Depending on your arrival time into Salzburg you may have time take a look around and explore the winding streets of the old part of town before returning to your hotel to meet your local representative.

You will be fitted to your hire bikes, should you be hiring, and you will have the chance to discuss your upcoming ride, as well as receiving all your route notes and maps for the week ahead.

• Meals: Breakfast

You’ll begin today’s ride by following the river Salzach to Oberndorf, home to the memorial chapel where Silent Night was first performed. In Arnsdorf, your next port of call, you can learn more about the carol and its composer in the Silent Night Museum, which explores the area’s connection with the song.

Further along the route you’ll come across the striking Benedictine Michaelbeuern Abbey which may have been founded as far back as the 8th century. You spend the night in the picturesque Trumer Lakes area or on Lake Wallersee.

• Meals: Breakfast

Today’s ride begins by winding through the nature reserve and network of small lakes of Egelseen to Schleedorf, a village which showcases traditional local crafts, and onwards to Lake Irrsee.

You’ll continue riding towards Mondsee, home to a striking Monastery which encompasses the church where the wedding scene from The Sound of Music was filmed. Even without this claim to fame the church is well worth a visit due to its beautiful interior.

• Meals: Breakfast

We hope you packed your sea legs, as today you’ll cross Lake Attersee by boat to reach Weyregg, where a wide range of activities are accessible, from golf to paragliding. (Please note, tickets for the boat are only included if you‘re travelling between 01/07 and 31/08. At other times of the year the ferry is not available and the alternative route adds 20 kms of relatively easy riding.)

You will continue on through the lovely Aurachtal valley to Gmunden, a charming town on the north shore of Lake Traunsee. Close by is Castle Orth, situated on a small island in the lake.

• Meals: Breakfast

The legs get a bit of a rest today as you transfer by train from Traunsee to Obertraun on Lake Hallstätter See, home to a large network of ice caves.

Following the lake shore, you’ll reach the town of Hallstatt which really is stunningly beautiful. Hallstatt is known for the Beinhaus (bone house) where the skulls of the town’s former residents are decorated and displayed as a mark of respect. The area became wealthy through the nearby salt mines and this is reflected in the houses perched delicately over the lake. From here it is a short ride to the Market town of Bad Goisern; tonight you’ll stay either in Bad Goisern or a nearby town.

• Meals: Breakfast

Back on the bike for the short ride to Bad Ischl and the summer residence of the former emperor of the Austro-Hungarian empire Franz Joseph, who described the palace as “Heaven on Earth“.

You’ll follow the course of the river Ischler Ache to Lake Wolfgangsee and St. Wolfgang, with its cog railway, to the summit of nearby Schafberg, which you may want to visit before heading to your accommodation for the evening.

• Meals: Breakfast

Today is your final day’s cycling but with the views on offer you might wish you had another week to explore!

St. Gilgen, known as the Mozart village, is today’s first port of call. After a wander round you can then a one hour hike to Kühleiten, while your bikes are transferred ahead, giving you a nice downhill ride to Lake Hintersee and through Strubklamm gorge to the Wiestal reservoir. The ride continues through the picturesque Glasenbachklamm gorge, a favourite destination for locals because of its diverse geographical features.

Before returning to Salzburg a visit to Hellbrunn is worthwhile for a look around its fabulous gardens, with an elaborate trick fountain, and a final dose of Sound of Music nostalgia with locations from the film. Your final night is back in Salzburg.

• Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast you might have the time for a last look around Salzburg before catching your return flight home.

Please note; The distance you ride each day will be determined by the location of your hotel each night. The two options stated on some of the days are not optional shorter or longer routes, but more an indication of the distances to each of the possible accommodations. Please ensure you are comfortable with all of the distances stated above.