In April 2011 we started from the spring of the Danube in the Black Forest and arrived in September at the delta at the Black Sea. In between these 4 months we learned so many things about history, people, nature and ourselves that we are more than enthusiastic to make such a walk again. We crossed eight countries in each we discovered and learned something that will stay in our memories and hearts forever.

In Germany at the very beginning where the Danube is a small creek and nature was awaking we discovered the beautiful scenery around Weltenburg and many, many castles, fortresses, monasteries and churches – a huge cultural treasure which is along the river like pearls on a necklace. In Austria our home country, we discovered the marvellous hiking path “Donausteig”, the wine growing region “Wachau” is certainly worth hiking through and of course our beautiful capital Vienna. Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia was like a short trip to the Mediterranean Sea. We felt there like along the Sea Shore, the Danube with its benches and the city is spreading vitality and break-up. More than 400 kilometers we were hiking through Hungary. We discovered that Hungary has rolling hills where very tasty wine is growing. For the tasting of delicious Goulash, we had the luck to come to Szekszard while a Goulash festival was taking place. We were walking 2 days through the wonderful Kopacki rit and we meet there twice as many wild animals as people. We could take pictures from wild pigs with their babies, deers, butterflies, foxes and thousands of beautiful plants and flowers.

Serbia along the Danube means not only the breathtaking Iron Gate but also discovering family history in the Vojvodina, refreshing bathing in the nearby river Nera. But also the absolute and warm hospitality made us feel at home. The villages and towns along the Danube in Bulgaria are full with our European history. Nature in Bulgaria made us discover how wild and beautiful this country is. Standing on the rocks of the castle of Belogradtschik and looking over to the Balkan mountains at the horizon gave us an impression of endlessness of nature and life. The end of the Danube in the Delta in Romania is a world at its own. There is for sure nothing to be compared with this part of the world. Somehow we said it is a little bit like a subsumption of the hole Danube: many different people, ethnos, nations, history, water, agriculture, nature, animals, birds, flowers, plants, and again outstanding hospitality.

In our luggage we carried back home so many positive things that we shared already during our journey with our friends and family via internet blog www.donauwelle2011.wordpress.com. We were encouraged to put all our adventures and discoveries into a book. We hope that many, many, many more people will discover the treasures along the river Danube.