Bolzano to Verona: Orchards, Mountains, and Timeless Culture
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Bolzano to Verona
Nature or culture? How about the perfect combination of both? This bike tour from the capital of South Tyrol to the festival city of Verona takes you on a predominantly flat route along the Adige, through fertile orchards and past a unique mountain scenery to cities of timeless culture.
Immerse yourself in an icy world that existed 5000 years ago in the "Ötzi" museum in Bolzano. Admire frescoes from the 13th to the 15th century in the cathedral in Trento. And start dreaming in the city where one of the most beautiful, tragic love stories of the world takes place: in Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet.
Highlights
- South Tyrol Wine Road's many fortresses, castles and ruins
- St. Paul's "Cathedral in the Countryside"
- The city of Trento
- A boat tour of Lake Garda
- Verona's festival arena, old city walls, and Juliet's house
Learn More
Learn more about our self-guided tours or see more bike tours in Italy.
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Traveler photos
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Daily program
Day 1: Bolzano
Welcome briefing and bike fitting in Bolzano. Make sure to take an individual city tour through Bolzano's beautiful old town.
Overnight in Bolzano.Day 2: Bolzano – Auer (19 miles/30 km)
Today's route passes through orchards and vineyards along South Tyrolean Wine Road. You will pass many castles and ruins to the wine village, further to Lake Caldaro. You then continue to Auer, a charming wine village.
Overnight in Auer.Day 3: Auer – Trento (28 miles/45 km)
Today you will mainly be cycling on a marvelous bike path along the Adige, partly through orchards until you reach Salurn, the end of German-speaking South Tyrol. From Salurn the tour heads to Trento following pathways along a dam.
Overnight in Trento.Day 4: Trento – Lake Garda South (31 miles/50 km + boat trip)
At first, you cycle along the Adige until Rovereto, from where the route leads westwards towards Lake Garda. In Mori, you will taste the very famous pistachio ice cream at the Gelateria Bologna. After a short ascent and descent, you reach Torbole and Riva. From here you go on a boat trip down the entire length of Lake Garda.
Overnight in Lake Garda South.Day 5: Lake Garda South – Verona (31 miles/50 km)
We recommend a tour of the historic centers of Desenzano and Sirmione. Afterward, you will cycle over the gently rolling hills to Verona. Today, you can get a first impression of the festival city. Romeo and Juliet are still in town tomorrow!
Overnight in Verona.Day 6: Verona – Mantua – Verona (41 miles/65 km + train trip)
This day's ride follows the river Mincio, an outflow of Lake Garda, to the charming town of Mantua. You then return to Verona by train (ticket included in tour price).
Overnight in Verona.Day 7: Individual departure or extension
Surface and terrain
You will cycle mainly on flat routes. There are some short climbs on the cycle path to Eppan and Lake Garda. You will find yourself on beautiful bike paths and country lanes. Unfortunately, moderate traffic is unavoidable on some short connecting roads.
Hotels
These are sample hotels and may vary based on availability.
Hotel Mondschein, Bolzano
www.parkhotelmondschein.com/deHotel Elefant, Tramin/Kaltern/Auer
www.hotelelefant.it/en/info/enquiry.htmlGrand Hotel, Trento
www.grandhoteltrento.com/en/Hotel Bonotto, Lake Garda South
www.hotelbonottodesenzano.it/en/indexHotel San Marco, Verona
www.sanmarco.vr.itLocal hotel taxes are not included in the tour price. These taxes typically range from €1-5 per person/night and must be paid at hotel reception upon checkout.
Interested in visiting other areas before or after your tour? Visit our hotels page to learn more about lodging options.
How to get there
Tour Start
Nearest airport: Innsbruck, Austria; Venice and Verona, Italy
Nearest train station: Bolzano, ItalyTo get to Bolzano, you can fly into one of these international airports and take a train to Bolzano's train station. Buses are also available into Bolzano.
Tour End
Nearest airport and train station: Verona, ItalyOther options include taking the train from Verona to Venice and flying out of Venice.
There is a return transfer by minibus to Bolzano every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday morning. It costs €75 per person (including bike). €29 for your own personal bike. Must be reserved in advance at the time of booking.
Tips on getting to and from your tour
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Dates
Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays: Apr 01-Oct 07, 2023
Season 1: Apr 01, 2023 - Apr 14, 2023, Sep 30, 2023 - Oct 07, 2023
Season 2: Apr 15, 2023 - May 12, 2023, Sep 09, 2023 - Sep 29, 2023
Season 3: May 13, 2023 - Sep 08, 2023
Prices
Tour package
Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Per person, double occupancy €879 €939 €999 Single use room (1 person/1 room) 1208 €1268 €1328 Bike Rentals
Hybrid touring bike, 21-speed unisex frame €99 Hybrid touring bike, 21-speed men's frame €99 Hybrid touring bike, 27-speed, upgrade €159 Electrically-assisted bike €239 Extra Nights, Bolzano
Per person, double occupancy €125 Single room (1 person/1 room) €204 Extra Nights, Verona
Per person, double occupancy €79 Single room (1 person/1 room) €114 Transfer
Per person, return transfer to Bolzano by minibus (Fridays, Saturdays, Sunday mornings) €75 Included services
- 6 nights accommodation in 3-and 4-star hotels
- Breakfast
- Luggage transfer
- Detailed travel documents (1 set per room)
- Service hotline
- Welcome briefing
- Train ticket from Mantua to Verona, including bike
- Boat journey on Lake Garda, including bike
- 1 pistachio ice cream on the way to Lake Garda
- App for Navigation and GPS-data available
Local hotel taxes are not included in the tour price. These taxes typically range from €1-5 per person/night and must be paid at hotel reception upon checkout./em>
Bike rentals
The bikes available for rent on this tour are:
- Hybrid touring bike, 21-speed, unisex
- Hybrid touring bike, 21-speed, men's frames, crossbar (upon request only)
- Hybrid touring bike, 27-speed, upgrade
- Electrically assisted bike, Pedelec, unisex*
*More about electrically-assisted bikes >
Equipment included with the bike rentals:
- Saddle bag (water repellent), rear
- Handlebar bag (water repellent), with clear cover on top for map viewing
- Tools
- Pump
- Repair kit (with extra bicycle tube)
- Combination lock
Pedals:
The bikes will have flat pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and the necessary equipment to change the pedals.Helmets:
Helmets are not included with the bike rentals. We recommend, for safety and hygiene reasons, that you bring your own helmet.Specifications on hybrid touring bikes
- Modern, high-resistant aluminum frame
- V-brakes
- Aluminium-rims
- Reliable tires, which ensure high duration
- Shimano Alivio derailleur on 21-speed
- Selle Royal Saddles
*Posture for 21-speed hybrid bikes will be upright for comfort
Upgraded components on 27-speed hybrid bikes
- Hydraulic Magura HS 11 brakes
- Shimano Deore XT derailleur on 27-speed
- High-quality Suntour suspension fork
*Posture for 27-speed upgraded hybrid bikes will be upright and forward
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Route Map
Maps are for information purposes only and reflect typical routes between overnight locations. They may not reflect your actual route.
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Reviews
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★★★★★ Skipper August 6, 2019
Nice trip- some days better than others.
The trip was nice. The first three days had pretty scenery and nice riding. The fourth day was mostly on roads and some areas not very exciting. The last day retraced some of the fourth day and seemed like it wasn’t really necessary. The signage at certain points was unclear (e.g., the bike path ended and it was unclear what to do next) and there was an actual mistake in directions arriving at the hotel in Verona. The GPS was not particularly helpful. The bike was a good quality, but one of the bikes didn’t have working lights.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- Two
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe August 7, 2019
We appreciate you letting us know that this wasn't your ideal trip. Based on other reviews and more tour details the last two days are overall more countryside riding when compared with the first few. We understand how this could seem less exciting. Thanks again for submitting a review; we hope we can book something better suited to your tastes next time!
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★★★★★ Chuck87 May 29, 2019
Spectacular!
My girlfriend and I did the self-guided tour. This was our first bike tour, and we both had an amazing time. The first 3 days were primarily on cycle paths while the last 2 days were mostly on country rides. Do be mindful that the last 2 days are slightly hillier while also having to navigate some traffic. Biking in to and out of Verona was slightly difficult due to the car traffic.
The experience with the contracted tour company was very efficient and organized. Our luggage were always in the next hotel by the time we arrived. The bikes were sturdy. The directions were accurate (we downloaded the GPS tracks to our phone). The hotels were all very clean, private, and most importantly had very warm showers.
Our favorite part of the tour was the city of Bolzano. It is unlike other cities in Italy, partly due to its German/Austrian influence. Take time to explore the city and also take the cable car up to Ritten and do some hiking prior to the start of the bike tour. The scenery is ridiculously beautiful.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 16th-May 22nd 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1 including this one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ LKDCG October 29, 2017
Bolzano to Verona - Great Way to see Italian Countryside
We chose the self-guided tour and would highly recommend it. Next time, we will have a GPS device. Most days were easy to follow, but one very tactical day resulted in us not seeing many sites, as we needed to keep an eye on our maps. The support was great in the sense that our luggage was available at our next hotel each day. All accommodations were very nice.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 14-19, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Emma2714 August 18, 2017
Well organised
I appreciate the arrangement of transfering baggage service and the staff in Bolzano, who helped me get my passport because the previous hotel kept my passport. However, i am so stupid that I could not follow the route , its better to have direction, for example , head South.... The worst thing is the attitude of hotel is not good when I request I put my bike into my room, because, every accessory can be removed very soon, for example, my saddle, wheels, one point is money, my bike is expensive, because I can cycle fast if I ride my own bike,the other point is what can I do if my bike was stolen, it will ruin my trip,right? Although, they will help to lock into somewhere, Hotel San Marco, I have to push my bike going up and down from ground to basement 2, I could not use LIFT, it is not friendly !! Anyway, I will join again,hopefully, people try to understand others who bring their own bike!
- What was the date of your tour?
- 2 Aug 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- no
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Lizk May 23, 2017
An Amazing Trip in Beautiful Italy!
We loved our bike trip from Bolzano to Verona! The scenery was stunning. We were very happy with the accommodations and the breakfasts!
We got lost a few times but the GPX helped to know where we missed a turn. Also when we asked the local bikers they said follow me and got us back on track.We stopped in many of the small towns to some vino Rossa and lunch including Mezzocorona, Olios, and Borghetta!
We were amazed how easy it was to take the boat trip and train with the bikes.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 10-16
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was my first
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Bonjuk September 27, 2016
Italy on Two Wheels
Our fall trip was a wonderful way to see both bountiful orchards and vineyards and sample sights and history in small and larger cities. We enjoyed the beautiful river paths and scenery. And breakfast for kings and queens!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 9-14
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1, my first
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Colorado Kid September 26, 2016
Spectacular Italy!
The trip had a nice variety of terrain and locale, going from Bolzano to Verona. The first two days is bike paths going down the Adige Valley. However, the last three days added some ups and serious map reading as we went through the countryside. In a few places our guide book did not match up with the route.In a few places there was more traffic than some of our group were comfortable with.Hotels were great values and the food excellent. Lago di Garda is beautiful.It was a great trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/10-9/14/016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2 with Bike Tours; 4 others
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ CathyB April 22, 2016
Fantastic
I did this tour (self-guided) in the Fall of 2014 and it was the best trip of my life. The Hotels were all clean, safe, and ideally situated in the towns. The maps were great. There were a few frustrations when navigating alone, but nothing I couldn't figure out. The company provided me with a route map and also with written directions; even after I left the map in a bar one nigh (oops) I was able to navigate fine with the written directions. The stickers used to place the route were also very helpful. Difficulty-wise, the first couple days were mostly flat and on well paved, well laid out bike paths; as the tour went on the terrain got hillier, but there were only a couple serious climbs (and even they weren't that bad). It was a great way to see parts of Italy that you wouldn't normally see if limited to a train, and it took me through some charming little towns that would escape most tourists attention. Experiences like hiking up a mountain to visit a mostly ruined castle, or dropping in on a winery outside of Verona and being fussed over by a sweet old Nonna, or an old, chain-smoking man draping his coat over my shoulders in a cafe, will never be forgotten. This was my second time in Italy and my first bike tour. I would strongly recommend learning a little bit of Italian as English is not widely spoken in the smaller towns; my smattering really helped me. Also, don't lose your map in a bar.
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
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★★★★★ Zephyr February 17, 2016
The Two Italys: from Alto Adige to Trentino and South
- How many tours have you completed?
- six
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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