Danube Cycle Path Stage 3 South Bank: Linz - Ardagger

There is so much to see in Linz, from the historical center with main square and Landstrasse, the Castle Museum, the Botanical Garden, the Musical Theatre at the Volksgarten, Lentos Museum and the Ars Electronica Center, Postlingberg and all its sights… If leaving is difficult for you, comfort yourself with the thought that this stage is going to have a “cultural (inte)rest” for you in Enns.

Before that, your route follows the northern branch of the Danube Bike Path to Steyregg. After crossing the river to the south bank via the power station Abwinden-Asten, you have two promising options for a side trip. One leads you to St. Florian, a beautiful monastery of the Augustinian Canons, with its world famous Bruckner organ and Altdorfer altar. The other option (near Enghangen) takes you to Enns.

Enns is steeped in history and one of Austria’s oldest cities. Guided tours are a perfect way of exploring every part of it. The remains of the old city fortification, the 60 m high 16th c city tower built during the Reformation and the Baroque and Renaissance houses on the main square are all equally enchanting. And maybe you can even pay a short visit to the Roman Museum and Ennsegg Castle.

Just beyond Enns you reach the Lower Austrian Mostviertel, a district named after “most”, the pear cider produced there. Lots of local inns serve this special cider – a perfect opportunity for a break. On reaching Wallsee, you are invited to visit another Roman Museum, which illustrates just how far back the region’s history goes. Wallsee Castle – once inhabited by Habsburg Archduke Franz Salvator – also played a central role in this eventful history. The Mostviertel is at its most scenic as you pedal your way to Ardagger, today’s destination.

Linz - Steyregg - Enns - St. Pantaleon - Wallsee - Ardagger

 

Route description

You start your tour in the Flussgasse (street) in Linz, near the new city hall. From there you can easily find the Danube dam, which runs directly along the river and affords a nice view of the Danube bend in Linz and also of the Pöstlingberg (hill). 

 

You further continue on the Donauradweg past Steyregg, a name which should be familiar to all castle enthusiasts. Go over the weir of the Danube power plant Abwinden-Asten to cross the Danube River and continue on the south bank of the river. The Danube Bike Path takes you first through sparse forests where you also pass two small bodies of water. Shortly thereafter you bear to the left and continue downstream. You pass through the small town of Enghagen and pedal onward along the Danube banks. All culture lovers should venture a short side trip to Enns - the oldest city in Austria - as Lauriacum was situated here. Lauriacum was a legion base and an important Roman city along the Danube limes in Austria. A side trip to St. Florian is also worthwhile for the Baroque abbey and the Anton Bruckner organ. The Enns River is also the border between Upper Austria and Lower Austria and its presence means you have to use the bicycle ferry to cross this tributary of the Danube. You are then in the Mostviertel region, where the tour continues through a forest along the Danube. Wild garland is blooming here and its fragrance very much in the air.

 

Past Albing you once again move away from the Danube and bike through St. Pantaleon. From this point you continue towards our goal on the well-signposted Danube Bike Path in the Mostviertel. The Most Road traverses the largest contiguous area of cultivation for cider pear trees in Europe, the Mostviertel to the south of the Danube in Lower Austria. The road leads past many Mostviertel restaurants, Most Road vendors and farms that market products directly. After a while you finally reach Wallsee, where you once again can marvel at a castle. Afterwards you continue quite a while along the Danube and through the cultivation area for cider pear trees in the direction of Ardagger. In Ardagger it is worthwhile to visit to 950 year old abbey, which was converted into a castle in 1813.