It’s a warm summer evening, and you’re paddling your canoe along the small branch of the Danube near Rácalmás. Ahead, the old iron bridge spans the murky water—you can just make it through between the pillars. A sandbar lies a little further to the right, but finally, you reach a newly built homeward stop. Here, you can rest in peace, leave your boat safely, take a shower, and even cook a good meal.
This experience became possible thanks to a major development project carried out by the Hungarian Kayak-Canoe Federation, supported by the European Union and the Hungarian government through the EDIOP program. While it may seem at first like a simple upgrade of water-tour infrastructure, it is much more: the new kayak and canoe stops have boosted local tourism, encouraged longer stays, and strengthened the regional economy.
The project established new homeward stops—or upgraded existing ones—along the entire Upper and Lower Danube. From Komárom to Esztergom and Dömös, and along the southern stretches near Rácalmás, Dunaújváros, Bölcske, Kalocsa, and Baja, modern facilities now welcome visitors. These stops offer much more than just new piers. Neat boathouses, organized storage areas, waste bins, and facilities for motorboats and boat-transport vehicles were built, often alongside equipment for tour boats.
The project also ensured that the stops serve as quality connection points for various outdoor activities—boating, hiking, cycling, and sometimes horseback riding—all in a family-friendly way. The goal was always to highlight local natural and cultural treasures, creating a network of stops that allows safe and enjoyable exploration of the Danube.
Stops were built in nine towns, using different solutions: in Komárom, mobile container-style stops; in Esztergom and Kalocsa, new buildings; in Dömös and Baja, floating platforms. The stops were designed with sustainability in mind, minimizing environmental impact and featuring long-lasting construction and clean, organized riverbanks.
As a result, new recreational groups have emerged: schools, associations, civil organizations, and families now all enjoy time on the water. The project’s goals are being achieved: local service providers’ revenues have grown, tourist numbers and overnight stays have increased, and the season has been extended. Water tourism along the Danube has become more predictable, comfortable, diverse, and interactive.
And indeed, when you set off from Rácalmás in the morning, you know more homeward stops await downstream. The Danube has become a waterway where you can set out with confidence, knowing that a safe harbor is always around the next bend.
The development was implemented from EU funding in the project GINOP-7.1.2-15-2016-00012 under the Economic Development and Innovation Operational Programme.
Find out more about the project in the Project Finder:Details
