Cycling the Dolomites plus the Alpine Valleys of Italy
Classic Self-Guided - Cortina, Bolzano, Verona - 12 days
The best of our Dolomites and Alpine Valleys itineraries combined into one perfect cycling tour! Starting in Cortina d'Ampezzo, in the heart of the Italian Dolomites, the route heads north on gentle bike paths surrounded by verdant forests and incredible mountain scenery (with optional challenging rides available most days, including climbs to famous mountain passes.) Heading north towards the Austrian border, the itinerary enters the Sud Tyrol region - a unique corner of Italy where traditional culture is still preserved - eventually joining the ancient Roman Via Claudia Augusta, before entering the Trentino Alto-Adige region. After crossing Lake Garda, a grand ending awaits in Verona, one of Italy's most famous art cities. End your tour here or add a few days to explore the Veneto region and nearby Venice.
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Day 1
Tour begins in Cortina d'Ampezzo
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 -
Day 2
Cycling to Dobbiaco and San Candido in the Val Pusteria
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.
Daily distance: 35 km (22 miles)
Elevation gain: + 372 m (1220 ft)
Accommodation: Hotel Garni Letizia, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details -
Day 3
Loop ride along the Drau River
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) 43 km (27 miles), with + 145 m (475 ft) elevation gain.
Long option (cycling to Lienz and back to Dobbiaco): 87 km (54 miles), with + 830 m (2722 ft) elevation gain.
Extra ride to Val Fiscalina: 24 km (15 miles), with + 382 m (1253 ft) elevation gain.
Accommodation: Hotel Garnì Letizia, or similar. -
Day 4
Cycling the Val Pusteria to Brunico
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.
Daily distance: 50 km (31 miles)
Elevation gain: + 575 m (1886 ft)
Today we offer an extra ride to Campo Tures from Brunico: 30 km (18.5 miles), with + 168 m (551 ft) elevation gain.
Accommodation: Hotel Corso, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details -
Day 5
Cycling Brunico to Bressanone
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.
Daily distance: 46 km (29 miles)Elevation gain: +576 m (1890 ft)
Accommodation: Hotel Traube, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details -
Day 6
Cycling Bressanone to Bolzano
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.
Daily distance: 43 km (27 miles)
Elevation gain: + 236 m (774 ft)
Accommodation: Hotel Figl, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details -
Day 7
Cycling loop into the Caldaro wine region
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)
Accommodation: Hotel Figl, or similar. -
Day 8
Cycling Bolzano to Trento
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 74 km (46 miles); Elevation gain + 334 m (1214 ft)
Longer option: Daily distance 82 km (51 miles); Elevation gain + 535 m (1755 ft)
Accommodation: Hotel America , or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details -
Day 9
Cycling Trento to Riva del Garda
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: +294 m (964 ft)
Accommodation: Hotel Vittoria, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details -
Day 10
Riva del Garda
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: distance 10km (6 miles); elevation gain +119 m (390 ft).
Accommodation: Hotel Vittoria, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details. -
Day 11
By boat across Lake Garda: Riva to Verona
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 - Total distance: 34 km (21 miles), with +223 m (730 ft) elevation gain
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
Accommodation: Pepita Lodge, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details -
Day 12
End of Tour in Verona
Highlights: Arrivederci!
Tour ends in Verona.
PLEASE NOTE: The final itinerary, including hotels and/or activities described here, are subject to change according to availability. City hotel taxes are not included.
| Includes | Includes 11 nights lodging in 3- and 4-star hotels All breakfasts Bike fitting and briefing in English by our professional staff at tour start Access to smartphone app with tracks and digital roadbook Private shuttle for people and bikes on day 9 (Trento to Cadine) Luggage transfers Not included Travel to and from the tour start and end Bicycle rental (see Prices tab) Airfare or transportation to and from the tour start and end Entrance to museums or other activities not indicated as included Any meals or beverages not indicated as included City hotel tax (2 to 5 euro per night per person, to be paid locally by traveler)*; * due to the 2025 Rome Jubilee, some cities may charge a higher per night tax; Any type of insurance (medical, trip cancellation and interruption, baggage, bike rental) Solo Traveler and Private Group departures available: please inquire. Lodging Upgrade: Room upgrades are possible in some hotels - please inquire for prices and availability Extra nights: If you'd like to add nights along or before/after the tour, please inquire - we will be happy to provide a quote and add the nights to your tour package. Extra meals & activities: (please inquire for price and availability) Cooking classes available in various tour locations! Organized by Le Cesarine, experts in Italian culinary experiences. You will be hosted by a local at their home - your "Cesarina" - in a class that lasts about three hours, during which you will help the Cesarina prepare three courses. In the fourth and final hour, you will enjoy the meal (lunch or dinner) which you prepared during the class. Water and one bottle of house wine for every 3 people are included. ________________________________________ Navigation and roadbook: On our self-guided tours, detailed tour information and route navigation tracks are provided through the free smartphone app Ride With GPS - our "digital roadbook" - which includes daily routes, maps, elevation profiles, and ride descriptions; schedules and hotel itinerary; cultural and sightseeing information, visit suggestions; emergency numbers and more, all stored in one organized, easy to use app. Downloading the app content also allows for offline mode navigation. Participants can also upload the routes to their own GPS device, and even print the detailed route notes before leaving home On our self-guided tours, GPS device rental, as well as a printed roadbook, are available at an optional extra fee: For more information on our navigation options, as well as the smartphone app, please read our blog: What's it like to navigate on our self-guided tours?. ________________________________________ Luggage transfers Luggage transfers are included in your package. The luggage is normally collected from 09.30 at the reception of the hotel and is delivered at the following hotel by 15.00 hrs. Please use the luggage tags provided by Cycle Europe on all your luggage being transferred. Please have your luggage ready before the driver comes to collect it, otherwise you may have to pay a local taxi for the service. Please consider that the luggage is not insured during the transport. You need to have your own insurance. Do not leave valuables or fragile items in your luggage. Normally, the luggage transport service cannot be used by participants to skip the cycling stage. In case you need help to skip the cycling stage, please contact our emergency number and we will arrange it for you. PLEASE NOTE: the final itinerary, including hotels and/or activities described here, are subject to changes according to availability. City hotel taxes are not included. Tour code: itbs4347a |
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| Countries | Italy |
| Begin/End | Cortina d'Ampezzo / Verona |
| Arrive/Depart | Starting point: Hotel Regina or Hotel Panda in Cortina d'Ampezzo If you are flying into Treviso Antonio Canova Airport (TSF) If you are flying into Venice Airport ( VCE): 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: Hotel Figl (Piazza del Grano, 9, Bolzano) We recommend flying out of Venice Airport (VCE) 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.) * the hotels and prices listed above are for reference only and are subject to change (based on availability and seasonality) |
| Total Distance | 408-521 km (255-325 miles) |
| Daily Distance | 34-87 km (21-54 miles) * optional longer rides are available some days |
| Rating |
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About Tour Ratings » |
| Notes | Difficulty description:
This tour includes level 1 as well as level 2 rides; the overall itinerary is rated level 2 to account for a total 9 days of cycling. If choosing to cycle the longer, more challenging rides (available on most days for intermediate to advanced cyclists), this becomes a level 3 itinerary. The train is also available some days, if looking to shorten some of the long rides. The itinerary includes short stretches of bike paths with hard packed dirt/gravel sections that could prove difficult for less experienced cyclists if using a road bike with thin tires; if you are not experienced on hard packed dirt/gravel, we recommend renting our aluminum hybrid bike or our e-bikes, with thicker tires that make the bike paths easier to manage. If you have any questions about this, please ask us, we'll be happy to answer in detail. Please click on the Rating link for a detailed explanation of our difficult rating system. |
| Terms | Terms & Conditions |
| Dates | Prices | Single Supplement | |||
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| Dates | This tour is available between May 1 and September 30 Starts every Saturday. Other start days available by request (extra fee applies). Please note that starting on certain days of the week will make some visits impossible (such as museums or tastings). Solo traveler departures are also available (only one person on the departure), with a supplemental fee which includes the cost of the single/double room supplement, as well as a GPS unit with the pre-loaded routes. Please inquire for exact price. Group Discounts are available for participants booking together on the same departure! Please inquire for details through our contact form below. For more ways to save, see our Discounts and Promotions ________________________________________ *2025 prices:per person published price with 4 participants on the same booking, in shared double rooms. For bookings with 2 or 3 participants, the price per person is €2395 in low-season, and €2495 in high season High-season dates: May 1 – June 15 and September 1 to October 15 (all other tour departure dates are considered low season.) 2025 Confirmed departure dates: May 18 July 5 August 30 ________________________________________ Bike Rental options: We offer quality bikes in different styles, all great options for this bike tour. Our bikes are maintained and delivered in optimal working condition. The prices below are per bike for the duration of the tour, including delivery to starting point in Cortina and collection from ending point in Bolzano. Bike rental rates Aluminum hybrid: €240 Premium Titanium road or hybrid: €300 Touring E-bike (hybrid with straight handlebar): €420 Tandem: €440 (priced per bike, for 2 cyclists) Tag-along or kid trailer: €120 Bike rental insurance is available for purchase with all our rental bikes – see details in the Bike Rental Insurance section of our Terms and Conditions page. For detailed specs and photos of our bikes, see our website - Bike Rentals Italy. ________________________________________ Don't have 11 days? Our shorter versions of this tour still offers great cycling and all the highlights: Cortina to Bolzano - 8 days, and Silandro to Verona 8 days. ________________________________________ Additional useful information: • Do you have any questions about how our bike tours work? Check out our FAQs page! • Curious about the difference between our Classic and Casual self-guided tours? See our blog on Casual Self-Guided Tours. • We offer various tools for navigation - this page details what it's like to navigate on our self-guided tours. • If the self-guided formula isn't right for you, check out this blog introducing the differences between Guided and Self-Guided Tours. |
Prices | Price per person*: €1995 (low-season) €2095 (high-season) |
Single Supplement | €340 fee (in single room or double room for single use) |
| Next Step | Request space on this Bicycle Tour » |
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“10 out of 10. Gorgeous scenery. Easy to ride bike paths. Charming towns. My favorite? Hard to pick one! Loved the variety of scenery, from mountains, cows with bells, and the apple orchards of the Val Venosta…Plus lake Garda and the valley of vineyards that lead into it.”
Karen Conolly (Canada) Sep 2024
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“10 out of 10. Of the dozen rides we have done with your company, this one was the best! Biking heaven!”
William Morgan (USA) May 2024
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“10 out of 10. Beautiful scenery. Almost always on bike paths, (which) was great. The towns were clean and the food was great. My favorite was the ride from Bolzano to Trento.”
Kathleen Kinder (USA) May 2024