A bicycle tour has everything you need in an adventurous vacation in Austria. Whether you choose bike tour of Lake Constance, The Danube or another scenic Austrian route, you are certain to enjoy your trip.
Bike Tour
If you are look at vacation ideas and enjoy exercise and adventure, then take a bicycle tour in Austria. It has everything you need in a European vacation.
1.
Vorarlberg Trail and Lake Constance Loop
Cyclists begin this bike tour at the medieval alpine town of Bludenz, which is typicall reached by rail from Zurich. In gain to cycling, there are opportunities to hike, fish and shop. Chocolate lovers must turn the Suchard chocolate factory where the famous "Milka" is produced.
The bicycle trail follows the Ill river to Feldkirch and the majestic Schattenburg castle. Following the Rhine river north, you will finally enter Bregenz, known for its summer music festival performances upon a floating stage on Lake Constance. From Bregenz you will relate to the international Lake Constance Loop, allowing you to visit Germany and Switzerland as well. If your legs are caving in, you can ask a short-cut on the ferry to Konstanz. The grommet will get you support to Bregenz on the south shore of the lake.
Distance: Total of 200 miles, including Lake Constance Loop
Starting Point: Bludenz
Ending Point: Bregenz
Features: Paved bike paths or roads with very little traffic. Mostly flat. Boating available at times.
For detailed information contact:
Vorarlberg Tourism
Roemerstrasse 7
A-6900 Bregenz
Tel: (011-43-5574)42525
FAX: (011-43-5574)425 255
2. The Tauernradweg along the Salzach and Saalach River
This may very easily be one of the most exciting bike tours in Europe with scenic beauty, Europe's highest waterfalls, a call to Salzburg and countless attractions on the way. The starting point of this bike travel is the little settlement of Krimml, in the thick of the Hohe-Tauern National Park region. With its impressive waterfalls and around great hiking excursions, it might take you an additional day to leave Krimml and get your journey. The bicycle trail will be the Salzach River through charming villages to Zell am See, a picturesque summer and winter resort. Here you will have two options for your way to Salzburg, to extend on the Salzach River with a hazard to see the world's largest ice caves in Werfen or the salt mines in Hallein. Or, you can take the (even more scenic) route on the Saalach river, visiting such charming places as Maria Alm and Lofer taking a little cut through Bavaria into Salzburg. From Salzburg the bicycle trail will lead north through Oberndorf (with the Still Night chapel) to the German border town of Passau where you may unite and remain to the Danube bike trail towards Vienna.
Distance: 203 miles, 110 miles from Krimml to Salzburg
Start: Krimml (can be reached by narrow-gauge train from Zell am See)
Finish: Passau
Features: Slightly downhill with just some minor climbs, mostly on paved trails and minor roads with local traffic. Some stick or mountain trails are used (not recommended for racing bikes). For further information contact:
Salzburg State Tourist Board
P.O. Box 1
A-5300 Hallwang
Tel: (011-43-662)6256 12
Fax: (011-43-662)623070
3. The Salzkammergut Lake District Tour
The "Salzkammergut" salt chamber district of Austria, with its many lakes in a beautiful alpine environment, has become one of the most popular holiday spots in Austria. This bike tour will lead you by no less than 13 of these lakes offering you a risk to give up your cycling with swimming, fishing, sailing and hiking. This circuit is a curl that allows you to get your adventure anywhere on the route. The official starting signal is Salzburg from where the road will follow southeast to St. Gilgen on Lake Wolfgang, further on to St. Wolfgang and Bad Ischl, our former emperor's Franz Joseph's favorite vacation spot (visit his old hunting lodge !). Further south the tail will guide you into the picturesque town Hallstatt. Don't miss taking a small boat out on the lake and love one the country's best photo ops. Don't forget to end at the ice cave near Obertraun.
Distance: 192 mile loop with first and end in Salzburg
Features: Mostly biking paths and side roads with little traffic, for short distance where highways are being used, railway or buslines offer an alternative way of transportation.
For further information contact:
Salzburg State Tourist Board
P.O. Box 1
A-5300 Hallwang
Tel: (01143-662) 6256 12
Fax: (01143-662) 62 30 70
Upper Austria Information
Schillerstrasse 50
A-4021 Linz
Tel: (011-43-732) 663 022
Fax: (011-43-723) 600 229
4. The Danube Bike Trail from Passau to Vienna (or on to Hainburg)
The most striking of all bike routes in Austria, this bike tour will get you to some of Austria's most impressive cultural sites. Starting at the historical German Border town of Passau, the trail follows the Danube River into Vienna, the metropolis of Linz, the baroque abbey of St. Florian, the many castles on the way and, of course, the famous "Wachau" region with its charming villages, vineyards and romantic fruit orchards. Don't lose a call to the baroque abbey of Melk overlooking the Danube.
Duernstein, where King Richard the Lionhearted was captured on his way back from the crusades, and the thousand year old township of Krems, are other must-sees on the tour. For those wish to cycle beyond Vienna, the Hainburg area close to the Austria border with Slovakia marks the end of the bike trail Distance: 197 miles
Start: Passau
Finish: Hainburg
Features: 90 percent traffic-free bike trails on the Danube River, flat or slightly downhill. Some points of interest will require short uphill battles.
For further information contact:
Upper Austria Information
Schillerstrasse 50
A-4021 Linz
Tel: (011-43-732)600 2211
For other great travel ideas, contact the National Austrian Tourist Office.
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