Danube Cycle Path, stage 8, south bank: Petronell - Bratislava

Description:
Fans of the Middle Ages are enchanted by the chapel of John the Baptist in Petronell, whose romantic rotunda dates back to the Templars. The Roman city of Carnuntum brings the ancient world alive for you. In this internationally unique outdoor museum, a city district has been built with reconstructed versions of the main types of buildings in historical context: a burgher home, a magnificent city villa with furniture, in-floor heating, functioning stove plus public thermal baths. You also find the old Romans in the health resort Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, not only in the Carnuntinum Museum, which is the centerpiece of the Archaeological Park Carnuntum with its Ancient Roman statues, reliefs, mosaics, coins, weapons and trinkets, but also at Therme Carnuntum, a thermal springs resort where rheumatism has been treated since Antiquity.

Old city gates – Wienertor, Ungartor, Fischertor – as well as the large castle ruins lend a medieval charm to the city of Hainburg. Besides castle rock in town (Schlossberg), two hills dominate the landscape: Hunsheimer Berg and Braunsberg. The last one mentioned offers the best view of the Danube, the Thebener Kogel (in Slovakia) with Devin Fortress as well as of the nearby Bratislava, whose suburbs you reach shortly after the national border near Wolfsthal.

The Slovakian capital has plenty of sights in store for you – as a fitting conclusion to your bicycle tour. They include the four-tower castle, the city’s landmark, or the Slovakian National Theatre, the historical center with Hviezdoslavovo Namestie-Boulevard or the new Danube bridge featuring a futuristically designed restaurant (“UFO”) with a panoramic view.

Directions:
Petronell - Bad Deutsch-Altenburg - Hainburg - Bratislava

Route description:

You start your tour in Petronell where you follow the main road (Hauptstrasse) eastward until you turn onto Solafeldgasse (road) at the outskirts of town. At the end of that road, you follow the path continuing east until you arrive in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, the quarry is visible from afar. If time allows, you can get your tired legs back into shape at the local hot springs baths. Bad Deutsch-Altenburg has the strongest iodine-sulfur springs in Europe.

After Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, you head toward the Danube bank and pass under the B49. Shortly thereafter you arrive in Hainburg. There you rest and visit the old, but very well preserved castle. Back on the bike path you say goodbye to the Danube, which you will not see again until Bratislava. You travel along the railroad tracks, then travel a short distance on Thebnerstrasse, taking a left off of this road as soon as possible. You then hit the B9, which has a bike path on its north side. Follow that path.

Just before the border, the road and bike path diverge. After lengthy left and right turns, you ride along the riverbank promenade in Bratislava enjoying views of the Danube, Bratislava Castle and St. Martin's Cathedral as you pedal the last few meters to your destination.