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-   -   Motorcycle through Italian and Austrian Alps (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/motorcycle-through-italian-and-austrian-alps-975912/)

jeairas Apr 26th, 2013 07:32 AM

Motorcycle through Italian and Austrian Alps
 
My girlfriend and I are taking a motorcycle trip through Europe next summer, we've got the majority of the route planned out, the only part that we're still working on is the route through the Italian and Austrian alps.

We'll be coming up the Croatian coast, spend a few days in Slovenia, then through some wine regions in Northern Italy (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto and Trentino Alto Adige). After this our next major stop is Prague, however, we have some extra time and would like to take a detour through the Italian/Austrian Alps, perhaps go through Innsbruck. We could go further west towards the Swiss alps too...

Has anyone taken any trips in this area and if so perhaps have any recommendations as to some great roads, scenic towns and/or some must see stops/attractions?

Any help/suggestions would be much appreciated!

Thanks

jeairas Apr 26th, 2013 07:33 AM

Oh, and we'll mainly be camping so if anyone has a recommendation on some great camp grounds along the way that would be awesome!

pja1 Apr 28th, 2013 04:46 AM

Hi,

Depending on how much time you have, one route I'd suggest that you include is riding up to Cortina d'Ampezzo, then west through the Alta Badia, over the Gardena Pass (our favorite alpine pass) and into Val Gardena. Then I'd say down around Bozen/Bolzano, up to Meran/Merano and then over the spectacular Timmelsjoch Pass into the Oetztal, Austria.

From Meran/Merano, you could also ride west through the beautiful Vinschgau/Val Venosta. beautiful alpine scenery and plenty of castle's, if that's of interest to you. From the Vinschgau/Val Venosta you could go back and ride the Timmelsjoch Pass OR loop around by taking the Reschen Pass (not a high alpine pass) to Nauders and then Landeck, Austria.

You could also base in the Alta Badia, as here you're in the middle of the Dolomites and there are many fantastic passes (Sella, Pordoi, Giau, Gardena, etc.) in the immediate area to ride. The scenery and passes between Cortina (to the east) and Val Gardena (west) is some of the best in the Dolomites. If you based in the Alta Badia for a couple of nights, you could also head back to Cortina d'Ampezzo, on to Toblach/Dobbiaco, Lienz, Heiligenblut and over the amazing Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse to Zell am See, etc.

This may be of interest to you:

www.alpineroads.com/dolomites.php

www.alpineroads.com

Sorry, I can't make any suggestions about camping.

Hope this helps in your planning.

Paul

jeairas Apr 28th, 2013 06:39 PM

Thanks so much Paul! This information will be of great help!
Here's the route I'm thinking now: Not sure exactly where we'll be coming from as the entire trip isn't fully mapped out yet, but for simplicity, let's just say Venice as I know that's a stop along the way:

Venice - Cortina d'Ampezzo - Gardena Pass - Merano - Vinschgau - Reschen Pass - Nauders - Innsbruck... and then on

Google maps states a little over 7 hours. We'd likely make it a 2 day ride. Where would you suggest stopping for the night along this route if this is what we decide on.

Thanks again!

pja1 Apr 29th, 2013 08:19 AM

HI,

While I like the route, I'd probably go with heading over the Timmelsjoch Pass into the Oetztal and then on to Innsbruck and so on. That's assuming you really enjoy riding the high alpine passes with plenty of switchbacks, etc. Otherwise, sounds great. Where to stop for 2 nights along the way totally depends on how much ground you plan to cover each day. We like the Alta Badia, Val Gardena, Val Venosta and the Innsbruck area, so you can't go too wrong and it's all good in my opinion.

Paul

pja1 Apr 29th, 2013 08:20 AM

Oh, we also like the Oetztal, so it's ALL good in my opinion!

jeairas Apr 30th, 2013 07:16 AM

Great, thanks so much Paul. Any particular places you've stayed at in the past? We love to find nice little family ran hotels and bed & breakfasts.

Thanks again!

pja1 Apr 30th, 2013 08:25 AM

Hi,

We LOVE the Ciasa Montanara in La Villa, Alta Badia. We stayed here in 10/06 and 9/09.

www.montanara.it

We can also recommend the Garni Ariston in St. Christna, Val Gardena. Stayed here in 10/03.

www.garniariston.com

Last, but not at all least, we really liked our stay in 4/05 at the Hotel Panorama in Mals/Malles in the Val Venosta/Vinschgau. It was sort of a "splurge" for us, but it incl. an extensive buffet breakfast, afternoon tea and cake and a fantastic 4 course dinner.


www.biohotel-panorama.it

In the Innsbruck area, we stayed 4 times (10/01, 10/03, 4/05, 11/10) in Hall in Tirol at the Gasthof Badl. Love everything about this place.

www.badl.at

Paul

pja1 Apr 30th, 2013 08:29 AM

I forgot,

If interested, we have photo's of all these and more (3 pages) at:

http://www.worldisround.com/home/pja1/index.html

Paul

jeairas May 4th, 2013 09:03 AM

Those are great suggestions Paul; thanks so much. And thanks for sharing the pictures too!

Parmenter May 4th, 2013 10:59 AM

To the previous excellent suggestions I would add the Julian Alps in Slovenia which can be done in a loop from Lake Bled


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