Overview
The amazing Alpe-Adria Trail runs from Carinthia in the Austrian Alps to the Adriatic Sea. On this holiday, you take on the last section, cycling the Alpe-Adria Trail over eight days. The starting point is Villach where the borders of Austria, Italy and Slovenia meet and then you will follow the ridges of the Carnic Alps in Austria and Italy. The Friuli-Venezia Giulia region offers a variety of landscapes and invites you on a journey of cultural and culinary diversity. Leaving the peaks of the Carnic Alps far behind, you will cycle towards the sea. The Adriatic coast will stretch before your eyes with miles of sandy beaches. Treat yourself to a lazy day in Grado, one of the best seaside resorts in Italy, before you reach the former Habsburg port of Trieste. There is also an option to rent an e-bike on this tour.
- Cultural and gastronomic variety
- The border town of Tarvis
- Kanaltal Valley
- Wine-producing district of Friuli
- Udine
- Roman town of Aquileia
- Grado
- Trieste
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Villach
Individual arrival at your hotel in Villach.
Day 2: Villach – Tarvisio/Camporosso | 40km
Following the river Gail, you leave Villach behind you and also say goodbye to Austria. In the three-nation triangle of Italy-Austria-Slovenia, the valley Kanaltal is expanding, and you will reach its centre, the Italian border town of Tarvisio. Here Austrians, Slovenes, Friulians and Italians have been living together for hundreds of years, and all three major European language families, Germans, Romans and Slavs, meet directly.
- Cycling distance for the day: approx. 40km
Day 3: Tarvisio/Camporosso – Tolmezzo/Venzone | 55km
Continuing through the valley of Kanaltal you can admire the beautyof the Friulian alpine landscapes from the saddle, with their pristine nature and vast, intact forests.
- Cycling distance for the day: approx. 55km
Day 4: Tolmezzo/Venzone – Udine | 60km
The little town of Gemona del Friuli which is located on the southern end of the valley Kanaltal and in the foothills of the Julian Alps is one of the most beautiful historic towns of the region. The town symbol is the majestic cathedral Santa Maria Assunta which is certainly worth a visit. Hills full of grapevines line your path and invite you to taste some good wines. The Venetian-influenced Udine exudes calm and prudence. Enjoy a cup of coffee on the Piazza or stroll through the city centre and admire the Gothic and Renaissance buildings.
- Cycling distance for the day: approx. 60km
Day 5: Udine – Grado | 55km
Accompanied by the breeze of the Scirocco, you glide past reed inlets and canals and reach Grado, a historic fishing town and one of the best seaside resorts on the Adriatic, offering many opportunities for the following rest day.
- Cycling distance for the day: approx. 55km
Day 6: Day off by the sea or visit Aquileia
You have plenty of choice for spending your time: either an exciting day of sightseeing in the Roman-built Aquileia or a relaxing day by the sea. You have the opportunity to discover the secrets of the Roman city of Aquileia, the so-called Second Rome – Roman ruins, ancient churches and secluded coves on the edge of the lagoon await you.
Day 7: Grado – Trieste | 40km
The karst accompanies you through the hinterland on the way to Trieste. Miramare Palace invites you for a visit before you enter the former Habsburg city of Trieste. If you want, you can shorten the last part of this stage from Monfalcone to Trieste by train (ticket not included).
- Cycling distance for the day: approx. 40km + train ride or 70km
Day 8: Departure
Departure day after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in 3 or 4-star hotels with en-suite facilities. We have carefully hand-picked all places and regularly monitor their quality. We always choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Meals
Breakfast is included. In towns, each hotel has its own restaurant where you can taste international or local meals, or try the other local restaurants. When no restaurant location is available on route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before.
Difficulty and terrain
The tour is easy, and suitable for children over 14 years. It goes along bike paths or mostly quiet side roads, through small villages and picturesque landscapes. Daily distances vary between 40km and 70km. You can also rent an e-bike, which makes the trip accessible to everyone (read more about difficulty grades). We provide individual information package upon arrival, including city guides, maps, programme and route description. We can also provide GPX files with all the tracks, which you can load on your smartphone app or GPS device. The road signage is good so navigating between the towns is quite easy.
When to go
The tour can depart on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays, from late April until the beginning of October. Weather is best in July and August, but accommodation availability is limited in these months, so better book well in advance.
The climate in the region is continental, cold and temperate. Depending on location and altitude, temperatures vary, but, in the May-September period, the daily averages are 15 – 25C. Spring and autumn are cooler with occasional rain. Rapid weather changes are possible during the day.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Most convenient arrival and departure airports are the ones on Klagenfurt, Salzburg, Venice or Ljubljana. There are good train connections from all these cities to your starting point.
By train or bus
- By car: Villach is easily accessible through motorways A2, A10 or A11 (depending on the point of origin). Depending on the first hotel, unattended parking facilities are available, either directly at your hotel or nearby (for the first night). Reservation of parking area/parking garage not possible in advance; payable on the spot.
- By train: There are good train connections to Villach and from Trieste if you want to travel by rail. For more details check the timetables on www.oebb.at, www.trenitalia.com or use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- Accommodation in hotels of 3* (sometimes 4*) category
- All breakfasts
- Personal tour information
- Luggage transfer from hotel to hotel on cycling days
- Detailed documents (maps, route description, places to visit, important telephone numbers)
- Videobriefing
- Access to our Navigation App
- 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
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
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
- This holiday is not available for solo travellers
- Extra nights along the trail are bookable upon request
- Bike rental (standard trekking bike, e-bike or top bike)
- Airport transfers (upon request)
Bike Rental
We can provide high-quality rental bikes and additional equipment if requested. These bikes have been specially designed for our bike tours. They are comfortable, safe and sturdy bikes and therefore perfect to undertake tours of several days duration.
Our standard rental bikes are 21-gear touring bikes (men’s and women’s frames available). The bikes and appending equipment (repair kit, pump, spare inner tube, wheel-lock, saddlebag,…) will be at your disposal in the arrival hotel. At the end of your bike tour, you simply leave the rental bike at the last hotel – we take care of the return.
Our rental e-bikes are 9-gear step-through touring bikes are equipped with Bosch Performance Line Motors, with a range of approximately 100 km. The bikes and appending equipment (repair kit, pump, spare inner tube, wheel-lock, saddlebag,…) will be at your disposal in the arrival hotel.
Our top bike rental options are 21-gear aluminium touring bikes, each equipped with the Shimano Deore XT groupset. The bikes and appending equipment (repair kit, pump, spare inner tube, wheel-lock, saddlebag,…) will be at your disposal in the arrival hotel.
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