Italy's eastern Alps, the Dolomites, are some of the world's most dramatic mountains and they straddle a cultural boundary that gives us the best of Italian and Austrian-German cuisine. Explore this beautiful and unique corner of Italy. The tour begins with a few days of rolling terrain in preparation of our arrival to the South Tyrol area where you'll have the opportunity to bicycle the 4 passes of the Sella Massif. You will also enjoy a wonderful wine tasting, outlet prices at a top-notch Italian bicycle jersey factory, and a visit to a unique bicycle museum. If you love being in the mountains, this is the bicycle tour for you.
Day 1: Arrive Venice, Italy
Highlights: The Lido of Venice, dinner at a trattoria
Welcome to Venezia! You really should try and come a day or two early to explore this unique city before we begin our bike ride to the Dolomites. We'll meet this afternoon at our hotel on the Lido of Venice where we'll fit bicycles. Tonight after our introductory aperitif we will walk to dinner together in a small trattoria on the Lido.Lodging: Hotel Atlanta Augustus
Day 2: Bicycle Venice and along the Piave River
Highlights: Lidos (sandbars) of Venice, quiet levee roads
After a leisurely breakfast, we will catch a ferry north to the Lido di Cavallino. From there, you'll ride by lush Venetian gardens and follow the Piave River to our hotel in the small town of San Don´ di Piave this evening. Dinner together. Distance: 55-60 km (34-37 mi)Lodging: Hotel Forte del 48
Day 3: Bicycling to Castelfranco Veneto
Highlights: 13th-century Castelfranco Veneto
Our route today has us skirting Treviso through agricultural country settled by the Romans. Our destination is Castelfranco Veneto, 13th-century walled town. Our hotel overlooks the main square here. Dinner is on your own tonight. Distance: 65-75 km (40-46 mi)Lodging: Hotel Alla Torre
Day 4: Castelfranco to Valdobbiadene
Highlights: Palladian villa, prosecco wine tasting this evening
We head north toward the foothills of the Alps today. On the way you might want to stop at a bicycle jersey factory where you can enjoy factory outlet prices on top-notch Italian bicycle jerseys. Then we head on to Villa Barbaro, Andrea Palladio's architectural masterpiece that will be open just for us. Our day ends in Valdobbiadene, home of prosecco, one of Italy's finest sparkling wines. We'll have a wine tasting before dinner together. Distance: 50 km (31 miles).Lodging: Hotel Diana
Day 5: Valdobbiadene to Belluno
Highlights: Spectacular rides in the foothills of the alps; visit a unique bicycle museum
We are in the foothills of the Dolomites now, and we'll enjoy a spectacular ride through farmlands and villages to Belluno. On the way, you'll want to visit the wonderful bicycle museum in Cesiomaggiore. We'll suggest some places for dinner on your own this evening. Distance: 68 km (42 miles).Lodging: Albergo Cappello e Cadore
Day 6: Belluno to Cortina
Highlights: Train ride into Italian Alps, great bike path into Cortina with a picture perfect landscape
We'll shuttle into the Dolomites by train this morning, then you'll enjoy a scenic ride to Cortina along an old railroad grade that is now a bike path. We recommend lunch in town or a ride up the cable car for a picnic in the mountains before heading back to town and our hotel in the heart of Cortina. Dinner on your own tonight. Distance: 36 km (22 miles).Lodging: Hotel Cortina
Day 7: Cortina to Val Badia, Corvara
Highlights: Spectacular Alpine scenery, cable car ride for lunch on top of the Dolomites
We climb over Passo Falzarego this morning on a beautiful ride. Once at the top of the pass at your option you can enjoy a cable car ride up the mountain for a picnic lunch. From the pass, it's mostly downhill to our hotel. Dinner together tonight. Distance: 35-47 km (22-29 miles).Lodging: Hotel Col Alto Corvara
Day 8: Sella Massif
Highlights: One of the classic rides of cycling, the historic four passes surrounding Sella Massif
This morning we'll pedal the classic tour of the Sella Massif on the Dolomite High Road often part of the Giro d'Italia! This 67 km loop features 6,500 feet of climbing over 4 famous passes (Campolongo, Pordoi, Sella, and Gardena). Dinner together. Distance: up to 67 km (42 miles).Lodging: Hotel Col Alto Corvara
Day 9: Brunico
Highlights: Brunico, Alpine villages, special farewell dinner
We follow a scenic road to San Lorenzo and through small Alpine villages that overlook the Austrian Alps to the North before reaching Val Pusteria and the charming Alpine town of Brunico. Those who wish can take the extra, challenging ride to the top of the Stalle Pass and the border with Austria. Otherwise, spend your afternoon visiting the characteristic narrow streets of Brunico or check out the castle located on the highest point of town. We'll have a festive final dinner together this evening. Distance: 40 km (25 miles).Lodging: Hotel Goldene Rose
Day 10: Brunico
Highlights: Farewell to the group and on with your travels
After breakfast together, we'll say good-bye to our Dolomites' cycling adventure. Trains head north to Austria and Munich or south to Milan, Rome, and Venice. Or, stay in the Dolomites and spend a few days hiking; it is well worth it!-
HighlightsItalian and Austrian-German culture and food, Mountain town of Cortina, Riding the Sella Massif, Spectacular Val Badia, Palladio's masterpiece, Villa Barbaro
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Includes"The Usual" plus... Use of a quality 27-30 speed bicycle; 10 days, 9 nights' accommodation; 6 dinners with wine, all breakfasts; 1 wine-tasting
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CountriesItaly
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Begin/EndVenice/Brunico
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Arrive/DepartVenice Marco Polo Int'l Airport (VCE)/Venice, Innsbruck Kranebitten Airport (INN) or Munich Airport (MUC)
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Total Distance416-443km (258-274 miles)
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Daily Distance0-75 km (0-46 miles)
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What to ExpectSpectacular landscapes, a wonderful mix of Italian, German, and Austrian cuisine.
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Rating301
Fairly flat cycling to start and then longer climbs in the mountains with options to train and shuttle. -
Notes
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Terms
| Dates | Price | Single Supplement* |
Notes | Next Step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 02 - 11, 2013 | $3895 | $600 | Two Spaces Left | Book It |
| *We are happy to match solo travelers who would like to share a room with someone of the same gender. If no match exists, due to hotel pricing, we will charge 50% of the single supplement rate. This fee will be collected at the time of the final payment. If a roommate assignment is available this fee will be refunded at the conclusion of the tour. | ||||
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Here on ExperiencePlus.com
- Italy Trip Planner
Read up on country customs, transportation information, culinary specialites, and more!
Elsewhere on the Web
- Authentic Italian Food
Lonely Planet writes about expectations on meals in Italy: it may be different than you make at home, but you will be impressed nevertheless! - Pasta for Dinner
A simple and tasty pasta for an Italian-themed meal as you plan your trip to ride bikes in Italy.
Click on the "pins" for details about each day's highlights.
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City (on route)
End
City (not part of route, provided for reference)[What was your favorite experience?] Riding the Quatro Passo and the day hike in Covara, then relaxing each afternoon in the hotel sauna. The Hotel Col Alto was great. It had excellent facilities, a very friendly, English speaking staff, and a fabulous spa.
David G.
Denver, CO
Denver, CO
Dinners were excellent. Good menu choices for everyone and great restaurants. Breakfasts were also very good and more than I had expected. The addtional tours to the Giessegi factory, Villa Barbaro, the bike museum, and the prosecco wine tasing were gems. I enjoyed the stops and the opportunity to do more than just ride a bike in Italy. The tours were very special activities.
David G.
Denver, CO
Denver, CO
The trip was fabulous. The tour guides fabulous ... Itinerary wonderfully thought out ... One of the most invigorating, beautiful and relaxing vacations ever for us. This trip has made us serious and enthusiastic about doing more. Our guides were tremendous in all ways, helpful, knowledgeable, engaging. We are already planning our next trip. Thanks for providing such a special experience.
Gary G.
Princeton, NJ
Princeton, NJ
Fabulous tour from all aspects. An active tour with outstanding guides. For us it was a perfect family vacation. My teenagers were never bored, and enjoyed the other participants. It was a workout for them and good to be around active adults. They definitely want to do it again. Thank you for an exceptional tour.
Dara & Elaine B.
Boulder, CO
Boulder, CO
