With funding from an EU fund, the cycle route with the international designation R1 was expanded and extended from the Austrian-Slovenian border town of Vic to the Croatian town of Legrad, where the Drava and Mura rivers meet. The special thing about it is that different route variants have been created, which more or less immerse themselves in fields and forests along the river.
The cycle route winds its way through the Drava Valley without any major inclines, past the foothills of the extensive Pohorje forests, through many small Slovenian towns and villages, but also through Maribor, the country's second largest city and European Capital of Culture 2012, as well as Ptuj, Slovenia's oldest city on the Drava, which is well worth a visit. Maribor and Ptuj virtually mark the Slovenian wine and spa country.
Character:
The easiest route of the Drava Cycle Path runs without any great difference in altitude on predominantly tarmac cycle paths and low-traffic side roads all the way to Croatia. Different variants lead more along unpaved field and forest paths.
Route:
Vic - Dravograd (Unterdrauburg) - Maribor (Marburg an der Drau) - Ptuj (Pettau) - Varazdin (Croatia) - Prelog (Croatia) - Legrad (Croatia)
Recommended in three to five day stages.
Best time to travel:
May until the end of September
Journey:
Take the Eurocity from Munich via Ljubljana or Graz to Maribor in 6 to 7 hours (bike transport with international bike card 10 euros). Part of the railway line runs along the Drava. http://www.bahn.de/Fahrrad (Radfahrer-Hotline 01805/996633).
Bike service:
Addresses for bike hire and repair facilities can be found at http://www.mura-drava.eu
Cycling hotels:
Addresses for cycle-friendly hosts can be found at http://www.mura-drava.eu
Organiser:
Cycling holiday offers e.g. from Austria Radreisen, Eurocycle and France Bike.
Maps/literature:
The 64-page brochure "Mura-Drava - The Drava Cycle Route - Cycle map 1:75,000 and route description" is available for download at http://www.mura-drava.eu
Information (general):
Slovenian Tourist Office, Maximiliansplatz 12a, 80333 Munich, Tel. 089/29161202, http://www.slovenia.info
Internet:
http://www.mura-drava.eu (everything you need to know about the cycle route in detail, with interactive maps)
