Best Cycling Resorts in Austria

If you’re going to be cycling in Ischgl, there’s one stretch you absolutely can’t miss – the Silvretta High Alpine Road. This stunning 25km route snakes up between multiple 3000+ metre peaks, before rewarding you with a heart pounding descent that takes in no fewer than 30 hairpins! Best of all, there’s a café at the top…

There are loads of great road routes around St Anton – ride out to the beautiful Lake Constance, or head out on a punishing loop that takes in the resorts of Ischgl and Galtür. Serious pedallers can even put their names down for the notorious Arlberg Giro event, where you’ll climb 2400 metres over 150 kilometres.

Perched on the edge of aquamarine Lake Achensee with the Karwenden Mountains looming around it, it’s hard to imagine a more captivating cycling destination than Pertisau. If you’re after a real challenge, sign up for the Achensee Bike Marathon – an event that sees around 1000 riders tough it out over a 166km course with almost 1500m of climbing.

Chocolate-box St. Johann is nestled in the valley at the foot of the imposing Kitzbuheler Horn. The Horn is home to the steepest road in Austria, which can be tackled on two wheels – kudos to anyone who makes it all 1337 vertical metres to the top without stopping... For something less punishing, head north along the banks of the meandering Waldbach River and before long you’ll be in Germany.

With its central location in the stunning Austrian Lake District, St. Wolfgang makes the perfect base for a pedal-powered summer holiday. Head out and tour the shores of the 3 largest nearby lakes – Mondsee, Attersee and Traunsee. Nearby Fuschl and St. Gilgen are also great choices for a lakeside cycling holiday.

The area around Kitzbühel is prime road biking territory, which is why the Tour of Austria passes through nearly every year. There’s loads to get stuck into, including the notorious Kitzbueheler Horn – the steepest road in Austria!

Said to be Austria’s most bike friendly city, cyclists will feel right at home in Salzburg. They even have free, self-service bike maintenance points dotted around! A number of famous cycle routes pass through the centre, including the Tauern Bike Path and the Mozart Bike Trail.

Seefeld is perfectly located for some epic bike rides. If you’re feeling fit, take on the gruelling but beautiful Karwendel Tour route that passes through Innsbruck and Schwaz, then heads north into fairytale Bavaria, Germany, before looping back around to Seefeld.

The gentle, rolling terrain of the Wildschönau Valley is absolutely perfect if you’re after scenic, cruising bike rides without the intimidating climbs and descents found elsewhere in the Alps. Niederau is an ideal base to explore from and you can also check out the nearby village of Oberau.

There’s a beautiful network of quiet mountain roads around Mayrhofen and lots of them follow the meandering banks of alpine rivers. We love to follow the Stillupbach River out towards the mesmerising blue-green waters of the Speicher Stillup reservoir. Another good ‘un well worth a cycle is the famous 2020m Hoehenstraße, meaning ‘High Road’.