Here you can find a loop to fit your ability, with wine tastings along the way and grand castles built by the Lichtensteins. Nearly every town has wineries to visit and the National Wine Salon in the village of Valtice, is a real treasure. There you can sample a range of the 100 best wines in the country, judged annually by a panel of experts. Other routes traverse the Cesky Krumlov area or the Prague area, with trails in place that connect all of them for longer trips.

Slovakia by bike

Few cyclist travelers have discovered the Czech Republic’s once-joined neighbor Slovakia. Excellent greenway systems are in place here as well though and you can have them mostly to yourself much of the year. The shortest is a 4-day Danube Trail from Bratislava to Sturovo, with an easy 103 miles along mostly flat trails. Others can take nine days—for the truly dedicated cyclists with well-toned leg muscles!

Hungary by bike

The best-known biking route in Hungary is an approximately 125-mile route around Lake Balaton, the center for many of Hungary’s mineral-rich, quality white wines and a big European Spa destination. Many vacationers choose to just do a round-trip journey of a day or two rather than circumventing the whole lake.

There are less organized routes in the Villany wine region in the south and around the historic town of Eger. Or you can explore the capital on two wheels with a Budapest bike tour.

Poland

The Greenways Program of Poland started establishing trails in 2001 and linking them up with others in the region. The granddaddy of all options is the 10-day, 226-mile “Amber Trail” journey from Krakow to Budapest, which crosses mountains of 3,600 feet (1,100 meters). It retraces the ancient amber transportation route from the Baltic to the Adriatic Sea.

The “Necklace of the North” trail is flatter and longer, covering a 540-mile loop around the lakes and villages of northern Poland. Viator also offers a scenic half-day sightseeing bike tour of Krakow that’s easy and flat.

Biking Resources

Top Bicycle can set up local rentals or full-blown tours with accommodation arranged in any of the greenway regions. Prices start at $30 a day for a well-maintained hybrid bike with all necessary equipment and are $80 to $200 a day for a tour with meals and hotels. Tandem, kids’ bikes, and child pull-along trailers are available. For Hungary tours check with Hooked on Cycling or Velo-Touring. Set up city sightseeing bike tours in Europe with Viator.

For more information on greenway routes see the following websites: Friends of Czech Greenways, The Czech Environmental Partnership and The Amber Trail Greenways.

-Tim Leffel

Planning a trip? Browse more Viator’s tours and things to do in Prague, Budapest, Krakow.

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