Europe Bike Trip Part 3: Bratislava

After spending some time in the lovely Austrian capital, we mounted our bikes and rode 79km from Vienna to Bratislava—the two closest capital cities in the world. The ride was flat the whole way which was incredibly encouraging for us amateur cyclists. The scenery was tranquil the entire journey, as we passed through endless fields of wheat.

Once we reached Bratislava we quickly changed out of our bike gear and wandered down to the old city. Like most cities in Europe, the centre of Bratislava is characterized by winding cobblestone streets lined with an incredible selection of bars and restaurants. We chose a lively spot in one of the squares and took in the life of the city while we enjoyed our dinner.

One of the highlights of our time in the Slovakian capital was Bratislava Castle. A visit to the castle is like taking a trip to another time. The castle itself is a masterpiece and features Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture. In addition, the castle dominates the city’s skyline and provides a fantastic view of the city below. If you’re visiting Bratislava, a trip to the castle is an absolute must!

After a couple of days we climbed back on our bikes and began to ride south toward our next destination: Hungary.

-Wendy

Europe Bike Trip Part 2: Vienna

After exploring the Czech Republic we ventured into Austria and rode to its stunning capital, Vienna. Awe-struck by the architecture, we all instantly fell in love with the city. Vienna exhibits a variety of architectural styles from Baroque to Art Nouveau. If you’re planning on visiting Vienna, be sure to set some time aside to simply wander the streets and admire the buildings.

Once we had settled into our hotel and taken off our bike gear, we headed out for some sightseeing.  We began with Schönbrunn Palace which was a former imperial summer residence. The grounds are absolutely immaculate and the estate itself is enchanting. Next we visited the vast Museum Quarter which would take weeks to adequately explore.

After some sightseeing we decided to relax with a cold beer at one of the many outdoor cafés. When visiting Austria in the summer, make sure to sample “Radler,” a local drink which consists of Hefewizen beer and lemonade. The combination is unbeatable when you’ve spent the day under the hot summer sun! The food in Austria is beyond delicious, but don’t expect to find dishes that will help you sustain your weight class. However, riding your bike through the country is a great way to keep the pounds at bay, especially when you like to eat and drink as much as we do.

During the summer months of July and August, live music and theatre are projected on a large screen at Radhaus Town Hall. There are also a few stands that sell food and beverages in the area. After taking in some culture, head down to the Danube where you will find countless restaurants and bars lining its banks.

Overall, Vienna is definitely worth a visit and one of our favourite cities in Europe.

-Wendy

Europe Bike Trip Part 1: Czech Republic

A few years ago, Bruce and I embarked on a biking trip through Eastern Europe with our children and our grandchild Cadence in tow. The journey took us through the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. We decided to feature a series of videos cataloging our bike adventure through Eastern Europe and the highlights of our journey. Here is part one of our journey: the Czech Republic.  

Our journey started in Prague where we spent three days. The Czech capital is a pristine city whose architectural beauty seems to have been frozen in time and immaculately preserved. Simply strolling through the city and soaking up the city’s history is a satisfying way to spend your time in Prague. In addition to admiring the city’s elegance, the boys especially enjoyed Prague’s nightlife. After three days, party time was over for the boys and it was time to start cycling and work off the extra beer weight they had accumulated.

Figuring we were all in fairly good shape, no one trained very hard for the trip. The first day seemed like we were riding entirely uphill and everyone felt their legs. After 77Km we reached the town of Cehti only to discover we had ridden 15km past the town we were planning on staying the night. Cehti had no hotels and our only options were to ride back 15Km or continue for another 30Km to the next town. We were all exhausted, so we sat down in a restaurant to decide our next move. I spotted a large flatbed truck and soon Bruce was negotiating with the driver. Money changed hands and we found ourselves in cars driving to a gorgeous hotel on a lake.

The next day we hopped back on our bikes and boy were we sore! We rode 58Km into the beautiful town of Telc. The city was very colourful and everyone was warm, friendly and welcoming. Towns like Telc highlight the advantages of traveling by bike over train. The town was so small that you would likely miss it on a train tour of the country, but it was definitely one of our favourite places.

We were able to sleep in a bit the next morning and then rode 66km to our next destination, Znojmo. That night we dined at a fabulous restaurant where we all got massive pieces of meat served on swords. After dinner, Rob and Erik were sent to go find the train station and they came back quite quickly saying they had. After a great night’s sleep everyone left the hotel to catch a train. We all quickly discovered that the boys had found the train museum and not the train station. We had to scramble to find the station on time, but in the end we all got on the train safely and began our journey to the next destination.

-Wendy