Few landscapes in Europe match the beauty of the jagged limestone Dolomites. The route starts with incredible views of Trentino’s dramatic mountains, cycling on relatively easy roads and tracks along the Adige River. On reaching the northern shore of Lake Garda, the views of one of the most famous Italian lakes is unforgettable. A ferry cruise on the lake gives us the opportunity to take in these wonderful vistas before continuing the ride through the beautiful cities of Verona, Padova and finally the canals and waterways of Venice.
This trip includes a few of our Citizen Science Departures. These special departures offer you the opportunity to be involved in the collection of freshwater samples during the trip. The environmental DNA information derived from this sample will contribute directly to the eBioAtlas; the world’s largest repository of flora and fauna species data, contributing to the conservation and restoration of biodiversity both locally and globally. To book onto one of these special departures, see the Dates & Prices tab. For more information on these departures and the eBioAtlas, click here.
Did you know you can travel by train to this trip? Find out more here
Day 1: Start TrentoThe trip starts in Trento, a city nestled in the Adige River Valley in the Trentino-Alto Adige province. A cosmopolitan hub and centre for industry, education, science and finance, Trento is one of the most prosperous cities in Italy with an atmospheric historic centre of well-preserved Medieval and Renaissance buildings. After check-in, there may be time to go into town before our evening meal and trip briefing.
Day 2: Morning train to Bolzano, capital city of the South Tyrol. Cycle on quiet roads following the Adige River back to TrentoAfter breakfast, we take a 40-minute train ride to Bolzano, the capital city of the South Tyrol surrounded by powerful peaks. We can familiarise ourselves with the bikes on a short tour around the historic centre. From here, we will cycle south along the Adige River, following quiet undulating roads, with an overall ascent of approximately 985ft (300m). Cycling through orchards and vineyards, we pass Lake Caldaro and the lovely villages of Ora, Egna and Salorno. This area is well known for producing wine, accounting for three-quarters of the output in South Tyrol. We arrive back in Trento in the late afternoon and spend a second night at our central hotel.
Day 3: Continue riding along the river to Lake Garda. A 3hr 30min ferry cruise takes us to the south shore of the lakeWe continue along the Adige until we reach Rovereto and Mori. From here, we head west towards the northern shores of Lake Garda. After some short ascents, we cycle down to Torbole and then onto the elegant resort of Riva del Garda, which has plenty of bars and restaurants along the lake shore and a lovely beach. Later in the afternoon, we take the ferry to the southern end of the lake, leaving Trentino and heading towards the Veneto region. A lake cruise allows us to enjoy the splendid landscape and relax before we reach our final destination of the day, Desenzano, where we take a short walk from the ferry port to reach our hotel for the night.
Day 4: From Lake Garda, we cycle to Verona, made famous by Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’Cycling mainly on quiet roads and cycle paths today, we make our way to Verona, which, is arguably the most beautiful city in Veneto. The arena is one of the many Roman monuments we can discover there, while other places of interest are the Basilica San Zeno and, of course, Juliet's house and balcony.
Day 5: Cycle to Vicenza, riding through vineyardsAfter a flat start, we’ll face a couple more challenging climbs on today’s route as we cycle over the undulating terrain, but we are rewarded with fantastic views of vineyards. Our destination for the day is Vicenza. The old city centre is a jewel of Renaissance architecture: private palaces, public buildings and the basilica are testaments to the work of Andrea Palladio, one of the most renowned architects in Italy. A visit to the best ice cream parlour in Vicenza is a great reward after today's ride.
Day 6: Pass the Palladian Villa Rotonda and the rolling hills of Monte Berici as we cycle to PaduaToday we can take in some of the greenest and most stunning views of the Veneto countryside. Leaving Vicenza, we cycle past beautiful Palladian villas and we reach the hillier region of Monti Berici. We continue along the Bacchiglione River, on relatively quiet and flat roads, to the fascinating city of Padua (Padova in Italian), which is known for the Scrovegni Chapel, painted by Giotto, and the Prato della Valle, one of the biggest squares in Europe. A dinner is included this evening and we spend the night in Padua.
Day 7: To the enchanting city of Venice; sightseeing on footThis morning we transfer to Venice by train (approximately 30 minutes). Once in the heart of the Floating City, we can explore the labyrinth of narrow streets, bridges and waterways. We will see famous sights including Doge’s Palace, the Rialto Bridge and, of course, Piazza San Marco. After exploring the city, we can enjoy a relaxed evening and perhaps a gondola ride before returning to our hotel in Padua by train.
Day 8: End PaduaThe trip ends in Padua after breakfast. However, if you would prefer to extend your stay and explore a little more, speak to your sales representative.
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