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Cycling the Lakes of Austria and Slovenia Plus! Ljubljana

Bicycle to gorgeous Lake Bled in Slovenia
  • Length 11 days
  • From USD$5350
  • Style/Level Classic 2.0
  • Countries Austria
    Slovenia
  • Begin/End Klagenfurt, Austria / Ljubljana, 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 several of Europe’s most overlooked and pleasant cities, including Villach and Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana, a true gem.

***If this sounds great but you prefer a shorter tour – check out our Cycling the Lakes of Austria and Slovenia which features the first 8 days of this itinerary.***

Highlights

  • Tarvisio, Lake Faak, Orientation walk of Ljubljana, Kranj, Lake Ossiach, Drava river path , Klagenfurt, Villach, Lake Bled, Border hopping between Austria, Slovenia, Julian Alps, Triglav Mountain, Savica waterfall, Lake Worth

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: Walking the pristine Vintgar Gorge, Sum Waterfall, relaxing afternoon in Bled

After a short ride this morning, we’ll hike the Vintgar Gorge together. It’s an easy walk where you can connect with unspoiled nature and spectacular views. The mile-long gorge is a high point of the tour, and culminates with the Sum waterfall. We’re back to Lake Bled in time for lunch and a free afternoon to visit the castle, explore Bled’s island, or enjoy more riding. The hike is approximately 3 kms (1.8 miles) long.

Meals : Breakfast
 Lodging : Bled Rose Hotel

Highlights: The metal working town of Kropa, the historical center of Kranj

We’ll ride toward the town of Kranj today, stopping first to visit Kropa, a very important metal working town, and a hub of worker immigration and trade through the ages. After our visit of an old iron workshop we’ll continue riding to the historic city of Kranj. We recommend visiting the city center, which is filled with monuments, galleries, and museums, including a network of tunnels built during WWII. The Kokra river has formed a 30 meter (over 100 feet) gorge which you can view from town. We’ll end our ride today in the tiny village of Adergas, just outside Kranj.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
 Lodging : Domacija Vodnik

Highlights: Kamnik Village, architectural gems, sidewalk cafés and boutiques

We leave Kranj to ride countryside roads till the ancient village of Kamnik. Enjoy Kamnik before our final ride takes us to Slovenia’s dazzling capital, Ljubljana. Ljubljana is a charming city full of artists, museums, and galleries. With a population of 300,000, it is one of the smallest capital cities in Europe, making it easy to explore while strolling around its old town. Enjoy people watching from a riverside café before our final celebratory dinner together.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
 Lodging : Hotel Heritage

Highlights: Guided walk of Ljubljana

Our tour ends after a fascinating guided walk of Ljubljana. We highly recommend that you take a few days to enjoy all that the city has to offer. Whatever you decide have a wonderful journey.

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 1-11, 2024 USD$5350 USD$650 Book by November 1 and save $200 per person.
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Jun 22-Jul 2, 2024 USD$5350 USD$650 Book by November 1 and save $200 per person.
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Sep 14-24, 2024 USD$5350 USD$650 Book by November 1 and save $200 per person.
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DateJun 1-11, 2024
PriceUSD$5350
Private room feeUSD$650
NoteBook by November 1 and save $200 per person.
Book it
DateJun 22-Jul 2, 2024
PriceUSD$5350
Private room feeUSD$650
NoteBook by November 1 and save $200 per person.
Book it
DateSep 14-24, 2024
PriceUSD$5350
Private room feeUSD$650
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.

    Stephen I., Aurora, CO

  • 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

  • Wonderful trip through lovely countryside…challenging for me (but not for most others!)…great staff support…fabulous bicycle!

    Anne V., Edgartown, MA
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