Nomads staff will gather in Passau on the afternoon of June 13 at the beautiful Hotel Residenz Passau. Though this evening is not an official part of the trip, guests continuing from the previous week or guests who are joining us in Passau are welcome to connect with us at the hotel; we’ve made arrangements just in case and, space permitting, a room may be available for you. Wander museums, the historic old city, or just relax and prepare for the next stage of our amazing journey. Tomorrow, we dive headlong into the heart of Bohemia.

If you’ve stayed in Passau the evening prior, the morning is free for wandering the city a bit. Officially, our tour starts today as we assemble at 11:00 AM to gather our Nomads clan, get a proper bike fit, share a first lunch, and head off for a short 26-mile ride into the countryside before circling back following the Danube River. With a mid-afternoon return to our hotel, you should have ample time to explore Passau before we gather for dinner. Tonight, we begin to form bonds with our fellow Nomads; tomorrow, we start our journey through Bohemia.

We’ll gather after breakfast, toss our gear into the van, hop onto our bikes, and join the ever-popular Danube River bike trail for a 30-mile ride downstream. Of all the great bicycle pathways in Europe, the Danube River trail may be the most popular—for a good reason. Its popularity owes to the natural beauty and serenity of the setting, as well as the many amenities available along the way. From the riverbanks, we’ll watch light and colors change hillsides as we pass, and match pace with boats filled with visitors sharing the experience from a different vantage point. We’ll feel no urgency to speed along; time slows on the Danube, as will we.

Our resting place for the evening will be the Gasthof Gierlinger on the banks of the Danube. A favorite of cyclists, we’re sure to find many kindred souls on the terrace overlooking the water. Dinner is on your own, or you can join the “Nomads Table,” a place where the Nomads team welcome any who wish to join.

Following our new morning ritual of breakfast, tossing gear onto the van, and hopping onto bikes in the cool air of morning, we leave the Danube today and head into the hillside. The rural roller coaster ride through fields, meadows, and woods reminds us that the pace of rural Austria is little changed from decades and centuries past. There is unmistakable beauty in high mountains and precipices, but no more so than that of waves of grass and grain dotted by sheep and cattle on a sunny summer afternoon. This is a bucolic beauty; a beauty that feeds the soul.

Our 35-mile ride should allow us to arrive in the historic city of Linz by mid-afternoon with enough time to get settled and set out to explore on foot. Linz is a modern city with a medieval core and a grand plaza that beckons us. Our lodging for the night is the upscale Courtyard by Marriott Linz, near the Innere Stadt that anchors the city. Dinner will be on your own or you can join us at the Nomads table.

We set the compass due north today, climb out of the Danube River valley, and make way towards Český Krumlov in the Czech Republic. It would be easy to say that the countryside becomes more beautiful with each passing mile, but that wouldn’t really be true. Each mile, each farm, each meadow and vista and woodland is simply beautiful in a different way. The lifestyle and culture slowly shift from Austrian to Bohemian, a subtle difference that can best be appreciated when absorbed at the gentle pace of a bike.

We leave Austria and roll into the Czech Republic, passing ancient villages that could be modern sets for medieval tales. After nearly 48 miles of cycling bliss, we reach the magnificent town of Český Krumlov, perhaps the country’s most iconic traditional village. We find our lodging, the gorgeous Bellevue Hotel, and settle in for the night. Dinner will be on your own or you can join us at the Nomads table. Tomorrow, we explore Český Krumlov as it deserves.

Today, we stay in the Český Krumlov area, starting the day with a short 25-mile ride to a nearby mountain peak and a pastoral loop west of town. The goal will be to return early enough to leave ample time to take in the many treasures within walking distance of our hotel.

Spared damage during the 20th century wars, Český Krumlov is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Bohemia. Dominated by its 13th century castle and designated a World Heritage site, the city boasts magnificent examples of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture, a still-operating 17th century theatre, a bell tower that offers panoramic views of the city, and a warren of narrow lanes full of shops and restaurants that beckons exploration. We’ll appreciate the extra day spent here but will soon realize that even that is much too little time. Ceske Krumlov is a treasure to savor, which we’ll do the best that we can. Dinner will be on your own or you can join us at the Nomads table.

Today’s ride is special, as it is a masterpiece of lovely lanes across magnificent country. At every opportunity on our journey, we seek out quiet lanes and country roads, but rarely does a locale provide for a nearly 50-mile ride on pathways immersed in nature and away from traffic. There will undoubtedly be times when you think we must have taken a wrong turn, as the lane we’ve found seems to lead us off into fields and woods visited only by four-legged creatures. And I guess that’s exactly the point. We find serenity in Bohemia on this day and the peace we feel will make us wonder why we ever travel differently.

Our stopping point today is Pisek, a beautifully city on the Otava River. The bridge linking the city across two banks is the oldest preserved stone bridge in the country. A traditional medieval square, with narrow alleys leading in all directions, sets the stage for this end-of-day respite. Our lodging for the evening is the lovely Hotel U Klalicky, located near the town center. Dinner will be on your own or you can join us at the Nomads table.

Leaving Pisek, our 47-mile route follows the banks of the Otava River for a bit, then take a direct path towards its confluence with the mighty Vitava River. Before we cross, we make a slight detour to Zvikov Castle, a medieval masterpiece set on a peninsula over looking both the Otava and Vitava Rivers. A royal palace built on a spit of land that drops precipitously on all sides to the water, the castle fortress may have been one of the most defensible in all the land. Fortunately, gates are now open to welcome those fortunate enough to find their way to this remote location.

After a brief stop, we continue across the countryside to our evening rest at the spectacular Zamek Ratmerice. On this final night together, we’ll share stories and a fabulous meal and give thanks for the opportunity to have spent time exploring this amazing land as a Nomad clan.