A diversified bike tour which starts in Mozart town Salzburg and leads you through the lovely Salzach valley, the wild romantic Gasteiner valley and idyllic Drau valley to Villach, which is located in the sunny heart of Carinthia. This tour offers scenic highlights, culinary tastings, picturesque old cities and fortresses, more steep mountain peaks and deep canyons and of course more Salzburger Nockerl and Carinthian cheese dumplings. Follow the scenic, cultural, architectural and culinary tastings from Salzburg to Carinthia. You cycle mainly on well-maintained cycle paths and quiet side roads. Only a few sections are on roads with heavier traffic or unpaved paths. Overall, the route is gently hilly, whereby the most challenging section between St. Johann and the Gastein valley can be bridged by train. 6x nights in 3* and 4* hotels, Breakfast, Welcome briefing, Luggage transfer, Well developed route, Digital travel documents incl. navigation app, GPS-data, route book, 1 train ride Bockstein - Mallnitz incl. your bike, Service hotline Individual arrival to Mozart town Salzburg. Winding alleyways and squares are inviting for a stroll. You should visit a typical café to taste some Austrian delicacies. With every step you breathe in culture and history. Stroll through Getreidegasse, discover Mozart’s birth house or take your time for some shopping. In the afternoon distribution of rental bikes, if booked. Your bike tour starts in Salzburg, and you continue through the shady Salzach lowlands along the river. You cycle to Hallein, which was due to its excavation of salt a rich Celtic city in former times. Main attraction is the popular Celtic museum. Along the river you reach the waterfall, the beautiful market square and the fortress from 13th century in Golling. From Golling up to Pass Lueg, enjoy the views onto the beautiful mountain range. You will even not notice the slightly climb. The mountains are coming nearer, and the water is getting louder. You pass the so-called “Salzach-Öfen”, an imposing canyon which was built through the river. At the foot of mountain Hochkönig reach Werfen. The biggest ice cave in the world is inviting you for a loop tour through the bewitching world of shimmering ice (duration about 4 hours). A last view onto fortress Hohenwerfen before you continue to Bischofshofen. Within a few kilometres you reach St. Johann. We recommend visiting the dome with its towers and the wild romantic Liechtensteinklamm (gorge). Shortly after Schwarzach you leave the Salzach and will be accompanied by the Gasteiner Ache through the wild and romantic Gastein valley. Via Dorfgastein and Bad Hofgastein you cycle to the renowned spa and winter sports resort of Bad Gastein, at the foot of the Hohe Tauern, which offers a wealth of natural history and architectural sights. It is then only a stone’s throw to Böckstein, where a train from the Tauernschleuse takes you to Mallnitz on the other side of the Alps in just 10 minutes (self-paid about €5/person). Back in the saddle you can enjoy rushing downhill to your hotel in the Mölltal. First off, as you travel along the river Möll you cycle through impressive mountain landscape. In Möllbrücke the Drautal begins, and the sunny south of Austria. Take a leisurely pedal over the last kilometres to Spittal an der Drau. In the middle ages this city was an important junction for pilgrims. Here you can visit the Renaissance Porcia Palace, built in the 16th Century in the style of Italian palazzo – sometimes referred to as ‘the most beautiful Renaissance building north of the Alps’. Enjoy this route – it leads slightly downhill along river Drau. You should plan a stop in Paternion with worth-seeing churches and palaces. Within short distance you reach Villach with beautiful old city, southern flair and homelike pubs and restaurants. Unfortunately you have reached the end of your journey! One thing is certain though: you can head home full of new experiences and impressions. Alternatively you could continue cycling from Villach to Triest... the Adriatic coastline is calling!
Arrival in Salzburg
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Salzburg – Golling
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Golling – St. Johann
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St. Johann - Mölltal valley
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Mölltal valley – Spittal
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Spittal - Villach
Departure or extension
Hotel
A dedicated guide for this region is not available yet.
