Sound of Music Cycling Tour

Arrive in Salzburg and take the short transfer to your hotel. Tour information, handing over of cycles usually takes place late afternoon. Visit the old city and explore the history behind Mozart, maybe visit is former home. It is well worth spending an extra night in Salzburg to fully appreciate all it has to offer.

Cycling along the river Salzach to Oberndorf, birthplace of the Christmas carol ”Silent Night“, Arnsdorf and the Silent Night Museum and then on to Michaelbeuern with its lovely abbey. Later you cycle on to the Trumer Lake country (Obertrumer Lake, Lake Mattsee, Lake Grabensee) and partly at the lake Wallersee. Shorter distances are possible. This is rolling green countryside on superbly quiet country lanes.

Today you cycle across the nature reserve of the small lakes Egelseen to the village Schleedorf with its cheese dairy and on to the idyllic Irrsee. Then it is time to cycle onto Mondsee which was the location of the wedding scene of Sound of Music at the church.

The day begins with a boat trip to Weyregg (just in high season – then the shorter distance). Through the valley Aurachtal to lake Traunsee with the impressive old town of Gmunden. Gmunden has a lovely castle, Castle Orth, a ceramics factory, Altmünster (bicycle museum) and Traunkirchen which is the Fishermans association.

By train from Traunsee to Obertraun and onto Lake Hallstatt, why not visit the Dachstein ice caves. Now along the lake to Hallstatt with the oldest salt mine. Hallstatt is UNESCO protected due to its famous Salt mine and very pretty alpine village. Approach Hallstatt by boat and you see the wooden houses and boathouses perched on the water’s edge. In time gone by there were no roads in the region and the Lake was the only way to access the old town and also the only way to export the salt. This was a great way to protect the commodity from smugglers as salt was a worthwhile commodity along time ago. Tour end is Bad Goisern or a neighbourhood town.

Now you cycle via Bad Ischl which is the summer residence of the Austrian emperor with its wonderful park and Sisi’s teahouse along the river Ischler Ache to the lake Wolfgangsee. St. Wolfgang which is famous for its “White Horse Inn”, old church, rack-railroad on the mount Schafberg. You will pass Strobl, Abersee and St. Gilgen the Mozart village on lake Wolfgangsee today. The air shot at the beginning of the Sound of Music film was taken at lake Fuschlsee to lake Wolfgangsee

On the cycle path to St. Gilgen (Famous for its Mozart Village) where you continue to Lake Fuschlee. You now continue by bike to lake Hintersee and through the gorge Strubklamm to the Wiestal valley (reservoir). Now cycle through the gorge of Glasenbachklamm to the Salzach valley. Why not visit the castle Hellbrunn with its gazebo from the film Sound of Music, it is now a short cycle into Salzburg where you can spend the evening enjoying the famous sites in the city.

Depart after breakfast.