With our three blog posts on the Carinthian panoramic roads, we have already reported on the great motorcycling opportunities in the “Austria–Italy-Slovenia” border triangle. In this post, we want to present interesting excursions to the Italian Friuli and the Karawanken.
Guided tours in motorcycle country
First of all, a special offer from Arge Motorradland Kärnten should be mentioned, which has been offering guided tours in these regions, among others, since this year.
These are led by the veterans of the Carinthian tour scene, Friedl Kohlweiss and Harry Pucher. Many an insider tip is revealed, as the two guides are absolute experts on the region. The tours run under interesting themes such as “Prosciutto Tour”, “Chocolate and Castle Tour” or “First World War Tour” and thus offer plenty of additional benefits from culinary delights to culture and historical backgrounds.
The guided full-day tours take place 3 times a week and are free of charge for guests of ARGE Motorradland Kärnten member companies.
All information about the guided tours can be found on the website of Motorradland Kärnten.
Friuli
You should bring enough motorcycling experience with you for the tours into Friuli, because on the one hand the roads are narrow and not always easy to see, and on the other hand the bends and hairpin bends come one after the other at very short intervals and require a firm grip.
Our suggestion for getting to know each other starts in Tröpolach, from where you enter Italy via the Nassfeld. From Pontebba, the Lanzenpass attracts GS & Co. riders in particular, as the asphalt, which is not always brilliant, is just right for them.
A little later, the next icing on the cake awaits with Monte Zoncolan. A gradient of up to 20% and a gigantic number of hairpin bends are waiting to be tackled. The turning point of the tour is reached in Comeglians, which then leads back to Austria via the historic Plöcken Pass. There, in Kötschach-Mauthen, you can visit the 1915-1918 Museum to learn more about the pass you have just ridden over and the First World War.
Slovenia/Karawanken
With a west-east extension of just over 100 kilometers and a north-south length of around 40 kilometers, the Karawanken provide a crisp playground for upscale motorcycling fun.
There are around 300 exciting kilometers to cover on our Austrian-Slovenian tour. We start at Lake Wörth, which has two interesting sightseeing stops in store: the TV-famous Schlosshotel am Wörther See and the Pyramidenkogel viewing platform.
South of the Carinthian capital of Klagenfurt, the route continues towards Slovenia, which is finally reached via the magnificent hairpin bends of the Seeberg saddle at just over 1,200 meters. Kranj, the capital of the Slovenian Alps, invites you to take a stroll through the beautiful old town a little later.
We now head towards the Bohinjsko Jezero/Lake Bohinj, which is perfect for a refreshing dip, before taking an incredibly winding northern course. The view of Lake Bled, with its castle and small island, is worth a short detour.
The bunker museum and the tank on the Wurzen Pass that follows are reminders of the historical significance of this border, which you now cross back into Austria. Passing Lake Faak, you return to the starting point of the tour.

Further attractive tours in Friuli, with Kurviger links, can be found on the Motorcycle Roads website. You can also find more great tours for the Karawanken on the website.