Tour overview

This 8-day self-guided holiday explores the lakes and mountains of the Salzkammergut from a single peaceful base, mixing easy cycling with walks and a day in Salzburg. There is no guide: you are given a briefing, a high-quality bike and a navigation app, and choose your own route and pace each day. You stay seven nights at the Bergrose Hideaway, a traditional Slow Travel hotel with wooden balconies, secluded gardens and an indoor pool and spa, on a river bank near Strobl, five minutes by bike from the eastern shore of Lake Wolfgang. Breakfast is included daily, with a welcome dinner.

Your first day takes you by bus to the spa town of Bad Ischl for your briefing and bike fitting, with time to visit the Kaiservilla, Emperor Franz Joseph's summer residence, and its imperial gardens before riding back to Strobl. Next you follow a level track along Lake Wolfgang's southern shore, through a tiny nature reserve, to lovely St Gilgen, where the busy waterfront looks across the lake.

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Another day takes you by the river and along the north shore to St Wolfgang, a famously pretty village renowned for its 15th-century church and its lakeside setting, with the option of walking part of the way. You might then take a break from the saddle with a local bus to Salzburg, Mozart's baroque city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for a free day of sightseeing.

The final days lead along quiet country lanes through farming hamlets and Alpine meadows to the little Lake Nussen, and across the valley and up through the forest, by bike or on foot, to Lake Schwarzen, beneath the mountain walls. You return each evening to the comfort of the hotel's pool and spa.

The physical rating is low, with mostly level rides and optional walks. This holiday suits independent travellers and families with children over 12 who want a relaxed, active break in beautiful lake scenery at their own pace. Evenings at the hotel are restful, with dinner on the first night and good local restaurants within easy reach.

Trip highlights

  • Bad Ischl and the Kaiservilla (Day 2)
  • Lake Wolfgang's shore to St Gilgen (Day 3)
  • St Wolfgang's 15th-century church (Day 4)
  • A free day in Salzburg (Day 5)
  • Lake Nussen by quiet lanes (Day 6)
  • Lake Schwarzen beneath the mountains (Day 7)

Your route

5 stops from Strobl to Salzburg

8-day holiday: Strobl, with rides to Bad Ischl, St Gilgen, St Wolfgang and the lakes
  1. Strobl Days 1–8
  2. Bad Ischl Day 2
  3. St Gilgen Day 3
  4. St Wolfgang Day 4
  5. Salzburg Day 5

Why choose this tour

One relaxing base with a pool and spa, so you unpack once. Easy rides and walks at your own pace, with a day in Salzburg.

Best suited to

  • Leisure cyclists
  • Families with children aged 12 and over
  • Couples looking for a relaxed active break
  • Independent travellers
Mountains reflected in Lake Wolfgang

Day-by-day itinerary

8 days from Strobl, Austria to Strobl, Austria

  1. Day 1 · Strobl Arrive in Strobl

    Arrive at your hotel near Lake Wolfgang.

    Hotel
    Bergrose Hideaway
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  2. Day 2 · Bad Ischl, Kaiservilla Bad Ischl

    A briefing and bike fitting, the Kaiservilla and a ride back to Strobl.

    Hotel
    Bergrose Hideaway
    Meals
    Breakfast
  3. Day 3 · Lake Wolfgang, St Gilgen St Gilgen

    Ride the southern shore to St Gilgen.

    Hotel
    Bergrose Hideaway
    Meals
    Breakfast
  4. Day 4 · St Wolfgang St Wolfgang

    Cycle or walk the north shore to St Wolfgang.

    Hotel
    Bergrose Hideaway
    Meals
    Breakfast
  5. Day 5 · Salzburg Free day in Salzburg

    Take the bus to Salzburg for a day of sightseeing.

    Hotel
    Bergrose Hideaway
    Meals
    Breakfast
  6. Day 6 · Lake Nussen Lake Nussen

    Ride quiet lanes through Alpine meadows.

    Hotel
    Bergrose Hideaway
    Meals
    Breakfast
  7. Day 7 · Lake Schwarzen Lake Schwarzen

    Cycle or walk through the forest to the lake.

    Hotel
    Bergrose Hideaway
    Meals
    Breakfast
  8. Day 8 · Strobl Leave Strobl

    The holiday ends after breakfast.

    Meals
    Breakfast
Lake Wolfgang from above St Gilgen

Where you stay

  • Strobl (7 nights) Bergrose Hideaway

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 7 nights at a riverside hotel
  • Meals 8 breakfasts and 1 dinner
  • High-quality bike hire for the holiday
  • Briefing, bike fitting and a navigation app

Not included

  • Flights and transfers
  • Local buses to Bad Ischl and Salzburg
  • Meals not included 6 lunches and 6 dinners
  • Travel insurance and personal spending
The Drachenwand above a lake in the Salzkammergut

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You want a guided group — this is self-guided
  • You want challenging rides — routes are mostly level
  • You want to move between hotels — you stay in one base
  • You want flights included — they are not

Good to know

Meals by day Breakfast: Days 1–8 · Lunch: none included · Dinner: Day 1
FCDO advice UK FCDO travel advice for Austria
A cyclist riding beside an Austrian lake

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £1,289 per person, twin share, tour only. 133 upcoming departures. Single travellers from £1,646 (single supplement from £357).

Frequently asked questions

How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

Is there a guide?

No. This is a self-guided holiday with a briefing, bike fitting and navigation app, and you choose your own route each day.

How hard is the cycling?

Mostly level rides on quiet roads and cycle paths, with optional walks.

Can children come?

Yes, children aged 12 and over are welcome.

Which meals are included?

Breakfast every day and a welcome dinner.

Can I choose my activities?

Yes. The itinerary is a suggestion, and you are free to pick and choose each day.

Do I need a visa?

UK visitors do not need a visa for Austria for a short holiday stay.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary

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