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Biking the Danube, resting on a 50-mile day

Dan was inspired to sign up for the  Zephyr Adventures Austria Danube River bike tour because it also gave us a chance to explore the historic city centers of Vienna, Budapest and Prague. We finished with two beach weeks in southern Spain.

After saying farewell to our fellow Zephyr cyclists (most of whom, unlike us, were on e-bikes!), we spent a couple of days getting to know the historic center of Vienna, Austria. We also met up with a boyfriend (and his wife) from Liz’s travels 48 years ago.

By train, we followed the Danube east through green fields with grids of solar panels to spend several days in beautiful Budapest, Hungary. The thermal bath visit, Hungarian Parliament and bustling street life are among our most enchanting memories here. We watched the river rise almost to flood stage due to recent deluges.

Next up, another train ride northeast through the countryside to visit Prague, Czech Republic, which turns out to be the capital city of roving British bachelor parties–due to its history as a city dedicated to beer. A sunset tour on the Vltava River and a walking tour of Prague Castle are must-do activities here!

Time for some R&R on the southeast Mediterranean beaches of Spain: We flew to Malaga, rented a car, and drove to our Airbnb in Almuñécar, a cute town with a picturesque city center.

• Week in Almuñécar, Spain
• Inner Almuñécar
• Day trip to La Alhambra in Granada, Spain

Our final Airbnb was five hours drive up the coast, and down a dusty lane, right on the beach! In this town, we discovered another cathedral with a view, reached by climbing a series of stairs and delightful narrow streets. We enjoyed lunches at beachside cafes and sleeping with the ocean breezes and lapping waves. What a relaxing end to our vacation!

• Week in Altea, Spain
• A Half Day in Valencia, Spain