Around the Salzburg Lakes and up in the mountains

Fuschl am See is a small village that also happens to house Red Bull's headquarters. Within its surroundings, there's a lot of great cycling routes. Some have a killer aptitude, but some are very tame, circling the local lakes created in the Ice Age, and offering beautiful views. You can choose from both, depending on what you prefer.

I always try to get on the road in the early mornings, which usually means setting my alarm for 5:30 AM. Within an hour, I'm on my bike. This summer's weather has been very specific. There have been barely any clouds, but it's been raining a lot to the extent when not getting wet felt like a miracle.

Salzburg's climate offers refuge for all those fleeing the cities in the hot summer months, with an average temperature of 23 degrees, which can go up to 30 in July, their warmest month. On nearly half of July days, however (14 days), you can expect some form of rainfall. The other months tend to be milder, but not necessarily drier. But once you're on the bike in full gear, a mild rainfall won't stop you in your tracks.

One of my favorite routes to take is in the direction of the Postalm mountain pass that is accessible by the lake Wolfgang am See, situated near a town called Strobl. I pass this point, ready to take on the 9km long climb, ranging between a 9-23% aptitude.

It's a set of 11 turns of a steep ascend, where you're much more likely to meet another cyclist than a car. By the end of it, you've climbed an impressive 1200m and have had the chance to enjoy breathtaking views of the Wolfgang See and the Schafberg peak.

Another route worth mentioning is the Gaisbergerspitze climb, right above Salzburg, 1287m high. The ascend is 9km long. Some parts are indeed very steep, but the view is the best you can get in the area. You'll be able to admire both Salzburg and the surrounding mountains.

Whenever I'm not in the mood for such steepness, I go for a trip around the following lakes: Mondsee, Attersee, Hallstatter See, and Wolfgang See. They're all beautiful and crystal-clear, offering a place to take a refreshing dip on top of the wonderful views.

The whole route is around 140km long, during which time you climb a total of approximately 1000m. Plus, you also get familiar with the authentic "Salzburgerland", which, in short, is green, mountainous, and beautiful, high on picturesque old towns and wooden cottages perched on the steep slopes.

Throughout your trip to this area, you can expect to run across kind and helpful locals, and drivers who fully respect cyclists, as they should be doing everywhere. Although this mountainous area is generally very sport-enthusiastic, cycling definitely gets an above-average attention and appreciation.

Salzburg the city (it's also the name of the region) is even referred to as the most bicycle-friendly town in Austria, while Austria is pretty bicycle-friendly to begin with. In the area, you have a generous offer of mountain biking, road biking, and even some biking competitions, if you please--including a triathlon at Zell am See, near the Kaprun glacier.