here in Budapest with views of the imperial buildings!  Rest your legs at your centrally-located hotel before hitting the town for an exotic evening in this multi-faceted city!

Sample accommodation:
Hotel T62

Day 13: Budapest
Be sure to explore medieval Buda or 19th-century Pest!