Pöchlarn is a small town on the south bank of the Danube, a few kilometres upstream from Melk, where the river is broad and slow and the Wachau valley is about to begin. The Romans called it Arelape and kept a fort here on the frontier of the empire, with a civilian settlement, the vicus, and a bathhouse for the garrison. Not much is visible above ground, but the town is part of the Danube Limes World Heritage site, which traces that long line of forts and watchtowers through Austria.
Pöchlarn has another, more literary claim to fame. In the Nibelungenlied, the great medieval German epic, it appears as Bechelaren, the seat of the noble margrave Rüdiger, who welcomes Kriemhild on her way to marry Etzel. The town plays this up with statues, fountains and a Nibelungen-themed walk. It is also the birthplace of the painter Oskar Kokoschka, and his family's former house is now a small museum dedicated to him.
The riding around here is relaxed and scenic. Roads run along both banks of the Danube, with the B1 on the south side and the B3 on the north, the latter especially popular with riders heading into the Wachau. The corners are gentle, the surfaces good, and the views of vineyards, apricot orchards and monasteries are superb, but summer weekends bring many cyclists, caravans and fellow bikers. Head north into the hills of the Waldviertel or south towards the Ybbstal and the foothills of the Alps if you want twistier roads and less company.
Across the river, the pilgrimage church of Maria Taferl sits high above the valley, its twin towers visible for miles, and the road up to it is short and fun with a fine view at the top. Downstream, Melk Abbey's golden façade is one of the great sights of the Danube.
Pöchlarn itself is small but has fuel, a supermarket and inns serving Austrian classics, from Schnitzel to Wachau apricot dumplings in season. A short break by the river, watching cruise boats and barges slide past, is a pleasant way to rest. The Danube cycle path runs right through town, so keep an eye out for cyclists when you park.