Holiday Cycling Adventures

In 2012 we visited Rome, Italy and cycled back home to the Netherlands from there. This year we return to Italy and started cycling from Venice. We cycled through Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Czechia, Germany and the Netherlands.

After landing at Marco Polo airport at Venice we start cycling along the Italian coast towards Slovenia. It's realy hot outside (more than 30 degrees Celcius), so we take a break every 10 km to get used to the warm weather. After our first night at the coast we travel inland (through beautiful historic Palmanova). We meet many friendly Italians along the way. In Bolzana we stay at "Casa Shangri-La" before we cycle the last leg to the Slovenian border.

Italian cycling path.

Into the mountains.

In Slovenia we cycle towards the Triglavski Narodni Park (National Park). Just before the park we camp at Bovec, a very touristic village. The next morning we start the long climb through the Julian Alps to the Vršič pass (highest mountain pass of Slovenia: 1612 m.). The last 9 km to the pass are a 14% climb. After this long a climb a very nice downhill to Kranjska Gora. Then follows another climb to the Wurzenpass (1073 m.). This pass is the border to Austria.

On the Slovenian border.

Entering Triglavski Narodni Park.

Climbing Vršič.

Through the Slovenian mountains.

Hard climbs...

At the top of Vršič pass.

After the downhill from the Wurzenpass follows a short trip across busy roads till we find a cycling path that leads us to the Ossiacher See. In Austria we can mostly follow signed cycling paths. These paths take us through some very nice scenic country. We follow the river Glan and find a nice fort at Hochosterwitz. We climb through the Göttschitz Valley till we reach Mühlen were we find a camping at the Badensee. The next day we climb to Hohentauern (1274 m.) and stay there at a nice hotel. After the downhill (12%) from Hogentauern we follow the Ennsradweg (Enns cycle path) allong the Enns river. We climb across the Buchauer Sattel (861 m.) to Sankt Gallen. At the end of the Ennsradweg we reach the Donau river. Via the Donau we cycle to the Gusental-radweg (R5, Euro cycle route 7). We follow this cycle route to the border with Czechia.

At the border of Austria.

On top of the Wurzenpass.

Welcome to Kärnten, Germany.

At Hohentauern.

Beautiful Austrian mountains.

Buchauer Sattel

In Czechia we cycle into Vyšší Brod. Here we pick up the long distance cycle route nr 33. This route takes us along some small forest paths to Lipno, where our first campsite in Czechia is. The next day we keep following cycle route nr 33, which takes us through the Sumava National Park. At the end of the cycle route nr are the signs to follow not very clear everywhere and it is sometimes hard to find the correct route. We follow cycle route nr 33 (which for some part is also equal to Euro cycling route 13) all the way to Všeruby, where we turn left to enter Germany.

At the border of Czechia.

Relaxing at camping.

Following cycling route 33...

through wide fields...

And beautiful forest roads...

Cycling relaxed without traffic.

Our first stop in Germany is Furth im Wald. From here we climb up the Schalberg and then cycle to Waldmüchen. Here we take the Schwarzachtal-radweg, which lets us cycle some forest roads, through nice fields, across single tracks and old railroad tracks. In Schwarzenfeld we switch to the Schweppermann-radweg to Amberg. After Amberg we follow the Funf Flüsse radweg which leads us to Nurnberg. In Nurnber we start following the Regnitz radweg (nr 11). In Erlangen we turn to the Main-Donau-Channel which we follow to Bamberg. On the way the left pedal of Jan Dirk his bike breaks of. We get to Haßfurt to find a bike shop were we get new pedals. After the repair we follow the Main river. From Schluchtern we have a 500 m climb to Nieder-Moos. From here we descent to the Lahn river which we follow. In Bad Laasphe we turn towards Sassenhausen and from there we start following the Eder river to the Rhein-Weser-turm at an altitude of 700 m. We follow the Lenne river to Plettenburg and onwards to Datteln (very busy roads around Dortmund). We follow the Wesel-Datteln-Channel and cycle through Nature Park Hohe Mark towards the Dutch border.

At the German border.

Cycling on old railroad tracks.

And sometimes on small forest tracks.

And windmills on the hilltops.

More windmills.

Look out for cows in the village streets.

Cycling along the channel.

We cross the border near Aalten. In the Netherlands we follow the numbered cycle points. At Lobith we start following the river Rhine. we take some small ferries allong the way and After following the Amsterdam-Rhine-Channel and the Old Rhine river we reach our final destination of this cycling trip (Leiden). We cycled a total of 1989,63 km in 22 days during this cycling trip. We realy enjoyed our trip.

On the ferry crossing the Nederrijn at Loo.

Crossed the Nederrijn again at Wijk bij Duurstede.

Cycling home through the Dutch fields.

VENICE WEATHER