Klagenfurt am Worthersee, Austria is a place that has everything is needed for a perfect cycling holidays destination: a wide network of roads with excellent asphalt quality, various cycling routes with beautiful landscape, great food and beer 😉

Here is a map of my TOP 5 selection of the best road cycling routes around Klagenfurt am Worthersee, Austria (click on each one for details … or scroll down for more info):

I’ve sorted this 5 Klagenfurt cycling routes from easy to hardest so you can pick the ones suited to your fitness level. Routes 1 to 4 have their starting point in front of the Klagenfurt Camping near the main bathing area of the Worthersee Lake (Strandbad). The starting point of the Route 5 is just 50 km of driving away, in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia

Route 1 (very easy) – Leisure ride on Lendkanal

Map, altitude profile and .gpx track file download from here:

https://www.bikemap.net/en/r/9566488/#13.19/46.62017/14.27828

8 km long with ~0 m climbing to be done in total.

Take a leisure ride on the banks of the canal that goes from the lake Worthersee all the way to the Klagenfurt city center. This area is very popular for easy cycling. No cars allowed. It is used by the locals for daily commuting. In summer days the water canal is full with Kayak or SUP enthusiasts. Very pleasant and relaxed way to spend an afternoon.

Route 2 (easy) – Tour around the lake Worthersee

Map, altitude profile and .gpx track file download from here :

https://www.bikemap.net/en/r/9590335/#10.91/46.6114/14.1504

https://www.strava.com/activities/5588788723

Option 1: 40 km long with ~200 m climbing to be done in total (if you do just the tour around the lake)

Option 2: 60 km long with ~600 m climbing to be done in total (if you add an extra ~20km loop to Schiefling am Worthersee – the maps above are for this second option and include the first one also)

This is a must do route if you come in the region. Almost all of the option 1 route is on bike lanes, away from car traffic. You pass several small villages and lake resorts where you can stop and visit/have a drink. We’ve liked the town of Velden am Worthersee so much that we’ve returned the next evening to have dinner and just walk around.

I highly recommend you to do it also even if it is just a little bit harder. The views on the extra loop, with green typical Austrian pastures with the mountains in the background worth the extra effort.

Route 3 (medium) – Magdalensberg climb

Map, altitude profile and .gpx track file download from here :

https://www.bikemap.net/en/r/9587228/#11.19/46.6737/14.3455

https://www.strava.com/activities/5578528832

65 km long with ~1000 m climbing to be done in total.

Magdalensberg is a beautiful small gothic church situated on top of a 1000m high hill near Klagenfurt. The climb is quite demanding, 8km long with 6.6% average slope but with a max. slope that reaches 18% in the final kilometers.

At the top there is a guesthouse and a terrace with amazing view over the entire area, including Klangenfurt and the lake. This has to be the best place we’ve found on our routes to stop and have a mid ride drink.

Route 4 (medium-hard) – Pyramidenkogel Tower, Rupertiberg & Radsberg

Map, altitude profile and .gpx track file download from here :

https://www.bikemap.net/en/r/9587250/#10.14/46.5821/14.2506

https://www.strava.com/activities/5573860784

88 km long with ~1300 m climbing to be done in total.

This is classic road cycling route of this region. 3 climbs on today’s menu. Pyramidenkogel and Radsberg are longer and harder, Rupertiberg is the easiest one. Some steep slopes and technical descends.

Klagenfurt is home of IronMan Austria that is held here every summer. This route include some of the IronMan bike course segments like the Rupertiberg climb. You can also ride the IronMan Austria bike course that you can find on their website.

Route 5 (hard) – Vrsic Pass & Mangart Saddle

Map, altitude profile and .gpx track file download from here :

https://www.bikemap.net/en/r/9358293/#10.89/46.4218/13.6756

https://www.strava.com/activities/5584547915

106 km long with ~2800 m climbing to be done in total.

If you like climbing the highest mountain roads and reach altitudes of 2000m than this is the best option you have in this area. The route is in nearby Slovenia (the starting point, Kranjska Gora, is just 50 km away from Klagenfurt, so less thank 1h drive).

My advice is not to miss this one if you have the fitness level required. It is so beautiful !

Check the dedicated full article for this route: https://mystreet.website/2021/08/03/road-cycling-slovenia-climbing-vrsic-pass-and-mangart-saddle-from-kranjska-gora/

The video we’ve made on that specific day: