Cycling through Europe - Part 6: Serbia - Eurovelo Route 6 along the Danube

Beginning in May 2016, we commence a 3-4 month cycling tour of Europe. Starting in Geneva, we plan to cycle through Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary and Romania, before crossing the Black Sea and picking up the trail in Georgia. We plan to depart Georgia for South Korea in early August and continue our cycling trek through Asia.

Part 3: Serbia - Sabac to Tekija
Time: 8 days + 2 rest days in Belgrade
Route: Sava River from Sabac to Belgrade then Eurovelo Route 6 via Djerdap National Park on the Serbian side (quieter road than on the Romanian side)
Difficulty: moderate to difficult, along relatively quiet roads from Sabac to Belgrade, Belgrade has an extensive and brand new system of bicycle path which make it relatively easy to cycle in the city. Then we followed the Eurovelo Route 6 along the Danube. We follow the northern bank which was quite difficult at the beginning because you are on a dirt track and we had a big storm so spend a lot of time in the mud. Then you have to take a small car-barge to cross the river and join the southern part of the river. It is recommend instead to start directly on the southern part of the river directly from Belgrade and to follow small roads

Belgrade:
After a couple of hot and sweaty days on the bicycles, we arrive at Serbia's capital city, Belgrade. A short ride along the newly developed riverfront has us in the centre of the city, our base for our time there. Located at the confluence of the Sava and the Danube Rivers, the city preserves a rich history of Ottoman culture. The walled Belgrade Fortress, which sits on a hill top overlooking the modern city, was first mentioned in literature around the year 535 AD. Since then, it has been upgraded and attacked numerous times by various occupying forces, including the Bulgarians, the Byzantines, the Turks and later in history the Serbs. We take stroll through the inner old town, visiting the fortress and explore a little of Belgrade's dynamic nightlife, including a cool jazz bar where we try a cocktail or two!

Eurovelo Route 6 - Down the Danube
Beginning our journey in the city of Belgrade, we join the EuroVelo 6 cycle route and follow the current down the mighty Danube River. Initially straddling the levy bank, and with the blazing summer sun overhead, the path is hot and somewhat bothersome for the first day or two of the journey. However, as the threatening storm clouds developed, a bout of rainfall soon changed the conditions, turning the dry and dusty path into a technically challenging mud bath! The rains finally passed however, and we soon found ourselves making our way down the steamy Danube gorge, or the "Iron Gate", into the Carpathian Mountains. We passed beneath the imposing Golubac Fortress, the structure itself dating back to the 14th Century, before traversing the Djerdap National Park. Our final moments in Serbia were marked by our crossing of the Danube River close to the township of Drobeta Turnu-Severin, marking our entrance into Romania.

Photos and more info on our website: www.upsidownearth.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wRnGu_US78