You will start your trip to Belgrade in the lively and buzzing city of Budapest.
This tour will give you a chance to cycle the less traveled section of the Eurovelo 6 route and introduce you to stunning landscapes of Hungary and Serbia! Most cyclist follow the Danube until Budapest and do not go further, which is a pity, because they will miss some great nature, genuine hospitality and special experiences.
While cycling along the Danube you will encounter gorgeous agricultural and rural areas of Hungary.
And in Serbia, the route follows the left bank of the Danube and passes a large selection of natural parks such as the Special Nature Reserve Karađorđevo, Gornje Podunavlje Nature Park and Nature Park Tikvara.
At the end of the journey you will be able to spend two nights in Belgrade and have a bike tour through this vibrant city!
The route is designed in a way you will avoid busy sections and have the best cycling experience possible!
The Danube is much more than just a pretty river. It has been connecting cultures or bordering empires for centuries. It has provided towns and cities along its shores with wealth and fortune, but did take a toll. It has been a source of inspiration for artists and traders alike. Embark upon this wonderful journey with us!
The full tour is 11 days and around 506 km in total.
Budapest - Rackeve (54 km)
The tour starts from the iBikeBudapest shop at Veres Pálné u. 44 street, close to Fovam Ter and the famous Central Market Hall.
After crossing the Danube for the first time you will pass St Gellert statue, fortified Citadel, Liberty monument and baths.
South of Budapest, the Danube divides into two arms, with the 48km long Csepel-sziget island between them. After passing through the city suburbs, the route follows Rackevei-Duna river. The road is completely flat.
After 18 km you will reach beautiful Csepel-sziget island and continue through a series of commuter towns and open country. After which you will follow country road and cycle through villages to Rackeve, our first stop.
The city is paradise for fishing and you will be able to visit the Serbian Orthodox church with Byzantine wall paintings dating from 15th century.
Rackeve - Dunafoldvar (50km)
Leaving Rackeve you will follow eastern side of the river and mostly riverside roads and flood dykes, passing through a number of villages and small towns. The road is completely flat.
Just before Solt we will take route 52 and reach town Dunafoldvar our final stop for this day. In the city you can enjoy the spa, with indoor and outdoor pools with water at 36°C and also visit a restored rectangular tower from 16th century Turkish castle (museum).
Dunafoldvar - Kolocsa (49 km)
The day starts with cycling back across the Danube to Solt. You will pass through the city and follow flood dykes and quiet country roads through villages that form the heart of Hungary’s main paprika growing region. The road is completely flat.
At Dunapataj make a detour to Szelidi Lake, which was formed from an old branch of the Danube.
In next village Ordas keep your eyes open to discover an old trunk carved into a statue of Ferenc Rakoczi II (leader of uprising against the Habsburgs in 18th century).
Next 15 km to Kalocsa you will enjoy cycling through quite roads and the Great Hungarian Plain.
In Kalocsa the capital of paprika you cannot skip the Paprika Museum where you will have opportunity to learn about the history of the paprika in Hungary and to see its manufacturing processes.
As one of the oldest cities in Hungary it is full of historical heritage such as the Archbishop’s Palace, built in baroque style that contains an ancient library with over 150.000 books.
Kalocsa - Baja (47km)
The 4th Day starts leaving this small town of Kalosca that has a strong craft history (interior decoration, ceramics) and you will head more south, passing nearby fields with red paprika. The whole road to Baja is completely flat.
Baja is a picturesque town at the confluence of Danube and Sugovica rivers with many small islands (Petofi Island). It's a perfect place to wind down during summer; beaches (Sugovica beach) and flood-bank forests abound, and the city itself strikes a nice balance between repose and activity. Baja is also famous for its fish broth so don't miss the chance to try this specialty.
Baja - Bezdan (65km)
Today you will leave Hungary and cross the border into Serbia.
From Baja you will cycle along Danube in a nice natural environment. Our final stop for today is Bezdan, often called as “water town”.
Its an old town surrounded by water and accessible only by bridges. Weeping willows along the canals, white water lilies and other diverse fauna give the impression of being in a rain forest and make this area exceptionally beautiful.
Bezdan can also be considered the perfume capital of Serbia - the first and the only perfume bottle museum in the Balkans is located here and is an unique place in Europe, known for its silk damask weaving tradition. The road is also flat.
You should not leave without visiting Nananin salaš (farm),founded in 2010 by a young married couple who exchanged their city life for a life in the country, in nature. The salaš is known for its authentic goat cheese, which is unique to this part of the Balkans. You may meet the goats and if you are cheese lover, you can try this extra strong cheese. Also, here you can try various delicious organic specialties and the fish soup, that Bezdan and whole region is famous for.
Bezdan - Apatin (40km)
After breakfast, you will cycle first to the village of Bački Monoštor, also known as "the village on 7 Danubes" since it is an island which can be reached along bridges, surrounded with the Danube course and canals, marshy forests of the „Gornje Podunavlje” Special Nature Reserve and fruitful cultivated land, which proudly preserves its rich heritage.
The most important advantage of the Backi Monostor village is its multinational and multicultural structure which includes members of Sokacs – Croats, Hungarians, Germans and Serbs. You will visit a honey bee farm, ethno house and cycle off road through “Gornje Podunavlje”. Next stop is Sombor, known as the greenest city in Serbia. You will visit City hall and enjoy on the beach “Štrand” on the canal. Cycling for this day will be finished in Apatin.The route is completely flat.
Apatin's exceptional buildings certainly stand out, especially the churches that are a beautiful sight. Its rich fishing waters and famous hunting grounds are attractions that truly capture the interest and attention of any visitor, accompanied by the habitats of the Danube deer and other game. Besides, it is not without reason that images of the deer proudly decorate "Jelen pivo" ("deer beer"), a famous product of Apatinska brewery.
Apatin – Bač (54km)
In the afternoon you will be in Bač, small town, famous for its impressive medieval fortress.
Records indicate it was first built in 9th century. In it's turbulent past it was annexed, renovated and destroyed repeatedly by various empires up until the 18th century.
Other highlights in Bač include a Franciscan monastery (first established by Knights Templar in 1169) and a 16th-century hammam, the only surviving Turkish bath in Vojvodina.
The road is completely flat.
Bač - Novi Sad (53km)
The day starts with a 30 min transfer by van from Bač to Karadjordjevo and the military institution "Morovic".
Its where the famous horse stable "Karadjordjevo”, was founded in 1885. Here you can enjoy horseback riding, carriage rides through the beautiful nature of the nature reserve “Karadjordjevo”, or visiting the museum of horsemanship.
The most important exhibits are the sleigh and carriage from Tito's period, as well as photo of the recorded visit of our delegation to the British Queen Elizabeth.
From Karadjordjevo you will cycle to Novi Sad making a stop at Bačka Palanka and its beautiful beaches on Danube and Čelarevo. There you will have the opportunity to visit the Fantast castle, known as the Dundjerski castle.
Its the most beautiful and luxurious castle in Vojvodina, built by Bogdan Dundjerski in 1925. The castle is modeled after the French castles in neo-Gothic style. This route is flat.
Novi Sad is the capital of Vojvodina region and one of the most beautiful cities in Serbia.
Main sights are mostly in old town: two cathedrals (Orthodox and Catholic), the City Hall, Bishop's Palace, Synagogue, colorful Dunavska Street and the Petrovaradin fortress.
Novi Sad - Novi Slankamen (41km)
Leaving Petrovaradin and the wonderful view on Danube, the route undulates through the foothills of the Fruška Gora mountain.
The first stop will be the town of Sremski Karlovci.
It's a city of vineyards, famous for its unique Bermet wine.
After Beška you can see the twin bridge and you will cycle across an agricultural plateau to Novi slankamen, 60 meters above and 1,5 km from the riverside village of Stari Slankamen.
Slankamen is an old historical village located exactly where 3 historic regions of Vojvodina county meet: Banat, Bačka and Srem.
Old Slankamen is a famous spa known for its healing waters.
The highlights of Slankamen are the Slankamen fortress remains, Confluence of Tisza and Danube, Place where Attila the Hun is supposedly buried, Monument to the Slankamen battle and Loess plateau.
Novi Slankamen - Belgrade (53km)
Following the road heading south-east, we descend steadily for 20km on a road between fields. Soon, the dormitory towns of Banovci and Batajnica give way to the suburban built up sprawl of greater Belgrade, our final stop.
From Batajnica to Zemun you will cycle on the main road but the final leg is on asphalt riverside cycle tracks.
Zemun, very different from the rest of Belgrade, is the area of cobbled, hilly streets and a neighborhood adorned with Austro-Hungarian style houses.
A complete change from the heart of Belgrade, old Zemun feels as though you have stepped back in time. Small cafes and a number of churches dot the area and is a welcomed change from the busy center.
The top landmark of Zemun is Gardoš, the Millennium tower built in the 19th century to celebrate the thousand years of the Austrian empire.
As one of Europe’s oldest cities, located at the crossroads of the East and West (Danube and Sava river), Belgrade the capital of Serbia is an incredibly rich mosaic of different cultures, influences and styles with a vibrant and lively atmosphere.
Overnight in Belgrade for the last 2 nights.
Bike tour in Belgrade
During the morning you will join a guided city bike tour. Our guide will show you the many sides of Belgrade.