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THE DONAUSTEIG TRAIL ROUTE II - from Linz to Grein

Grein, Oberösterreich, Österreich

Mai 1st - September 30th 2025

"Hiking is the most perfect means of transport if you want to discover real life. It is the path to freedom."
Elizabeth von Arnim, English writer, 1866 – 1941
 
Highlights

  • Canyon, Narrow Valley and Gorge - Hike geological features along the course of the river

  • Insight into the unique nature and cultural experience area of the Strudengau

  • Discover historic towns and panoramic heights

  • Experience the healing effects of water

  • Hikes over an atmospheric hilly landscape


Hardly any other region is as varied as the Danube Valley and at the same time one of the most beautiful river landscapes in Austria. Alternating between spectacular narrow passages and wide basin landscapes, medieval towns, well-known monasteries, historic castles and picturesque ruins, numerous landscapes can be experienced that could not be more different. They offer breathtaking insights and views of a fabulously beautiful country.
The starting point of the hike on the Upper Austrian part of the Danube is Linz. From here, the "Donausteig" leads to the unspoiled forests and gorges near Grein and promises impressive nature and cultural experiences. On both sides of the Danube, you can walk along historic trails, enjoy shady forest paths, walk along Danube promenades and climb open plateaus. Defiant, dreamy castles and legendary ruins sit enthroned like sentinels over the Nibelungen River.


Requirements and general information:
The tours have height differences up to max. 1000 m, the daily walking distance varies from 10 to 30 km, is without difficulty and easily manageable within 4 to 8 hours. The starting points and resting places are equipped with detailed information boards, which narrate illustrated Danube legends
  • 7 nights
services
  • 7 x overnight stay in ***Donausteig inns/hotels with breakfast buffet
  • 1 x welcome video with explanations and information that you need for the tour
  • 1 x tram from Linz to Ebelsberg
  • 1 x ferry boat Mauthausen
  • 1 x train from Perg to Baumgartenberg
  • 1 x snack at a traditional tavern with “Brettljause” and ½ l drink to choice
  • 1 x train ride from Grein to Linz
  • 1 x Donausteig Trail hiking book + map material (1 x per room)
  • 5 x luggage transfer - max. 2 pcs./person and max. 25 kg/piece of luggage
  • Daily service hotline from 8.00-18.00 o’clock (also on weekends)
Catering
  • Breakfast
itinerary

Day 1:  Individual arrival in Linz.
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)
 
Day 2:  Through the Traun-Enns-Riedelland
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)
Hiking Linz - Enns: approx. 7 hours (23 km, ascent 431 m in height, descent 445 m in height)
 
Day 3:  Ancient cities and rich trading centres
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).
Hiking Enns - Perg: approx. 5 hours (17 km, ascent 263 m in height, descent 262 m in height)
 
Day 4:  High-altitude hike through the Mühlviertel hills
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).
Hiking Perg - Grein: approx. 5-6 hours (17,5 km, ascent 473 m in height, descent 408 m in height)
 
Day 5:  Hike in the Stillenstein Gorge
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)
Hiking Grein - Aumühle: approx. 3 hours (9 km, ascent 224 m in height, descent 41 m in height)
 
 
Day 6:  Over panoramic heights and along soothing waters
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)
Hiking Aumühle – Grein: approx. 5 hours (16 km, ascent 379 m in height, descent 561 m in height)
 
 
Day 7:  Grein – Linz
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)
 
Day 8:  Individual departure or extension stay
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.

possible date of arrival

daily

from price
  • € 809,00 per person
  • bookable from 1 person
Travel period (01.05.2025 - 30.09.2025)
From to
01.05.2025, to 30.09.2025

non-binding inquiry

Rates per person and arrangement in €:

01.05.  30.09.2025 (last arrival)
***inns/hotels double room with breakfast              809,--
Supplement for 6x half board (no half board in Linz)   145,--
Supplement for single room                                         271,--
  
Additional night double room with breakfast                  83,--
Additional night supplement for single room                  46,--
  
Day of arrival   daily

Prices are subject to change

Local tax is extra to pay on spot in each accommodation (from € 1,-- to € 4,-- per person/per night)
 
Reductions for children sleeping in their parents’ room (2 fully paying guests):
0 - 5 years: 100%          6 - 15 years: 30%
 
Information for arrivals by car:
The parking place does not always situate next to the accommodation but on a public parking place. (Possible costs have to be paid on spot)
 
Accommodations:
For the major part the chosen inns and hotels are official Donausteig Trail-Accommodations.
This means: situated near the Donausteig Trail routes, individual service for hikers, mostly family-run businesses
 
We recommend travel cancellation insurance.
The standard terms and conditions of the Salzkammergut Touristik GmbH apply in the current version. Due to environmental reasons we recommend to arrive and depart by public transportation.

  • Suitable for friends
  • Suitable for couples

We recommend a cancellation insurance.

The terms and conditions of Salzkammergut Touristik GmbH in the currently valid version apply.

conditions of travel

Contact


THE DONAUSTEIG TRAIL ROUTE II - from Linz to Grein
Salzkammergut Touristik GmbH
Götzstraße 12
4820 Bad Ischl

Phone +43 6132 24000-0
E-Mail wandern@salzkammergut.co.at
Web www.salzkammergut.co.at
http://www.salzkammergut.co.at

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