Cycling, Culture & Clean Air

Swooping down alpine meadows on two wheels, listening to the tinkle of cowbells and passing pretty wooden chalets with balconies bursting with bright geraniums is both an invigorating and tranquil experience. Add to this high quality, value-for-money accommodation and it is clear to see why travellers looking for a little bit more are heading for the Austrian, German and Italian Alps this summer. 

Take a look at a few of our most popular Alpine cycling tours below:

Grade: Easy-Moderate

Austria's Lake District or 'Salzkammergut' is breathtakingly beautiful with blue lakes, imposing mountains, green meadows and forests… the landscape so instantly recognisable from the opening scenes of the iconic film 'Sound of Music'.

This tour starts along the River Salzach, where the Celts laid the foundations for the city's future wealth with the trade of salt or 'white gold' along the river, before heading into Trumer lake country. From here it is a 31 mile cycle to Mondsee, where the Cathedral has become one of the most photographed churches in the world, thanks to the Sound of Music’s wedding scene. A boat trip to Weyregg is followed by a ride through Aurachtal’s picturesque valley, then on to Lake Traunsee. This tour includes a trip to the beautiful village of Hallstatt, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a route along Lake Wolfgang and through St Gilgen. And with the headquarters of energy drink Red Bull, located in the next village of Fuschl, it might just be worth stopping to recharge!

View the tour here - Salzburg & 10 Lakes

Grade: Easy-Moderate

Better known as an exclusive ski resort, St Moritz in the Engadine Valley is the starting point for this cycling tour.

The wide plateau of Upper Engadine merges into the large forests of the Swiss National Park with stops along the way in old mountain villages. After crossing into Austria, the classic Inn Cycle Route winds its way through the Tirol, from Landeck down to the beautiful city of Innsbruck with its famous gilded roof and wonderful views of the Nordkette mountains around every corner. Tracing the River Inn, along flat riverside trails, cyclists can appreciate how the river has shaped the valley's topography and the varied alpine landscape. 

With cultural and culinary detours along the way this tour is an adventure for all your senses.

View the tour here - Inn Cycle Path - St Moritz to Innsbruck

Grade: Easy

This romantic tour starts in Baroque Innsbruck with its ancient cobbled streets and beautiful gilded rooftops where you can journey up to the Nordkette mountains from the centre of the city.

Wind your way over the Brenner mountain pass along the Italy and Austrian border through high alpine pastures with grazing cows to the mountain city of Bolzano. Explore its narrow meandering streets before heading to beautiful Lake Garda with its stunning mountain backdrop.

The last stop is Romeo & Juliette’s historic setting, the city of love, Verona.

View the tour here - Innsbruck to Verona

Grade: Easy

Benefit from beautiful Alpine vistas with no hills to cycle as you follow the sparkling shoreline around one of Europe’s largest freshwater lakes.

Starting in the German city of Konstanz, the cycling takes you through Austria and Switzerland and onwards to finish back in Konstanz. The route is easy whatever your ability on vehicle-free cycle paths, with short days, long lunches and beautiful lake and mountain views.

Ride through green landscapes with a backdrop of the snow-capped Alps, and rest in enchanting towns and lakeside resorts, each with unique appeal – the medieval town of Stein am Rhein, the castle of Kirchberg and the Swiss harbour of Romanshorn are among the highlights, while the wooden slopes and nature reserves of the Höri Peninsula have inspired artists and writers for centuries.

View the tour here - Lake Constance - 6 Nights