PLANE-SPOTTING - From Vienna International Airport to Orth Castle

​We’ll bike through the countryside along the Schwechat River to Vienna International Airport, where we’ll watch planes from the visitor terrace. In Haslau, we’ll cross the Danube by ferry and visit the National Park Center and a summer movie screening at Orth Castle. Riverfront Promenade: We begin our tour at Stop 1 / Schwechat Train Station. We ride along the red-asphalt bike path next to the railroad tracks to the Schwechat Riverfront Promenade, where we follow the “Airport” bike path signs. The promenade feels like a breath of fresh air. The Schwechat River babbles beside us as we pass meadows and grasslands. Tree canopies and hedges provide shade, and we can hear and see the planes taking off and landing overhead, reminding us that we’re heading toward the airport. Disc Golf The riverbanks along the Schwechat are classified as the “Danube Floodplains” Natura 2000 bird sanctuary and are home to white storks. So we shouldn’t be surprised if we see a few of them gliding overhead during the summer months. When Frisbees suddenly start flying over our heads, we know we’ve arrived at the Mannswörth Spa Park. This recreational area features a 7-hole disc golf course with additional practice baskets. The park is an excellent spot for a break. It features a covered wooden pavilion with sturdy bike racks for securing bicycles. Departure: The Schwechat River, our companion so far, leaves us a few hundred meters before the airport, where it flows into the Danube in a left-hand bend. Our surroundings are now dominated by warehouses belonging to various logistics companies. We ride briefly along a quiet access road, though we may still encounter the occasional truck here. Ahead of us, we can already see the airport control tower. At the airport, the familiar signage leads us to the Visitor Center with the 3 / Visitor Terrace (open starting March 19, 2022; Vienna Airport, Terminal 3, E3, www.viennaairport.com/besucherterrasse). We can lock our bikes to the bike racks near Parking Garage 3. From the visitor terrace, you can overlook the activity on the airport apron. Here, you can watch the A-380, Triple Seven, and other planes take off and land. Museum Visits: The Fischamend Airport Bike Route takes us further downstream along the Danube. In Fischamend, a museum double feature awaits us. The 4 / Museum of Photography (Sun 10 a.m.–6 p.m./by phone appointment, Donauarmstraße 1, 2401 Fischamend, +43 699 192 553 78, www.museumderphotographie.at) features exhibitions of classic photography and smaller special exhibitions. The history of photography, its technology, and its artistic applications are illustrated through numerous exhibits. Historical light meters and cameras, as well as projectors from the world of classic cinema, are fascinating—certainly not just for “digital natives.” Volunteer Fire DepartmentJust a soccer stadium’s length away from the Museum of Photography lies the fire station designed by Robert Kramreiter in the 1930s, which has housed the Fischamend Fire Department Museum for the past 15 years (every first Saturday of the month, May–Oct., 3–7 p.m.; guided tours by appointment; Klein-Neusiedler Straße 5, 2401 Fischamend, www.feuerwehr-fischamend.at/museum-home.html). It features exhibits spanning 200 years of firefighting history. The main attractions are historic fire trucks such as the Austro Fiat and the Opel Blitz, which were fully restored for their grand museum debut. Haubenküche: As you leave Fischamend, vegetable fields and wind turbines dominate the landscape. In Haslau, we follow the signs for the Danube Floodplains National Park Tour, the ferry to Orth, or the Danube Cycle Path. On the way to the ferry landing, we stop for a delicious meal at the award-winning 6 / Landgasthof Haslauerhof (Thu–Sun 11 a.m.–midnight, Hauptstraße 17, 2402 Haslau an der Donau, +43 2232 802 21, www.haslauerhof.at). Perched on a hill above the steeply sloping banks of the Danube, it offers a view of the Danube Floodplains National Park and the Marchfeld. The menu features primarily regional and seasonal delicacies. Ferry crossing: From Route 7 / Haslau Ferry Terminal (April 1–Oct. 31, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; special trips by arrangement; Haslau landing stage, +43 664 421 00 58, www.faehre-orth.at), a motorboat takes us to the northern bank of the Danube in Orth. It splashes and rocks, and in three minutes we’ve crossed the Danube, which flows freely here. The landing dock leads us directly to the 8 / Café am Schiff (April 1–Oct. 31, 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Lindenweg 2, 2304 Orth an der Donau, www.faehre-orth.at/cafe). You could spend ages here on the sun deck watching the action on the Danube—as long as you’re not prone to seasickness. The swell is quite noticeable, especially when large tour boats pass by. The ship’s galley serves us small snacks like toast and homemade pastries such as nut or poppy seed croissants. Castle Visit: We follow the bike path to the center of Orth (Bike Route 5) until we see 9 / Orth Castle on our left (March 26–Sept. 30, 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Oct. 1–Nov. 1, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., 2304 Orth a. d. Donau, +43 2212 35 55, http://www.orth.