Ybbs an der Donau: Old Town, Bicycle Museum and Cycling Routes

Ybbs an der Donau brings together bicycle history, historic architecture and river routes. If you are looking for a hotel in Ybbs an der Donau, you can use these highlights to tailor your trip to your interests. The Bicycle Museum offers a cultural and historical perspective, while the Danube promenade, Panoramic Loop and Ybbstal Cycle Route each offer a different connection to the Danube and the Ybbs.

Bicycle History at the Museum

The Ybbs Bicycle Museum presents the history of the bicycle in nine stages. Topics include its social and political significance and technological progress. The collection includes historical originals, wooden velocipedes, spectacular high-wheel bicycles, enduring Waffenräder, racing bikes and children's bikes. Different types of bicycles are thus presented alongside the broader developments covered in the museum's sequence of stages. Individual exhibits may change; the collection's themes provide a lasting framework.

Historic Old Town and Buildings

The historic old town is distinguished by its harmonious character. Ybbs offers visitors guided walks through the old town. This makes the townscape a highlight in its own right, without restricting the focus to individual buildings.

The Gothic parish church of St. Laurenz was completed in 1512. Its three-aisled Gothic nave was built earlier, between 1466 and 1485, under the direction of Laurenz Spenning, master builder of Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral. The two dates refer to different stages of construction: the nave was built before the church was completed. Another historic landmark is the imposing Renaissance castle, which still stands near the Linzertor, at the newly established site of the castle belonging to the territorial prince.

Danube Promenade, Panoramic Loop and Ybbstal Cycle Route

The Danube promenade is a local recreation area by the town center; Ybbs has unrestricted access to the Danube there. The Ybbs 3 – Panoramic Loop starts from the main square and follows the Danube via Scharlreith to Marienhöhe, where you will find the Danube viewpoint. It then runs via Reitern, Roßberg, Theinstetten and Reitering back to Ybbs. The loop offers views of Ybbs and the Danube Valley. Its route therefore returns to its starting point.

The Ybbstal Cycle Route follows a different course: it branches off directly from the Danube in Ybbs and runs 111 kilometers south along the Ybbs to a mountain lake. The two routes therefore differ not only in length but also in their course: the Panoramic Loop returns to Ybbs, while the cycle route continues south. River cycling routes in the Mostviertel are consistently marked with green signs; along the Ybbstal Cycle Route, additional markings on the ground indicate the abbreviation YRW. As route conditions can change seasonally, it is worth checking current conditions before setting out on a specific cycling trip.

Travel by Train

Ybbs an der Donau station is on the Western Railway line. Regional express trains stop there on routes to Amstetten, St. Valentin and Wien Westbahnhof. If your trip depends on a particular connection, check the current timetable for your travel date, as services may change when the timetable is updated.

Discover more destinations: Zelking, Melk, Ruprechtshofen, Blindenmarkt, Emmersdorf an der Donau, Dorfstetten, Aggsbach Dorf, Artstetten.

Return to the main travel overview: Melk.