Self guide / led cycling holiday amongst the stunning lakes and mountains of the Austrian Lake District, the Salzkammergut – a cycling paradise!
The lakes and mountains region of Austria has long been considered one of the most stunning places to take a cycling or walking holiday. Cycle paths follow alongside the lakeshore and river valleys before sweeping through meadows you thought only existed on the film set of The Sound of Music. The reality is of course that the film was made in this area and the countryside has hardly changed since then.
To give you an idea of the variety of cycle routes in our area we have compiled the following itinerary that you could follow:
Day 1: Explore the local area and maybe take a short cycle ride to the Rindbach Waterfall.
Day 2: A gentle cycle ride around the beautiful lake of Traunsee. On your way, you pass through the village of Traunkirchen with its church jutting out into the lake. After a quick ice-cream or Radler (a beer for cyclists!), then continue along the lake shore to Gmunden which offers great restaurants as well as coffee houses overlooking the lake with views of the Traunstein mountain. When you are ready you can catch the ferry that brings you back to Ebensee or alternatively cycle back. (25km)
Day 3: Take a country lane out of Ebensee passing our local cable car and cycle alongside a small river up to the lake of Langbathsee. This is one of the most stunning lakes in the area and is often used as a backdrop for TV adverts and films. You can take a swim in the crystal clear waters and relax on the lake shore with a drink from the café or continue cycling round the lake (the “back” lake is definitely worth the extra little effort to cycle or walk to!). From here you can either return to Ebensee the same way or extend your ride by climbing on the forestry path over the mountain dropping back down the valley to lake Traunsee. (20km or 35km)
Day 4: Today you can really pamper yourself. Take a short cycle ride alongside the river Traun to the royal spa town of Bad Ischl. Spend the day exploring the traditional Austrian clothing shops, indulging in some exquisite cakes at Café Zauner or simply relax in the waters of the thermal spa and maybe get a well earned massage. (24km)
Day 5: Let the train take the strain for the first few miles today. Take our local train to the historic town of Hallstatt. Here you can visit the salt mines or perhaps take a tour through the Ice Caves at Obertraun. Continue with the train or cycle through the Koppen gorge to the town of Bad Aussee before following Rettenbach valley back to the river Traun and home to Ebensee. (This can be a long cycle route of approx 50km but can be made easier by taking the train.)
Day 6: A relaxing day today takes you cycling alongside a lovely river up to the lake of Offensee. Here you can relax on the beach and take a swim with some breathtaking scenery all around you. (20km)
Day 7: With its cobbled streets and traditional gift shops, St Wolfgang is a must for picking up a typical Austrian souvenir or enjoying a scenic stroll through town to the lake. You can take a ferry ride around the lake stopping at St Gilgen and Strobl before following the cycle path through rolling meadows and once again along the river Traun to Ebensee.
We can help organise a variety of bikes for you if requested at the time of booking.
We are also able to offer a great base for serious road cyclists who would like to get in some mileage amongst some of the most amazing scenery in Austria. If you fancy climbing some great mountain roads where many teams come and train then just bring your bike and we’ll give you the maps and point you in the right direction.
Recommended Further Reading for Cycling Holidays in Austria
Brilliant Bike Ride to Altaussee
Beautiful Cycle to St. Wolfgang
Rosenhof Self Guided Cycling Holiday Reviews
Whilst we can wax lyrical about this wonderful area and the many more cycling routes there are to offer on your holiday with us, please take a moment to read on below and see a review left by one of our many happy guests as to what makes the Rosenhof and your stay with us special. Further reviews can be found on our testimonials page or our TripAdvisor link at the top and bottom of every page of the website!
“Value for Money”
- TripAdvisor Rating for the Rosenhof B&B, Ebensee, Austria
Review
We were 3 couples who stayed @ Rosenhof at the beginning of June 2012 for a week of cycling. Coming from South Africa and Namibia, we did not know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprise to see that Catherine and Rob are a very young couple with a lot on their shoulders, but soon realised that they are more that adequate for this job. We felt welcome from the word “go”. The rooms are beautiful, comfortable and neat with views. Our bycyles were ready as promised. They helped with our daily planning of routes etc. and always the honest smiles from both of them. There were other small things that contribute to our lovely stay, like their willingness to go the extra mile. Rob made a fire after we had a cold and wet day out on our bycyles. Catherine made us hot coffee and tea and even spoil us on our last day with “good bye” gingerbread man biscuits. We relate in a special way with Catherine and Rob and felt sad to leave after a week, but I’m sure we will see them again. We all agree that they are proud and happy owners of Rosenhof and we wish them all the best!! Roedeen Wahl and friends