The European Bike Tour That Takes You Through 3 Countries In A Single Morning

It is a single matter to bicycle in three European countries, and it’s one more to do it in a solitary early morning!

My husband Dean and I adore to bike and signed up for VBT’s 7-working day guided bicycle tour as a result of Slovenia, Austria, and Italy. The cautiously planned itinerary took us in and out of three international locations, but on one special morning, we started biking in Slovenia, pedaled as a result of a corner of northeast Italy, and headed into Austria for lunch!

Now, that is a fantastic morning! This bicycle tour was superior for a number of incredible activities, which include the exhilaration of biking in the rain. Let’s take a nearer look at this VBT bike excursion, then at that exceptional early morning itinerary.

Slovenia, Austria, And Italy: Alpine Valleys Bicycle Tour

Who could resist the prospect of biking the valleys in the Julian Alps? Undoubtedly, not us. We’ve taken three biking tours with VBT, a chief and award winner in the travel sector for 50 yrs. About 98 p.c of their tourists say they would journey with them again, and we’re between them.

The VBT site highlights this vacation by stating, “The scenic and savory ideal of a few countries is discovered on just one VBT bicycle tour to Austria, Italy, and Slovenia! On effortless bicycle routes — like the famed Alpe Adria cycle path — you’ll absorb sweeping views of snow-capped peaks, pristine pasturelands, medieval settlements, deeply wooded slopes, emerald lakes, and sunny cornfields. Take a spin close to Wörthersee Lake and photo-great Lake Bled and roll via tunnels opening on to amazing vistas. Hop off the bicycle to savor delicious, included foods and neighborhood wines, stop by a farm, discover a cherished ski vacation resort, and much more. Conclusion just about every exhilarating day in deluxe resorts and boutique motels, which includes “a celebrated lakeside hotel that has hosted royalty, superstars, dignitaries, and writers for additional than a century.” Wherever do I indicator?

Pro Tip: VBT offers minimally supported pre-excursion and submit-trip selections to prolong the practical experience. We generally do the pre-excursion at European destinations to ease jet lag in advance of the biking starts.

Real to form, we took the pre-vacation in Ljubljana, the money of Slovenia, and then traveled by private motorcoach with fellow cyclists about two several hours to Malborghetto Valbruna, Italy. We ended up greeted with views of the snowcapped Julian Alps and the rugged peaks of the Carnic Alps as our backdrop. Our biking routes wove in and out of the 3 countries, which include elements of the remarkable 250-in addition mile Alpe Adria bicycle route, and finished in the ultra-extraordinary town of Velden, Austria.

Our team of 20 enjoyed 6 times of biking, with 88 to 166 miles in complete (most times, you can opt for options for more time or shorter routes). Of system, our delightful guides Aija and Matija (who are nearby to the region and like the place), were being equally delighted to supply a journey in the aid van, or conversely, give routes for even much more biking for the formidable between us.

Each and every day began with Aija or Matija supplying the route briefing. They distributed a paper duplicate of the route (that supplemented the cell phone application) and included aspects, tricky turns, and scenic highlights for that day. When we’d head outdoors, we’d see our bikes lined up and prepared to go, with h2o bottles loaded. Alpine elves? Our “do almost everything, be everywhere” guides? So a great deal of what they did was “behind the scenes” to make sure our holiday vacation and trip had been pleasant.

Whilst the route is established, we really don’t bicycle together in a row like tiny ducks. We’re free to cease and choose pictures (I’m major on that), experience quicker or slower, or linger at a destination. I’m not the swiftest biker (far too much gorgeous scenery, as well several mountain sights, waterfalls, tiny lakes, and streams), but it all seems to do the job just good. There are some timed gatherings like lunch, and we normally wanted to do proper by our guides and the other riders. This brings me to a different profit of this vacation: the comradery amid the group. These cycling buddies of ours somehow grew to become speedy friends.

Now, let us glimpse at the early morning trip that took us to a few nations around the world.

1. The Ride Begins 

Slovenia

Three countries in just one morning. Was this done for realistic purposes, or to give us bragging legal rights? Probably a little of both! Matija did propose we draft a text on our telephones to boast about it when we strike the Austrian border! On the other hand, the practical motive we biked this way is that VBT combs the area and will come up with the ideal, breathtaking biking routes. Notice that we started out our route in Podkoren, Slovenia. They now start off in neighboring Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. 

On this day, we began biking on a Slovenian converted railroad path that led to the more than 100-year-old Tarvisian Forest in the Italian countryside. These wood and stone markers ended up the only indication that we have been shifting from 1 nation to the next.

2. Nick The Northeastern Corner

Italy

Along the way, we biked previous charming little alpine residences with flower containers under just about every window and floral patterns, like rosemaling, on balconies and doorways. Completely charming. In places, I recognized wild crocuses and small pinkish-purple slips of flowers. This is a spring flower in Minnesota, but they had been escalating below in early September, and it was a delight to see.

When you see the familiar VBT shuttle waiting to provide a “snack quit,” you cease. Energetic cyclists want refueling, and VBT’s bought that protected. We took our decide on from grapes, bananas, apples, nuts, trail mix, sliced pears, cookies, creamy Milka chocolates (to my delight), and a wide variety of chips, pretzels, and other salty treats (to Dean’s delight).

This snack quit was distinctive for its display of flags of the a few nations (hung vertically), in purchase from left to appropriate: Italy, Austria, and Slovenia. The blue flag with the circle of stars, considerably ideal, represents the European Union.

Prior to we crossed from Italy into the Austrian border, our bicycle path still left the converted railroad trail, and we continued driving on a historic Roman highway.

3. Lunch In The Carinthia Location

Austria

In Austria, we biked into the Gail River valley in the Carinthia region, recognized for its crystal rivers and compact jeweled lakes with the majestic Noric and Carnic Alps as a backdrop.

Here, we loved a traditional alpine lunch at the Almwirschaft Hut, found in between the River Gail and the Naturpark (character park) Dobratsch. We ate outdoors and Matija dished up some soup as a starter. Then, we crammed our plates from a picnic table brimming with salads, pasta, bread, and a pork dish. Every little thing was tasty, as regular!

Bonus: Top Luxury In Velden

How can I produce about this distinctive morning devoid of at the very least mentioning Velden, Austria, and the “over-the-top” lodging at the conclude of this day’s biking?

Velden, Austria

Velden is nicknamed the very little “Monte Carlo of Carinthia” for its sophisticated boardwalk, stylish cafés, dining establishments, and the scenic magnificence of Wörthersee Lake. Dwelling to a long line of rich families, it is a city of stately mansions, manicured gardens, and lovely lakeside dining establishments.

Falkensteiner Schlosshotel Velden

Keep in mind the VBT journey description: “…a celebrated lakeside resort that has hosted royalty, celebrities, dignitaries, and writers for far more than a century”? You’re searching at it!

Our lodging was the Falkensteiner Schlosshotel Velden, a superb castle-turned-hotel that is as exquisite and high-class as it appears. VBT claims a journal referred to as Condé Nast Traveler has featured it as a “hot hotel” and its spa center as the “hot spa” of Austria — earning it a single of the most luxurious and modern accommodations and resorts in the globe.

Frankly, we did not bicycle really hard ample to have earned this, but we had been far more than happy to enjoy the spa, the pool, and the expansive, healthy-for-royalty rooms!

The knowledge of biking in alpine valleys with towering mountains all about is irresistible. Imagine gazing on the landscape of three nations in a one morning!

Dean and I are always grateful for the time, wellbeing, and dollars to consider vacations like this. What if we had only time and wellness, but not funds? What if we had well being and income, but no time? Two out of three of those people factors will not reduce it. We require all a few and we do not just take it for granted.

This outstanding European bicycle tour took us by means of three nations around the world in a solitary early morning, and we joyfully additional it to our checklist of superb “bucket list” vacations that allowed us to love nature and every single other, satisfy superb people today, share an action that we really like (biking), and hone our appreciation for however a different gorgeous element of the entire world.