Austrian Alps & Italy's Dolomites Bike Tour
Couples, Friends & Solos
Austrian Alps & Italy's Dolomites Bike Tour
Couples, Friends & Solos
6 days
5 nights
Activity Levels 2-4
Premiere Hotels
2025: Jul-Oct
Mountain Adventures from Salzburg to Venice
We love border-hopping so much, we elevated the concept. As in eight thousand feet of elevation. And as in top-shelf cycling routes. When two wheels carry you across the Alps, it’s all a high.
Highlights
- It's an international traverse of the Alps as you link Austria and Italy by bike
- Witness the landscape transition from lush forests and alpine pastures to sun-drenched foothills laced by grapevines
- Cycle in Austria's Gailtaler Alps and along a converted WWI rail trail through the Dolomites
- Unwind in hotel saunas, terraced gardens and grand dining rooms at our old-world hotels
- Before and after your trip, chase some culture in music-loving Salzburg and picturesque Venice

StartSalzburg
EndVenice
* Start/End locations may vary. Do not book flights until your trip details are confirmed.
Itinerary

Day 1
Begin your trip in baroque Salzburg before traveling to the Saalach River Valley a stone's throw from the German border • Bike alongside rushing waters, keeping your eyes peeled for the towering Kitzsteinhorn peeking through the trees overhead • Sit down to a family-style tavern lunch • A long and delicious downhill leads you into the dreamy resort town of Maria Alm • Spend the night in our spa retreat with views of the Hochkönig (High King) mountain.




Night 1
Sustainability gets an emphasis at this retreat featuring gourmet dining, a sophisticated spa with infinity pools and sky decks and plenty of views of its namesake mountain, the Hochkönig (High King). The luxury at every turn makes it clear why this stylish abode is the “High Queen.” (pool, spa)

Days 2-3
Shift gears with a morning hike to the meadow of Postalm and its sweeping views • Journey by bus over the Hochalpenstrasse (High Alpine Road), Austria’s scenic route linking the Northern Alps to the Southern Alps • Pedal through a rarified high-mountain world watched over by the bell-shaped Grossglockner peak • Cycle into romantic Lienz, where you have the evening off to explore cobblestoned alleyways • Slip into a slower pace on a valley ride through the relaxing pastoral scenery of the Gailtaler Alps • Check out our hotel's many saunas.

Nights 2-3
Framed by the Dolomites and Austria’s highest peaks, this comfortable hotel features modern comforts yet also exudes old-world charm. (pool, spa)

Days 4-6
Cross the border into Italy and the dramatic Dolomites • Gleaming meadows and limestone towers await around every turn • Pass villages festooned with laundry, where espresso-sipping locals watch the world go by from shutter-framed windows • Ride along the car-free Via delle Dolomiti, a former WWI train line turned cycling path • Sit down to inventive Italian cuisine in a converted train depot • Settle into our romantic villa-hotel tucked into a hill town in the home region of Prosecco • Spin through foothills adorned with vineyards and stop at a wine cellar to see where the local bubbles are bottled • Opt to take one last morning spin, or spend your final morning exploring the village of Asolo on foot and climbing to its hilltop castle.




Nights 4-5
A rambling estate which clings to the edge of a hill town in a fever dream of mottled stone walls, patios, verandas and gardens worthy of a Medici. (pool, spa)
What's Included
See moreStraight Talk
We want to make sure you're on the trip that's right for you. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
The accommodations on this trip are housed in beautiful historic buildings. While they offer outstanding service and amenities, please note that The Hochkönigin is not equipped with air-conditioning. Despite the region’s generally temperate climate and cool nights, guest rooms can occasionally become warm during peak temperatures.
Hotels
World-Class Hotels
Our hand-selected Premiere hotels offer exceptional hospitality and experiences as special as the regions we explore.
Hotels may vary based on departure. Any variations will be displayed when selecting a departure under Dates & Prices.
Night 1
Premiere Hotel
Sustainability gets an emphasis at this retreat featuring gourmet dining, a sophisticated spa with infinity pools and sky decks and plenty of views of its namesake mountain, the Hochkönig (High King). The luxury at every turn makes it clear why this stylish abode is the “High Queen.” (pool, spa)
Nights 2-3
*Deluxe Hotel
Framed by the Dolomites and Austria’s highest peaks, this comfortable hotel features modern comforts yet also exudes old-world charm. (pool, spa)
Nights 4-5
Premiere Hotel
A rambling estate which clings to the edge of a hill town in a fever dream of mottled stone walls, patios, verandas and gardens worthy of a Medici. (pool, spa)
Gallery
















Share Your Adventure!
Tag @backroadstravel or use #MyBackroadsTrip to submit your photos.
Bikes
Choose Your Perfect Bike
Our bikes are designed and built with specific cyclists and riding styles in mind, so we can always offer you a perfect ride. Please note that bike requests are subject to availability and prioritized based on the date they're submitted.

Included in your trip price
- Ideal for avid cyclists
- Redesigned for 2024
- Next gen titanium frame with carbon wheels
- Responsive, efficient and comfortable
- Drop handlebars only

Included in your trip price
- Suited for a wide range of cyclists
- Comfortable ergonomic seat
- Long wheel base adds to the bike's control and stability
- Upright handlebars only

Included in your trip price
- One of the lightest e-bikes available
- Provides plenty of power and more than enough battery
- Lower top tubes for easier mounting and dismounting
- Upright handlebars only
- Limited availability on Unplugged Bike Tours; learn more
Min. age to ride e-bike: 16+
Review Snapshot
by PowerReviews
Reviewed by 5 customers
Fabulous trip! From Alps to Olive groves!
Fantastic rides through charming Austrian villages and peaks then descending to Italy's picturesque vineyards and villas, ending in glorious Venice! Hotels were fantastic, the food was farm to table, the views were stunning. A magnificent way to cross the Dolomites and experience the two countries from the road up!

Excellent Trip, Fabulous Snow Capped Mountains
Travelling on a bike with Backroads is a perfect way to vacation. We had 25 riders, two vans and 4 super guides. A J, Mandy, Mark and Hans are terrific hosts, professional, funny, helpful, always around in case needed, with knowledge of all three areas of the countries we rode in. Things for the most part went smoothly. My son's derailleur broke in half, going up a small hill, which caused the bike to suddenly stop. But since the hill cut down on speed he was able to unclip and steady the bike. Never experienced that before. The next day, the stem on one of his pedals came out of the housing. Never saw that happen either. He switched to platforms for the remainder of the trip and all was fine. It rained every day, which put a damper on fully enjoying the beautiful natural surroundings. There was road construction during some of the daily rides, which made for some detours, no problem. The hotels were very nice, rooms good, towns fun, but this was the second week of October, so not much activity in the towns, as stores and shops were closing for the season. We had some terrific meals everywhere, restaurants, picnics, hotels and of course, snacks, the guides put out during van stops. A terrific trip, cannot predict the weather. The riding was wonderful, plenty of downhills and of course some challenges. Spirited conversations, magnificent scenery, great guides. May The Wind Always Be At Your Backs.
The perfect trip!
The whole trip was perfect. Despite a lot of unexpected snow that required some agility, our leaders Mandy and Agnes gave us a trip of a lifetime. The scenery was stunning, the biking was the perfect mix of challenging and fun, and the food was delicious and plentiful. I don't want to travel any other way now!
Worth every second
Especially for being the inaugural trip of this experience, it went incredibly smoothly. Our leaders and support leaders were a well oiled machine from the jump, when severe rain changed our itinerary one day, we were smoothly transitioned to a excellent museum experience as opposed to biking that felt like it was always part of the trip from the first place. The best part of the trip was one morning we rained through rain, rode a bus to the top of a mountain for a indoor lunch while it was snowing outside, and then when we descended down the other end of the mountain the skies cleared to the best view I have ever seen. Felt like a movie Worth every penny
One of the best trips of our life!
Our biking adventure exceeded our expectations in every aspect. The scenery in Austria. Germany, and Italy were beyond anything we had e er dreamed. The mountainous landscapes and rock formations dazzled with waterfalls and beauty beyond where the eye could see quite simply took our breath away. It was daunting. We truly can not wait to escape into another fabulous biking expedition and explore this beautiful world together with Backroads! We like to say we are living OUR awesome! Backroads helped us achieve just that!










Dates & Prices
Dates & Prices
Click on dates for pricing, itinerary variations (if any) and to book your trip. Price is per person, double occupancy in USD.
Please Select a Group Size
Group size is required to show per-person pricing. Your group size can be approximate and can change.