WORLD-CLASS BICYCLE TOURS

Cycling Through Styria & Salzburger Land

Following the Wine and Spa Route

 

 

 AUSTRIA - BIKING ALONG THE MUR RIVER CYCLE PATH   ,

 

 

THROUGH SALZBURGER LAND & STYRIA TO THE SLOVENIAN BORDER

 

Following the Wine and Spa Route from Gentian to Riesling Wine

 

When rivers where the easiest way to travel, traders followed river Mur on their way south from Salzburg to the Slovenian border. Do you like contrasts? Then you will love the start in Lungau - Austria’s Little Canada surrounded by 2000 and 3000 m high mountains, the unspoilt nature on the banks of Mur where more than 200 different bird species found a home and Graz the pulsating, lively capital of Styria. You finish the tour in lovely warm and fertile plains of South Styria with vineyards, pumpkin fields and thermal spas. Many museums on the way inform about local history and way of life: open air farm museums, a wood and forest museum as well as a beer museum. Welcome to Mur, welcome to Styria – Green Heart of Austria.

 

 

The bicycle-path begins beneath a spring and leads through the Salzburger Land and the Styria region to the Slovenian border. Biking along the Mur is a trip from a high-mountain region to a wine-growing region and from the Gentian to the Riesling wine regions. From the secluded farms of Lungau farmers via the pulsating capital of Graz, to the thermal spring region of southern Styria. You bike past castles and ruins, through straits and a. and wide basins on an old trade route towards the south, There is a lot to see: Timber museum, outdoor-museum, breweries and a race-rack near Zelsweg.

 

Tour Profile: From the spring to the Slovenian border, the Mur cycle path, covering a distance of 365 km/226 mi, descends by 1700 meters/ 5625 ft. (difference in altitude). And from St. Michael to Bad Radkersburg the bike path declines another 870 m/2827 ft.. You bike most of the time downhill except some small ascents along the Mur. The trip is mostly on bicycle-paths and occasionally on side streets or country lanes. On the first two days several short ups are always followed by longer downhill sections. The Mur Cycle Path is well signposted and fully away from traffic (some short stages on minor roads).

 

Highlights:

• Murau, a medieval center of brewery with its beer museum and castle Obermurau

• Fraunberg fortress ruins

• Stift Seckau,a Benedictine Abbey

• The Abbey Goss and the Gosser brewery

• Castle Eggenberg

• Castle Seggau with its art and a 300 year old wine cellar

• The

• South Styrian wine road

• Days spent sampling the many beers and wines from the Gentians to the Reislings

• Graz, the capital of Styria

• Thermal spas

 

 

Click to See:  Tour Price - Departure Days - What's Included - Reserve this tour

 

The Itinerary:

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Day 1 - Individual arrival to St. Michael i Lungau
Personal welcome and tour information, distribution of rental bicycles. St Michael used to be a miner’s settlement from the 12th century.

 

Day 2 - St. Michael – Murau        approx. 55 km/34mi
First you pass through Tamsweg (historic market place, pilgrim’s church St. Leonhard). Wood in all the different sorts dominates this stage (forest and wood museum St. Ruprecht). Overnight in Murau (medieval centre of brewery, beer museum, castle Obermurau).

 

Day 3 - Murau – Judenburg / surroundings        approx. 65 km/40 mi
The river valley narrows on foot of the ragged peaks of Niedere Tauern. Frojach: railway museum; Frauenburg: ruins of the fortress, where troubadour Ulrich von Liechtenstein lived and died; Sauerbrunn: oldest mineral water spring of Styria. Many historic sites in Judenburg: old city tower, ancient fortress, town houses, Magdalene’s church.

 

 

Day 4 - Judenburg / surroundings – Bruck an der Mur / Oberaich       

 approx. 60 km/37 mi
Maria Buch (pilgrim’s church) and Stift Seckau (Benedictine Abbey). In the past this region belonged to the most important industrial region of Austria. Many efforts were made to preserve this heritage: carefully maintained old towns, pulsating pedestrian zones and interesting museums: Abbey Göss and Gösser Brewery. Bruck an der Mur: castle mountain, medieval house of corn merchants, town hall.

 

Day 5 - Bruck a. d. Mur / Oberaich – Graz       approx. 60 km/37 mi
Frohnleiten: Murlend park, „rattling wives fountain“; then you immerse into unspoilt nature: old fruit orchards surrounding ancient farm buildings, past fortress Rabenstein, drip stone cave Lurgrotte, open air farmhouse museum Stübing. Graz, capital of Styria, adds the culture to today’s nature: the castle hill with famous clock tower, castle Eggenberg, historic Landhaus – seat of the government and town hall, many museums and a pulsating life on many squares

 

Day 6 - Graz – Mureck approx.      approx. 65 km/40 mi
Castle Seggau: royal room and art gallery for the eye, the 300 year old wine-cellar for the palate. The first introduction of South-Styrian Wine Street. Worth to see in Mureck: the church, town hall and the unique river-mill. Castle Obermureck in neighbouring Slovenia is well worth an excursion.

 

Day 7 - Mureck - Bad Radkersburg approx. 25 km/15 mi
Water in all forms on the short final stage: river Mur as life line, Lake Röcksee as bathing resort, spring Peterquelle as local mineral water and the thermal springs of Bad Radkersburg (historic old town uniting many different architectural stiles!). Individual departure, return transfer or extra days (we recommend some extra days in our Cat. A hotel, as the entrance fee into the thermal spa Bad Radkersburg is included).

 

 Overnight Itinerary:   St. Michael im Lungau -  Murau – Judenburg / surroundings - Bruck a. d. Mur / Oberaich – Graz - Mureck - Bad Radkersburg  

 

 

SELF-GUIDED BICYCLE INN TOUR

 

TOUR #23062/B    CAT B - 7 DAYS $790

 

 CATEGORY B HOTELS - 3*** Star hotels, guesthouses and pensions                      Return to Top

Breakfast is included every day

 

Single supplement - $175

 

Half-board surcharge - $170

 

 

TOUR #23062/A    CAT A - 7 DAYS $950                                                                        Return to Top

 

CATEGORY A HOTELS - 3*** and 4*** Star hotels and guesthouses

 

Breakfast is included every day

Single supplement - $210

 

Half-board surcharge - $215

 

Bicycle Rental - $95

 

Bicycles: 21 speed bike with free wheel - equipment: 1 pannier bag  

 

 

ELECTRIC POWERED BICYCLE: You can add the use of an electric motor to do some of the work for you. Our electric bikes increase the pedaling power 3 fold. This way bikers with different sportif conditions can book a bike tour together.

• Electric powered bicycle rental - $260

 Extra Nights:                                                                                                                    Return to Top

 

St Michael - Cat A - $110/person    Single Supplement $25

St Michael - Cat B - $70/person     Single Supplement $25

 

Bad Radkersburg (Thermae entree included) - Cat A - $125/person    Single Supplement $30

Bad Radkersburg  - Cat B - From $80/person     Single Supplement $25

 

 

Departures - Daily from May 5 to September 16

 

Hint: We recommend visiting the dramatic spring of river Mur. To get there (some short but very steep parts with a gradient of 12% and 19%) we can organise transfers. Cost € 50 (up to 4 persons incl. bicycles).

TIP: Trip to the spring of river Mur approx. 55 km
You bike with nearly no traffic along the course of the river Mur in the national park commune Muhr. You will pass the blooming alp meadows until you reach the Muritzen parking place (possibility of the transfer). From here on it goes in partly steep ascents to the Stickler hut. The last part is by foot (about 1 hour) to the spring of the river Mur on 1898 m. Back downhill to St. Michael.

What's Included:
• Personal welcome briefing and tour information on spot
• overnights in hotels and country hotels of the booked category
• Breakfast buffet
• Half board, if booked: min. 3-course dinner
• Luggage transfer from hotel to hotel
• Carefully elaborated route
• One set of detailed travel documents (maps, route description, places of interest, telephone numbers) per booked room
• Car park unguarded in St. Michael free of charge
• 7-day-service hotline

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EXCLUSIONS - The insurances, the transfers from and to the airport, the drinks, the lunches, the dinners, items of a personal nature such as phone calls, laundry or anything not specifically mentioned as included, admission fees; ferries; insurance; tips and personal expenditures.

 

 

Reduction for Children:                                                                                Return to Top

• 0 - 5 years   - 100%

• 6 - 11 years   50%

• 12-14  years  25%

• 15-99 years   10%

 

Parking / arrival and departure

Unguarded parking spaces free of charge, park garage € 5 per day, car port € 10 per week.

Return transfer from Bad Radkersburg to St. Michael by Bicycle Taxi Bus (cost € 46/$75 incl. bike, payable on spot): Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 2 pm, Sunday at 11 am. Duration approx. 4 hours. Please make sure to book your space together with the tour.

Return from Bad Radkersburg to Graz for € 25 per person or Bruck a.d. Mur for € 35 per person, bike included.

 

DOSSIER - On the first day of the tour you will be given maps, road book, fact sheets and tourist information.

 

IN CASE OF BREAKDOWN - We do not intervene for flat tires. However, should any breakdown occur that prevents the completion of the days journey we will make repairs on the road. A phone number will be provided. All other types of necessary repairs that do not make cycling impossible will be repaired at the hotel each night.