A Cycling Journey: Northern Italy From the Alps to Verona

At the Innsbruck Airport, we will board a motorcoach and ride to Silandro in the South Tyrol region of Italy. Our route will take us through the Passo di Resia, an Alpine pass connecting the Inn River Valley with the Val Venosta. This pass was formerly part of the Via Claudia Augusta, an ancient Roman road that allowed people and goods to pass from the Adriatic Sea to Donauworth, Germany. En route to the hotel, we’ll stop to see a fascinating site near Curon with a striking landmark: a 14th-century church steeple towering from the lake. Lake Resia is an artificial lake created in 1950, when two smaller lakes were unified for the sake of power generation, submerging several villages and 1,300 acres of cultivated land. We will stop in the intriguing village of Glorenza featuring perfectly preserved city walls with parapet walks, seven towers, and three gates. This smallest town in South Tyrol was an important trading center for bringing ores and salt to Innsbruck.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Whether biking in beautiful countryside or vibrant cities, Road Scholars will learn to understand and deal with local traffic, account for other bikers along the way, and be prepared for the unexpected such as sudden stops. Group Leaders will always provide a summary of each day’s activities. We will have bicycle fittings for each participant after arrival in Silandro. We will also have testing to insure participants are able to safely start, stop, and control their bicycle. For our biking field trips, a support vehicle will accompany the group each day until after lunch in the event of emergency situations. Thereafter, the driver and vehicle will drive to the hotel and place luggage in our rooms. Meals will be typical of each area. For breakfasts, we will choose from a variety of meats, cheeses, eggs, yogurt, cereals, breads, juices, and beverages. Lunches will be on your own to enjoy the cuisine of your choice in each location. Dinners will typically be three-course meals. Evenings will be free to go out and explore independently, spend time with new Road Scholar friends, or just relax. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

At the hotel.

At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

At the hotel.

We will assemble with our Group Leader in the hotel lobby for a presentation on safety, rules of the road, and the Corner System: the way in which we will navigate throughout the program. We will start our bicycling program with a short ride to the mountains near Lasa. During an expert-led field trip with the director of the local stone carving school, we’ll learn about the origins of the famous pure white marble mined from the mountains near Lasa, which is used extensively in many of the world’s monuments and statues. We will return to Silandro after our visit.

On your own to have what you like in Silandro.

This afternoon, we will explore village of Silandro, in the heart of fruit orchards and green pastures. The landmark of the city is the 320-foot high bell tower of the parish church, believed to be one of the highest in Tyrol. The remainder of the afternoon is free time for you to enjoy the views of the Italian Dolomites.

At the hotel.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and biking in the morning.

At the hotel.

The Val Venosta runs from Passo di Resia to Merano and has a special microclimate of dry and sunny days that is perfect for fruit cultivation. Our biking route will take us through the town of Laces, sometimes called the “apple capital,” where many of the largest cooperatives of the valley are located. We will stop in Naturno.

On your own to enjoy what you like in Naturno.

In Naturno, we’ll visit San Procolo Chapel, home to magnificent 8th-century frescoes, the oldest in the German-speaking world. Our field trip will culminate in the aristocratic spa town of Merano, famous for its picturesque promenades, towering cathedrals, and lush gardens. We expect to arrive in Merano late afternoon and check in to our hotel.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and biking in the morning.

At the hotel.

We’ll change our cycling shoes for walking shoes this morning for an expert-led walking field trip in Merano’s old town. We’ll view its elegant architecture and learn the vivid history of this former Roman crossroad. We’ll also marvel at the via dei Portici, a corridor of arches supported by masonry columns that connect the piazza Duomo to piazza del Grano.

On your own to have what you like in Merano. The culinary delights of South Tyrol include speck (ham) with dumplings and the local asparagus.

Moving on, we will pedal along the Adige River through acres of vineyards to Bolzano. The town feels and looks more German or Austrian than Italian, and German is the predominant language spoken here. We expect to arrive and check in to our hotel in Bolzano in the late afternoon.

At the hotel.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will learn about Bolzano’s artistic and cultural treasures with a local historian who will walk us through the city. We’ll see the pink sandstone and multi-colored roof tiles of the Duomo (cathedral) in the delightful medieval center. We will also have a guided visit the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, featuring Ötzi the Iceman — the remarkably intact 5,300-year-old mummy discovered in Alpine ice back in 1991. We can see an exhibit showing the naturalistic reconstruction of Ötzi using 3D images of his skull as well as X-ray and CT images from two Dutch artists, Adrie and Alfons Kennis.

In a local restaurant.

Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration. You might like to wander through the market squares, take the shuttle to Runkelstein Castle to view its spectacular wall paintings, or ride the levitating funicular from Bolzano to the mountain village of Colle for panoramic views.

On your own in the hotel or at a restaurant in Bolzano.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and biking in the morning.

At the hotel.

We will leave the German-speaking region of Southern Tyrol behind and enter the land of medieval castles, manor houses, orchards, and vineyards. Wine is king in this area and we’ll be cycling through scores of vineyards. There are twenty grape varieties used in the production of this region’s top quality red and white wines. The most popular is the red Vernatsch grape that accounts for 55% of the grapes grown.

On your own to have what you like when we stop at a local grill catering especially to cyclists.

Riding through the heart of Adige wine country, we'll continue biking to Trento. After we check-in the hotel and before dinner, we will visit a local Vinoteca that specialized in local wines.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will gather at the hotel for a lecture about modern Italy by a local educator. We’ll then set out on an expert-led walking field trip to explore Trento. The Duomo was once the meeting ground for the Council of Trent. The remains of the town of Tridentum, complete with mosaic floors and a water heating system, remind us of ancient Roman art and innovation. We’ll encounter the city’s rich artistic and historic heritage of this city’s elegant Renaissance-style monuments and landmarks in the old city center.

On your own to enjoy what you like in Trento.

Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most in Trento. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. You might like to seek out one of the local cafés to sip a glass of wine or cup of coffee while watching the locals.

At a local pizzeria.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and biking in the morning.

At the hotel.

We will mount our bikes and follow the bicycle path along the Adige River to Rovereto, whose surrounding mountains were heavily fought over during World War I. A former railway track will take us through a low pass to an awesome descent to the deep blue Lago di Garda, Italy’s largest lake.

On your own to enjoy what you like in Loppio.

Our hotel is located on the northeast corner of the lake, known for its beaches, windsurfing, and sailing. We will check in and then have time to wander around the lakeside town of Torbole.

At the hotel.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At the hotel.

After checking out of the hotel, we'll ride by small motorcoach along the coast of Lake Garda. We’ll have a beautiful perspective of the resort-studded shores lined with olive, lemon, and orange trees, and watch windsurfers skimming across its temperate waters. Our bicycles will meet us at the coach in Garda where we will begin our ride to Peschiera. Our first stop is the town of Lazise on the southeastern shore of Lake Garda where you'll have time to stroll the cobblestone streets and find a cafe for lunch.

On your own to have what you like in Lazise.

We’ll then continue on our cycling route to Peschiera del Garda, one of the most characteristic towns on the lake, which in Roman times was an important trading center for fish and agricultural products. We will then check in to our hotel on the southern shore of the lake. Free Time. Take this opportunity for independent exploration in Pescheria del Garda to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. You might like to visit Peschiera’s old town center, located in the middle of an enormous fortress in the shape of a five-pointed star.

At a restaurant in a former historic fort.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and biking in the morning.

At the hotel.

Our last day of cycling will be on the level towpath along the Mincio River, which is Lake Garda's only outgoing stream flow. We'll explore the unique hamlet of Borghetto, the first settlement that developed near the ford across the Mincio River. The three ancient water mills that seem to rise out of the river were used during the Venetian Republic to mill wheat and rice. On arrival in Mantua, we will surrender our bicycles.

On your own to enjoy what you like in Mantua.

We transfer by coach to the romantic medieval town of Verona. Known for its associations with Shakespeare, Verona is home to a remarkably well-preserved, 1st-century amphitheater. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most in Verona. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. A special highlight would be exploring this historical enclave famous for its Roman arena. Verona is known for its cultural history and abounds with historic piazzas, palaces, and great Renaissance structures.

At a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

At the hotel. This concludes our program.

After checking out of the hotel, those who purchased flight arrangements through Road Scholar will have an included transfer to the airport. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program.We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!