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Cycling the Lakes of Austria and Slovenia

Bicycle Lake Ossiach in Austria
  • Length 8 days
  • From USD$4195
  • Style/Level Classic 2.0
  • Countries Austria
    Slovenia
  • Begin/End Klagenfurt, Austria / Bled, Slovenia
See related tours
This cycling tour has you border hopping through Austria, Slovenia and also features a quick jaunt to Italy for lunch. We’ll experience the fascinating influences of Slavic, German and Italian cultures. Join us to relish alpine landscapes with a hint of the Mediterranean. We’ll bicycle along idyllic alpine lakes in Austria’s Carinthia region and northern Slovenia. Quiet roads and river paths lead us through picturesque villages, traditional farmhouses, imposing medieval castles and cozy hotels. We’ll introduce you to some of Europe’s most overlooked and pleasant cities.

If you would like to explore further the beauty of Slovenia, check out our Cycling the Lakes of Austria and Slovenia Plus! Ljubljana which extends this itinerary by three days.

Highlights

  • Lake Ossiach, Drava river path , Tarvisio, Klagenfurt, Villach, Lake Faak, Lake Bled, Border hopping between Austria, Slovenia, Julian Alps

Includes

Keep in mind

We work hard to maintain consistency across all of our tours, but some trips have unique differences. Here are some things to keep in mind about this tour.

We use charming and modern hotels but A/C or fans may not always be available since they haven't been needed traditionally. Read more on the use of air conditioning in Europe here.

We use a number of bike paths on this trip which means that the support van is less readily available.

Open all days

Highlights: Gateway to Lake Woerther; beautiful city center; welcome dinner

Meet us today in Klagenfurt on the shores of Lake Woerther. Arrive in Klagenfurt a bit early to enjoy the hometown to Gustav Mahler and Robert Musil. Klagenfurt boasts one of Austria’s prettiest old towns and was thrice awarded the prestigious Europa Nostra Diploma for its arcaded Renaissance courtyards which today accommodate modern boutiques, trendy bars, and rustic beer gardens.

Meals : Dinner
 Lodging : Sandwirth Hotel

Highlights: Lake Ossiach, Feldkirchen, idyllic countryside.

Our ride today takes us through beautiful countryside along small lakes before arriving in the larger town of Feldkirchen with its quaint square where you’ll be tempted to stop for a coffee. Continue on then to Lake Ossiach, nestled between the Gerlitzen Mountain and the Ossiacher Tauern mountain range. It is the third largest lake in this region and unique in that the lake’s water temperatures reach up to 28C (82F) in summer. A perfect place for a swim after a day on the bike!

Meals : Breakfast
 Lodging : Hotel Zur Post

Highlights: Lake Ossiach, Villach, Drava River bike path, Lake Faak

Catching up with the Drava river path, we’ll head to the center of Villach, a modern and flourishing city with an ancient history as a crossroads between Austria, Slovenia and Italy. For our September 2023 tour, we will call this our home for the next two nights. We will be staying at a charming boutique hotel overlooking the river, and a stone’s throw from the ancient center.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
 Lodging : Hotel Goldenes Lamm

Highlights: Drava river bike path, Velden Castle, Lake Woerther riviera

Today you’ll take a loop ride to Lake Woerther, where you can try your luck in Velden, dubbed Austria’s Monte Carlo, and gamble at the lakeside casino. We’ll head back to our hotel and enjoy dinner together on our last evening in Austria.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
 Lodging : Hotel Goldenes Lamm

Highlights: Forest roads, mountain surroundings, Tarvisio, forest of Tarvisio

Enjoy the perfectly manicured landscape of southern Austria’s Carinthia region before you cross the border into Italy, where a Rails to Trail bike path leads you to the border and market town of Tarvisio. We’ll continue through the Tarvisio forest and cross the border into Slovenia on a dedicated bike path built on a former rail line. Your destination today is the peaceful alpine town of Kranjska Gora, crowned by the Julian Alps, where mountain culture comes with a Slavic flavor.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
 Lodging : Best Western Hotel Kranjska Gora

Highlights: Ski jumps, Italian lakes, stunning high mountain scenery, charming hamlets

Today is a rest day. And you can choose to hang out in Kranjska Gora or ask your Tour Leaders to recommend a hike, taking in the characteristic Slovenian hayracks, now preserved as part of the national heritage. If you want to get on the bike there is an optional ride that will take you back into Italy to the stunning alpine lake – Laghi di Fusine. On the way back the route takes you by one of the biggest ski jumps in the world near Planica, where the ski-flying world championships take place every year. You can simulate the ski jump attached to a zip line if you are feeling extra adventurous.

Meals : Breakfast
 Lodging : Best Western Hotel Kranjska Gora

Highlights: Tito’s summer residence, Otok Island, Bled Castle, wine tasting

An easy ride takes us along the Sava Dolinka Valley to the old town of Radovljica, a peaceful, medieval haven. We’ll continue to Lake Bled, Slovenia’s leading mountain resort. Our hotel offers postcard views of the lake and handy access to the path around the lake. You can hike up to the castle, take a typical pletna boat to the island, or just go for a refreshing swim in the lake. Our sommelier will lead us through a delicious tasting of Slovenian wines before dinner tonight.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
 Lodging : Bled Rose Hotel

Highlights: Lake Bled, Bled Castle, Kremna Rezina cake

Our tour ends this morning, we hope you’ll consider staying a few days to explore Lake Bled and its surroundings and find the perfect Kremna Rezina cake!

If you would like to explore further the beauty of Slovenia, check out our Cycling the Lakes of Austria and Slovenia Plus! Ljubljana which extends this itinerary by three days.

Meals : Breakfast

Visit our Tour Level page to learn more about terrain levels and how we dermine day and tour levels.

Date Price Private room fee Note
Jun 1-8, 2024 USD$4195 USD$550 Book by November 1 and save $200 per person.
Book it
Jun 22-29, 2024 USD$4195 USD$550 Book by November 1 and save $200 per person.
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Sep 14-21, 2024 USD$4195 USD$550 Book by November 1 and save $200 per person.
Book it
DateJun 1-8, 2024
PriceUSD$4195
Private room feeUSD$550
NoteBook by November 1 and save $200 per person.
Book it
DateJun 22-29, 2024
PriceUSD$4195
Private room feeUSD$550
NoteBook by November 1 and save $200 per person.
Book it
DateSep 14-21, 2024
PriceUSD$4195
Private room feeUSD$550
NoteBook by November 1 and save $200 per person.
Book it

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We’ll send you a link to a full day by day tour itinerary that can be downloaded and printed so you can review all the details online and offline. This packet also includes details about what to expect on tour and arrival and departure details.
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  • Incredible scenery, wonderful bike paths, just the right amount of mileage, and excellent hotels. A week of thoroughly enjoyable riding. And the bikes are wonderful.

    Steve I., Aurora, CO

  • What was your favorite experience on this trip? It is a toss up between the soup cooked in the outdoor caldron and schnapps tasting in Podkoren and the carriage ride around Lake Bled. The tour had everything from casual fun to sophisticated splendor! It was an excellent trip!

    Kathy V., Roseburg, OR

  • It was great! Super scenery, great roads with lots of safe bike trails and village roads. Excellent leaders. It felt wonderful every day to be on the bike. Love those arrows! Slovenia was a wonderful discovery.

    Linda Z., Sherborn, MA
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