2023-10-15 22:00:01
In front of us there is nothing but the empty street, behind us the proverbial flood. We rush at full speed straight into the promising blue and take a break wherever it suits us. The journey is our goal and the actual destination can hardly keep up with the journey.
Okay, enough sepia-toned gushing: We love bike trips. And no, that’s not a typo, there’s no o missing. We rode our bikes all the way to Bratislava. And that was surprisingly pleasant for our very first long bike trip! Do you want to see for yourself? You can find out here what you need, what you should definitely pay attention to and what you can look forward to.
equipment
- Bicycle: The two of us cycled to Bratislava. One of us had a new cross bike, the other a slightly older city bike that she had taken in for service. The route can be ridden with pretty much any bike, as it is largely asphalted and only interrupted by a few gravel sections. The advantage of the city bike was definitely the luggage rack.
- Cycling shorts and saddle pads: Be sure to pad your innermost parts as much as possible. After six hours of cycling you’ll feel your butt, you can bet that.
- Cycling gloves: Not a bad investment for longer bike rides. They cushion your hands a little so there are no unpleasant pressure points.
- Helm: It should always be there anyway.
- Cell phone holder for the handlebar: If you’re not sure where to go, you can use a holder like this to strap your cell phone directly to the handlebar and you don’t run the risk of getting lost.
- Bikemap: We downloaded the Bikemap app for the route.
- Power bank: If you already use your cell phone as a navigation system, then keep in mind that the battery level drops quite quickly.
- suncream: The route is largely in the sun, so protect yourself accordingly!
- Water: You’ll sweat, so make sure you have plenty of water with you.
- Snacks: The only cyclist meeting point that caught our eye is Hermis Cycling Meeting in Schönau an der Donau. Nothing comes before or following for a long time. So pack a few apples, pretzel sticks or kabanossi if you want to fortify yourself on the way.
- Mistsackerl: The garbage cans along the path are also rare. That’s why we recommend that you take a garbage bag with you if you produce waste that shouldn’t be left rolling around loose in your backpack (looking at you, banana peel!).
Hydration is key!
Because you’re not only sweating from all the pedalling, but you’re also incredibly thirsty by the ten kilometer mark, don’t forget to bring a water bottle. Which cool drinking container can we recommend for an extended bike ride? Fix a drinking bottle from the Viennese start-up KEEGO. Despite the titanium interior, it is not only easily crushable, but also free of the smell and taste of plastic. Let’s just love! Also nice: While you’re sitting on your bike and whizzing across the heath, you can drink from it easily and quickly with one hand and don’t risk any accidents caused by your gripping arm.
The most important information:
- Inner layer made of pure titanium for antibacterial and microplastic-free drinking
- Durable, easy to clean and recyclable
- Available in different sizes and colors
>> And go: Order a nice bottle straight from the shop!
Important tips in advance
- Luckily we had that on our trip West wind in the back. If you have a headwind, pedaling can become much more strenuous.
- Best ride as early as possible go, then there will be even less going on on the route and you won’t be exposed to the blazing sun.
- We went on a Monday. If you have the opportunity, plan your tour better during the week. Then you have the route largely to yourself and the rush of tourists in Bratislava is manageable.
Hard Facts unseres Radtrips
- Meeting point: 8 a.m. on Prater Hauptallee under the Tangente. From there you come directly over the Prater Bridge to the Danube Island and from there it goes straight ahead.
- Kilometers to Bratislava: 64
- Lunch break: 12 p.m. in Hainburg, regarding an hour
- Arrival in Bratislava: 2.30 p.m
The route
You can hardly miss the route of the Danube Cycle Path from Vienna to Bratislava – all you have to do is follow the yellow signs that say “Velo 6”. It is suitable for all levels of cyclist, from weekend cyclists to cycling shorts professionals, because it is mainly straight and level, sometimes even going downhill a bit. On the one hand, it can get monotonous, but on the other hand, it’s a great place to chat. It takes you through the wonderfully idyllic Donau-Auen National Park, most of the time along the Marchfeld protective dam. You will pass stagnant waters with water lilies, lush meadows and lots of greenery.
If the path itself isn’t enough for you, paths branch off to the left and right to nearby towns and their sights, such as Orth Castle or Eckartsau. Hermi’s cycling meeting with the Confessor is waiting for you around Schönau an der Donau, a good time for the first pit stop.
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Lunch break in Hainburg
Shortly before Hainburg the path branches off to the left and leads over the large Danube bridge to the other side of the Danube and thus to Hainburg. The skyline of Bratislava is already visible on the horizon. We are here briefly on the Donaulände one last time before we turn into the center of Hainburg. Here we have our slightly longer lunch break. The pretty main square has an ice cream parlor and a bakery. In the bakery you can get lots of snacks and baked goods, and optionally even coffee with vegan milk. For all meat eaters, however, the chicken schnitzel roll from Chicken & Burger opposite is a real insider tip. This may sound like the worst kind of junk food at first, but it is unexpectedly freshly prepared and served with fresh, crunchy salad vegetables in a pita.
Through Wolfsthal across the border
Freshly strengthened, we continue along field paths, finally along side roads through the tranquil Wolfsthal and across the border. From here the path starts to drag a little, but you’ll soon be there. You cycle along next to the motorway, passing one or two bunkers that you can even visit. Finally, you end up in Bratislava on the banks of the Danube in the Petrzalka district with its significant prefabricated buildings, cycle over the SNP bridge and directly under the characteristic UFO into the old town.
Back with the twinny
Because one followingnoon didn’t seem like enough for us, we spent the night at the Falkensteiner Hotel and took the Twin City Liner back to Vienna in the evening of the next day. If you get a ticket, you have to add a bike ticket, but you can easily attach your bikes to the back deck of the ship and be back in Vienna in just over an hour.
A few highlights in Bratislava
In these two days alone we collected so many tips for Bratislava that we turned it into a separate article. We’ll give you a few very special tips here.
Old town
Bratislava is wonderful for strolling. Especially if you come during the week, the streets of the picturesque old town are busy, but not overcrowded with day tourists. Hip, urban life buzzes in every corner. Colorful fairy lights alternate with stylized brick walls in the bars and cozy guest gardens. Be sure to take a look into the side streets and backyards.
Cake shop
This is how we discovered the Pasteleria in the courtyard of Panská Street. Here you can get great third wave coffee with various vegan milk alternatives. You should also definitely try the Kosičky – a kind of small tart with a nut filling and chocolate.
Castle, city wall and St. Martin’s Cathedral
The most striking must-see in Bratislava is of course the huge castle complex that towers over the city. If you’re staying overnight in Bratislava, it’s best to head for it at sunset and enjoy a glass of spritz wine on one of the wide wall ledges. But the castle also offers a wonderful view over the city during the day. Once you’re back downstairs, you can walk over remnants of the former city wall to St. Martin’s Cathedral, whose roof will probably have caught your eye from above.
Balans Bistro or Omama
Outside the historic old town you will also find some highlights. You can eat well in the rustic restaurant Omama, which is located behind Medická záhrada Park and serves traditional dishes. Or you can walk a little further to Balans Bistro, which offers great vegan main courses and desserts.
Ice cream at Arthur Gelato
Either way, you will be well catered for in Bratislava – whether vegetarian, vegan or traditional. Great restaurants can be found on every corner here. We were particularly surprised by the Arthur Gelato ice cream shop, which offers mostly vegan ice cream flavors and tempting variations such as Dominican chocolate. Really delicious!
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