3-country tour: Austria, Switzerland, Italy

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For the season opening of the High-Bike Testcenter Paznaun, we rode a tour from Ischgl over the Ofenpass and Reschenpass. The tour is ideal for rides early in the season, when most of the passes are still closed, as neither the Ofen Pass nor the Reschen Pass are closed in winter. There are some lovely stops along the tour that invite you to stop and enjoy the surroundings.

Update: Please note that the High-Bike Testcenter has moved and is no longer located in Ischgl but in Zams, but you can still ride the route suggestion in an abbreviated version from Zams without any problems. See also our new article here.

We set off from the High-Bike Testcenter in Ischgl in the direction of Landeck. With a view of Wiesberg Castle just before Landeck, we turn right and swing up a small mountain road to the mountain village of Tobadill. This small detour allows us to avoid the traffic chaos in Landeck and enjoy the fantastic view from Tobadill. From Tobadill, we enter the Inn Valley and take the B180 to . On the way there, we deliberately leave out the possible detours to the right and left of the route, which we can take on the way back depending on time and mood.

Distance: 270-380 kilometers
Riding time: 6-8 hours
Route and GPX download: kurv.gr/E3SGC

Over the Ofen Pass

Shortly after crossing the Swiss border, we arrive at our first stop, the mountain village of Ardez. On the terrace of the Hotel Schorta’s Alvetern, we marvel at the Alpenkullise while sipping an espresso. From Ardez, we have another castle in view, the Steinsberg castle ruins. There are many castles and palaces in the region. These castles are usually built at a distance from each other so that people could warn each other of impending danger in the past. This is why you can see a castle or palace at regular intervals as you cross the valleys.

From Ardez, we follow the Inn Valley to Zernez. The Ofenpass begins behind Zernez and takes us up to 2149 m. Incidentally, the name Ofenpass comes from the former iron smelters where iron ore was processed. After a short stop at the top of the pass, we continue on to Italy.

We’ve been on the road for a few hours now and we’re starting to get a little hungry. After Mals, we turn left and take a winding cul-de-sac to our lunch stop. The impressive Marienberg Abbey is located along the cul-de-sac and the ruins of Kastellatz Castle lie directly behind it. We stop at the Hotel Kastellatz and take a seat on the inviting panoramic terrace.

The drowned church

Invigorated by the break, we get back on our bikes and continue towards Lake Reschen. The sunken church in Lake Reschen is one of the most famous destinations for bikers in Tyrol and is of course a must on this tour. From Reschen we then head back to the Inntal valley via the Norbertshöhe.

On the outward journey, we drove from Landeck into Switzerland without any major detours. On the way back, there are all the more detours. Depending on your mood and time, you can take a few more bends under your wheels. For example, the detour to Samnaun is recommended, even if you don’t want to shop duty-free. The detour via Ladis and the Piller Höhe is also definitely recommended. If you still haven’t had enough, ride from Piller Höhe to Heimingerberg.

High-Bike Testcenter Paznaun

For this tour, our group rented motorcycles from the High-Bike Testcenter in Ischgl. The High-Bike Testcenter offers motorcycles from many different manufacturers for hire. This allows you to put your dream motorcycle through its paces in the Alps before you buy it. As we were quite a large group, there were plenty of opportunities to swap bikes from time to time, so we had a lot of fun and were always able to test a different bike. There is even the option of renting complete motorcycle equipment, so you can spontaneously ride a motorcycle for a day during your hiking vacation.

If the Alps are too far south for you, how about the North Sea?

If you come from the far north, the journey to the Alps is sometimes a little too far. It doesn’t always have to be the Alps, how about a motorcycle vacation on the North Sea? Vacation homes on the North Sea can offer a comfortable place to stay.