Danube trail II 2025

The Danube metropolis was named European Capital of Culture in 2009 and is well worth a visit. The Danube flows through the Upper Austrian capital into the Linz Basin and forms a huge curved 'S' there. This is probably how Linz got its name as 'Lentia - the crooked one'. You will receive the detailed travel documents at your accommodation.
(1 night in Linz)

Linz – St. Florian – Enns ~23 km, 7 h, altitude difference ascenct 431 m / descent 445 m
The day begins with a tram ride to the once independent Ebelsberg market. On quiet dirt roads, you hike through one of the most beautiful rural cultural landscapes in Upper Austria with fertile fields, orchards and a gentle hilly landscape - also known as Riedelland. Then you reach the monastery of St. Florian. The ideal-typical Austrian Baroque monastery gained great fame due to its musical tradition, which dates back to the 9th century century. At the end of today's hike, there is a short descent along the Moosbachl valley to the first settlement of Enns. The successor city of the Roman Lauriacum, which has gained city status in 212, lies on the Danube and the river Enns, which forms the border with Lower Austria here.
(1 night in Enns)

~17 km, 5 h, altitude difference ascent 263 m / descent 262 m
Worth seeing in Enns is the imposing 60-metre-high town tower, which   can be seen from afar with its copper roof and eye-catching painting. The Donausteig leads down via the Neustadt to the Danube plain. With the Basilica of St. Laurenz, which is considered the cradle of Christianity in Upper Austria, the next highlight awaits you. Through an alluvial forest, you finally reach the landing stage of the bicycle ferry and at the same time have a magnificent view of Mauthausen opposite. Here you cross the mighty Danube River to the market town of Mauthausen. The hike goes comfortably north of the Danube over wooded ridges and through the cultivated plain of the Machland. Small settlements, fields, farmsteads and woodland­ characterise the landscape. This is followed by a short ascent into the hilly country and you reach the Donausteig rest area "Weinbau Gmeiner, Weinzirl" - with a panoramic view far into the Alps. At the unusual Calvary Church of Perg, the edge of the Mühlviertel hill country is reached. We go down to spend the night in the historic town of Perg, known for its millstone quarries.
(1 night in Perg).

~17,5 km, 5-6 h, altitude difference ascent 473 m / descent 408 m
The journey takes the Danube bank train to Baumgartenberg in the Machland plain, where today's hiking stage begins. From the railway station, you hike a bit through the forest and to the Rechberger inn with its Celtic tree trail. Then you reach the hill of the "hoher Schuss" with its pretty chapel and rest area. We continue on a shady forest path and through an impressive oak avenue to Klam. In the nearby castle, open-air concerts take place in summer. On the varied path through the Klam canyon, you follow the Klam river past old mills, the former hammer forge and bizarre rock towers. From a nearby viewing platform, a wide view opens up from the Machland with the Danube floodplains to the foothills of the Alps. Upon arrival in Saxen, you reach the edge of the Machland with an interesting nature information centre and a mighty hall church. Now the path leads uphill through rural cultural landscape to the Gobelwarte, which is also one of the seven Donausteig peaks. The wooded descent takes you to the historic town of Grein, the gateway to the Strudengau.
(1 night in Grein).

~9 km, 3 h, altitude difference ascent 224 m / descent 41 m
The historic town of Grein was once the last safe mooring option before the dangerous water whirlpools of the Strudengau. Magnificent facades and houses bear witness to the former wealth of the citizens through Danube shipping.

Before you start your hike to the Aumühle Inn, you can hike the so-called Danube Gaze Circuit, where the mighty Danube connects with the unspoilt, gentle Mühlviertel hilly landscape (approx. 5.8 km), and at the same time you can get an overview of the wildly romantic Strudengau.

Then, on the way towards Aumühle, to the entrance to the gorge, the hiker is accompanied by representations carved into stone and towering granite rocks. Directly at the entrance to the Stillenstein Gorge, a delicious snack can be enjoyed in the tavern Gießenbachmühle. Before this is reached, a beautiful view of Werfenstein Castle opens up. Due to the steep slope of the landscape towards the Danube, deeply cut streams flow towards the great river. The slope of mills is often used. The following section through the wildly romantic Stillenstein Gorge leads uphill. The Gießenbach, which sometimes overcomes splashing cascades and suddenly disappears completely, accompanies the hiker for a good part of the way. You roam through atmospheric mixed forests on historic paths, which are unfortunately becoming increasingly rare today, and finally reach Aumühle for an overnight stay.
(1 night in the Aumühle)

~16 km, 5 h, altitude difference ascent 379 m / descent 561 m
Right at the beginning of today's stage, the summit ascent to another mountain of the Donausteig, the Wetzelstein, begins. At first you follow the meandering Gießenbach, but quickly gain altitude via forest and meadow paths. Once at the top, the view sweeps far over the hills to the Alps. The wildly romantic Kasmüllerbach valley brings us closer to the spa town we are now heading for. Stream floodplains with their typical tree and bush species are still largely preserved along many bodies of water. The location of Bad Kreuzen must have been very suitable for a therapy according to the teachings of Dr. Sebastian Kneipp. How else can it be explained that Austria's largest Kneipp garden with numerous herbal, aromatic and medicinal plants, a swimming pond and much more was created here. The far-reaching view of another vantage point on the hiking tour, Kreuzen Castle, one of the largest fortifications in Upper Austria, is fantastic. Now it goes down a nature and cultural hiking trail into the so-called Wolfsschlucht. Information boards along the way vividly describe the bathing facilities of the former cold water sanatorium Bad Kreuzen. Wonderful light moods accompany us in a special way during this spiritual-looking hiking trail. At the end of the gorge, the path leads past the Speckalm, via Lehen and Mühlberg back to Grein on the Danube.
(1 night in Grein)

Before the return journey including luggage by train back to Linz, 55 kilometers away, is a good idea to take a tour of the historic town square to the city theater. By the way, the nearby Greinburg Castle is the oldest residential castle in Austria and the landmark of the Danube town of Grein. In Linz, a walk to the former border between the Roman Empire and the Germanic realms is a good idea. From the middle of the Nibelungen Bridge, you can enjoy an excellent view of the Upper Austrian capital.
(1 night in Linz)

If you want to explore Linz a bit, it's best to start in the old town around the magnificent main square, which is well worth seeing. Additional nights can be reserved. Otherwise, the individual departure will take place.