Cycle the lower Danube and follow one of Europe's great rivers from the grand boulevards and baroque architecture of Budapest to the vast wetlands of the Danube Delta on the Black Sea, passing through Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, and Romania on a journey of 1,647km (1,023 miles). The more adventurous second half of the Danube Cycleway, this is a route of extraordinary variety, from the dramatic Iron Gates gorges on the Serbian-Romanian border to the remote and wild landscapes of rural Romania.

Suitable for most abilities and bike types, this definitive Cicerone guidebook describes the full route in 32 stages averaging 53.5km (33 miles) each, comfortably completable in three to four weeks. A three-day variant via Constan?a and the Black Sea coast is also described for stages 27–32, along with information on the boat journey through the Danube Delta from Tulcea to Sulina.

• Cycle the lower Danube Cycleway in 32 stages from Budapest to Tulcea, passing through Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, and Romania on a mainly level route well within the capabilities of most cycle tourists, with long stretches of traffic-free riding along flood dykes and riverside paths.
• Discover the highlights of the route, including Budapest's Fishermen's Bastion and Europe's largest synagogue, the Kopacki Rit nature reserve in Croatia, the Petrovaradin fortress at Novi Sad, Golubac castle, the dramatic Iron Gates gorges, and the extraordinary Danube Delta at journey's end.
• Choose a variant for the final stages, with a three-day alternative via Constan?a and the Black Sea coast described for stages 27–32, plus information on the boat journey from Tulcea through the Danube Delta to Sulina.
• Navigate with confidence using 1:150,000 mapping included for each stage, alongside GPX files available to download for the full route.
• Plan your journey with comprehensive refreshment and accommodation information for every stage, practical advice on preparation, getting there and back, and a full facilities summary, noting that tourist infrastructure is limited in parts of Romania with long distances between services.
• Ride the Danube Cycleway as part of EuroVelo 6, one of Europe's great cross-continental cycle routes, with this volume picking up where the Cicerone companion guide The Danube Cycleway Volume 1 leaves off at Budapest.

Cycle the lower Danube with confidence using this trusted Cicerone guidebook. From the grand streets of Budapest to the wild wetlands of the Danube Delta, this is the essential companion for one of Europe's most adventurous and rewarding long-distance cycle routes.

The Danube Cycleway Volume 2 – Quick Facts

Location: Central and eastern Europe – Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, and Romania
Start point: Budapest, Hungar
End point: Tulcea, Romania (Danube Delta); optional boat extension to Sulina
Route covered: 1,647km (1,023 miles)
Number of stages: 32 stages (averaging 53.5km/33 miles each)
Direction: West to east
Typical duration: 3–4 weeks
Difficulty: Mainly level; well within the capabilities of most cycle tourists; more adventurous than Volume 1 due to limited tourist infrastructure in parts of Romania; long distances between services in rural areas
Terrain: Riverside paths, flood dykes, asphalt roads; some unsurfaced sections in Hungary and Serbia with alternative routes provided; suitable for hybrid or touring cycles
Navigation/mapping: 1:150,000 mapping included for each stage; GPX files available to download
Key highlights: Budapest, Kopački Rit nature reserve, Osijek, Vukovar, Novi Sad, Belgrade, Golubac castle, Iron Gates gorges, Danube Delta, Tulcea
Accommodation & logistics: Refreshment and accommodation information for every stage; full facilities summary; practical advice on getting there and back, navigation, and what to take
Best time to go: April to October; April to June and September to October preferred; July and August can be very hot
Companion volume: The Danube Cycleway Volume 1 (Black Forest to Budapest, also available from Cicerone)

Author Highlight

“As a result, by cycling the lower Danube you embark upon an adventure where the very journey becomes something of a challenge. Tourist offices, places to stay and cycle shops are few and far between, while West European languages are little spoken. You need to plan accommodation ahead and be more self-sufficient when it comes to maintaining your cycle in working order… But don’t be discouraged by this. Cycling the lower Danube is well within the capabilities of most cycle tourists”

- Mike Wells, author of The Danube Cycleway Volume 2

Map key
Overview maps
Route summary table
INTRODUCTION
Background
The Danube Cycleway
Natural environment
Preparation
Getting there and back
Navigation
Accommodation
Food and drink
Amenities and services
What to take
Safety and emergencies
Using this guide

THE ROUTE
Hungary
Stage 1 Budapest to Ráckeve
Stage 2 Ráckeve to Solt
Stage 3 Solt to Foktő
Stage 4 Foktő to Baja
Stage 5 Baja to Mohács
Croatia
Stage 6 Mohács to Osijek
Stage 7 Osijek to Vukovar
Stage 8 Vukovar to Bačka Palanka
Serbia
Stage 9 Bačka Palanka to Novi Sad
Stage 10 Novi Sad to Novi Slankamen
Stage 11 Novi Slankamen to Belgrade
Stage 12 Belgrade to Kovin
Stage 13 Kovin to Stara Palanka
Stage 14 Stara Palanka to Golubac
Stage 15 Golubac to Donji Milanovac
Stage 16 Donji Milanovac to Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Romania
Stage 17 Drobeta-Turnu Severin to Gruia
Stage 18 Gruia to Calafat
Stage 19 Calafat to Bechet
Stage 20 Bechet to Corabia
Stage 21 Corabia to Turnu Măgurele
Stage 22 Turnu Măgurele to Zimnicea
Stage 23 Zimnicea to Giurgiu
Stage 24 Giurgiu to Olteniţa
Stage 25 Olteniţa to Călăraşi
Stage 26 Călăraşi to Ion Corvin
Stage 27 Ion Corvin to Cernavodă
Stage 28 Cernavodă to “Hârşova
Stage 29 Hârşova to Măcin
Stage 30 Măcin to Galaţi
Stage 31 Galaţi to Isaccea (through Romania)
Stage 31A Galaţi to Isaccea (through Moldova and Ukraine)
Stage 32 Isaccea to Tulcea
Stage 32A Tulcea to Sulina by boat through the Danube Delta
 
Variant Stages 27–32 Ion Corvin to Tulcea via Constanţa
 
Appendix A Facilities summary

Appendix B Tourist information offices

Appendix C Useful contacts

Appendix D Language glossary

Appendix E Serbian Cyrillic alphabet

Seasons

can be cycled at any time between April and October, but best in April-June and then September-October: July and August can be very hot

Centres

this is a long point-to-point route with no particular bases

Difficulty

although the route is mostly level, with a few gentle gradients, it is a challenging ride due to a lack of tourist infrastructure, particularly in Romania. There are long distances between places offering accommodation or refreshments and very few tourist offices or cycle repair shops. Moreover few rural Romanians speak west European languages. There are long stretches in Hungary and Serbia along unsurfaced flood dykes, although alternative routes are given to allow you to avoid these stages. Otherwise surfaces are mostly asphalt and in good condition, suitable for hybrid or touring cycles

Must See

Budapest: Fishermen's bastion, St Mathias church, Europe's largest synagogue, Liberty monument; Kopački Rit nature reserve; Osijek: Tvrđa fortress; Vukovar: civil war memorials; Novi Sad: Petrovaradin fortress; Belgrade: Kalemegdan fortress, St Sava cathedral; Golubac castle; Iron Gates gorges: Golubacki klisura, Gospodin vir, Veliki Kazan, Mali Kazan; rural Romania; Dervent monastery; Tulcea; Danube Delta

July 2025

Stage 11

June 2025

Stage 14

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