Drau Cycle Path from Italy to Austria Tour

The first day of your adventure will see you arrive in Lienz, which can be found in Eastern Tyrol at the confluence of the rivers Isel and Drau. With a total of two thousand sunshine hours annually, it is Austria’s sunniest holiday region. The breathtaking panorama looking out onto the Alps and the Lienz-Dolomites will excite your senses!

The river Drau is still a young river in this section, babbling and breaking her way through the narrow valley. Defiant fortresses, castels and palaces rise majestically above the valley and herald the desires of the once rich and powerful. Modest Romanesque chapels, Gothic and Baroque churches, crucifixes and piety columns invite for a short break. Over a long distance the rugged, bizarre rockfaces of the Lienz-Dolomites tower over the landscape and hence turn today’s stage into an unforgettable experience.

From Lienz, you will once again follow the river Drau, which appears in a shade of gray that the locals call “glacier milk” – due to very fine rock particles coming from the gigantic rocks. Along ancient Roman trade routes, you will cycle past ruins, castles, little churches and wayside crosses, making your way through the picturesque Oberdrautal Valley. En route you pass pretty villages such as Pirkach, Oberdrauburg and the first market town on Carinthian soil, Dellach.

Today you will be cycling mostly along the river Drau through the marvellous Carinthian farmland that is home to forests, fields, old farm houses and little hamlets. Cosy wine taverns, called – Buschenschenken – await with proper farm food and invite you to take a break. After passing by time-honoured farm houses decorated with flowers, the well-developed Drau cycle path takes you to Spittal an der Drau. The centre of Spittal features a main square and a particularly beautiful palace, which is considered one of the most impressive Renaissance buildings in all of Central Europe.

Day 5 of your tour will see you cycle through the “Cultural Promenade of Upper Corinthia”. You will leave the area of Spittal along the river Drau and immerse yourself into ancient meadows, forests, and idyllic wetland areas. After passing by Kellerberg Palace along the river Drau you will reach Villach. The heart of Villach features the old town with its Italian flair and the cosy pubs and restaurants. Part of the character of the town is definitely the river Drau, meandering through Villach like a blue ribbon.

Today’s stage will lead you through the enchanting Rosental Valley. The Karawanks Mountain range and the river Drau offer an impressive backdrop for an unforgettable day of cycling. An amazing array of rocks flank the river and offer fascinating views, one of which is home to Hollenburg castle, which rises above as the landmark of the Rosental Valley.

Along beautifully designed dam-paths the cycling tour leads you through meadows, fields, and little hamlets towards the giant Völkermarkter Reservoir. At this point you will bid farewell to your loyal companion the River Drau, allowing you to enjoy the views of the Klopeiner See. Time to drink in the lakescape and leave all your cares behind.

After breakfast, you will pack your things for an individual departure, saying goodbye to the serene shores of the Klopeiner See.