Despite being only 90-km long, the stage of the Iron Curtain Trail following the Austrian and Slovakian border is well worth visiting thanks to its many attractions and its picturesque riverside routes. The route runs along the March and Danube Rivers and includes an impressive pedestrian and cycling bridge – the Freedom Bridge – built to connect these two countries. The trail makes a visit to the Slovakian capital of Bratislava and to the historic Devín Castle, a national monument dating from Roman times. These are also several sites connected to the Iron Curtain, such a memorial to the victims of Communist rule near to Devín Castle.
The development of EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain Trail is supported by the Interreg Central Europe project ICTr-CE. In the context of the project, ECF together with project partners developed an innovative cycling product - known as Good Impact Cycling - sold by official EuroVelo 13 Booking Centres to allow cyclists to experience the Iron Curtain Trail while leaving a positive influence. Using tools such as the CARMACAL carbon footprint calculator and the Impact Measurement System, the offers estimate the environmental and social impact of the tours. The Good Impact Programme reduces these impacts by allocating funds to projects focusing on environmental, social, and economic impacts, strengthening the positive contributions of cycling tourism to the regions. Check out the Good Impact Cycling tours on our tour packages page!
