Boat and bike Danube | Passau-Vienna-Passau | MS SE-Manon

Experience Mediterranean flair in Passau, the city of three rivers. You should definitely set aside some time on the day of your arrival for a walk through the picturesque baroque city with its narrow lanes and Passau cathedral home to the largest church organ in the world. Your cycling holiday begins after embarkation (4.00 p.m.) when you sail into the sunset and Passau’s magnificent silhouette with its church towers and domes slowly fades into the horizone behind you.

The Engelhartszell Abbey is worth a visit; it’s known for its beautifully restored church, but also for its “healing” herbal schnapps. You’ll cycle downstream along the former towpath. For a special change of pace, take a ride on the walnut-shell-sized ferry (approx. €7 per person) through the Schlögener Schlinge. From Brandstatt, you can take a boat to Linz and on to Tulln. Tip: Explore Linz on the bright yellow Cityexpress.

Klosterneuburg Abbey lies just outside the gates of Vienna. The dome of this magnificent 900-year-old Baroque building is visible from afar, and the “Verdun Altar” is considered one of the masterpieces of medieval goldsmithing. From the wine-tasting village of Kahlenbergerdorf, it’s worth taking a short hike through the vineyards to the Kahlenberg observation deck. You’ll be rewarded with a breathtaking view of the metropolis.

Today, your itinerary includes the sights of this Danube metropolis: perhaps St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the Hofburg Palace, or the magnificent Ringstrasse boulevard with the Burgtheater, the State Opera, and City Hall? The possibilities are endless. Be sure to set aside enough time to stroll around or visit one of Vienna’s famous cafés. Tonight, your ship will sail to Krems in the Wachau region.

Right in front of Vienna’s entrance, embedded in a breathtaking scenery, the monastery of Klosterneuburg is situated. You can already see the dome of this 900 year old baroque building from a distance. "Kahlenbergerdorf" with it’s wine taverns is only a hop from the shipping pier and definitely worth a visit. After a stroll through the vineyards, you can enjoy the panoramic view over Vienna. During a city tour by bus in the afternoon. You will pass most of the numerous and famous sights and have a guided walking tour though the historic center of Austria’s capital (optional, not included). 

This stage takes you through picturesque river floodplains with sweeping views and small, charming villages. The wild Strudengau is a scenic highlight—once feared by boatmen, today an impressive river gorge with forested slopes and rocky banks. In the idyllic little town of Grein, Greinburg Castle, which towers imposingly over the Danube, awaits you; you can explore Austria’s oldest residential castle on a guided tour.

The vast plains of the Machland region will accompany you with their lush fields and quiet paths. In the Celtic village of Mitterkirchen, you can immerse yourself in a time long past. Once you arrive in Mauthausen, we recommend a visit to the concentration camp memorial, a place of quiet remembrance and historical responsibility. In the evening, a festive farewell dinner awaits you on board. Overnight cruise to Passau.

Enjoy the first rays of sun and the early morning tranquillity one last time from the deck of the ship before you reach Passau, your heart bursting with memories. Disembarkation: approx. 10:30 a.m. We recommend that you do not make any arrangements for onward trains departing before 12.00 noon.