01 - Overview
The Lieser Cycle Route (R9) links the artists’ town of Gmünd with the district town of Spittal an der Drau across some 18 gently descending kilometres. From Gmünd - gateway to the Malta valley and birthplace of the first Porsche - the almost entirely paved route rolls down the sunny west side of the Lieser valley: past the "baby village" of Trebesing down to Spittal, where the Lieser joins the Drau and the route meets the Drau Cycle Path (R1). A short, culture-rich half-day ride between the Nockberge and the Goldeck - an ideal prelude to the Malta valley or a link onto the Drau.
The Lieser Cycle Route is the spine of the lower Lieser valley and links two very different Carinthian towns. It opens in Gmünd in Kärnten, known since 1991 as an artists’ town with some twenty galleries and studios - behind a well-preserved town wall with the Maltator gate, the interactive Pankratium "house of wonder" and the medieval Alte Burg above the roofs. Gmünd is also a cradle of sports-car building: from 1947 Porsche built the first 356 "No. 1" here, first registered on 8 June 1948; 52 cars were made by hand before production returned to Stuttgart in 1951 - the Porsche Automuseum Helmut Pfeifhofer tells the story. From Gmünd, gateway to the Malta valley (the R9B Malta route branches up toward the Kölnbrein dam here), the almost entirely paved route follows the Lieser downstream. The upper part rolls gently along the sunny west side of the valley - past Trebesing, Europe’s first "baby village" - before dropping into the lower valley. The Lieser, a clear trout and grayling river, accompanies the route to Spittal an der Drau, where the elegant Renaissance arcaded courtyard of Schloss Porcia (begun in 1533 for Gabriel von Salamanca) marks the finish and the Lieser joins the Drau - here the R9 meets the Drau Cycle Path (R1). The route is short, almost fully paved and downhill on balance, but not purely a children’s outing: a roughly 2.5 km stretch on the busy B99 Katschberg road calls for care, and the Lieser gorge just before Spittal still has no dedicated path - until the planned completion (around 2028) a signed detour runs via Lieserhofen and Lendorf. In Spittal you can add on the Drau Cycle Path, or ride up from Gmünd into the Malta valley.
- Regions
- Carinthia
- Start
- Gmünd in Kärnten
- Finish
- Spittal an der Drau
- Surface
- Paved
- Network
- Regional
- Best season
- March - November
- Signposting
- fully signposted
- Road-bike friendly
- Yes · Fully pavedwell documented
100 % paved, effectively paved throughout.
02 - Stages
2 stages · 18 km
01Gmünd in Kärnten - TrebesingGmünd in Kärnten · Trebesing6 km
Setting off in the artists’ town of Gmünd behind the town wall and the Maltator gate, at the gateway to the Malta valley (the R9B Malta route branches up toward the Kölnbrein dam here). Gently rolling, the path runs down the sunny west side of the Lieser valley to Trebesing, Europe’s first "baby village" - a short, quiet stretch with views of the Nockberge and the Reißeck group.
- Ascent
- 108 m
- Descent
- 95 m
- Duration
- approx. 0.5-0.75 h
- Surface
- Paved
Surface (measured): paved
02Trebesing - Spittal an der DrauTrebesing · Lieserhofen · Spittal an der Drau12 km
From Trebesing the route descends into the lower valley and draws closer to the Lieser. A roughly 2.5 km stretch runs alongside the busy B99 Katschberg road; just before Spittal the Lieser gorge still lacks its own cycle path, so a signed detour via Lieserhofen and Lendorf is needed (a dedicated path is planned around 2028). In Spittal an der Drau the Renaissance arcaded courtyard of Schloss Porcia awaits; the Lieser joins the Drau, and the R9 meets the Drau Cycle Path (R1).
- Ascent
- 91 m
- Descent
- 301 m
- Duration
- approx. 1-1.25 h
- Surface
- Paved, short stretch on the B99
Surface (measured): paved
03 - Elevation
Elevation across the full distance - move the cursor to read altitude and kilometre.
Elevation profile over 18 km. Ascent 199 m, descent 396 m. Lowest point 544 m, highest point 752 m.
Elevation from OSM geometry + Digital Terrain Model (DGM) Austria (10 m).
Hover the profile to see the point on the map - and vice versa.
04 - POIs & Services
- Artists’ town of Gmünd (old town, town wall with Maltator, Pankratium)
- Porsche birthplace & Automuseum Helmut Pfeifhofer
- Alte Burg Gmünd (viewing terrace, short climb)
- Gateway to the Malta valley & R9B Malta route (Kölnbrein dam)
- Trebesing "baby village" (Europe’s first family village)
- Lieser riverscape & First Carinthian Fishing Museum
- Schloss Porcia (Renaissance arcaded courtyard, from 1533)
- Lieser confluence with the Drau (Drau Cycle Path R1 junction)
Services along the route
- Bike serviceBike shops and workshops in Spittal an der Drau (including e-bike service); basic supplies in Gmünd. A rental base in the middle valley.
- E-bikeCharging and rental stations in Spittal and Gmünd and at several points along the Lieser valley.
- Drinking waterNumerous fountains along the route (among them the Sauerbrunnen and the Jubiläumsbrunnen); sparser between Trebesing and Gmünd - carry a supply there.
- Food & drinkInns and cafés in Gmünd, in the resort village of Trebesing and plenty in Spittal an der Drau.
Service points along the route
- Drinking water13
- Bike shop3
- Bike rental1
- Charging station6
Service points from OpenStreetMap. Coverage may be incomplete, some fountains are seasonal - verify before you rely on them.
05 - Impressions
The artists’ town of Gmünd at the upper end of the Lieser route - behind it opens the Malta valley, climbed by the R9B Malta route.Photo: Gmünd in Kärnten mit Blick ins Maltatal · Raul de Chissota · Public Domain The Lieser valley near Trebesing, framed by the Nockberge - the Lieser route rolls downstream along the sunny west side of the valley.Photo: Blick ins Liesertal bei Trebesing · Naturpuur · CC BY-SA 4.0 Near the finish, the Lieser - which gives the route its name - flows through Spittal an der Drau, where it joins the Drau and the R9 meets the Drau Cycle Path (R1).Photo: Die Lieser in Spittal an der Drau · Johann Jaritz · CC BY-SA 4.0 The Renaissance arcaded palace of Schloss Porcia (from 1533) in the centre of Spittal marks the finish of the Lieser route.Photo: Schloss Porcia in Spittal an der Drau · HatschiKa · CC BY-SA 4.0
06 - Public transit
- Rail: Spittal-MillstätterseeThe only station on the route is Spittal-Millstättersee at the foot of the valley (Tauern and Drautal lines, a hub toward Villach/Klagenfurt, Lienz and over the Tauern). The Tauern railway does not run through the Lieser valley but bypasses it on the southern ramp; there is no station in the valley itself. Check bike carriage on ÖBB regional trains before travelling.
- Bus & valley: line 5132Bus line 5132 (Spittal - Gmünd - Rennweg, Kärntner Linien) serves the whole Lieser valley up to Gmünd - handy for getting uphill to the start and rolling the route back down (confirm bike carriage and times in advance). Gmünd is also the gateway to the Malta valley (R9B).
The only rail link is Spittal-Millstättersee at the foot of the valley (Tauern/Drautal lines); no train stops in the Lieser valley itself. It is best ridden downstream from Gmünd to Spittal, where it connects to rail and the Drau Cycle Path (R1); to get uphill to the start, bus line 5132 helps (check bike carriage in advance). Note: the Lieser gorge before Spittal has no dedicated path yet - a signed detour applies until around 2028.
07 - GPX & TCX download
Download for GPS devices & apps
Clean track with elevation - imports as a single tour, compatible with Komoot, Garmin, Wahoo, Strava, RideWithGPS, OsmAnd.
Download stages individually (2)
Route derived from OpenStreetMap geometry - may differ slightly from on-the-ground signage. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0) · Elevation © DGM Austria (CC BY 3.0 AT). Redistribute with attribution.