Touring Bike
£112 for 7 days
Ride the full length of the Adige River Cycle Route, Italy’s first dedicated bike path, from the alpine heights of South Tyrol down to the art cities of the Veneto. Starting in bilingual Bolzano, a scenic transfer lifts you to the Reschen Pass before a gentle descent past Lake Resia’s submerged bell tower, apple orchards, vineyards and medieval towns, with an overnight in the graceful spa town of Merano.
The valley opens into Trentino at Trento, then a boat carries you the length of Lake Garda from Riva to Peschiera. From there you choose your finale: romantic Verona, with its Roman Arena and Shakespearean streets, or a quieter run along the River Mincio to the Renaissance jewel of Mantua. Mostly flat and largely traffic-free, the route suits confident leisure cyclists happy with a few longer days, and you can shorten most stages by train.
Arrive in bilingual Bolzano, framed by the peaks of the Dolomites and dotted with colourful Tyrolean houses. Wander Piazza Walther and the arcaded streets, or visit the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology and its famous ice mummy, Ötzi, before your first night.
A scenic transfer lifts you to the Reschen Pass at 1,500 m to begin your ride. Descend past Lake Resia’s submerged bell tower, the Monte Maria Abbey and the walled town of Glorenza, following the Vinschgau Valley through marble-quarrying Lasa to Silandro.
Optional: shorten via train from Malles or Lasa to Silandro.
Continue gently downhill along the Adige past orchards and the medieval Castle Dornsberg to Merano, South Tyrol’s graceful spa town, with its Belle Époque villas, gardens and thermal baths.
Ride the apple-lined Ciclabile delle Mele through Europe’s largest apple-growing area, with a chance to stop at the Apple Museum in Lana, returning to Bolzano at the meeting of the Isarco and Adige rivers.
Follow the Adige south through the vineyards of the South Tyrolean Wine Route, with an optional hilly detour to Lake Kaltern. Cross the linguistic border at Salorno and continue to Trento, a handsome city of frescoed palaces watched over by Buonconsiglio Castle.
Optional: shorten by train from stations along the valley.
The Adige carries you to Rovereto and its modern-art museum before a short climb to the Passo di San Giovanni rewards you with a first view of Lake Garda. Descend to Riva del Garda and board the ferry (included) for a scenic cruise the length of the lake to Peschiera on the southern shore.
Choose your finale. Rejoin the Adige for the short ride into romantic Verona (about 22 miles), home to the Roman Arena, San Zeno and Juliet’s House; or follow one of Italy’s finest cycle paths along the River Mincio to the Renaissance city of Mantua (about 28 miles), ringed by its lakes.
After breakfast your holiday ends in Verona or Mantua, both with excellent onward connections — or stay on to explore the Veneto further.
We recommend flying to Bolzano Dolomiti Airport and returning from Verona Villafranca Airport (VRN).
£112 for 7 days
£266 for 7 days
£154 for 7 days
£14 for 7 days
Getting to Bolzano
By plane: Bolzano’s own airport (BZO) has only limited scheduled flights, so most travellers use a larger gateway. The nearest are Verona (VRN, about 1.5 hours away by train or road) and Innsbruck (INN, about 1 hour over the Brenner), with Venice, Bergamo, Milan and Munich also within easy reach and offering wide international connections.
By train: Bolzano/Bozen sits on the Brenner main line, with direct trains from Verona (around 1.5 hours), Innsbruck (around 2 hours) and Munich (around 3.5 hours), and fast onward links from Verona across the rest of Italy.
By car: Bolzano is right on the A22 Brenner motorway — about 1 hour from Innsbruck to the north and 1.5 hours from Verona to the south.
Getting home from Verona or Mantua
By plane: Both finish points are served by Verona Villafranca Airport (VRN) — about 15 minutes from Verona and roughly 45 minutes from Mantua — with connections across Europe. Venice, Bergamo, Milan and Bologna are the larger alternatives within a couple of hours.
By train: Verona Porta Nuova is a major hub on the Milan–Venice high-speed line with fast links across Italy and beyond. Mantua (Mantova) sits on regional lines with frequent trains to Verona in around 45 minutes, connecting onward from there.
By car: Verona lies on the A4 (Milan–Venice) and A22 Brenner motorways; Mantua is a short hop south. If you drove to Bolzano, both finish points are an easy run back north on the A22 — Verona about 1.5 hours, Mantua a little more.
Bikes are not included. You are welcome to bring your own bike or hire one. Please see our bike hire section for details.
Flights are not included. Please refer to the what's included section for full details.
We will confirm your booking within 48 hours of receiving your enquiry. Please wait for confirmation before booking flights or making other travel arrangements.
Most itineraries include cycling on most days, with some rest or shorter days built in. Please check the itinerary for day-by-day details.
The latest you can book is 9 days before departure. This gives us enough time to confirm arrangements and accommodation.
You will receive full travel details, including accommodation, meeting points and local contacts, 3 to 5 weeks before departure.
5
Self Guided • 4 nights
Leisurely
From £610
Only 9 dates left
Self Guided • 6 nights
Leisurely
From £855
Only 7 dates left
