In the days of Tour of the Alps We crossed enchanting valleys. Some very well known, others less so, at least to the Italian public. Among these, we were particularly struck by the portion of East Tyrol.
This is the Austrian area that extends from Pusteria Valley, reaches as far as Lienz and on one side, to the north, goes up towards the Grossglockner, and on the other, to the South, it goes back towards Italy, towards the Carnia to be precise.
Plain, the extra element
For those who love cycling, the highlight is undoubtedly the landscapes. The Grossglockner, which reaches almost 3.800 meters, and 265 other peaks that exceed 3.000 meters. And then woods, rivers, waterfalls, wide pastures and treasure-trove towns to visit, starting from Lienz itself.
But there is one element that in our opinion marks the difference between East Tyrol and other mountain areas: and that is the plain. It may seem counterintuitive, given that we're talking about a mountain landscape where the climbs steal the show, but that's not entirely true. Don't worry, no one touches the climbs!
Since we are mainly talking about tourism with road bikes or in any case with touring bikes (for mountain bikes a separate book would be needed, there are so many routes and opportunities), the plain is something that makes travel much easier. It makes that area accessible to a much wider range of users.
Less fatigue, the possibility of covering greater mileage and it is even appealing to cyclists with a competitive spirit who can carry out their specific work between one climb and another or "relax".
The Drava and Isel cycle paths are ideal for families. Very beautiful to walk even in autumn with the bright colours of the woods
The Drava and Isel cycle paths are ideal for families. Very beautiful to walk even in autumn with the bright colours of the woods
Drava, the backbone
And the plain is the one that follows the main waterways. The Drava flows gently down from the border with the Pusteria Valley. The cycle path connects to the one that runs towards Brunico. This is the backbone of East Tyrol's paved routes. It's the most famous and popular. Also because you can organize your return journey by train, you can travel it in either direction.
Typically, you go from the Italian border to Lienz. This way, the road always tends to slope downhill. The route in question is marked as R4Starting from Dobbiaco and ending in Nikolsdorf, a small village south of Lienz, the route is 63 kilometers long and has an elevation gain of about 600 meters (2,000 feet) and an elevation gain of 300 meters (1,000 feet). It's therefore very easy.
To Kals am Grossglockner to feel like Lopez! Splendid views of the high mountains and the Lesachtal…
To Kals am Grossglockner to feel like Lopez! Splendid views of the high mountains and the Lesachtal…
Towards the Grossglockner
If the Drava route is the most “family friendly”, the one along theisland Not only is it a great choice for families, but it's also a great choice for more experienced cyclists. Following the course of this river, which flows into the Drava at Lienz (the two cycle routes are connected), there are plenty of climbs and side valleys to explore, in addition to the plain.
From Lienz to Matrei in Osttirol, it's all flat, but there's no shortage of alternatives here and there. You can discover the sweetest Virgental, which starts west of Matrei, or climb the steep slopes of the Grossglockner to the west. This is, for example, the road that at the last Tour of the Alps the riders have traveled and where he won Miguel Angel Lopez.
For the competitors
The Grossglochner is certainly the biggest attraction for climbers: there is also the Glocknerrunde, a 180-kilometer ring with a 4.700-meter elevation gain that runs around the slopes of the largest Austrian massif. But the Tour of the Stalle Pass (famous for its biodiversity), which also extends into Italy through this very pass.
But if you really love challenges there is the Dolomites bike tour, starting and finishing in Lienz. It's a granfondo (this year it's held on June 12th). Its routes truly immerse you in the heart of East Tyrol, especially the shortest one, 112 kilometers long and with 1.870 meters of elevation gain.
This runs from Lienz to Oberdrauburg and from there to Strassen through the wild Lesachtal and then back to Lienz.
While the long tour, measures well 228 kilometers and 5.450 meters of altitude difference. It is a "double loop". The first one climbs the Plockenpass first and then ZoncolanYes, you read that right: it crosses the border into Italy. Returning to Lienz via the same route you took in reverse, it then includes the entire short route we mentioned earlier.
Not only cycling, but also culture is not lacking in Osttirol, such as the Roman site Aguntum near Lienz And at the end (or during) your outings you must indulge in the flavours of East Tyrol.
Not only cycling, but also culture is not lacking in Osttirol, such as the Roman site Aguntum near Lienz And at the end (or during) your outings you must indulge in the flavours of East Tyrol.
Parkade: Austria and Italy
The nice thing is that this big tour actually takes up part of the ParkadeThere are three main arteries, all well signposted, that lead from East Tyrol to the Adriatic Sea. Almost all of them are well-maintained cycle paths.
Here are the three guidelines: Lienz-Trieste (230 kilometers); Lienz-Grado (192 kilometers) and Lienz-Venice (255 kilometers). There are scheduled departures with guides and luggage transport, or you can do it independently. Either way, it's a wonderful cross-border project. It's aimed primarily at e-bikes, but also at traditional bicycles. And speaking of e-bikes: there are numerous charging stations in East Tyrol, and they're constantly expanding.
Su maps.osttirol There's a list of charging stations and all the routes. And by all, we mean those for hikers and bikers too...
