Cycling Italy’s Alpine Valleys

Cycling Italy in Alpine Valleys
  • Length 8 days
  • From USD$4895
  • Style/Level Classic 1.0
  • Countries Italy
  • Begin/End Shuttle from Bolzano (Bozen) to Glorenza / Bassano del Grappa
See related tours

Pedal along bike paths in two of Italy’s finest bike-friendly regions! Begin your ride cycling through the lush meadows of the Venosta Valley with views of Alpine peaks and glaciers in the distance. Perfect for couples or friends with varied cycling abilities, this tour takes you along pristine bike paths and small towns as you enjoy pedaling by the lush meadows and glaciers in the background. Along the way, you’ll pedal past some of the best preserved castles in the region, vineyards and orchards, and visit historic cities including Merano, Bolzano, Trento and Bassano del Grappa – with plenty of opportunities to explore cafes in central plazas. This tour is a perfect blend of fascinating Austro-Italian history and the famous beauty and tranquility of Northern Italy’s mountains, lakes and valleys.


***If this sounds great but want to spend more time on your bike, check out our Cycling Italy’s Alpine Valleys Plus! Venice, which extends this tour by 4 days.***

Highlights

  • 3 – two night stays, Small medieval walled town of Glorenza, Adige River riding, Merano and its chic thermal spa town center, Gondola ride and dinner in a traditional “maso” in a mountain valley, Dedicated scenic bike paths, Views to the Dolomites and the Alps, Guided visit of Trento, Land art installation visit of Arte Sella.

Includes

  • 8 days, 7 nights accommodation

  • meals as noted in itinerary

  • guided walk Trento

  • Lasa marble visit

  • scenic train to Valsugana

  • All Classic tour inclusions

Keep in mind

We work hard to maintain consistency across all of our tours, but some trips have unique differences. Here are some things to keep in mind about this tour.

This trip features a large number of shared bike paths which can be crowded and require good bike handling skills.

Mostly flat, on bike paths, some easy gravel stretches, a few gentle uphills


Date Price Private room fee Note
Jun 14-21, 2025 USD$4895 USD$550 Departure confirmed to go! Book by November 1st and save $200 per person.  
Jul 5-12, 2025 USD$4895 USD$550 Book by November 1st and save $200 per person.
DateJun 14-21, 2025
PriceUSD$4895
Private room feeUSD$550
NoteDeparture confirmed to go! Book by November 1st and save $200 per person.  
DateJul 5-12, 2025
PriceUSD$4895
Private room feeUSD$550
NoteBook by November 1st and save $200 per person.

Download Itinerary

We’ll send you a link to a full day by day tour itinerary that can be downloaded and printed so you can review all the details online and offline. This packet also includes details about what to expect on tour and arrival and departure details.
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  • Total distance 187km (116 miles)
  • Average daily distance 37km (23 miles)
  • Tour style Classic
  • Tour level 1.0

Highlights: Medieval Glorenza, bike fitting, welcome dinner

Meet at 10 a.m. in Bolzano (Bozen in German) for our transfer to Glorenza where the cycling portion of our journey will begin. We highly recommend arriving a few days early in Bolzano to visit the archaeological museum and see its most famous resident, Otzi, a man from the Copper Age who was perfectly preserved in ice until his discovery in the early 90’s. In a few days we’ll pedal under the peaks where he was found, so take time to visit him and learn more about the area. This afternoon, we’ll fit our bikes and enjoy a welcome dinner in a local restaurant.

Meals : Dinner
Lodging : Hotel Gruner Baum (4*)

Highlights: Lake and glacier views, bell tower in the lake, Burgusio castle, Castel Coira

This morning we’ll shuttle to the picturesque Alpine Lake Resia. We’ll bicycle around the gorgeous lake that hides the village of Curon beneath its waters. The only remnant of the village is its bell tower which rises from the midst of the lake. It’s an exciting descent from here and you’ll have a chance to visit the Burgusio Castle before returning to Glorenza. This afternoon, we’ll visit one of the best preserved castles in the entire region. Anybody with free time or an interest in whisky can visit Italy’s only distillery located just outside Glorenza’s city walls!

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Lodging : Hotel Gruner Baum (4*)

Highlights: Bike paths along the Adige river, the gardens of Traumannsdorf Castle, home of Forst beer

We’ll enjoy a quiet ride through apple orchards on the bike path to the small town of Lasa. Despite its small size, Lasa’s marble craftsmanship can be found worldwide. Interestingly enough Lasa’s first large order was 86,000 crosses and Star of David in the 1950’s for U.S. military cemeteries around the world. From there we’ll pedal along a pleasant bike path to Merano where you can explore its trendy streets and cafes, take one of the two well-signed walks around town, or enjoy Italy’s most famous gardens at Trautmannsdorf Castle. Rivaling Cortina d’Ampezzo as a destination for jet-setting European visitors to the Italian Alps, Merano has long been a mountain resort for heads of the Austrian Empire, European princes and princesses and modern day celebrities.

Meals : Breakfast
Lodging : City Hotel Merano

Highlights: Langrein vineyards, apple orchards, old city of Bolzano/Bozen, special dinner

We’ll leave the Venosta Valley today and head back to the large town of Bolzano – or Bozen in German. Pedal through vineyards and apple orchards as the valley widens and then narrows as you approach the city under the shadow of the Firmiano Castle. The castle is now a museum founded by one of the world’s most famous mountaineers from this region, Reinhold Messner. Enter the city along tranquil bike paths and enjoy our centrally located hotel. This evening, a special gondola ride above town brings us to a local farm where we’ll enjoy views on the Dolomite mountains and hearty homemade dishes.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Lodging : Hotel Greif Bolzano

Highlights: Guided walk of Trento, train ride, Borgo Valsugana, hotel spa

This morning we’ll leave Bolzano by train and head to Trento, capital of the Italy’s autonomous region of Trentino Alto Adige/ Südtirol. This compact colorful city center was the seat of the Council of Trent in the 16th century, where the Catholic Church held one of its most important councils for over 20 years to determine how to handle the Protestant Reformation. Enjoy a special visit of the city and castle before we take a short train ride to our next valley and the small town of Borgo Valsugana, a quaint village nestled between the striking cliffs of the Alps’ foothills. You’ll have time this afternoon to enjoy the hotel’s spa.

Meals : Breakfast
Lodging : Locanda in Borgo

Highlights: Arte Sella

Take a leisurely spin upstream along a gentle bike path that meanders through orchards, and skirts small villages. A highlight along the way is Lake Caldonazzo where you can enjoy a refreshing dip. A special evening event in the mountains awaits!

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Lodging : Locanda in Borgo

Highlights: WWI fort, wooden bridge of Bassano, tasting visit grappa museum

Continue your journey along the Valsugana bike path enjoying stunning views, and WWI forts that overlook the valley. The route follows “Via Claudia Augusta,” an ancient Roman road which ran 550 km and crossed the Alps to link the Po valley (which is just south of us) and Germany (to the north of us). You’ll slowly emerge from the narrow valley to reach the town of Bassano, with its iconic wooden bridge across the river. Bassano is a key producer of grappa and there are several distilleries in town. We will enjoy a visit to one of them before dinner together.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Lodging : Hotel Alla Corte

Highlights: Continue exploring Italy

We hope you’ve enjoyed your bike tour through some of Italy’s most beautiful alpine valleys. Venice is nearby as is Milan or Bologna. Wherever your onward travels take you – buon viaggio!

Meals : Breakfast

Visit our Tour Level page to learn more about terrain levels and how we determine day and tour levels.



Pre-trip planning checklist

Italy travel planning page



  • A beautiful ride through Alpine river valleys. Excellent paved trail for most of the route. Quiet safe riding. Lovely towns, interesting sights, excellent company and great eating.

    Jane T., Milwaukee, WI – June 2022
  • Each day was better than the last. Could not have been better. The bike fit to a tee. The paths were comfortable. Dinner in the Dolomites was a real treat.

    Dan C., Boulder, CO – July 2019
  • A terrific tour with great sights, easy bike paths, lots of gentle downhills, great food and restaurant selections. We loved the castle tours and sculpture gardens. Just the right balance of city and country.

    Valerie C., Boulder CO – July 2019