Adige River to Verona Cycling Holiday
Another variation of our popular Adige River and Lake Garda Cycling Holiday. This option allows you to cycle from high in the Dolomites, along an idyllic cycle path, past quaint mountain villages and historic towns to stunning Lake Garda and finally the bustling city of Verona.
The small village of Resia at the head of the Resia pass, just 3 kms from the Austrian border is the starting point for this easy, scenic cycling holiday. The picturesque lake adjacent to the village is not a lake at all but a reservoir and the rather incongruous sight of a church bell tower protruding from the water marks the location of one of several villages submerged following the construction of the nearby dam in 1950.
Verona
From Resia a pleasant cycle path leads you gently downhill, along the valley floor, past pretty villages and stunning alpine scenery. Throughout the route you'll never be too far from the Adige river and you'll witness it grow from a tumbling mountain stream to a deep wide river. You'll overnight in small alpine villages as well as enchanting medieval towns and cities, such as Bolzano and Trento, along the way .
Over 6 days you'll descend from high alpine pastures through huge fruit orchards and vineyards to the shores of Lake Garda and finally the ancient Roman city of Verona on the plains of Lombardy. Many of the villages and towns along the way originate from Roman times as this is also the route of the Via Claudia Augusta, a trans-alpine path first opened in 46 AD.
There really is only one climb on this whole route. It's not very long or steep and your efforts are rewarded with a jaw dropping view down the length of Lake Garda. After an exhilarating descent you enjoy a ferry ride down to the southern end of the lake.
Your final ride leads you to Verona a historic city known for its Arena (Roman Colosseum) and many other ancient sights. Head to the bustling Piazza Bra, adjacent to the Arena, in the early evening for a meal and a drink to celebrate completing your journey.
This is an easy route the vast majority of which is on a gently descending well-maintained cycle path. The daily sectors are easily managed in around three hours or so of continuous cycling so there's plenty of time to stop and admire the views or to explore a town or village along the way.
Itinerary
Your holiday begins in or near the alpine town of Bolzano. It’s the capital of the South Tyrol region and sits at the southern end of the Brenner Pass in the Italian Alps. There’s plenty to see and do here from taking a cable car up one of surrounding mountains for an alpine walk to visiting Bolzano’s most famous resident, ‘Ötzi’, a 5,000 year old neolithic iceman who’s well-preserved remains were discovered in a nearby glacier in 1991. The town consistently ranks highly in the most-popular-town-to live-in stakes thanks to its culture, restaurants, pleasant climate and alpine air. A wander through the bustling historic old town with its narrow cobbled streets is a must. Here you’ll find an excellent choice of restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. Get a good night’s sleep to prepare yourself for your cycling adventure that starts in the morning.
An early start today, as you are picked up and transferred by van with your bikes to the top of the Resia Pass at the end of the Venosta Valley. The scenic journey takes about two and a half hours and you disembark in the village of Resia which enjoys a stunning location at the northern end of Resia Lake. The lake is actually artificial and was created just after World War II immersing a small village. Today’s ride really is special as you’ll be pedalling along a peaceful cycle path beside the babbling Adige River, enjoying jaw-dropping alpine vistas all the way. Because you’ve started at the top of the pass, the cycling is predominantly downhill and in our opinion leisure cycling really doesn’t get much better than this. The gorgeous natural scenery is interrupted only by charming alpine villages such as Burgusio, Malles and Glorenza. All too soon, you arrive at your overnight stop in the pretty little town of Silandro.
After breakfast you rejoin the idyllic cycle path and continue on down the Venosta Valley beside the Adige River letting the impressive alpine scenery roll past. As well as being scenic, the Venosta Valley is also fertile and on today’s ride you’ll pass many fruit orchards - apricots, apples, strawberries and pears all thrive here. In the village of Laces you could lock the bikes up and take the cable car up to 1740m to the tiny village of San Martino Al Monte. Here you can enjoy fabulous views along the valley and admire one of the most beautiful pilgrimage churches of the South Tyrol. More easy riding beside the Adige River brings you to the town of Merano your home for the evening. Merano is a spa town and a visit to its centrally located thermal pool complex is highly recommended, particularly after a long day in the saddle.
By now you’ll be getting into a pleasant rhythm and your legs will know what’s expected of them. More leisurely cycling along the Adige cycle path today as you descend the Upper Adige Valley to Bolzano (where your holiday began three days ago). The valley is wide and fertile and we recommend detouring from the cycle path to small alpine villages such as Nals and Andriano for an ice-cream or coffee break. Your trusty guide, The Adige river, finally delivers you to Bolzano where you’ll stop for the night. Take a stroll through the atmospheric old town along the narrow arcade-lined lanes or visit the Reinhold Messner Climbing Museum. If it’s hot, you might opt for an afternoon at the open-air swimming pool.
Today there are two route options to choose from. The easiest and most direct route leads you south along the lower Adige valley beside the river which is bigger now, swollen by its confluence with the Eisack River at Bolzano. The second, slightly longer option includes a couple of short climbs but the payoff is a ride through the stunning Caladaro Valley to Lake Caldaro. The lake is one of the warmest in the alps and just perfect for a swim if the weather is hot. The two routes converge further down the Adige Valley, near the town of Ora from where you continue your journey south. For centuries this wide fertile valley has been one of the primary north-south trading routes through the alps and the scenery is spectacular. Tiny alpine villages, perched on the green mountainsides on either side of the valley, are overlooked by towering granite peaks. The easy, level cycle path sticks resolutely to the valley floor leading you through the small pleasant villages of Ora, Egna and Salorno before arriving at Trento, today’s destination. Trento has a long and colourful history, thanks to its strategic position on one of the Alps’ main passes. Head for the picturesque medieval city centre to absorb the atmosphere and learn more.
Leaving Trento, you continue down the valley, beside the river, to the village of Mori where you leave the Adige and cycle up and over a small ridge. This short climb is rewarded with a truly stunning panoramic view of the northern end of Lake Garda. After an exhilarating freewheel down to the picturesque lakeside village of Torbole, you follow the shoreline the short distance to Riva, a beautiful old town at the northwestern tip of the lake . Here you embark on a wonderful ferry ride (4-5 hours) down the entire length of the Lake to Peschiera on the southern shore. The scenery from the boat is spectacular with sheer limestone cliffs and tree-lined hillsides plunging down into the deep blue lake. Pretty villages line the shore and brightly coloured windsurfing sails flit to and fro across the lake’s surface. At the southern end of the lake you disembark in Peschiera and make your way to your nearby hotel which will be in Peschiera or nearby Desenzano.
Leave Desenzano/Peschiera behind and cycle eastwards through open countryside to the Roman city of Verona. Shakespeare chose the beautiful city as the setting for Romeo and Juliet and you can visit Casa di Giulietta, purported to be the location of the famous balcony scene. The wonderful Arena, a crumbling Roman amphitheatre still hosts lavish productions today and you may wish to time your arrival to coincide with a particular performance – use this link to research further but be sure to book in advance as most performances are sold out months in advance. Ascend the Lamberti tower for a great view over the city, enjoy an ice cream in the buzzing Piazza Bra and stroll through the atmospheric old town exploring the maze-like streets.
Please note: Today's route is 60 km if you start from Desenzano and 35 km if you start from Peschiera.
After breakfast it’s time to head for home or your next adventure.
Bikes
On this tour you can choose between a regular bike, a regular plus bike or an E-bike.
Regular bikes: They are modern alloy framed touring models with 27 speeds and gel saddles which offer a very comfortable riding position. Minimum height for unisex/step-through bike is 150cm. Minimum height for male specific bike is 160cm. Bikes come equipped with a pannier and per room a front bag, lock and repair kit.
Regular plus bikes: They are 27 speed hybrid bikes which have a lighter, more compact frame and more sporty riding position. They have disk brakes, gravel tyres and do not have mud guards. Minimum height for unisex/step-through bike is 150cm. Important: Anyone, male or female, who is 160cm or taller will be assigned a male specific bike. Bikes come equipped with a pannier and per room a front bag, lock and repair kit.
Electric bikes: The 9 speed electric bikes have unisex low-entry frames feature gel saddles and ergonomic grips. The Bosch powerpack offers a range of 90km (over flat terrain at an average speed). Minimum height for unisex/step-through bike is 150cm. Minimum age for e-bike is 18. Electric bikes come equipped with a pannier, battery charger plus, per room, a front bag, lock and repair kit.
We suggest you bring your own helmet for safety and hygiene reasons. Alternatively, helmets for adults only, are available for rent at the time of booking.
Regular 27 gear unisex frame
Regular 27 gear male frame
Regular Plus bike with unisex frame
Regular Plus bike with crossbar frame
E-bike
Accommodation
Below you will find examples of the accommodations typically used on this tour. Please note that the hotels we book for you may differ slightly from those described but they will certainly be of a similar standard.
Superior: Good quality hotels and guesthouses.
Bolzano: Hotel Chrys
Silandro: Pension Schweitzer
Merano: Hotel Gruberhof
Bolzano: Hotel Chrys
Trento: Grand Hotel Trento
Peschiera: Hotel Clarin 14
Verona: Hotel San Marco Verona
Local taxes
Some hotels have started to charge a local/tourist tax. These taxes are not included in the sale price of the tour and must be paid directly by you at check-in or checkout at the hotels. This fee varies and is ever changing but as a guide, you may be asked to pay between €1-€4 per person per night
Getting There
Fly to Verona or Venice airport and then take the train to Bolzano. From Verona the train takes approximately 2 hours and from Venice approximately 3 hours. Fly back from Verona (Venice is also possible).
Research flights from the UK here.
Research trains in Italy here.
You can also take the train all the way from the UK – checkout this article in the Guardian.