The six most beautiful Transalp tours
Crossing the Alps by bike is one of the absolute dream tours of many trekking bikers. Until a few years ago, those who wanted to set off on an Alpine cross often had to plan their route for a long time, painstakingly compile their route from various maps and books and, once on the road, still have to cover long distances on busy pass roads or even push their bikes on bumpy gravel paths. Not to mention the virtually non-existent cyclist-friendly accommodation offering a roof over your head for one night. Times have changed - much to the benefit of cycling enthusiasts in the Alps. The general trend towards cycling and the digital age have brought decisive improvements. Transalp routes, such as the Via Claudia Augusta on the old Roman route from the Danube to Venice and the Ciclovia Alpe-Adria from Salzburg to GradoThe routes were signposted along cycle-friendly routes across borders and given exemplary websites. Digital stage planning using interactive maps and GPS tracks makes it relatively easy to plan your own individual transalp today. This also applies to the Munich-Venezia Alpine Cross route, which will be inaugurated this summer. Crossing the Alps on a touring bike has never been easier or more comfortable. The TREKKINGBIKE team has tried out many Alpine routes and their variants. The most beautiful routes can be found on the following pages, from the simple pleasure tour to the sporty undertaking that leads over passes more than 2000 metres high. As an additional planning aid, we point out the steepest climbs and special sights along the way. And we don't want to keep our culinary insider tips to ourselves either, from traditional riverside taverns to ancient inns in the mountains.
We hope that you enjoy them as much as an avid TREKKINGBIKE reader. This long-distance cyclist was so enthusiastic about our Alpine tips that, after completing his Alpe-Adria tour, he cycled straight back across the Alps from the Mediterranean on the Via Claudia Augusta.
The complete article was published in Trekkingbike issue 4/2015. You can read the entire issue in the Trekkingbike app (iTunes and Google Play) or order the issue in the DK shop.
