Cycling Northern Italy

 

The Austrian Alps to Venice & the Adriatic Sea

 

Wine, Palazzi and  Gondoliers

 

 

 Italy - Bolzano to Venice

 

From the Alps to the Adriatic Sea - Austria and Italy Trentino to the Veneto - Crossing Lake Garda & the Po Valley

 

 

Somewhere behind the horizon, Venice and the Sea is awaiting you! But before you reach the aim of this tour you have to resist the temptation. A lot of attractive landscapes and the cities invite you to stay longer: The vineyards in South Tyrol, Verona Vicenza, Padua and Lago di Garda. Relax in the hot springs of Abano and in rural Italian taverns. And then, after a while you see the Adriatic Sea and Venice, the impressing city. Venice will bewitch you!

 

You begin in Bolzano, located high in the Alps, and cycle a short distance through South Tyrol's vineyards following along the Adige river as it descends towards Lake Garda. Lake Garda is Italy's largest and perhaps the most spectacular of the mountain lakes. A wonderful contrast of deep blue water, balmy palm trees and snow covered Alps. At the southern basin lies Desenzano... with an attractive harbor. It has a beautiful waterfront with a long promenade and table-packed piazza surrounding the ancient port. Sirmione, on a narrow peninsula, is a favorite holiday spot... Its Scaligeri Castle is a wonder, built into the lake itself.

 

Then Verona, one of Italy's oldest and most beautiful cities, standing in a historical time warp with its Roman, medieval, renaissance, and modern buildings. It boasts a massive first century arena. Visit Juliet's house, with its famous balcony, and the facade of Romeo's home.

 

Cycle through vineyards to Vicenza... beautiful enough to be dubbed "The Venice of Terra Firma". Then Padua... the city's heart is a historical jewel looking more like a brilliant stage setting for some Shakespearian performance.

 

Venice is one big show... grey-green waters mirror brightly-colored houses and white palaces, canals and walkways form a kind of maze full of secluded corners... the palaces, the monuments, the churches - this is the soul of the city and the scene for your final evening on this memorable tour.

 

Tour Profile:  (320km/198mi by bike).The route is flat as far as easily hilly; only strenuous part is the Monti Berici. The first two stages are predominantly on bicycle paths, southern and eastern from Lake Garda you cycle mostly on economy paths and side roads. As a result of missing bicycle paths there are a few, short sections on streets with heavy traffic. Almost continuous asphalted ways.

 

Highlights:

A short distance through South Tyrol's vineyards and along the Adige to Trentino. Lago di Garda will be included, at the southern end of which the tour leads to Veneto and then in the Po Valley. Famous cities such as Verona, Vicenza and Venice are either stage destinations or located on the way. They promise an extremely interesting bike tour. A boat journey on Lago di Garda and possibilities to visit the thermal springs of "Abano Terme" take care of rest and more variety.

 

 

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The Itinerary:

 

Day 1 -  Arrival in Bolzano - Category A & B:

Arrive in Bolzano. Introductory meeting and handing over of the rental bikes and Road Book.

 

Day 2 -  Bozen to Trient - Bozen - Trientapprox 68 km/42mi

Category A:  Category B:

Usually along the Adige, partly through the orchards to Salurn, where the German speaking South Tyrol comes to an end. The dam pathways lead to Trento (the old part of town is worth seeing).

 

 

Category A: At first along the Adige through Roverto to Mori. From here the tour leads westward in the direction of the Lake Garda. After a short ascent a descent follows and leads you via the lake to Torbole and to Riva. From here you go on a boat journey on the whole length of the lake to Sirmione/Desenzano. The Sirmione peninsula is where the Roman poet Catullus was born in the large villa, whose ruins are still an imposing sight. The outstanding site here is the Scaligeri Castle built into the lake itself. Sirmione is a favorite holiday spot since Roman times, largely because of its hot sulphur springs. A beautiful walk, the Passegiata Panoramica, runs around the headland.

 

Category B: (Please note - category B does not include a cruise on Lake Garda but follows the banks of the river Etch to Ala/Rivalta)

The Adige valley gets always narrower and you come always nearer to the rocks of the mountain ranges. There you can have a look on imposing castles, which held guard over one of the most important trade channels for a few centuries. Rovereto and the Mozarttown Ala should be visited.

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Day 4 -

Category A:  Lake Garda South to Verona    approx. 50 km/31 mi

Category B:  Ala/Rivalta - Verona    approx. 50 - 65 km/31 -40mi

 

Category A:    

Now pedal over the flat landscape of the Po Valley, through restful surroundings and the famous Lugana Vineyards, where typically old-fashioned inns offer their wines to gourmets. Continue cycling through the fascinating, picturesque Mincio Valley all the way to Verona. Partly flat, partly easily hilly through the vine hills to Verona, a city full of places of interest (festival arena, Julia's house, old city walls).

City tour (group tour only).

 

Category B:

You cycle with a few interceptions on a good extended bicycle path along the Adige to Verona.

Verona is, after Rome, the richest Italian city as far as ancient monuments are concerned, and includes some of the largest and best preserved examples. Verona is also the city of Rome and Juliet and of "Two Gentleman" fame. It is one of Italy's oldest and most beautiful cities standing in a historical time warp with its Roman, medieval, renaissance, and modern architecture.

 

The Veronese enjoy a rollicking good time. They love to drink their excellent local wines, the Soaves and Valpolicellas of the region, and when they have a little drink they love to sing. A favorite place for drinking and singing is the osteria (Inn) and there seems to be one on almost every street in old Verona.

Although Verona was known as piccolo Roma during Roman times - as the massive arena, the arched stone doors, and the fragments of ancient pillars and walls amply attest, the overwhelming impression today is medieval. Juliet Capulet's house, with its famous balcony, is at via Capello 23 while the facade of Romeo's home is on Via Arche Scaligere. It is easier to be caught up in the immortal love store at Juliet's tomb in the vocative crypt of the cloisters of San Francesco al Corso. Lord Byron found it so romantic that he purloined little pieces of marble from the tomb to make into jewelry for his current love.

The first century arena, one of the world's largest and best preserved Roman amphitheaters, hosts open air concerts and operas in the summer, playing to 25,000 people... so acoustically perfect even those in the last row hear clearly. Here, you may become Veronese for one lovely night.

 

Day 5 - Verona to Vicenza        approx. 70 km/44mi

Category A & B: Verona - Vicenza

Today is the longest stage on the program for the self-guided tour (group tour - transfer to SanBonifacio). We begin our ride across the southern Venetian plain, a scenic route through vineyard country at first flat and then through the hill of "Monti Berici", the excursion region of Vicenza, with a beautiful view of the city. In the old part of town one can still feel the ghost of Palladio, the famous architect from the Middle Ages.

Vicenza is best know as the city of Palladio. He was to have a huge influence not only on Vicenza's architecture but on the whole world. The central hub of activity is the Piazza dei Signori, dominated by Palladio's first major work, the Basilica Palladiana. Visit the 14th c. Church of San Lorenzo... walk the length of Corso Palladio, 15th c. palaces line the street, visit the Teatro Olimpico, Palladio's's last work is Vicenza's outstanding art treasure and represents an important step both in theater and scenic design.

Take dinner at a candle-lit outdoor restaurant on a 15th c. piazza surrounded by all its Palladian richness - later, take a stroll and let the moonbeam-raked stones ply your imagination.

 

Day 6 -  Vicenza to Abano Terme    approx 35 km/22mi  

Category A & B: Vicenza - Abano Terme

Numerous Venetian villas are located at the exit of Vicenza, such as the Villa Rotonda. Now point your handlebars east, crossing the veneto, where farms still retain a human scale and many of the ingredients waiting to be savored on the local trattoria tables, including the wines, have been grown on a small holding, probably no more than a few minutes drive from the kitchen. Magnificent Palladian Villas still grace the Veneto Landscape.

We'll cross this graceful plain to Abano Terme, one of Italy's famous spas, near Padua, where we will spend the night. Padua, the city of Saint Antonius and scholars, can also be easily reached from Abano by bus. The short stage allows enough time to enjoy the thermal springs.

Padua, is a historical jewel, its buildings looking like a brilliant stage setting for some Shakespearian performance, with a history dating back to the Trojan War - then known as Patavium in 10 B.C.

The Scrovegni Chapel on Corso Garibaldi is entirely decorated with frescoes by Giotto - considered to be the most striking examples of his later work and among the most beautiful frescoes anywhere in Italy. Donatello's famed statue Gattemalato is in the Piazza del Santo with more of his works in the nearby Basilica of Sant Antonio,

The university, founded in 1222, is on via Febbraio 8. The neoclassical cafe Pedrocchi is Padua's pride and joy and its principal 19th c. monument. It was bought by Antonio Pedrocchi in 1831. The ground floor is still used as a cafe, its outside seating a popular vantage point over the lively cobbled piazza.

 

For a surcharge you can stay in Padua (only on a self-guided tour)

 

Day 7 - Abano Terme to Venice/Marghera/Mestre  approx 50 km/31 mi  

Category A & B:

Usually supported by the light wind, one bikes easily through the Veneto in the direction of the sea. Fields and meadows set the tone of the landscape. The destination of the stage is located in or near to Marghera/Mestre on the mainland before Venice with good bus connections to the lagoon city.

City tour and dinner in Venice (group tour only)

 

Day 8 - Departure

You will undoubtedly want to spend another day or two in this enchanting city and we will be happy to make the hotel arrangements for you. Departure or extension in Venice.

 

You can combine this tour with "Innsbruck to Bolzano" or with "Venice to Florence."

 

Overnight Itinerary : Bolzano, Trient, Lake Garda South/Ala/Rivalta, Verona, Vicenza, Abano Terme, Marghera/Mestre/Venice

 

GUIDED AND SELF -GUIDED INN TOURS                        Return to Top  

 

SELF- GUIDED INN TOURS:

 

TOUR # ITB-23052/SGB _-  CAT B  -  8 DAYS - $975

 

Category B Hotels - 3 star hotels, 1 X 4 star hotel in the suburbs

 

Single supplement - $250 

 

There is a high season surcharge of $50 from June 28 to August 25

 

B&B includes breakfast everyday

 

TOUR # ITB-23052/SGA   -  CAT A  -  8 DAYS -  $1090

 

Category A Hotels - Chosen hotels in the 3 and 4 star level

 

Single supplement - $325

 

There is a high season surcharge of $70 from June 28 to August 25

 

B&B includes breakfast everyday

 

GUIDED PARTNER TOUR

 

TOUR # ITB-23052/G  8 DAYS - $1490

 

Category A Hotels - Chosen hotels in the 3 and 4 star level

 

Single supplement - $325

 

There is no high season surcharge for the guided tour

 

Half-board included (includes breakfast and dinner everyday)

 

Bicycle Rental - $95                                                                                        Return to Top                        

 

THE BICYCLES - 21-speed bikes, equipped with rear panniers.

 

ELECTRIC POWERED BICYCLE: You can add the use of an electric motor to do some of the work for you. Our "Fivers" (a Swiss Product) increases the pedaling power 3 fold. This way bikers with different sportif conditions can book a bike tour together.

• Electric powered bicycle rental - $245

EXTRA HOTEL NIGHTS:

 

For arrival on Thursday two additional nights during the tour are possible on request, for arrivals on Friday one night - only in combination with the tour. Extra night at the start or end hotel can be booked later on too.

 

Self-guided Tour: 

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Category B:

Extra night per person in double room in Bolzano - $110 Single Supplement $40

Extra night per person in double room in Venice (Mainland) - $80   Single Supplement $45

Category A:

Extra night per person in double room in Bolzano - $110   Single Supplement $40

Extra night per person in double room in Venice (Mainland) - $90   Single Supplement $45

 

Guided Tour:

Extra night per person in double room in Bolzano - $110   Single Supplement $40

Extra night per person in double room in Venice (Mainland) - $90   Single Supplement $45

 

DEPARTURES:

 

SELF GUIDED TOUR DEPARTURES:

Departs every Friday & Saturday from April 6 to to October 13

Also departs every Thursday from May 3 to Sep 6

GUIDED PARTNER TOUR DEPARTURES:

Arrival Saturdays:  May 19   June 2, 16, 30   July 21,   August 4, 18,   September 8,  22

WHAT'S INCLUDED:                                       Return to Top  

 

SELF GUIDED TOUR 

Personal welcome briefing

7 nights Accommodation in hotels in booked category in 3 and 4 Star hotels in Bed & Breakfast - all rooms with private facilities

Breakfast buffet or extended breakfast

Daily luggage transport until Venice

Boat journey on Lake Garda (Category A only)

Detailed travel documents, route cards, way description, sight-seeing, important telephone numbers (One set per room)

7 day service hotline

E-signposting

GUIDED PARTNER TOUR:

Company of a skilled and trained travel courier who knows about the country

Eurobike-bus present during the whole tour

Accommodation in chosen hotels of Category A

Breakfast buffet

At least three-course dinner, often in typical restaurants

Luggage transport from hotel to hotel

All entries and guided tours as mentioned in the program

Detailed travel documents

Best elaborated route

Boat journey on Lake Garda

Train journey Verona - San Bonifacio

Guided city tour in Verona and Venice

Various city tours

 

EXCLUSIONS : The insurances, the transfers from and to the airport, the beverages, the lunches and dinners, items of a personal nature such as telephone and laundry.

 

DOSSIER - On the first day of the tour you will be given maps, road book, fact sheets and tourist information.

 

IN CASE OF BREAKDOWN ON SELF-GUIDED TOUR- We do not intervene for flat tires. However, should any breakdown occur that prevents the completion of the days journey we will make repairs on the road. A phone number will be provided. All other types of necessary repairs that do not make cycling impossible will be repaired at the hotel each night.

 

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