A gusty wind in Paris

June 3 to 4, 2026

Bratislava is a 20-minute bus ride, but a world away, from Hainburg. The iron curtain ran along the Austria/Czechoslovakian (1) border for almost fifty years, and the landscape still bears the scars. The Austrian side is tidy farm country, while the Slovak slide is more urban and less well-developed. At Bratislava, a flight went to Oslo for an overnight layover. A long layover the next day in Paris starting with sone drizzle and views of the city from Montmatra. At midday, a gusty west wind (30 mph +) cleared away the drizzle before catching a flight home.

(1) Czechoslovakia emerged from the remnants of the Austro-Hungarian empire at the end of World War I (a), and again from the German Reich after World War II. The more urban, industrialized west (Czechia), split from the more agricultural east (Slovakia) in post-Cold War 1993 (b).

(a) The structure of the first Czechoslovak state envisioned a federal structure with two equal nations (Czech and Slovak). The agreement was worked out in 1918 in Pittsburgh (of all places).

(b) The 1993 partition was not popular in either part of the country, judging by opinion polls, and was not subject to a referendum. The leader of the Velvet Revolution overthrowing communism in 1989, Vaclav Havel, resigned as President of Czechoslovakia, rather than oversee the dissolution of his country.

Bus map at Hainburg shows hiking times to the hilltops from bus stops

Twenty minutes from rural Austria to Bratislava city center by bus

Bratislava Hrad (Castle) from the bridge over thr Danube. The Slovakian flag (white, blue and red) is joined by that of North Macedonia (orange and red), whose president is visiting Bratislava today.

A tram ride across Bratislava enroute to the airport

From Oslo Airport, a train to Eidsvoll for a lake-side dinner

Eidsvoll lake with rain moving in from the west.

Up to Montmartra in Paris

Sacré Couer

Views south to the city

Descending Montmartra

At Ile de la Cité

The Seine is still a working river

Where the oak used to repair Notre Dane has come from

The end of the Alps at Hainburg an der Donau

June 2, 2026

A relief map showed an Austrian town on the Danube close to Bratislava, surrounded by hills. The Alps final northeast outpost is here; the Carpathians begin across the Danube. Frequent trains go to Hainburg an der Donau (about an hour ride). The walled city is very attractive and fairly quiet (1).

Rising 1,000 feet from the valley floor, the ridge to the west (Hundhiemer berg) had plenty of trails. About 700 feet up the steep north side, a rocky outcrop provided views up and down the Danube and to Hainburg below. I lingered to enjoy the warm day (about 80°F), watching a rivercruise boat slowly making its way west against the stiff current here in a narrow part of the Danube. Further along, yhe ridge top offered views to the west. Descending to the south, I encountered the only other person seen on the the hill, a cyclist slowly making his way up, then quickly back down. 

Back in town, a bluff between two steeper hills contains the ruins of a Castle, destroyed by the Ottomans in 1683. Another steep climb to this strategic site provided a good vantage point to see movement anywhere along the Danube in the area.

As dusk approached, I considered climbing Braunsberg to the east, but the road down (needed after dark) was a long way in the wrong direction, so a hike around town ended back at Castle to watch the sunset. For both hikes combined, about 10 miles and 1,800 foot elevation gain. I spent the night at a converted Monastery, thankfully in a room much bigger than a monk's cell (2).

(1) It was not always so. During the Ottoman advance towards Vienna in 1683, they captured Hainburg, basically their furthest advance into Europe. The Ottomans were unsuccessful in their siege of nearby Vienna, forced to retreat by the timely arrival of the Winged Hassar cavalry from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (a). The current Hainburg city walls were rebuilt after the Ottoman retreat.

(a) The Winged Hussars are sung about by the Swedish metal band Sabaton:  https://youtu.be/87USghgUE2M?is=3VCnabOc71fA-NqI 

(2) When he first observed the structure of living organisms through a microscope in 1655, Robert Hooke described the structures as like a Monks' cells. The name stuck.

The Danubian plain east of Vienna

On the train, be nice to the train crew

Arriving at Hainsburg

Very long way from Vienna to Istanbul

At a local restaurant 

Vienna Gate

Pointing the way

Lots of trees down. Looks like a recent storm with strong northwest winds judging by the direction of the treefalls.

In the background (and across the river in Slovakia), the Carpathians begin.

Great views to Hainburg from a rocky outcrop 700 feet above town

Ridge-top blooms

Views west from the Hundheimer ridge

Summit marker

Open on weekends, I presume

Painted rocks on picnic table

Halfway down

Not a jackhammer; the loudest woodpeck ever

Back to town

In a front yard

Castle entrance

The inner courtyard 

West Castle wall

Hundheimer (first climb today) ascent from the steeper north side (right), more gentle descent to the south

The Austrian flag on the Castle tower 

The walled city, below

Third trail snail this trip

Trail with steps down from the Castle to the east

Back to town

The city walls

Hungary gate

The rocky outcrop with views earlier

After dinner walk at 7:00

Fishers gate with access to the Danube

The central square

Upper gate was closed

Roadside poppy

Entering the path

Path up to Castle 

Park benches are loungers

River cruise upbound

Sunset over the Danube from the Castle 

Unusually, the wind picked up after sunset, stirring the leaves on this tree in the gloaming

Looking east as night advances

Town lights come on

Twilight on the Danube