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Best Of The Alps Road Trip Volume 4 Powered By Audi E-Tron

A week full of adventures of a lifetime

Eight people from all over Europe and the US embark on an eight-day road trip through four of 12 Best of the Alps destinations, featuring, for the first time, four Audi e-tron.

Together with the young and talented creators Yann from France; Rachelle from the United States; Andrea from Italy; Lina and Simon from Germany; Gui, who was born and raised in Portugal and now lives in Austria; David, who grew up in Germany and now also lives in Austria; and Allan from England, who now lives in Germany, we discovered the unique variety of modern Alpine lifestyle. It was a week to make memories, to fall in love with the outdoors, to indulge in culinary delights and marvel at architectural masterpieces.

The Audi Fleet

It was our fourth road trip through the stunning Best of the Alps destinations, yet the first one with Audi e-tron. Overall 4 Audi e-tron 55 quattro guided us savely through stunning alpine landscapes and into the exciting world of e-mobility. With great excitement we started our adventure that would take us to four of the most wonderful places in the Alps: Kitzbühel, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Seefeld and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Four destinations in three countries, connected by gorgeous roads. Despite all of them being no more than three hours apart from each other, these destinations offer an insight into the incredible variety of the Alps. Almost without any sound but with great power we conquered steep mountain roads, mastered narrow serpentines and crossed several passes. And while the drivers enjoyed testing the Audi e-tron, the others relaxed in the back of the car or on the co-driver’s seat and took in the stunning scenery. The fully electric SUVs in Galaxy blue and Taifun grey metallic caught a lot of attention along the way.

Kitzbühel

This picturesque town of Kitzbühel put its spell on us immediately with its stunningly beautiful historical old town, international flair and vast landscape against the majestic backdrop of the Wilde Kaiser, Kitzbüheler Horn and Hahnenkamm mountains. The breathtaking panoramic view we caught in the early morning hours at Horngipfel marked an incredible start to an alpine summer tour full of highlights such as an adventurous e-bike ride in which we crossed the racing tracks of the Hahnenkamm slope with its infamous downhill course, the Streif, and the Mausefalle jump.

Cortina d'Ampezzo

Next stop on our road trip was Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy, also known as the “Queen of the Dolomites”. After an impressive and breathtakingly beautiful three-hour drive through the mountains, it was easy to see that Cortina d’Ampezzo is truly one-of-a-kind. The combination of stunning nature, alpine charm and a myriad of culinary delights makes it easy to indulge in “La Dolce Vita” from day one. The outstanding lunch at family farm and restaurant San Brite almost moved us to tears thanks to its perfect concept and atmosphere. Now we felt ready for the following climb up to the world-famous Cinque Torri, an experience that will stay in our minds forever.

The timing of our visit to Cortina d’Ampezzo couldn’t have been any better: the alpine town just got elected host city for the 2026 Winter Olympics. And already in 2021 Cortina d’Ampezzo will be hosting the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.

Things to do in Cortina d’Ampezzo:


Stroll through the village centre and its famous Corso Italia
Lunch at San Brite
Take a ride up to Passo di Falzarego​ or Passo di Giau to get a view of Cortina d’Ampezzo and the surrounding Dolomites
Dinner at Chalet Tofane
Take the cable car or hike up to Cinque Torri and climb one of the five tours offered by Guide Cortina
Lunch at the top of the mountain in Rifugio Scoiattoli​
Overnight stay at Hotel Cortina with views of the roofs of Cortina and the famous clock tower on Corso Italia  

Seefeld

The next leg of our tour took us to Toblach and over Passo Cimabanche to Seefeld – the mecca for all devotees of Nordic sports. Seefeld, however, is the perfect destination for outdoor enthusiasts all year round. In summer, hiking and climbing fans, cyclists and water sport lovers can enjoy amazing outdoor adventures with breathtaking panoramic views at an altitude of 1,200m. Riding an e-bike through the gorgeous valley of Karwendel Nature Park all the way to the source of the Isar river is a highlight that no one will forget. On our way back we got our adrenaline fix on an adventurous Kayak tour, guided by the awesome guys from Faszinatour. A truly fascinating and wonderful way to connect with nature and discover the beauty around us.

Things to do in Seefeld:


Typical Tyrolian lunch at Dorfkrug in Mösern
Enjoy the new spa at Krumser Alpin
Hike in and around Seefeld
Sunrise at Pfarrhügel with a beautiful view of Seefelder Wildsee 
E-bike tour to the source of the Isar river through the valley of Karwendel Nature Park
Kayak tour on the Isar river with guides from Faszinatour
Overnight stay at Krumers Alpin

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

And off we went to our last stop of this road trip. The almost magical silence of our Audi e-tron made the drive to Garmisch-Partenkirchen a more than joyful ride. The town, located in the middle of the breathtaking mountain scenery at the foot of Germany’s highest mountain – the Zugspitze (2962m) – is yet another unique alpine paradise. Thanks to its high mountains, visitors can enjoy snow on the glacier and a swim in Lake Eibsee in the middle of July on the same day. Checking in to the architectural masterpieces at “quartier lodges” marks the perfect end to an incredible day.

Things to do in Garmisch-Partenkirchen:


Ride up to Zugspitze for some fun in the snow
Lunch at Panorama Restaurant 2962
Visit the Lake Eibsee
Visit the Partnachklamm Gorge​
Stroll through the old town of Partenkirchen
Typical Bavarian dinner at Restaurant Schranne
Overnight stay at das quartier

On our last night we share dinner one more time. Over a typical Bavarian meal at Restaurant Schranne in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, we reminisce about all the adventures of the week and toast to new friendships made along the way.

The Best of the Alps Road Trip will continue in winter. Together with Audi, we will visit beauties old and new and live through more adventures in the Best of the Alps destinations of Lech Zürs am Arlberg, St. Anton am Arlberg, Davos Klosters and St. Moritz.

Text: Verena Giesinger // friendship.is
Photos: Ian Ehm & Nina Keinrath // friendship.is & Guilherme da Rosa
Video: friendship.is
Camera support: Allan Edward Hinton & David Herzig

Jan. 10, 2020

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