Cycling Italy’s Alpine Valleys Plus! Venice

Highlights: Medieval Glorenza, bike fitting, welcome dinner

Meet at 10 a.m. in Bolzano (Bozen in German) for our transfer to Glorenza where the cycling portion of our journey will begin. We highly recommend arriving a few days early in Bolzano to visit the archaeological museum and see its most famous resident, Otzi, a man from the Copper Age who was perfectly preserved in ice until his discovery in the early 90’s. In a few days we’ll pedal under the peaks where he was found, so take time to visit him and learn more about the area. This afternoon, we’ll fit our bikes and enjoy a welcome dinner in a local restaurant.

Highlights: Lake and glacier views, bell tower in the lake, Burgusio castle, Castel Coira

This morning we’ll shuttle to the picturesque Alpine Lake Resia. We’ll bicycle around the gorgeous lake that hides the village of Curon beneath its waters. The only remnant of the village is its bell tower which rises from the midst of the lake. It’s an exciting descent from here and you’ll have a chance to visit the Burgusio Castle before returning to Glorenza. This afternoon, we’ll visit one of the best preserved castles in the entire region. Anybody with free time or an interest in whisky can visit Italy’s only distillery located just outside Glorenza’s city walls!

Highlights: Bike paths along the Adige river, the gardens of Traumannsdorf Castle, home of Forst beer

We’ll enjoy a quiet ride through apple orchards on the bike path to the small town of Lasa. Despite its small size, Lasa’s marble craftsmanship can be found worldwide. Interestingly enough Lasa’s first large order was 86,000 crosses and Star of David in the 1950’s for U.S. military cemeteries around the world. From there we’ll pedal along a pleasant bike path to Merano where you can explore its trendy streets and cafes, take one of the two well-signed walks around town, or enjoy Italy’s most famous gardens at Trautmannsdorf Castle. Rivaling Cortina d’Ampezzo as a destination for jet-setting European visitors to the Italian Alps, Merano has long been a mountain resort for heads of the Austrian Empire, European princes and princesses and modern day celebrities.

Highlights: Langrein vineyards, apple orchards, old city of Bolzano/Bozen, special dinner

We’ll leave the Venosta Valley today and head back to the large town of Bolzano – or Bozen in German. Pedal through vineyards and apple orchards as the valley widens and then narrows as you approach the city under the shadow of the Firmiano Castle. The castle is now a museum founded by one of the world’s most famous mountaineers from this region, Reinhold Messner. Enter the city along tranquil bike paths and enjoy our centrally located hotel. This evening, a special gondola ride above town brings us to a local farm where we’ll enjoy views on the Dolomite mountains and hearty homemade dishes.

Highlights: Guided walk of Trento, train ride, Borgo Valsugana, hotel spa

This morning we’ll leave Bolzano by train and head to Trento, capital of the Italy’s autonomous region of Trentino Alto Adige/ Südtirol. This compact colorful city center was the seat of the Council of Trent in the 16th century, where the Catholic Church held one of its most important councils for over 20 years to determine how to handle the Protestant Reformation. Enjoy a special visit of the city and castle before we take a short train ride to our next valley and the small town of Borgo Valsugana, a quaint village nestled between the striking cliffs of the Alps’ foothills. You’ll have time this afternoon to enjoy the hotel’s spa.

Highlights: Arte Sella

Take a leisurely spin upstream along a gentle bike path that meanders through orchards, and skirts small villages. A highlight along the way is Lake Caldonazzo where you can enjoy a refreshing dip. A special evening event in the mountains awaits!

Highlights: WWI fort, wooden bridge of Bassano, tasting visit grappa museum

Continue your journey along the Valsugana bike path enjoying stunning views, and WWI forts that overlook the valley. The route follows “Via Claudia Augusta,” an ancient Roman road which ran 550 km and crossed the Alps to link the Po valley (which is just south of us) and Germany (to the north of us). You’ll slowly emerge from the narrow valley to reach the town of Bassano, with its iconic wooden bridge across the river. Bassano is a key producer of grappa and there are several distilleries in town. We will enjoy a visit to one of them before dinner together.

Highlights: Marostica, “city of thousand towers”, Palladio’s Vicenza

We leave the mountains to head south to the home of Andrea Palladio (1508–80), who is widely considered to be the most influential individual in the history of Western architecture. Vincenza prospered under Venetian rule from the early 15th to the end of the 18th century and his architectural designs, based on a detailed study of classical Roman architecture, gives the city its unique appearance.

Highlights: Palladian Villa La Rotonda, Padua or Padova

From Vicenza you will continue riding along the foothills of Monti Berici. Along the way, you can stop to visit the famous Palladian Villa la Rotonda’s gardens. One of many Palladian villas of the Veneto, though this is the best-known and most influential. The palace was built for Paolo Almerico on his retirement from the Vatican. Our ride takes us to one of the oldest cities in Italy, Padova, or Padua, perhaps better known as the City of St. Anthony. Padova was the setting for most of the action in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. This city is also home to Italy’s second oldest university, the University of Padua, which fosters a colorful culture in this city of stunning architecture.

Highlights: Padova or loop ride in the Euganean Hills

Today’s loop ride takes us into the volcanic Euganean Hills, that rise 300-600 meters from the Padovan-Venetian plain. These rolling hills are a picturesque as a backdrop on our pedal to Arqua Petaraca, a town that was home to Perarca, one of the 14th century’s most famous poets and authors. If you prefer to explore Padova, today is a great day to take a break from the bike.

Highlights: Quiet roads and stunning architecture, Venice.

We continue our cycling journey towards the Venetian lagoon today, following the famed Brenta River which is dotted with small towns and stunning Venetian villas built between the 15th and 18th centuries. As you pedal along the “Riviera del Brenta” imagine what it was like to be a Venetian aristocrat traveling by boat between Padova and Venice at the height of the Venetian empire. We’ll reach the Venetian lagoon this afternoon and bid farewell to our bikes before spending our last evening together in the heart of Venice. We’ll celebrate the end of our ride tonight in style in Venice.

Highlights: Guided walk of Venice

Our trip ends after a guided walk of Venice. We’ll be back at the hotel around around 12 p.m. Venice requires several days of exploration and with its many tiny streets and canals it’s easy to get off the beaten path.