Experience the last great river wilderness in Europe in the border triangle of Croatia, Serbia and Hungary by bike

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Who wrote this report for you? Peter Rupitsch from Heiligenblut am Großglockner is one of the most prominent nature conservation experts in Europe. He was director of the Hohe Tauern National Park, the largest national park in the Alps, for 40 years and chaired various committees of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The former ski racer and accomplished mountaineer has discovered cycling as a new passion in recent years and has sent us this impressive report about his journey of discovery on the Amazon of Europe Bike Trail.

Dive into the last great river wilderness in the heart of Europe: The Amazon of Europe Bike Trail opens up a unique natural experience ©Peter Rupitsch

Well organized by the Amazon of Europe Booking Center, we spent the first night after arrival in the boutique hotel in Osijek. The fourth largest city in Croatia, located on the banks of the Drava River in the east of the historic region of Slavonia, an economic and cultural center in eastern Croatia. Osijek is an ideal starting point for a six-day bike ride on the Amazon of Europe Bike Trail in the border triangle of Croatia, Serbia and Hungary.

Finally, full of anticipation, I set off with my friend Günter on May 5th for a 307 km long tour of the Amazon of Europe Bike Trail on our mountain bikes. We decided to transport the luggage ourselves.

We quickly made our way to our first destination. The impressive wilderness with natural river landscapes and an extraordinary biodiversity, but also small settlements with their simple houses awaited us on the stage.

Our first destination of the day was the border town of Erdut, which we will remember very fondly due to the special hospitality of the accommodation provider. The excellent food with a good wine from our own small but fine winery also certainly contributed to this.

The magic of the Amazon of Europe Bike Trail: A magnificent natural landscape alternates with fascinating cities and lovingly selected, hospitable hostels, like here in Erdut. ©Peter Rupitsch

The hospitality in this still unknown destination is authentic and heartfelt. Peter and Günter with their host in Erdut. ©Peter Rupitsch

A tip before setting off for the next day’s stage to Apatin: a morning walk – past the medieval castle with an excellent view – down to the natural tributaries of the Danube.

After crossing the important road bridge, after a few minutes you leave the main road heading west and quickly dive back into the Amazon of Europe. The bike route upstream on the Serbian side of the Danube allows for short detours to the river bank. Small rest areas offer a welcome opportunity to fortify yourself. The rather short stage to Apatin also offers numerous opportunities for bird watching.

Under the spell of the great river: The Danube shapes the next few days between Erdut and Mohasz.
©Peter Rupitsch

Safe on the move: thanks to a large project by the European Union, cyclists are accompanied by a perfect visitor guidance system. ©Peter Rupitsch

Apatin became famous not only because of the large settlement of Danube Swabians from the end of the 17th century, but also as a Danube port with a shipyard. The Serbian Orthodox church “Synod of the Holy Apostles”, located directly on the cycle path and unmissable at the city entrance, is ideal for a short stop with a visit.

Marks exactly half of the Danube’s flow between the Black Forest and the Black Sea: the impressive basilica “Synod of the Holy Apostles”. ©Peter Rupitsch

Working on the big river: The fishing boats in the Apatin marina
©Peter Rupitsch

The next destination was Sombor, a city with visible traces of the Habsburg era, located in the autonomous province of Vojvodina in the extreme northwest of Serbia. With its extensive parks, known as the greenest city in Serbia – therefore also called the green Florence of the Balkans – but also for numerous buildings, many in the style of classicism and eclecticism, such as the town hall, this detour is definitely worth it.

Pure adventure. The route between Apatin and Sombor also offers fantastic insights into the great river wilderness, which is the first Five Countries UNESCO Biosphere Park to be protected for the future. ©Peter Rupitsch

Downtown Sombor. The greenest city in Serbia still exudes a touch of Habsburg history.
©Peter Rupitsch

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Before we continued on to the town of Mohacs, located on the right bank of the Danube in Hungary, the next day, we had to make a service stop at the BIKE CENTAR. The small problem with the suspension fork was solved in a very short time by a knowledgeable and extremely friendly employee.

In Bezdan, on the way to the Hungarian border, we met two pairs of cyclists from South Africa and Holland. We spontaneously decided to take a coffee break together to talk about our experiences on the Amazon of Europe Bike Trail. The Anna Caffe on the other side of the street offers excellent pastries.

Inspiring encounters: We exchanged our experiences with these cycling enthusiasts from South Africa and Holland. ©Peter Rupitsch

Further north, the Hungarian border fences left a lasting impression on us. Crossing the border was completely problem-free. From there it is not far to the ferry that took us to the town of Mohacs on the other side of the Danube. The mighty town hall shows the oriental influence of the building from the 1930s, which is covered with basalt stones. Mohács is known for its carnival (“Busójárás”), which has been declared an intangible UNESCO World Heritage Site. The six-day carnival festival with its elaborately carved wooden masks is considered the largest in Hungary.

Across the big river: We took the ferry across the Danube to Mohasz in Hungary
©Peter Rupitsch

The impressive town hall of Mohasz, this charming Hungarian town on the banks of the Danube.
©Peter Rupitsch

If only you could get enough of the majesty and beauty of the Danube.
©Peter Rupitsch

The next day we continued south directly along the Danube, past numerous wine-growing regions, to the northeastern tip of Croatia. After a short stopover at the border town of Batina, we reach our quarters in the town of Zmajeva relatively early. A very friendly innkeeper gave us the tip to take a walk to the Josic winery. This turned out to be a special stroke of luck because we were able to enjoy an excellent wild boar steak with excellent wine accompaniment in this extremely well-kept cellar alley, surrounded by Croatian folklore.

The magic of the Hungarian cellar alleys in the Pannonian Plain.
©Peter Rupitsch

The Josic winery, near the stage town of Zmajeva, is an enjoyable experience!
©Peter Rupitsch

Our last cycling stage should take us back to our starting point, Osijek. First near the Danube, where we again experienced the fascinating river wilderness with numerous bird species. Unfortunately, the Dvorac Tikves Castle Museum, located on Weg, was still closed. The Kopacki Rit Nature Park with its carefully designed facilities for visitors was all the more pleasing and crowning conclusion.

The incredibly impressive Kopacki Rit Nature Park forms the grand finale of our varied cycling tour. This adventure trail allows visitors to walk through the wetland on dry feet. ©Peter Rupitsch

In the Kopacki Rit Nature Park, the Amazon of Europe opens its magic once again.
©Peter Rupitsch

We reached Osijek again in the early afternoon and not only enjoyed the amenities of our hotel, but above all the fact that after six days, with a distance of just over 300 kilometers, we had replaced our sweaty cycling outfit with a “normal” one. could exchange clothes.

After a week full of unforgettable experiences, Peter and Günter are happy to have made it in Osijek!
©Peter Rupitsch

Evening atmosphere over the Drau in Osijek. Peter is sure that he will return and cycle those stages on the Amazon of Europe Bike Trail that he doesn’t know yet! ©Peter Rupitsch

What remains of this extraordinary nature and bike experience is the memory of friendly people who conveyed real hospitality in all three countries and the impression that a sustainable tourist product was achieved in and with this special natural river landscape in Central Europe. Our special thanks go to the Amazon of Europe Booking Center for the perfect organization!

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