Biking from Italy to Austria: Our Family Adventure from San Candido to Lienz

There are certain experiences you have while traveling that turn out to be even better than you expected. Our family bike ride from San Candido, Italy, to Lienz, Austria, was one of those experiences.

Before our trip to the Dolomites, I had learned about a famous bike route that begins in San Candido and follows the Drava River toward Lienz. The idea sounded almost too good to be true: rent bikes in Italy, ride through the mountains and countryside into Austria, leave the bikes in Lienz, and then take the train back to San Candido.

We were traveling with three children, so naturally I had some concerns. Would the route be difficult to follow? Would my nine-year-old son be able to handle the 3-hour ride? Would my wife enjoy it? Would I survive pulling my eight-year-old and two-year-old daughters in tow behind me?

The answer to all of those questions was yes. And it turned out to be one of the best family experiences we have ever had.

Starting in San Candido: Our adventure began in San Candido, a beautiful mountain town in the Italian Dolomites. We rented our bikes in town. My wife had her own bike, my nine-year-old son rode independently, and I had the privilege (and workout) of pulling my two daughters in a trailer behind me.

One of the things that immediately impressed us was how simple the entire process was. We got our bikes from Papin Bike Rentals, figured out the equipment, and before long, we were on our way toward Austria on e-bikes. There was no complicated navigation. We did not once need to look at our phones for navigation purposes. The route was well marked and easy to follow.

We also quickly discovered that we were not alone. Families, couples and groups of cyclists were all enjoying the same journey. There were enough people around that we never felt isolated, but the trail never lost its peaceful character. It felt like everyone was sharing in the same adventure.

A Bike Ride Through the Mountains: The scenery was spectacular from the beginning. We rode past rolling green fields, forests, mountain homes and small villages. Cows grazed in the fields, mountains surrounded us, and the Drava River accompanied us for much of the journey toward Austria. This is not the kind of experience where you are simply trying to get from Point A to Point B. The journey is the experience.

Every few minutes, there was another view that made us want to stop and look around. One of my favorite things about the ride was the feeling of actually being inside the landscape. When you travel through the mountains by car, you see beautiful scenery through the windows.

On a bicycle, you experience everything differently. You feel the temperature change when you enter the shade of the forest. You hear the river flowing beside you. You smell the trees and the grass. You can stop whenever you want. There is no windshield separating you from the experience.

The Fresh Air and Perfect Summer Weather: We visited during the summer, and one of the things we loved most about the Dolomites was the weather. The air was crisp and fresh, and the temperature was ideal for cycling. Coming from Florida (and Florence), we are accustomed to summer heat and humidity. The idea of spending hours riding bicycles outdoors during the summer would normally not sound particularly appealing. In the Dolomites, it was completely different.

The combination of the cool mountain air, the forests and the beautiful scenery made us want to keep going. It was one of those rare days when simply being outside felt like an experience.

Rest Stops, Cafés and Mountain Water: Another reason the ride worked so well for our family was that we never felt trapped on a trail with nowhere to stop. Along the way, there are places to rest, eat, have coffee or get something cold to drink. We stopped during the journey simply to sit, relax and enjoy the surroundings.

There are also fountains along the route where cyclists can stop for water. I have to say, the water we drank in the mountains tasted better to me than the bottled water we are accustomed to drinking at home. These little details matter when you are traveling with children. The ride never felt like an endurance event. We could move at our own pace, stop when we wanted, and enjoy the day.

Forests, Timber and a Lesson About the Region: The ride was also educational for the children, and for us. We passed through heavily wooded areas and saw evidence of the timber industry that remains important to this Alpine region. We saw timber being cut and prepared for construction and firewood.

For the children, the day became more than a bicycle ride.

They were seeing how people live in this part of Europe.

They were observing the forests, rivers, farms, animals and mountain communities. That is one of the things I value most about traveling with children. They may not realize it at the time, but they are learning constantly.

Our Stop at Loacker: One of the most anticipated stops of the day was the Loacker chocolate and wafer factory and café.

For a family traveling with three children, a chocolate stop in the middle of a long bicycle ride is a fairly easy sell.

We parked the bikes, went inside, had coffee, explored and, of course, bought some chocolate and wafers.

It was the perfect break in the journey.

After resting and refueling, we got back on the bikes and continued toward Austria.

The Kids Surprised Us: One of the biggest surprises of the day was how well everyone did. My wife rode the entire route without a problem.  In fact, having not purchased padded biker shorts liked she should have, her butt was a little sore, so she stopped at a Papin Bike Rental Service Center on the way to Lienz to switch her bike.  The fact that there are Papin service centers on the way is another remarkable feature of the trip, creating extra comfort for bikers who may need assistance.

My nine-year-old son rode independently and did a fantastic job. My daughters enjoyed the journey from their seats behind me, and my 2-year-old never once cried. Anyone who has traveled with young children knows how remarkable that last sentence is. There were smiles on our faces throughout the day. I think that says more about the experience than anything else I can write

Crossing from Italy to Austria: There is something special about crossing an international border on a bicycle. We had started our morning in San Candido, Italy, and by the end of the ride, we were arriving in Lienz, Austria.

For the children, that was part of the adventure. We had not taken an airplane. We had not driven across the border in a car. We had ridden our bicycles from one country to another. That gave the journey a sense of accomplishment that made arriving in Lienz even more satisfying.

Arriving in Lienz: After hours of riding through the countryside, we finally arrived in Lienz.

We returned the bikes immediately to a Papin Bike Rental facility as soon as we entered Lienz, and then spent some time walking around the city.

After riding all day, we found a café and sat down for a well-earned drink.

There is something particularly satisfying about sitting at an outdoor café in Austria after arriving there by bicycle from Italy. We were tired, but it was the good kind of tired. We had accomplished something together.

The Easiest Park was Taking the Train Home: One of the reasons I recommend this experience so highly is the simplicity of the return journey. We did not have to turn around and ride all the way back to Italy. That would have been a very different family story.

Instead, we left the bikes in Lienz, walked to the train station and took the train back to San Candido. The entire system makes the adventure accessible to ordinary families.

You can enjoy the experience of riding from Italy to Austria without worrying about having enough energy to repeat the entire journey in reverse.

For us, the train ride home was part of the memory.

My children were sitting there smiling after the adventure we had just shared, and I remember thinking about what an incredible day it had been.

One of Our Favorite Family Experiences: Our family has been fortunate to travel to many places and have many wonderful experiences together. This bike ride immediately went near the top of our list.

It was not because it was luxurious. It was not because we visited a famous museum or stayed at an expensive resort. It was because we spent the entire day outside together, moving through one of the most beautiful parts of Europe at a pace that allowed us to truly experience it.

We saw the mountains. We rode beside the river. We passed forests, farms, cows and villages. We stopped for coffee and chocolate. We watched our children accomplish something new. And we crossed from Italy into Austria together.

Would We Do It Again?

Absolutely. In fact, before the day was even over, we were already talking about doing it again. There are some travel experiences that you check off a list.

You see them once, enjoy them and move on to the next destination. This was different. This is something we could imagine making part of our family travels again and again. If you are visiting the Dolomites with your family and are looking for an experience that combines nature, adventure, beautiful scenery and time together, I cannot recommend the San Candido-to-Lienz bike ride enough.

For us, it was more than a bike ride.

It was one of those rare travel days when everything seemed to come together perfectly: the weather, the scenery, the adventure and, most importantly, the family.

We started the day on bicycles in Italy. We ended it on a train coming home from Austria, with tired legs, chocolate in our bags and smiles on our faces. And we already know we’ll be back to do it again.