The starting point of the first part of the Alpe Adria cycle route is beautiful Salzburg. From the city of Mozart, you cycle through the lovely Salzach and the eventful Gasteinertal to Villach in the sunny heart of Carinthia. On this cycle tour, you will always be accompanied by a fantastic mountain landscape. Small towns full of culture, picturesque lakes and regional delicacies make the cycle route something extraordinary.
Details about the bike tour from Salzburg to Villach
Leisure cyclists and nature lovers will enjoy the bike ride through the two beautiful regions of Austria because this trip is all about nature, culture and gastronomy. You cycle in five stages from Salzburg to the second city of Carinthia, Villach.
The Alpe Adria cycle path leads you through an impressive landscape via old railway lines and numerous tunnels. The interplay of cultural highlights, outstanding natural areas, delicious cuisine and charming towns and plenty of time for fun activities along the way.
The highlights of your cycling holiday at a glance
Salzburg: Culture and history await on every corner. The streets and squares invite you to stroll around or explore in more detail.
Golling Castle: The 13th-century hilltop castle is in the heart of the market town of Golling an der Salzach. In addition to the imposing building, the beautiful market square and the Gollinger waterfall are also worth a visit!
The warm hospitality and regional delicacies: On the road from Salzburg to Carinthia, nature inspires you to enjoy the ride even more.
Route information about the cycling holiday from Salzburg to Villach
You can comfortably cover approximately 200 kilometres by bicycle in seven days on well-developed paths. Every day there are stages between 35 and 55 kilometres on the program. Good fitness is recommended because the route has some slopes and an e-bike is recommended. The demanding route between St. Johann Im Pongau and the Gasteinertal can be covered by train.
Individual arrival in the festival, Mozart and the cultural city of Salzburg. Winding alleys and squares invite you to stroll and dreamy cafes to real Austrian coffee specialities. You breathe culture and history at every turn.
You cycle at your leisure out of Salzburg through the shady Salzachauen, the Salzach is your guideline. It goes to Hallein, a Celtic city that used to be rich through salt production. The main attraction is undoubtedly the world-famous Celtic Museum. Past the Gollinger waterfall, your eponymous overnight stay is quickly reached. Golling is known for its beautiful marketplace and 13th-century castle.
TIP! Visit the natural spectacle Gollinger Wasserfall in the Torren (Roaring Stream) district. (Admission for adults approximately €7,- / children €5,- to be paid locally) The beautiful and impressive waterfall falls in two stages over 75m, a sometimes quite steep forest path leads you up, and halfway you cross the waterfall via bridges, along the force of water all the way to the top of the waterfall.
From Golling, you cycle up to Pass Lueg-Höhe and enjoy the view of the beautiful and striking Tennen Mountains. The mountains are getting closer to the Salzach and the rumbling of the water is getting louder. You pass the so-called "Salzachöfen", an imposing gorge created by the Salzach. St. Johann is soon reached after Werfen with its towering castle.
Shortly after Schwarzach, you say goodbye to the Salzach, from today the Gasteiner Ache accompanies you through the wild and romantic Gasteintal. You cycle via Dorfgastein and Bad Hofgastein to the famous spa and winter sports resort of Bad Gastein at the foot of the Hohe Tauern, which offers a variety of natural history and architectural attractions. Its landmark is the Gastein waterfall in the centre of the village, which has been the subject of many painters and poets. Now it's just a stone's throw to Böckstein, where a Tauernschleuse train takes you to Mallnitz on the other side of the Alps in 10 minutes. Back in the saddle, you can enjoy the frantic descent to your hotel in the Mölltal.
Today you will first cycle along the river Möll through impressive high mountain landscapes. The Drautal begins in the village of Möllbrücke and with it the sunny south of Austria. Calmly roll the last kilometres to Spittal an der Drau. The city was already an important transport hub for pilgrims in the Middle Ages and partly owed its prosperity to them.
Today you will cycle slowly down along the Drau almost all by yourself. Halfway through, take a break in the small market town of Paternion with its exciting churches and castles. A few more steps and you are already in Villach, with the charming old town with its southern flair and the cosy "Beisln" and restaurants.
After breakfast, your journey comes to an end. Or will you continue to enjoy the sun in Villach for a few more days?
Route information
You mainly cycle on well-developed cycle paths and quiet side streets. Only a few stretches also lead to busy roads or unpaved paths. In general, the route is slightly hilly, whereby the most demanding section between St. Johann and the Gasteinertal can be bridged by train.
Luggage transfer(s) max. 1 piece of luggage 20 kg per person
Travel folder 1x per room (German, English with route and overview maps, detailed route description, places of interest, important telephone numbers, luggage labels)
GPS data available on request
Service Hotline
Not included
Tourist tax, if applicable, to be paid locally
(Optional) Transfer back to Salzburg every Saturday morning, costs €99 per person, surcharge for own bike €29 per bike. Reservation required, pay in advance
Travel information
Airport: Salzburg Airport
Train: Salzburg Station
Parking: Parking is approximately €15 per day, to be paid on-site, reservation is not possible. Public garage approximately €70 per week
Return: The return journey by public transport from Villach to Salzburg has good connections, there are direct trains every two hours, and travel time is approximately 2.5 hours. Costs approximately €35 per person, excluding the bicycle. Check www.omio.com
Sample hotel list
This is a sample hotel list. Hotels will be booked depending on availability.