Road bike holidays in Europe

Roadbike Holidays is a network of specialised road bike hotels and selected road bike regions in Austria, Germany, Italy and Slovenia. The focus is on road bike holidays, varied road bike tours and legendary mountain passes. All partner establishments fulfil defined quality standards for racing cyclists.

The offer is aimed at all those who want to combine scenic routes, sporting challenges and professional support.

A road bike holiday is suitable for anyone who wants to be active and discover new regions on a road bike. Thanks to different tour profiles, both beginners and ambitious riders will find suitable routes.

A road bike holiday is particularly popular with:

• sporty leisure cyclists
• Alpine pass enthusiasts
• Training groups
• Clubs
• E-road bike riders

The network includes selected road bike regions in Austria, Germany, Italy and Slovenia. These countries have been among the most popular destinations for road bike holidays in Europe for years.

The regions offer

• well-developed roads
• varied route profiles
• numerous Alpine passes
• long road bike season
• specialised road bike hotels

Roadbike Holidays combines specialised accommodation with selected road bike regions. The focus is on high-quality road bike tours, regional expertise and an infrastructure that is specially tailored to the needs of road cyclists.

The most important features include

• certified quality standards
• Road bike expertise in the hotel
• Tour advice
• GPS data
• ideal location for road bike tours

Specialised road bike regions offer ideal conditions for varied tours and sporting challenges. There are often several well-known climbs, mountain passes and circular tours in the immediate vicinity. This means that different route profiles can be combined within one holiday.

Certified road bike hotels specialise in the requirements of road cyclists. They offer suitable infrastructure, regional route knowledge and practical services.

Typical advantages are

• secure bike storage
• Tools and repair facilities
• Tour suggestions
• Laundry service
• sports-orientated catering

A road bike hotel is accommodation that is specially designed for road cyclists. In addition to comfort and relaxation, services relating to road bikes take centre stage. These often include secure bike rooms, tour information and personal recommendations for the most beautiful routes in the region.

Road bike hotels fulfil defined quality criteria that have been specially developed for road bike holidays. The aim is to create optimal conditions for training, touring and relaxation.

The most important criteria include

• lockable bike rooms
• Tools for minor repairs
• Washing facilities
• Tour counselling
• regional road bike expertise

Yes, secure storage rooms are one of the basic requirements of a road bike hotel. High-quality racing bikes can therefore be stored safely throughout your stay.

Many hotels offer

• lockable bike garages
• separate bike rooms
• video-monitored areas
• Charging stations for e-road bikes

Most road bike hotels have cleaning facilities for bikes. This helps to preserve the value of the material, especially after rainy rides or long tours. In addition, there are often areas available for drying clothing and equipment.

Yes, tools for minor maintenance work are standard equipment in many road bike hotels. This means that minor problems can be rectified quickly.

Typically available are

• Air pumps
• Assembly stands
• Multitools
• Tyre levers
• Basic tools

Guided road bike tours are offered in many regions. Local guides know the most beautiful routes, scenic highlights and low-traffic roads in the region. Guided tours are particularly suitable for guests visiting a new destination for the first time.

Many regions have professional hire partners or offer high-quality hire bikes directly through the hotel. This makes it possible to plan a road bike holiday even without your own bike. Modern e-road bikes are also increasingly available.

The Dolomites, South Tyrol, Carinthia, SalzburgerLand, Lake Garda and Slovenia are among the most popular road bike regions in Europe. These regions offer ideal conditions for road bike tours of varying degrees of difficulty.

They are characterised by

• well-maintained roads
• spectacular landscapes
• varied altitude profiles
• long season
• numerous circular tours

The Alps are one of the best-known road cycling destinations in Europe. Regions in Austria, Germany, Italy and Slovenia in particular enjoy an excellent reputation among racing cyclists. Many of these regions have already hosted major tours or been part of legendary professional races.

Beginners benefit from regions with moderate climbs, well-developed roads and manageable daily stages. Flatter valley routes make it easier to get into road cycling.

Important features are

• low gradients
• good orientation
• flexible tour lengths
• manageable traffic volume

Sporty racing cyclists prefer regions with long climbs, challenging mountain passes and a lot of metres in altitude. Alpine regions in particular offer ideal conditions for this. Many tours exceed the 2,000 metre altitude mark per day.

Road bike tours range from relaxed valley laps to challenging Alpine stages with several thousand metres of elevation gain. Depending on the region, there are routes for beginners, leisure cyclists and ambitious racing cyclists. Many tours combine scenic highlights with sporting challenges.

Typical tour types are

• Circular tours
• Pass tours
• Panoramic tours
• Valley routes
• Multi-day tours

The length of a road bike tour depends on the region, route profile and level of training. While leisure tours are often between 40 and 70 kilometres, sporty day tours often reach well over 100 kilometres.

Tour type	Typical distance
Beginner	30-60 kilometres
Pleasure riders	60-90 km
Sportive riders	90-150 km
Marathon tours	over 150 km

The number of metres in altitude varies considerably depending on the region. Flatter tours can get by with just a few hundred metres in altitude, while challenging Alpine routes regularly reach over 2,000 metres in altitude. The combination of distance and metres in altitude largely determines the difficulty of a road bike tour.

Yes, most road bike regions offer tours with different levels of difficulty. This means that both beginners and experienced road cyclists will find suitable routes.

Among other things, the following are taken into account:

• Distance
• Metres in altitude
• Route profile
• Road conditions
• technical requirements

Some tours are signposted, but many road cyclists use GPS data for navigation. This allows individual routes to be planned flexibly and adapted to personal goals. GPS navigation has become particularly popular for longer tours and mountain passes.

Yes, many tour suggestions are provided including GPS tracks. These can be transferred to bike computers or smartphones and make it easier to find your way around.

Advantages of GPS data:

• reliable navigation
• flexible planning
• simple route selection
• digital tour management

Many road bike hotels are located directly on popular routes and mountain passes. This means that the road bike tour often starts right outside the hotel door. There are no long journeys and the time available can be used optimally for training or the tour.

The Alps are one of the most important road cycling destinations in Europe. Numerous pass roads have gained worldwide fame through international cycle races.

The most famous Alpine passes include:

• Grossglockner High Alpine Road
• Stelvio Pass
• Sella Pass
• Gardena Pass
• Passo Giau
• Timmelsjoch

The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is considered one of the most spectacular pass roads in Europe. Over around 48 kilometres, it combines impressive panoramas with long climbs and numerous hairpin bends. With an altitude of over 2,500 metres, it is one of the most famous challenges for racing cyclists in Austria.

The Dolomites are one of the most legendary road bike regions in Europe. Several well-known pass roads can be combined on a single tour.

Particularly popular are:

• Sella Pass
• Gardena Pass
• Pordoi Pass
• Campolongo Pass
• Passo Giau

These passes are regularly part of international professional cycling races.

Demanding climbs are characterised by large differences in altitude, long climbs or high average gradients. Some Alpine passes require constant climbing over many kilometres.

Routes with:

• more than 1,500 metres in altitude
• Gradients of over 10%
• long climbs over 20 kilometres
• high alpine conditions

Some road bike regions make it possible to combine several Alpine passes within a single tour. The Dolomites and numerous regions in Austria are particularly well-known. This results in varied circular tours with several climbs and spectacular landscapes.

Many well-known road cycling regions have already hosted stages of major tours. This means that racing cyclists can experience routes on which professionals have also travelled.

Particularly well-known regions are

• the Dolomites
• South Tyrol
• Carinthia
• the SalzburgerLand
• Slovenia

The main season for road bike holidays is between April and October. In southern regions, the season often starts earlier and ends later than in high alpine destinations.

The ideal travelling time depends on

• Altitude
• Weather conditions
• Training goal
• desired route profile

The level of fitness required depends on the planned tours. Many regions offer both relaxed routes and challenging Alpine stages.

The decisive factors are

• Tour length
• Metres in altitude
• personal performance level
• Ability to regenerate

The basic equipment includes a helmet, suitable clothing and a repair kit. We also recommend equipment adapted to the weather and region.

Recommended are

• Helmet
• Cycling goggles
• Multitool
• Spare inner tube
• Rain jacket
• Water bottles
• GPS device

Mountain pass tours place special demands on fitness, equipment and weather planning. At higher altitudes, conditions can change within a short space of time.

The following should be checked before the tour:

• Weather forecast
• Route length
• Metres in altitude
• Catering
• Equipment

Yes, many road cycling regions offer routes with moderate climbs and manageable distances. This means that even less experienced riders can experience the fascination of a road bike holiday. Regions with flat valley routes and flexible touring options are particularly suitable.

Yes, e-road bikes are becoming increasingly important and are expanding the possibilities for road bike holidays. Modern systems provide support, especially on longer climbs and challenging altitude profiles. Many hotels now offer suitable charging and service options.

Many road bike hotels combine sporting activity with relaxation. After long tours, wellness areas with sauna, pool or spa facilities are often available. The combination of exercise and regeneration is one of the most important holiday motives for many road cyclists.

Training camps benefit from a long season, good road conditions and varied route profiles. Regions with a mild climate and plenty of training kilometres are particularly popular.

Typical characteristics:

• early start to the season
• roads with little traffic
• varying degrees of difficulty
• good infrastructure

In addition to well-known destinations, smaller road bike regions are becoming increasingly popular. Less traffic, varied routes and authentic landscapes are what make them so appealing. Many of these regions offer excellent conditions away from the well-known hotspots.

Europe's best-known road bike routes include numerous Alpine routes in Austria, Germany, Italy and Slovenia. The combination of spectacular scenery, well-maintained roads and sporting challenges are particularly popular.

Many of these routes lead over legendary Alpine passes and have been among the most popular destinations in road cycling for decades.