In these pages we describe the most beautiful cycling routes that pass through the Italian area of the Alpe Adria region.
This cycle path, only about eighty kilometers long, is rich in scenic and naturalistic attractions and is perfect for pleasant rides with the whole family. The Glockner Radweg cycle path (R8) follows the entire course of the Möll River, one of the cleanest rivers in Austria, until it enters the Drava near the village of Möllbrucke.
We recommend starting from Heiligenblut, a pretty alpine village at the foot of the Großglockner massif, to be able to cycle downhill almost always. The initial section of the Glockner Radweg runs along the national road B107 (Großglockner Bundestraße).
Shortly after the start, you will meet the spectacular Jungfernsprung waterfall with its 130-meter drop into the void. From here we start pedaling along quiet roads with good quality natural surfaces or on asphalted cycle paths.
The first part of the route takes place in a stupendous alpine landscape: you can admire the majestic views of the surrounding mountains and glaciers, from woods and meadows that are very interesting from a botanical point of view.
After a few suggestive passages near the river, the cycle path skims the tourist center of Winklern and continues towards Obervellach in a fairytale landscape. It is no coincidence that the Mölltal valley is considered one of the most beautiful alpine valleys in Austria.
You almost always ride in the cool of the woods, on the banks of the river, along cycle paths and secondary roads with an impeccable bottom. Of note is the picturesque center of Obervellach, surrounded by numerous castles, waterfalls and gorges equipped for tourists. Here there are also the remains of the galleries from which gold was extracted in the past. Precisely in Obervellach our Alpe Adria Cycle Route asks for hospitality to the Glockner Radweg to take us to the entrance of the Möll river in the Drava valley.
The final stretch of the cycle path runs through the wide valley following the course of the river only in part. Often the path rises on the sides of the mountains that surround the valley to touch the many villages and typical well-kept farms. Arriving at an artificial lake with a large hydroelectric power station to which long penstocks converge that descend from the glaciers of the overlying mountain groups, the cycle path continues along the river bank until it reaches the terminus of Möllbrucke.
The Drau river bicycle route (Drauradweg in German) is one of the most famous and popular European cycling routes: in Austria it is second only to the historic Danube Cycle Path. The Alpe Adria Radweg cycle route uses part of this route in its Carinthian section: from Mollbrucke to Villach.
The cycle route follows the path of the Drava river (Drau in German) from its source (in Italy, in the municipality of Dobbiaco) to the river's confluence with the Danube (on the border between Croatia and Serbia). To tell the truth, the best known part is the one from the source to Villach thanks also to the bike plus train intermodality.
Perhaps less frequented but still very beautiful from a landscape point of view is the remaining Austrian stretch of the Drauradweg. In this stretch the Drava Cycle Path often moves away from the river and sometimes climbs onto the surrounding hills, offering cycle tourists beautiful panoramic views of the valley and the surrounding mountains.
This part of the Drau river cycle route was renovated a few years ago by improving the signage and adding many new routes, all of good quality and perfectly signposted. The section of the cycle path that leads from the Austrian border to Maribor is a bit challenging: the route often moves away from the watercourse to climb the surrounding hills. Cycle tourists have to face some challenging climbs and must be careful not to get lost: in this section the signage would need a revision.
Beyond Maribor the cycle route continues in a less demanding area from an altitude point of view and you cycle in the Ptuj basin. We continue in Slovenian territory along an artificial canal up to Ormoz. Here ends the route partially signed by Slovenia thanks to a European project from a few years ago. The river, having entered Croatia, flows through rolling hills until it meets the Mura tributary near Legrad. We have entered the Pannonian plain, even though the Slavonian hills rise in front of us, which are already in Hungarian territory.
You continue pedaling along the right (Croatian) bank of the river in the midst of many wetlands made up of numerous meanders of the river, abandoned following the adjustments to the watercourse carried out at the end of the 19th century. The proposed cycle route continues along main roads to the large center of Osijek, a short distance from the Mala Dunav marshy area. A few more tens of kilometers and the Drava river meets the Danube. Here our ride along this majestic river ends. On the opposite bank of the Danube, in Serbian territory, the Eurovelo 6 route runs.
The Alpe Adria Cycle Route is an extraordinary bicycle path about 400 km (250 miles) long that crosses the entire Alps to connect the Austrian city of Salzburg to the well-known Italian tourist and spa center of Grado, overlooking the Adriatic Sea.
This itinerary is considered one of the most heterogeneous and scenic cycling routes in Europe and is able to offer continuous surprises to the cyclists who are traveling it.
As it crosses the Alps mountains, the route passes through suggestive alpine valleys, dotted with woods and meadows and surrounded by glaciers and high peaks. In this part of the cycle path you often cycle along the banks of placid rivers and foaming streams that sometimes disappear into wild ravines.
Once in Italy, you pedal on the cycle path built on the grounds of the historic “Pontebbana” railway that will accompany us downhill to the suggestive moraine hills and the fertile Friuli plain. The cycle path ends on the sunny Mediterranean beach of Grado, not before having crossed the lagoon thanks to a suggestive cycle path.
In addition to these naturalistic excellences, the Alpe Adria Cycle Path will allow us to come into contact with the incredible history and culture of the places crossed thanks to the possibility of entering pleasant medieval towns and villages, discovering characteristic villages with their ancient markets, historic farms and the artisan shops without neglecting the succulent food and wine aspects of these lands.
Confirming its spectacular nature, the Alpe Adria Cycle Route has won numerous awards. Among the most prestigious are the recognition of "Best Cycle Path of the Year 2015" during the active tourism fair in Amsterdam (Fiets en Wandelbeurs) and the Italian "Oscar of Cycle Tourism" at the Cosmobike in Verona in 2016.
Finally, the Alpe Adria Cycle Route represents the main cycling tourism links between Italy and the extensive network of cycle routes in Central Europe. It is therefore not surprising that the number of cyclists who choose this route for their cycling holidays increases year after year!
In this section we will take you to discover the most beautiful cycle routes in the Alpe Adria region!
In the following pages we tell you about the cycle paths that branch off in the regions of north-east Italy (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto and Trentino Alto Adige), Austria, Slovenia and Croatia (Istria).
