A fabulous cycling odyssey from Salzburg in Austria along the glorious Alpe-Adria Cycle Trail to Grado near Trieste on the Adriatic coast. Mostly traffic-free cycling with jaw-droppingly dramatic scenery through the heart of the Alps.
The 410 kilometre Alpe-Adria Cycle Trail is fast becoming one of Europe's most popular leisure cycling routes. Starting from the historic town of Salzburg, the route leads riders along scenic cycle paths through the Austrian regions of Salzburgerland and Corinthia before crossing into Friuli in Italy and finishing in the fishing village of Grado not far from Trieste on the Adriatic Coast.
Alpe Adria Cycle Path - Chiusaforte
Recent additions and improvements to the route have made it more attractive to leisure cyclists and, considering it bisects the Alps, the going is actually pretty easy, particularly in Italy. The scenery is the star of the show of course and throughout the route you will find yourself stopping to appreciate the alpine splendour that surrounds you. For the vast majority of the route you will be cycling on dedicated cycle paths or quiet country lanes which means you can relax and drink in the views without worrying about traffic.
Besides the scenery, the different cultural and culinary flavours of each region make this a highly enjoyable and memorable route.
This is a moderate route and as such will suit regular cyclists who are happy to take on a few climbs along the way. The first two days in Austria are quite challenging but once you cross into Italy the going is a lot easier.