Cycling the Dolomites plus the Alpine Valleys of Italy

Highlights: Welcome to Cortina; Bike fitting

Among the renowned ski resorts in the Italian Alps, Cortina is preparing to host its second Winter Olympics in 2026, and still draws big crowds in the winter seeking great snow. This beautiful town, with a stone church and pleasant piazzas, is also an outdoor paradise in the summertime, surrounded by mountains, forests and Alpine greenery.

After meeting our staff at the starting hotel for a tour briefing and bike fitting (normally in the early afternoon), you are ready to go! We recommend getting out to explore this afternoon and check out our suggested dinner locations!

Accommodation: Hotel Regina, Hotel Panda Cortina, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details

Highlights: Cycling through the Pusteria Valley

Leave behind the “Queen of the Dolomites” today to climb a gently graded rails-to-trails bike path through lovely forests and along small mountain lakes, reaching the small pass of Cimabanche. From here, the same path takes you gently downhill to one of the quintessential views of the Dolomites, the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, before continuing to our destination in Dobbiaco or San Candido, in the Val Pusteria.

Short Option: Daily distance: 36 km (22 miles), - Elevation gain: + 377 m (1237 ft) - Terrain type: rolling hills
Long Option: Daily distance: 39 km (24 miles), - Elevation gain: + 760 m (2493 ft) - Terrain type: hilly

Accommodation: Hotel Garni Letizia, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details

Highlights: San Candido, the Drau River, bike path, Austria

Spend a relaxing day bicycling toward (or into!) Austria, along the wonderful Drau River bike path. A tributary of the Danube several hundred kilometers downriver, the Drau is born here and is the setting for one of Italy’s most well-traveled bike paths. You will be cycling alongside or near the train in the valley bottom, so pedal as far as you would like heading northeast into Austria before cycling back, or catch a train from one of the various stations along the way to return to Dobbiaco/San Candido (local trains are designed for cyclists to very easily board and use the train with bikes). 

Two options for today's ride to and back from Lienz:

Short option (cycle to Lienz and return on train to Dobbiaco): Daily Distance 44 km (27 miles), Elevation gain + 146 m (479 ft) - Terrain type: mostly flat
Long option (cycling to Lienz and back to Dobbiaco):  Daily Distance 87 km (54 miles) - Elevation gain + 791m (2595 ft) - Terrain type: rolling hills
Extra ride to Val Fiscalina: Daily Distance 24 km (15 miles) - Elevation gain + 382 m (1253 ft) - Terrain type rolling hills

Accommodation: Hotel Garni Letizia, or similar.

Highlights: Spectacular views of the Pusteria Valley; Brunico

Pedal along one of the Dolomites’ most important valleys into the heart of Trentino Alto Adige, one of Italy’s few autonomous regions. A gentle bike path takes you to Brunico (Bruneck), a delightful city and worth the visit with its two castles, city gates and Alpine architecture.

Short option: Daily Distance 51 km (32 miles) - Elevation gain + 569 m (1867 ft) - Terrain type rolling hills
Long option: Daily Distance 85 km (53 miles) - Elevation gain + 844 m (2769 ft) - Terrain type rolling hills

Accommodation: Hotel Corso, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details

Highlights: Brenner Pass bike path; Novacella abbey

Continue west today to then veer due south along the Brenner Pass bike path (heading down valley!), once one of the most important passes crossing into southern Europe and a long-time trading route down the Eisack Valley. We highly recommend stopping to visit the 12th century Novacella Monastery, which was the largest monastery in all of Tyrol and is still in function today - you can even visit their vineyards and sample their wine. Enter the small and vibrant town of Bressanone (Brixen) - as the oldest town of the province there are plenty of interesting sights in this picturesque city.

Short option: Daily distance 45 km (28 miles) -  Elevation gain +576 m (1220 ft) - Terrain type hilly
Long option: Daily distance 50 km (31 miles) -  Elevation gain +807 m (2648 ft) - Terrain type hilly
 

Accommodation: Hotel Traube, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details

Highlights: The Eisack Valley; Bolzano

Continue pedaling south along the Eisack Valley, stopping for a break in the town centre of medieval Chiusa and enjoying the cycling through chestnut forests and the first vineyards which will accompany you today and tomorrow on your rides. Pause to admire Castel Forte (Trostburg Castle in German), one of the most striking castles of all of Sud Tyrol, as it dominates the valley from its rocky promontory. Once in Bolzano, the largest city of Sud Tyrol region and the capital of the namesake province, you can explore the lively centre and town market where Italian daily life naturally flows. We highly recommend visiting the archaeological museum with the famous Otzi the Iceman, a Neolithic mummy found in the nearby peaks and one of the most important archaeological finds to understand this region’s prehistory.

Short option: Daily distance 42 km (26 miles) - Elevation gain + 235 m (770 ft) - Terrain type mostly flat
Long option: Daily distance 76 km (47 miles) - Elevation gain + 1628 m (5341 ft) - Terrain type very hilly

Accommodation: Hotel Figl, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details

Highlights: Caldaro lake and wine region

We recommend this lovely loop ride into the wine region of Caldaro, a great place to relax and enjoy the scenery (and perhaps a wine tasting in one of the many family-run wineries along the way!). If you prefer a day off the saddle today, enjoy Bolzano and the many sights and activities the city has to offer. Or, take the train into the Venosta Valley (just west) to see some of the towns and sights along that valley, or take a taxi into the nearby Caldaro wine region to enjoy wine tastings and lovely scenery (we are happy to provide recommendations).

Daily distance: 38 km (24 miles)  
Elevation gain: +445 m (1460 ft) 
Terrain type: rolling hills 

Accommodation: Hotel Figl, or similar.

Highlights: Adige River Valley, Mezzocorona, Trento

You keep on cycling South today, enjoy a clear view of the Alps all around you. Our itinerary moves away from the main cycle path on occasion, giving you the opportunity to visit the small town of Neumarkt-Egna, Salorno, Mezzocorona, and San Michele all'Adige. In San Michele you can visit an interesting ethnographic museum about life in the Alps. Continuing on, you will cycle the remaining route to Trento on the familiar bike path next to the Adige River (with various nearby train stations, allowing cyclists to hop in with bikes for a shorter ride). A rich cultural center, Trento boasts a fascinating history and has enough monuments, castles, frescoed palaces, and stately promenades to prove it.

If you skipped visting the Caldaro wine region yesterday, or if you’d like to cycle through this valley again today, this ride is available as an optional, longer ride.

Short option: Daily distance 75 km (47 miles) - Elevation gain + 346 m (1135 ft) - Terrain Type: mostly flat
Longer option: Daily distance 82 km (51 miles); Elevation gain + 535 m (1755 ft) - Terrain Type: rolling hills
 

Accommodation: Hotel America , or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details

Highlights: The Sarca Valley and Arco; Riva del Garda and lake Garda

A shuttle this morning takes you and your bicycle to Cadine, up above Trento where you’ll begin a stunning ride through the Sarca Valley, winding through the Arco area and its dramatic peaks (world-famous among climbers), eventually reaching Riva del Garda, on the northern shore of the majestic Garda Lake. Also known as the pearl of Lake Garda, Riva is a picturesque city that offers a great base from which to explore this naturally blessed region and its Mediterranean micro-climate. Having left behind the German region of Italy, you'll want to explore and find that perfect restaurant or trattoria along a pretty alley or on a beautiful piazza.

Daily distance: 45 km (28 miles)
Elevation gain: +293 m (960 ft)
Terrain Type: rolling hills

Accommodation: Hotel Vittoria, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details

Highlights: Lake Garda swimming; optional loop ride

Enjoy a rest day in Riva! If you want to pedal we suggest a short ride to the impressive Varone waterfalls. Alternatively we suggest a walk to the Ponale Road for stunning views over the lake and surrounding cliffs. Or, you might prefer to hang out and enjoy the resort town of Riva with its beaches and water sport activities (wind-surfing anyone?).

Optional short ride:
Daily Distance: 10km (6 miles)
Elevation gain: +119 m (390 ft)
Terrain Type: rolling hills

Accommodation: Hotel Vittoria, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details.

Highlights: Ferry cruise, Bardolino, Garda, Verona

A wonderful way to experience Lake Garda today, you'll get on a ferry boat from the boat dock at Riva (with your bikes at hand) for a lovely 3-hour cruise crossing the stretch of upper Lake Garda. The views of the bright blue and magenta waters, surrounded by mountains and lush forests in this Mediterranean clime, are a visual delight. The boat lands in the southeastern shore of the lake, with its picturesque fishermen villages Garda and Bardolino. From here, you'll cycle through vineyards and olive trees over gentle rolling hills to the grand city of Verona.

Garda to Verona - Daily distance: 34 km (21 miles) - Elevation gain: +223 m (730 ft) - Terrain Type: rolling hills
If skipping the boat ride, cycle from Riva del Garda to Verona - Total distance: 90 km (55 miles), with +709 m (2326 ft) elevation gain
Terrain Type: rolling hills

Accommodation: Pepita Lodge, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details

Highlights: Arrivederci!

After breakfast, explore lovely Verona, home of an amazingly preserved Roman amphitheater and the famous setting for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

PLEASE NOTE: The final itinerary, including hotels and/or activities described here, are subject to changes according to availability.

Starting point: Hotel Regina or Hotel Panda in Cortina d'Ampezzo

If you are flying into Treviso Antonio Canova Airport (TSF)
- You can take a bus or a 10-minute taxi from Treviso Airport to the train station. Check the Treviso Airport website for more information
- From Treviso station, take a train to Cortina d'Ampezzo. The train ride takes between 4h and 5h . The hotel is located about half a kilometer from the train station, you can walk 5 minutes or take a taxi
- Alternatively, you can take a taxi from Treviso airport to your hotel in Cortina d'Ampezzo (about 2h drive)

If you are flying into Venice Airport ( VCE):
- You can take a direct shuttle bus that will take you to Cortina in just 2 hours. Please check the shuttle bus website
- You can take a train but there will be at least wo connections

The meeting time on this self-guided tour is typically set either in the afternoon of day 1 (between 2-6pm), or the morning of day 2 at 830 or 9am

Ending point: Pepita Lodge - Corso Porta Nuova, 103, Verona
We recommend flying out of Verona Airport "Valerio Catullo"
- Taxis from the hotel to Verona airport take about 15/20 minutes (depending on traffic)
- You can take a 10 minutes walk reaching the Verona train station and then catching the airport shuttle bus

Private Transfers are also available - inquire for prices

Final arrival and departure instructions along with other detailed pre-travel documents, will be e-mailed prior to your travel, with information specific to your departure (including the actual hotels used on your tour dates, which may vary from the hotels listed above.)