Austria

Hilltop peaks covered with forests, green, clean-shaven meadows underneath, high mountains with beautiful mountain passes in the west, houses with wooden roof structures that are perfectly kept in the stain and façades immaculately plastered in cheerful colors. Austria is a country that radiates wealth.

The Austrian landscape includes areas with high and low mountains, hills and plains. The difference in altitude and climate has produced a wide variety of flora and fauna. Austria is one of the most forested countries in Europe, 47% of the country is covered with forest. The bicycle has certainly been thought of and new routes and (separate) cycle paths are still being added. A country where you can stay safe and carefree.

Generally really friendly and helpful, you can even get by with english in the countryside

People from EU, Canada, Japan and USA don't need a visa. All other people need a Schengen visa to visit this country. You can find more information here https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/tourist-schengen-visa/. The visa is valid for 90 days, and allows you to travel through all Schengen countries.

Austria a safe country to cycle at.

Supermarkets

In principle, the shops may be open from monday to friday between 6:00 am and 7:30 pm, and on saturday until 5:00 pm. However, as a rule, most shops are open from 8 am-6pm with 1? Noon break and on saturday until 1:00 pm. The larger supermarkets are also open on sunday morning.

Restaurants

• In the culinary field there are many possibilities in austria. Specialties from austrian cuisine include: tafelspitz, salzburger nockerln (a light dessert of beaten eggs, sugar, flour, butter and vanilla sugar), kärntner nudeln (the austrian variant of the italian ravioli. Dough bags filled with meat, mashed potatoes or cottage cheese), kaiserschmarrn (pieces of risen pancake with raisins. Served with icing sugar and apple sauce or cranberries), germknödel (steamed dough ball filled with plum jam, topped with butter or vanilla sauce and sprinkled with sugar and poppy seeds) or wiener schnitzel.
• The choice is limited for the vegetarian.
• South tyrol offers a beautiful combination of italian culinary tradition and german care in terms of service.

Drinkable water

Tap water is drinkable everywhere. In the mountains it is wonderfully soft, perfect for making delicious tea, in the lower areas, however, it is quite hard: boiling water immediately results in a white-coated pan.

Availability hospitals / doctors

• Closed pharmacies have a sign with the name of the nearest pharmacies on duty.
• Information about the doctor on duty at the local police or gendarmerie can be found in the phone book.
• All mountain villages have their own mountain rescue service. Emergency numbers: rescue / emergency doctor: 144; medical center: 141; mountain rescue service: 140.

Mapped cycle routes

• Map with bicycle routes in Austria

Best bike period

Seasons (dry / wet)

• The climate has a transitional character: from the temperate, atlantic influenced west and northwest respectively to the more continental east. In the west the precipitation is considerably higher than in the east and in the high areas higher than in the low plains.
• May to october are the best months for cycling. Spring is a particularly good time. Even in summer it can still be very cold on the mountain passes. Minor mountain passes, such as the beautiful timmelsjoch, can remain closed until late spring, only the important passes such as the brenner are kept open all year round.

Tourist high season

• Harry: I was cycling through the east of the country in july and august expecting crowded campsites. That was not so bad, I was even the only one on a number. It is busy at the more touristy places such as the attersee and a city like salzburg.

**Spare parts
**

There are plenty of options to have your bicycle repaired in the villages.