Alpe-Adria bike path | Salzburg-Grado

Individual journey to the festival, Mozart and cultural city of Salzburg. Winding alleyways and squares invite you to take a stroll and dreamy cafés invite you to enjoy genuine Austrian coffee specialities. Breathe in culture and history at every turn.

Leave Salzburg and head south. Cycle through shady meadows along the Salzach to Hallein, a Celtic town that was once rich in salt mining. Hallein surprises with a romantic old town centre with small alleyways, archways and houses with magnificent facades. You pass the rushing waterfall in Golling and continue along the well-maintained cycle path to St. Johann. The towers of the Pongau Cathedral rise up here like double mountain peaks.

Shortly after Schwarzach, you bid farewell to the Salzach; from today, the Gasteiner Ache accompanies you through the wild and romantic Gastein Valley. 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, historical and architectural sights. The 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, from where a Tauernschleuse train takes you to the other side of the Alps, to Mallnitz, in just 10 minutes. Back in the saddle, enjoy the thrilling descent to your hotel in Mölltal.

Initially 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. Nearly effortlessly your bike rolls in a slight descent along the river Drau. In Spittal you get to visit the Renaissance-palace Porcia – sometimes called
the "most beautiful Renaissance-building north of the Alps". Just a bit more pedalling and soon you have reached Villach, with its enchanting old part of town, Southern flair and inviting bars and restaurants.

You cover the ascent to Tarvisio by train. The cycle path in Italy is also well developed and you cycle comfortably downhill through the Kanaltal valley, admiring the beauty of the Friulian Alps region with its unspoilt, untouched nature and extensive forests from the saddle. You can spend the night in one of the pretty villages at the foothills of the Julian Alps.

At the Southern exit of the Val Canale-valley is the Location of one of the most beautiful historic villages of the Friulian-Julian-Veneto. The focus of the village of Gemona del Friuli is the majestic cathedral Santa Maria Assunta and will blow you away. En route to Udine you come across the first vineyards and vines along the cycle route.Once you arrive in town feel and experience the "dolce vita" over a coffee enjoyed on the "Piazza" or during a stroll through the alleyways whilst marvelling at the late Gothic and Renaissance architecture.

A warm Scirocco breeze blows around your nose! You cycle through vast reed landscapes and along small water channels towards the Gulf of Venice. You should definitely plan a stop in the Roman city of Aquileia, the so-called ‘Second Rome’, before you reach your destination. One of the most popular seaside resorts on the Adriatic, the historic fishing town of Grado, not only has an extensive sandy beach, but also a historic harbour and narrow streets with cosy restaurants that exude Italian flair.

After breakfast, individual return journey or start of your extension.