Northern Italy by bike, from Bolzano to Venice via Verona and Lake Garda

Cycling the Dolomites, from Bolzano to Venice

Set off on an extraordinary cycle route in Italy that will introduce you to unique landscapes, cities of art and the largest European spa district!
 
Depart from the beautiful Dolomites which are part of the UNESCO heritage, to follow the Adige valley to the palm grove bordered by the shores of Lake Garda to arrive in the romantic city of Verona.
In Venice, you will be fascinated by the architectural genius of Palladio. This cycling trip takes you to the Euganean Mountains and their famous spa district. Finally, join the “Belle Padua”, cradle of the arts of Venice which opens the way to the Venetian lagoon which has attracted the curious for centuries.
 
Highlights of the stay :

• Bolzano, Venice and Verona
• The dolomites
• Palladian architecture
• The spa district of Padua
• Adige and Lake Garda

Day 1: Bolzano
Arrival in Bolzano, located along the Isarco River. The city lies at the crossroads between the Mediterranean and Central Europe. Today, it is an important center for trade and tourism.

Day 2: From Bolzano to Trento (70 km)
Begin your cycling tour in Italy by riding along the Adige River cycle path, through the orchards and famous vineyards of the Wine Route. Take this opportunity to admire the scenery. You may decide to leave the cycle path to reach Lake Kaltern. Halfway between Bolzano and Trento, you will reach the city of Salerno, which represents a linguistic border between Germany and Italy. It is possible to shorten the stage by taking the train at several stations along the way.

Day 3: From Trento to Peschiera (50 km by bike then ferry, 4.5 hours)
The Adige River leads you to Rovereto, famous for its Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. After a short climb to Passo di San Giovanni, you'll enjoy a superb view of Lake Garda and the small town of Torbole. Once in Riva del Garda, take a ferry (included) to reach the southern part of Lake Garda.

Day 4: From Peschiera to Verona (35 km)
After crossing the hilly landscape of Lake Garda, discover the Adige River, which will take you to Verona, one of the most beautiful cities in the Veneto region! If you stay overnight in Desenzano, this stage will be 60 km long. Highlights include the Roman Arena, the Church of San Zeno, and Juliet's House.

Day 5: From Verona to Vicenza (75 km)
Cycle to the foot of the Lessini Mountains! Through the vineyards of the region, you'll have the chance to pass by the Soave Castle. Take this moment to admire it and take a break. Further on, Romeo and Juliet's Castle in Montecchio Maggiore will point you towards the Berici Hills. Your destination for the day is Vicenza. The old city center is characterized by beautiful private palaces and buildings by Andrea Palladio, the world-renowned 16th-century architect. It's possible to shorten the stage by taking the train from San Bonifacio.

Day 6: From Vicenza to Padua (50 km)
Cycle along the Bacchiglione River on the cycle path and admire the Palladian masterpiece, Villa La Rotonda. Then, after the hamlet of Montegalda, you'll head towards the Euganean Hills, where you'll have the chance to relax in the largest spa district in Europe.

Day 7: From Padua to Mestre (55 km)
Today, set off on a cycle path along the Battaglia Canal, passing through Padua, home to one of the oldest Italian (and European) universities, rich in art and history. From there, along the Piovego Canal, you'll reach Stra and follow the Brenta Canal, dominated by the country villas of the ancient Venetian nobility (Villa Pisani, Villa Malcontenta, Villa Widmann) to Mestre.

Day 8 - Mestre
Departure after breakfast. Transfer to Bolzano upon request when booking your stay.

General informations :

• 8 days and 7 nights
• Standard version accommodation :  3 *
• Comfort version accommodation: 3 and 4 *
• Prices for children: contact us.

2026 Dates:

Departures on Saturdays and Sundays from March 28 to October 17

Additional departures on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from April 21 to September 23

Departures possible on other days for groups of 6 or more

• Low Season: March 29 to April 17 and September 26 to October 17
• Mid Season: April 18 to May 8 and September 5 to September 25
• High Season: May 9 to September 4

Included :

• 7 nights hotel accommodation with breakfast
• Application including maps, points of interest and GPS tracks
• Roadbook
• Luggage transport
• 4,5-hour ferry cruise on Lake Garda from Riva to Peschiera / Desenzano del Garda (day 3)
• Ice cream in the best ice cream parlour in Vicenza
• Wine and oil tasting in Padua
• Hotline service

Not included :

• Local taxes (around 10-15 €)
• Anything not mentioned in the "included" section
• Transport to the place of departure
• Lunches and dinners
• Access fee for the ancient city of Venice
• Personal expenses

The options :

• Standard bike or ebike rental
• Transfer Mestre-Bolzano (min. 2 people) available on Saturday and Sunday and between the 06/05 and the 30/09 also on Tuesday
• Additional night at the start or end of the tour
• Bike theft insurance (for rented bikes)
• Cancellation insurance

Level:
1 2 3 4 5 6

Ground :

• Land: 90% tarred, 10% unpaved.
• Overall this is an easy to manage route on light traffic side roads or paved cycle paths. There are some slightly hilly pieces with short uphill sections.

This course is also suitable for children. The longer stages, from Bolzano to Trento and from Verona to Vicenza, can be shortened by taking the train.

Weather :

Hot and dry summers. June and September are the most pleasant months.

Technicality:

• Cycling: 35 to 75 km per day or 3 to 7 hours of cycling.
• Partly marked itinerary, useful roadbook and map reading.

Bibliography:

Cycling maps and guides in Italy on cartovelo

Additional nights:

An additional night is offered to you at the start and end of the tour.

Food :

• Breakfasts: generous (coffee, tea, chocolate, milk, butter, bread, jam, orange juice) or buffet
• Lunch: not included
• Dinner: not included. Restaurants near the accommodation.

The bike :

• Rental bicycle: If you rent a bicycle, it will be given to you on the day of your arrival at the 1st hotel. At the end of the tour, you will have to leave this bike at the last hotel and notify reception. We will take care of his return.
• Personal bike: We do not recommend bikes with small tires. Hybrid bikes and mountain bikes are excellent. Remember to check your bicycle before setting off.

Assistance:

Assistance in case of breakdown (except punctures).

Luggage:

They are transported by a courier or by our team and limited to one piece of luggage per person (max. 20 kg).

Roadbook:

It includes:

• The final list of hotels: due to overbooking or organizational needs, your hotel list may be changed just before your arrival
• Hotel vouchers to be presented at the hotel reception upon arrival
• Luggage tags
• Ferry ticket to Lake Garda: present this voucher at the Riva del Garda ticket office to get your ferry passage to Peschiera or Desenzano del Garda
• Ice Cream Voucher: You can enjoy free ice cream at one of the most famous ice cream parlours.

Transport :

• By train: It takes 10 hours by train to reach Bolzano from Paris.
• By car: Bolzano is approximately 966 km from Paris. Motorway to Bolzano via Rome.
• By plane: Bolzano is connected to the following airports: Innsbruck: 120 km, Verona: 150 km, Bergamo: 240 km, Venice: 280 km, Treviso: 280 km, Milan: 300 km.

Cancellation insurance :

In order to guarantee the reimbursement of costs in the event of cancellation of your stay, you can take out cancellation insurance. To learn more about insurance, click here.

Variants of the stay program :
For reasons of organization, weather conditions or provisions issued by the authorities, the itinerary may be subject to modifications before and / or during the stay. These may be temporary deviations caused by works unpredictable roads; in this case, please follow the directions on site.
In the event of a strike, bad weather conditions, technical breakdowns, safety issues or any other reason preventing the departure of the ferry (from Riva del Garda to Peschiera / Desenzano), the ferry company may delay, cancel or divert the navigation. without notice.
In the event of cancellation, the ferry service will be replaced by other means of transport, usually by bus.