Alpe-Adria-Cycle Path with Charm

Individual arrival in the festival-, Mozart- and cultural city of Salzburg. Winding alleyways and squares invite you to take a stroll and languorous cafés entice you to sample genuine Austrian café-specialities. You live and breath culture and history literally with every step you take.

Out of Salzburg and off headed South. You cycle along wetlands in the shade along the river Salzach to Hallein, a formerly wealthy Celtic town due to salt mining. Hallein surprises with a romantic historic town centre including little alleyways, archways and oppulent house fronts. Past the roaring waterfall you pass Golling and continue along the well-developed cycle path onwards to St. Johann. Distinctive – just like twin-peaks – the steeples of the Pongau cathedral rise.

Shortly after Schwarzach you bid farewell to the river Salzach, from today onwards the Gasteiner Ache leads you through the wild-romantic Gasteiner-valley. Via Dorfgastein and Bad Hofgastein you cycle into the renowned spa- and ski resort Bad Gastein situated at the foot of the Hohen Tauern-mountain chain, offering a variety of natural history- and architectural sights. The Gasteiner waterfall is the landmark situtated in the centre of town, which has been the focal point of many artists and poets.

In the morning it is only a short distance to Böckstein, where a train takes you in only 10 minutes through the ‚Tauernschleuse‘ to the other side of the Alps to Mallnitz. Back on your bike you enjoy the speedy descent into the Möll-valley. You cycle along the river Möll through the impressive alpine landscapes today. The Drautal-valley starts in the village of Möllbrücke and hence the sunny South of Austria. Leisurely you cycle the final few kilometres to Spittal an der Drau. Already in the Middle Ages this town has been an important transport interchange for pilgrims and which in parts helped create its prosperity.

Nearly effortlessly you proceed in a gentle descent along the river Drau. Half way we recommend you take a break in the little market town of Paternion with its remarkable churches and palaces. Just a bit more pedalling and soon you have reached Villach, with its enchanting old part of town, Southern atmosphere and inviting pubs and restaurants. 

You leave Villach along the river Gail and in a little while you leave Austria and welcome Italy. In the triangle of Italy, Austria and Slovenia sprawls the canal valley, the Italian city of Tarvis builds the centre of it. Austrians, Slovenians and Italians are living here next to each other since centuries, so all three big European families of languages – Germans, Romans and Slavs – are meeting up here.

In Italy too the cycle path is perfectly developed and hence allows you to leisurely cycle downhill through the Val Canale and from your bike marvel at the beauty of the Friulian alpine region with its intact, unspoilt nature and extensive forests. Your cycle tour ends in one of the picturesque villages located at the foothills of the Julian Alps. With the train you will go further to Udine. When the city is reached you can enjoy the „dolce vita“ with a cafe on a „Piazza“ or stroll through the alleys and admire the buildings of the late Gothic period and the Renaissance.

Feel the warm breeze of the sirocco! You cycle through vast reed scenery and along little water canals towards the Gulf of Venice. In the Roman city of Aquileia, the so-called ‚second Rome‘, we recommend you definitely plan a break before reaching the end destination of your holiday. One of the most popular Adriatic beach resorts, the historic little fishing town Grado, will not only excite you with the extensive sandy beach, but also the historic harbour and the narrow alleyways with lovely restaurants all ooze Italian flair.