Travel story: Alpe-Adria from Villach to Grado

Alpe Adria Cycle Path - a route that sparks true

For many cyclists, the Alpe Adria Cycle Path is a dream route - its breathtaking landscapes and the chance to cross the Alps without tackling steep climbs make it truly special. It’s also one of the most popular Cycling Holidays tours. For our very first multi-day cycling tour, we chose the second half of this stunning route: the six-day tour from Villach to Grado. This section is a bit less alpine than the first stretch from Salzburg to Villach and leads you from Carinthia through the idyllic Friuli Venezia Giulia region all the way to the sea.

Thanks to our detailed Cycling Holidays travel documents - with in-depth stage descriptions, maps, and the personal welcome briefing on arrival day - we felt perfectly prepared for our tour. We especially appreciated the Cycling Holidays & Walking Holidays on Tour-App, which guided us every step of the way, providing navigation and information about sights and the best places to stop. The luggage transfer was a real highlight, too, transporting our suitcases from hotel to hotel and letting us enjoy each day of our tour with just the essentials.

From Villach across the Italian border to the mountain village of Tarvisio

Our cycling tour along the Alpe Adria Cycle Path begins in Villach, Austria, where the Drau and Gail rivers meet. We ride out of the city, crossing a spectacular red arched bridge and heading straight into the Dobratsch Nature Park. Here, we follow the sparkling turquoise Gail river through a forested landscape dotted with idyllic little swimming spots.

Pedaling through quiet villages, we reach Arnoldstein and its impressive ruins of a former Benedictine monastery. We take time to explore the lovingly restored monastery and soak in the views overlooking the picturesque town and the surrounding mountain peaks.

Afterward, our e-bikes give us a relaxed boost as we tackle the first gentle climbs towards the Austrian-Italian border at Thörl-Maglern. From here, the route continues through Italy’s Friuli Venezia Giulia region. The scenery grows ever more mountainous and enchanting, and by early afternoon we reach Tarvisio - our first stopover. Nestled at the crossroads of Austria, Italy, and Slovenia, this charming mountain village brings together the best of all three cultures.

Cyclist in red jacket on Alpe-Adria cycle path near modern red arch bridge over calm river with mountain backdrop near Villach.

From Tarvisio through the spectacular Canal Valley to Gemona

On the second stage, we’re welcomed by the spectacular Canal Valley. Here, a 47-kilometer stretch of the former Kronprinz-Rudolf Railway has been transformed into a paved bike path, leading gently downhill. We pass nostalgic train stations, numerous tunnels, and many bridges, all while admiring the stunning mountain scenery of the Friulian Alps.

A real highlight is the Chiusaforte railway bridge. Soon after, cyclists should definitely stop at the nostalgic “Stazione di Chiusaforte” station café with its charming beer garden.

Leaving the valley, we pass Venzone - considered one of Italy’s most beautiful villages and designated a national monument. Our stage ends in Gemona del Friuli, which lies beneath Monte Chiampon. Nearly destroyed in the 1976 earthquake, the town has since been carefully restored to its original charm.

Cyclist in turquoise jacket on paved path near Coccau with Alpine village, church tower, and mountain peaks in background.

Female cyclist in red jersey pointing at blue Italia border sign covered with stickers. Two touring bikes with yellow panniers stand nearby.

Cyclist with yellow panniers on historic metal truss bridge with blue deck on Alpe Adria cycle route near Chiusaforte, mountains visible.

Two cyclists with yellow panniers on a bridge overlooking forested hills. A white church sits atop a hill with mountain peaks in the distance.

Cyclist in yellow jacket on Alpe Adria Cycle Path with Ciclovia sign, mountains and old building visible. Kanaltal region.

Two cyclists on paved path through green meadows with mountains in background. Yellow wildflowers line the route on the Alpe Adria cycle path.

From Gemona del Friuli to the beautiful city of Udine

On stage three, we leave the Alps behind and cycle through flatter terrain. The Alpe Adria Cycle Path takes us past picturesque villages, endless cornfields, and vineyards.

Our destination, Udine - the second-largest city in Friul - truly surprises us. Majestic Venetian palaces surround gorgeous squares like Piazza Libertà and Piazza Giacomo Matteotti. Udine is perfect for an evening stroll and a delicious meal at one of the many Osterias serving typical Friulian specialties.

White neoclassical building with arched colonnade and clock tower in Udine, Italy. Stone steps lead to the illuminated arcade under a clear blue sky.

From Udine to the lagoon city of Grado

On the fourth and final stage of our cycling journey, the sea comes within reach. We ride across the plains, following small canals that wind toward the Gulf of Venice.

Several cultural highlights await us today. The UNESCO World Heritage site Palmanova is a star-shaped fortress town with three city gates, and at its hexagonal Piazza Grande, we admire the striking white cathedral.

Our next stop, Aquileia - also a UNESCO site and once known as the “Second Rome” - is famed for its stunning Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, the town’s main attraction.

Cyclist in pink shirt riding on bike path along causeway between blue lagoon and road near Grado on Alpe-Adria cycle route.

The Alpe Adria Cycle Path and our journey are coming to an end. Amazed, we realize that our destination - Grado - is actually an island. We cross to the lagoon city via a 5-kilometer causeway, flanked by small islands and sandbanks shimmering in the Adriatic.

Grado, with its historic old town and many bridges, reminds us a bit of Venice, which it once belonged to. One of the main highlights is the Y-shaped marina at the heart of the town.

Grado is a popular seaside resort with beautiful sandy beaches and a lively pedestrian zone. We savor a swim in the sea followed by a delicious dinner - and can’t help but wish we had added a few extra vacation days to our cycling trip.

Historic church in Aquileia with tall bell tower surrounded by cypress trees, viewed across green fields and a stream under blue sky.

Two cyclists with yellow panniers on a paved path in Friuli. Cornfields and village with church tower visible, mountains in background.

Cyclist with bike on spacious square in Palmanova with colorful buildings, white church, palm trees and blue sky.

Cyclists crossing a concrete bridge over the turquoise Tagliamento River near Venzone, with forested mountains and a small village in the background.

Conclusion

The second half of the Alpe Adria Cycle Path from Villach to Grado is a wonderful route packed with scenic and culinary highlights! We were truly impressed by the relaxed way of traveling with Cycling Holidays -everything is perfectly organized: the route, accommodations, and luggage transfer, so we could simply enjoy the ride and the beautiful landscape.

In terms of the route profile, e-bikes weren’t really necessary, but our rental bikes made everything much more comfortable and enabled us to explore even more after each stage.

Travel story: Alpe-Adria Cycle Path from Villach to Grado