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Cycle through Austria’s delightful Salzkammergut region, staying at lovely hotels in some of the region’s most beautiful villages. Starting and finishing in Salzburg, you’ll follow a gentle loop route, staying in selected properties on the shores of Lake Mondsee, Lake Traunsee, Lake Hallstatt and Lake Wolfgangsee. If you want to see the Salzkammergut in style then this PLUS cycling holiday is for you.
After spending a night in the elegant city of Salzburg you’ll pedal out into some of Austria’s most famous and celebrated scenery. The Salzkammergut’s sparkling lakes, chocolate box villages and stunning alpine vistas are the perfect surroundings for a relaxing leisure cycling holiday. Each day will finish at a charming 4 star hotel located within another, beautiful, lakeside village.
Traunsee
The lovely, scenic route takes in all the region’s highlights including; Lake Mondsee – where the wedding scene in the Sound of Music was filmed, Lake Attersee – the Salzkammergut’s largest lake, the sublime village of Traunkirchen on Lake Traunsee, Hallstatt on Lake Hallstatt – the most beautiful village in the Salzkammergut, and of course St Wolfgang on beautiful Lake Wolfgangsee where you will spend two nights.
The cycling along the lake shores is level – but the connecting stretches, between the lakes, invariably include some hills. E-bikes are available and worth considering if you are at all concerned about the climbs.
The cycling is mostly easy – flat along the lake shores – but with the odd hill on the connecting stretches between the lakes. E-bikes are available and worth considering if you are at all concerned about the climbs.
After checking in to your hotel, the rest of the day is yours to explore this fascinating city. Take a wander through the historic old town and along the Getreidegasse, a bustling street where shops still hang wrought-iron signs outside depicting their trade or specialty. Here you can also visit the house in which the city’s most famous son – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – was born. Hohensalzburg, the fortress that stands guard over the city, is also well worth a visit as is the Mirabell Palace and its amazing gardens. If, like many visitors to Salzburg, you are a fan of the Sound of Music, then you may wish to join one of the many guided tours that visit the sights and scenes around the city that featured in the famous film.
The route leads you out of town alongside the River Salzach. After a while you leave the river and follow a disused railway line out into the countryside. A pleasant ride, past lush, alpine meadows delivers you to Thurgau, a small village at the foot of the Drachenwand (Dragon Wall) – an impressive rock massif that remains in view all the way to your overnight stop. The village of Mondsee, where you will spend the night, is a tranquil little place enjoying an idyllic location at the tip of Lake Mondsee. The baroque church in the village-centre featured in the wedding scene in the Sound of Music.
Today’s route begins with a pleasant ride along the shore of Lake Mondsee. You can choose to follow the north or south shore to Unterach on the southern tip of Lake Attersee - the largest lake in the Salzkammergut.
From Unterach you have choices. If you are visiting during July and August then you can take the ferry up the lake to Attersee and then continue by bike around the top end of the lake to Gmunden on Lake Traunsee.
If the ferry is not running then your options are to choose between two equally enjoyable routes. The first, and probably most popular, leads you around the shore of Lake Attersee to the charming town of Gmunden on Lake Traunsee. After enjoying the view down the lake from the town’s lake-shore promenade you continue down the western shoreline of the lake to the village of Traunkirchen.
The other option is shorter and follows the Bad Ischl cycle path through Weissenbachtal Valley to the southern end of Lake Traunsee and up to Traunkirchen.
You'll spend the night in the beautiful village of Traunkirchen. The village enjoys an enviable location on its own tiny peninsula jutting out into the lake.
After breakfast you leave Traunkirchen and continue south, alongside Lake Traunsee, to Ebersee at the lake’s southern tip. You then follow the Traun river south to the large town of Bad Ischl – a good place for a lunch break – and then along the wide, sunny Goisern Valley to the village of Bad Goisern. Shortly afterwards you reach the northern tip of Lake Hallstatt. Pine-clad flanks of the surrounding high granite peaks plunge down into the deep blue lake creating a dramatic natural amphitheater that will take your breath away. A ride down the eastern shoreline will bring you to Hallstatt, by common consent the prettiest village in the Salzkammergut and your home for the night.
You head back along the Traun River to Bad Ischl in the morning. You can opt to cross the lake by ferry and ride up the eastern shoreline again or you can head directly north up the western shoreline. In Bad Ischl you are invited to stop at Café Zauner for a sweet treat to energise you for the afternoon ride. You then head west along a wide sunny valley of green pastures to the village of Strobl at the eastern end of Lake Wolfgangsee. After an enjoyable and scenic ride along the south-facing shoreline you arrive in the picturesque village of St. Wolfgang where you will spend the next two nights in the world famous Weissen Rössl Hotel, directly on the lake-shore.
We suggest taking the cog-railway to the top of nearby Schafberg Mountain (1782m) to enjoy some fabulous views of the lake and surrounding countryside. You could also take a boat trip on the lake if you like or even venture in for a swim if the weather is conducive. The village itself is a delight to explore on foot and there are also plenty of walking routes in the surrounding hills.
Your final day of cycling leads you around the lake shore to St. Gilgen, another charming lakeside village and then along quiet lanes to secluded and serene Lake Hintersee. Thereafter, you ride through a series of impressive gorges to reach the wide Salzach Valley and the City of Salzburg where your adventure began. En-route into the city we recommend a short diversion to visit Schloss Hellbrun with it’s amazing, trick water fountains.
On arrival back at your hotel in Salzburg all that remains is to find a convivial restaurant somewhere in the old town to celebrate completion of your Salzkammergut Cycling Holiday.
After breakfast it’s time to head for home or your next adventure.
On this tour you can choose between a regular bike, a regular Plus bike or an electric bike.
Regular bikes provided are modern alloy framed models with 21 speeds. The bikes come equipped with pannier, lock and a repair kit with pump. Water bottle holders are not provided. Minimum height: 148cm. If you wish to have a male specific bike with crossbar, the minimum height is 165cm.
The regular Plus bike offers a step up in terms of components (hydraulic Magura brakes HS 11, Shimano Deore XT) and the crossbar frame provides a more sporty riding position. High quality, suntour suspension forks ensure a comfortable ride on these bikes. The bikes come equipped with pannier, lock and a repair kit with pump. Water bottle holders are not provided. Minimum height: 155cm.
Electric bikes with unisex frame are also available. Minimum height: 148cm
Adult helmets are available to buy at the time of booking the trip. Sizes: XXS-M (52-57 cm) or S-L (56-60cm) only. However, we do always suggest you bring your own.
Below you will find examples of the types of accommodation typically used on this tour. Please note that the hotels we book for you may differ slightly from those described but they will certainly be of a similar standard.
Superior PLUS: Charming hotels and guesthouses.
Salzburg: Villa Auersperg
Mondsee: Schlosshotel Mondsee
Traunkirchen: Hotel Post am See
Hallstatt: Heritage Hotel
St. Wolfgang: Hotel Weisses Rössl
Local taxes
Some hotels have started to charge a local/tourist tax. These taxes are not included in the sale price of the tour and must be paid directly by you at check-in or checkout at the hotels. This fee varies and is ever changing but as a guide, you may be asked to pay between €1-€4 per person per night
Fly to Salzburg airport and then take the regular public bus into the city. Alternatively, you can also fly to Munich airport, followed by a commuter train into the centre and then an intercity train to Salzburg – total journey time approx 2.5 hours.
Research trains here.
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