Kings and Castle Special SPTLM26070
Today we finally set off. The motorcycles were ready and fully fueled. Out of Vienna and into the Danube Valley. Riding along Europe’s second-longest river—which flows through, or at least touches, 10 countries—we headed to our first stop right on the riverbank. After refueling with a cup of coffee, we crossed the river on a historic roll-on ferry. We were lucky, it was still running despite the low water lavel. Our lunch stop was a little higher up. With a breathtaking view of the Danube Valley, our meal tasted especially good. Refreshed, we set out on the final leg of today’s journey. On the way to Budweiss, we cross the border from Austria into the Czech Republic. Not without taking a photo to prove it. Everyone is excited to see what tomorrow has in store for us…….
A beautiful and fresh morning greets us in Budweis. We are excited for the 2nd riding day. It leads first to Cesky Krumlov, a world heritage town, which we visit for an hour. Small hidden roads bring us through the bohemian forest, another highlight of today. We take pictures and arrive at our lunch stop where we enjoy the local cuisine once again. We cannot get enough of it. The afternoom brings more countryside and a small stop for a toilet and pastry before we take the highway into Prag. Here we are breathtaken by its beauty immediately and are looking forward to explore it tonight and tomorrow.
Today we split into two groups. One group explored Prague and walked along historic paths. The other group took a short walk, enjoying iced coffee and fantastic views. The tour culminated in an authentic Vietnamese lunch at the SAPA market, located in the heart of Prague’s Vietnamese community.
Refreshed after our rest day, we set off full of energy for our fourth day of cycling. We quickly head out of the city on the highway toward Melnik, where the group is in for a spine-chilling surprise. We descend into the church’s vaulted cellar, where thousands of bones and skulls lie neatly stacked. These are the remains and mementos of the plague that swept through Europe in the 17th century. We continue on to the region’s highest mountain, Jested. Up here, we have lunch and enjoy the fantastic view. For our Vietnamese guests, it’s downright freezing. The afternoon is pleasant and relaxed as we ride through the countryside on smaller roads and through beautiful villages. Forests and wide, open hills alternate. In Jicin, Dominik is waiting for us with cold drinks, and some of us take a stroll through the city center. It was another successful day!
Today was less about sightseeing and more about the sheer joy of riding. We made our way toward the Polish border along countless roads, both small and large. After a brief detour into Poland, we rode along the border, interrupted only by a coffee break and a lunch break. For lunch, we ended up at a small, traditional local inn, where we were treated to Czech specialties. Refreshed, we then headed to Novo Jicin.
We have half a day of driving ahead of us. We head straight to the little town of Pszczyna—whose name is almost impossible to pronounce—where we stop at the beautiful village square. Afterward, we stop briefly at the Birkenau camp to pay our respects to this place. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of traffic, but we make our way to Krakow and finally get to enjoy Vietnamese food again. Krakow is perfect for a leisurely stroll in the afternoon. In the evening, we plan to go out.
Today we’re heading over the High Tatras to Slovenia. We set off in perfect weather, and the whole day is filled with sunshine, beautiful scenery, and excellent roads.
Just as we’re getting hungry, Dominik surprises us with a picnic. Right at the perfect moment. Refreshed and reenergized, we continue on toward the Hungarian border. Unfortunately, we can’t take the ferry today, so we stay on the eastern bank of the Danube, heading toward Budapest. With summer-like temperatures of 35°, we drive into the city and are glad when we finally arrive at the underground parking garage.
Today, a small group of us headed to Bükki National Park—just to tackle what is probably Hungary’s most winding road. We weren’t disappointed. For many kilometers, the curves and hairpin turns come one after another. It was a fantastic experience.
The last day of the tour is going to be another long one. We have a lot planned. We manage to get out of Budapest early and take a beautifully winding route to Esztergom to visit the basilica. It already feels almost like fall in the woods. The sound of the organ greets us as we enter the huge domed hall. Our guests are speechless. Lunch is served on a moored boat and is a little highlight in itself. Everyone is a bit worn out on the last day of the tour. And, of course, it’s raining today, too. In the afternoon, we head to Sopron and soon cross the border, where we take the last few beautiful curves before arriving in Vienna—exhausted but happy—and all falling into each other’s arms.