Self-guided: Cycling the Majestic Dolomites! Cortina to Bolzano

Self Guided Tour in the Dolomites of Italy
  • Length 8 days
  • From USD$2395
  • Style/Level Self-Guided 2.5
  • Countries Italy
  • Begin/End Cortina d’Ampezzo / Bolzano

The postcard valleys of the Dolomites are a paradise for any outdoor activity, and the gentle bike paths that criss-cross the region are perfect for bicycle travel. Tucked into the eastern corner of the Italian Alps, the stunning Dolomites have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site to recognize and preserve their “exceptional natural beauty.” Settled from pre-historic times (as evidenced by the now-famous Otzi mummy in Bolzano), this region is also the cradle of the South Tyrolean culture and people (and a politically autonomous region within Italy). Featuring majestic landscapes and scenery, Italian and Austrian-German cuisine, and a unique and incredibly preserved history and way of life, the Dolomites region provides all the elements of a great bicycle tour. On this flexible, self-guided itinerary, you can choose to cycle on the rolling valley floors, or challenge yourself on epic mountain climbs.

Highlights

  • The Dolomites, Cortina d’Ampezzo- home of the 1956 Winter Olympics, cycle to Austria, Brenner Pass, Bolzano

Includes

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.

  • The final itinerary, including hotels and/or activities described here, are subject to change according to availability.
  • City hotel taxes are not included.

This tour includes level 1 as well as level 2 rides, and is apt for beginner cyclists who are fit.

Longer distance rides with higher difficulty levels are available on most days, making this tour a great option for intermediate to advanced cyclists. Please inquire when requesting dates.

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.


From USD $2,395

  • PRICING: Based on double occupancy. Departures for one person only will require supplemental fees.
  • HIGH SEASON PRICING: May 1 – June 15 and September 1 – October 15 USD $2,495 per person.
  • START DAYS: This tour departs any Saturday between May 1 and September 30. Other start days of the weeks may be available on request, for USD $300. Please note that changing the start day could make some cultural visits and activities impossible.
  • REQUEST YOUR DATE: Click the blue “Request a date” button to submit a tour inquiry.
If dates appear below, they reflect already requested departures. Multiple parties may join listed dates.

Date Price Private room fee Note

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.
Name(Required)
Email(Required)
Tour date(Required)
Have you traveled with us before?(Required)
Hidden
Hidden
Hidden
Opt-in to weekly news, recipes, and tour updates
Privacy(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.


  • Total distance 298 km (186 miles)
  • Average daily distance 50 km (31 miles)
  • Tour style Self-Guided
  • Tour level 2.5

Highlights: Welcome to Cortina; Bike fitting

Arrive in Cortina and pick up your bikes and equipment. An online pre-travel briefing and introduction, in English, can be scheduled – we’ll introduce the tour in detail, show you how to use your gps and navigation tools, and answer all your questions, getting you ready for the adventure ahead. Among the renowned ski resorts in the Italian Alps, Cortina hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics 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.

Accommodation: Hotel Regina, or similar.

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 Garnì Letizia, or similar.

Meals : Breakfast

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. Pedal as far as you would like heading northeast before cycling back, or catch a train from one of the 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).

Today, you can choose between two different options for your ride:

Short option: 87 km (54 miles), with + 830 m (2722 ft) elevation gain
Long option: 145 km (90 miles), with + 2097 m (6879 ft) elevation gain

Accommodation: Hotel Garnì Letizia, or similar.

Meals : Breakfast

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.

Meals : Breakfast

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 (1220 ft)

Accommodation: Hotel Traube, or similar.

Meals : Breakfast

Highlights: The Eisack Valley; Bolzano

Continue pedaling south along the Eisarck 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.

Meals : Breakfast

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.

Meals : Breakfast

Highlights: Arrivederci!

Tour ends after breakfast.

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.

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



Already taken this tour? Be the first to add a review!