Overview
Via Claudia Augusta is an ancient Roman road that linked the Po river valley with Southern Germany across the Alps. Today the road is a popular long-distance bike route across the Alps. The Adige Cycle Path is a section of the Via Claudia Augusta and is considered ideal for pleasure cyclists and families. This path follows the Adige River as it descends through stunning alpine landscapes, past quaint mountain villages and historic towns from Innsbruck to Bolzano in South Tyrol. The glittering ice worlds, huge mountains, fertile orchards and vineyards make your journey an unforgettable experience for all senses.
- The Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl) in Innsbruck
- Lake Reschensee, famous for the steeple of a submerged 14th-century church
- Beautiful panoramic view of the Ortler mountain
- Savouring some South Tyrolean wine on Lake Caldaro
- Amble through the Laubengasse in Bolzano
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Innsbruck
Individual arrival in Innsbruck, Tyrol’s capital. Meet our local representative for a welcome briefing and bike fitting. If you have time, visit Innsbruck’s late-medieval Altstadt and the famous Golden Roof, the Habsburg palace and the baroque cathedral. Admire the panoramic views of the central Inn Valley and across to the Italian border by taking the Hungerburg Funicular.
- Accommodation: 4**** Austria Trend Congress hotel or similar
Day 2: Innsbruck to Imst | 65km
After breakfast, start your journey on the former towpath along the river Inn, at the foot of Martinswand and through little villages and market towns to Stams, known for its Cistercian Stams Abbey (Stift Stams), founded in 1273. Continue your tour via Haiming to Imst, the so-called ‘Merano of North Tyrol’ and famous for its many springs.
- Accommodation: 3*** Hirschen hotel or similar
- Cycling for the day: approx. 65km
Day 3: Imst to St. Valentin/Burgeis/Mals | 50km
Ride along with the River Inn, past the monastery Zams to Landeck. Hop on the bus to Nauders (included). Climb less than 100m in altitude as you cycle uphill to the mountain pass Reschenpass and then downhill to Lake Reschensee, famous for the steeple of a submerged 14th-century church. Follow the minor roads to Mals or Burgeis at the foot of the castle Marienburg.
- Accommodation: 3*** Garni Zum Hirschen hotel or similar
- Cycling for the day: approx. 50km + bus transfer
Day 4: St. Valentin/Burgeis/Mals to Merano | 65km
Today will begin with a trip to Glurns, the smallest town in South Tyrol, famous for its perfectly preserved town walls and three picturesque gate towers. Pass the Montani ruins, through Schlanders, down to Merano. You will come across some pretty castles (mountaineer Reinhold Messner’s castle Juval). Take a break to enjoy the spectacular views of the impressive mountain massif Ortlermassiv and the mountain pass Stilfserjoch. The Venosta train operates between Mals and Merano – hop on if you wish to shorten your journey and skip the last stretch to Merano.
- Accommodation: 3*** Villa Laurus or similar
- Cycling for the day: approx. 65km
Day 5: Passeier Valley | 40km
Today you cycle into the Passeier Valley to the Sandwirt inn, the birthplace of the local freedom fighter Andreas Hofer, who was executed after fighting the occupation by Napeleon’s troops. Enjoy the best of South Tyrole’s cuisine and hospitality. If you want a break from the bike, hike on the famous Tappeiner trail with sweeping views of the town below, the Merano Valley Basin and down into the Adige Valley.
- Accommodation: 3*** Villa Laurus or similar
- Cycling for the day: approx. 40km
Day 6: Merano to Auer | 50km
Leave Merano after breakfast and cycle through numerous orchards and vineyards on the South Tyrolean Wine Road. Visit Lana, one of the most ancient fruit-growing villages in the area and witness the elaborately carved Schnatterpeck Altar. Admire the many fortresses, castles, and ruins such as Hocheppan on your way to Lake Kalterer See. Overnight in the cosy wine village of Auer.
- Accommodation: 3*** Bio-Hotel Kaufmann or similar
- Cycling for the day: approx. 50km
Day 7: Auer to Bolzano | 35km
Leaving the charming wine town behind you, choose any of the flat routes, either through the Adige valley or via the idyllic Montiggler lakes – a scenic, but more demanding route. Pass the famous Sigmundskron Castle before arriving into Bolzano. Once a stop on the coach route between Italy and the flourishing Austro-Hungarian Empire, the provincial capital of South Tyrol is a long-time conduit between cultures that has more recently become home to Europe’s first trilingual university. Stroll and soak up the relaxed pace of the locals, sample the wine, pop into the town’s oldest bakery to taste traditional sweets. Don’t miss to try the Canederli – Italian bread dumplings hat can only be found in the north-east of the country.
- Accommodation: 4**** Parkhotel Mondschein or similar
- Cycling for the day: approx. 35km
Day 8: Departure
Departure after breakfast. Optional extra night in Bolzano.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms..
Click to view default hotels
- 4**** Austria Trend Congress and Parkhotel Mondschein;
- 3*** Hirschen, Garni Zum Hirschen, Villa Laurus and Kaufmann.
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Accommodation is on a bed & breakfast basis. When no restaurant location is available on route lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops or you can pre-order a packed lunch at your hotel. Dinner is available either from the restaurant in your accommodation or restaurants in the village near your hotel.
Difficulty and terrain
This holiday is appropriate for cyclists with some experience and requires an average level of fitness; the average cycling distance per day is approximately 50km. The cycling is on dedicated bike lanes in the river valleys of Inn and Adige (read more about difficulty grades). A bus will take you from Landeck to Nauders. From there you will cycle uphill 70m in altitude until you reach Reschenpass. Afterwards, you can enjoy cycling downhill all the way to Bolzano.
When to go
This trip is available from April until October (Wednesdays and Saturdays only).
Getting there
Up-to-date travel advice on Austria is available here, and on on Italy here.
Click to view travel options
By plane
The closest and most convenient international airports for this holiday are Innsbruck and Munich Airports.
By train or bus
- Innsbruck Airport is easily accessed by train or bus. Bus route F connects Innsbruck main station with the airport main building. The journey takes about 20mins. From Bolzano there are good train and bus connections enabling you to reach Innsbruck airport. More details available here.
- From Munich Airport take the direct EuroCity train to Innsbruck for a total travelling time of 2h 30mins. Up-to-date train schedules are available on the DB website. The best way to get from Bolzano to Munich Airport is to take a bus for a 4h journey. For more information, please visit Alto Adige Bus.
- Good departure options near Bolzano are the airports at Verona, Venice or Treviso as well.
- You can reach both Innsbruck and Bolzano easily by train if you want to travel solely by rail for this holiday.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 overnight stays in private en-suite rooms with breakfast included as described in the itinerary
- Welcome briefing
- Luggage transfer on all cycling days (one piece per person, max 20kg)
- Detailed pre-departure holiday information pack with route maps, route description, local attractions, important telephone numbers and GPS tracks (opt for a digital route book and receive a discount)
- Bus transfer from Landeck – Nauders (inc. bike)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses such as phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc.
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- We regret that this tour is not open to solo travellers
- Bike / Bike Plus / e-bike rentals
- Extra nights in Innsbruck or Bolzano
- Return transfer to Innsbruck
Bike rental
In case you would like to rent a bike from us, we can offer a different variety of bikes. All bikes are equipped with a combination lock, saddle bag (water-repellent), handlebar bag (water-repellent), a pump and service-set with tools with an extra bicycle tube. Sample pictures attached below, note that the exact models may differ depending on the availability, but the standard will be the same.
Unisex bike 21/24-gears
- Gear: Shimano ALIVIO/ACERA derailleur
- Sizes: 56 / 51 / 46 / 43cm (body height approx. 148cm – 190cm)
Unisex-bike 7-gears
- Gear: Shimano NEXUS
- Back pedaling break
- Sizes: 56 / 51 / 46cm (body height approx. 155cm – 190cm)
Men’s bike 21-gears
- Gear: Shimano ALIVIO/ACERA derailleur
- Sizes: 63 / 60 / 56-51cm (body height approx. 165cm – 205cm)
Rental Bike PLUS
- Gear: DEORE/XT
- Suntour suspension fork
- Sizes: 63 / 60 / 51 / 46cm (body height approx. 155cm – 205cm)
E-bike
- Speed: 25 km/h
- 8-speed internal gear hub
- Sizes: 56 / 51 / 46 / 46cm (body height approx. 148cm – 195cm)
Gallery
