loading spinner
Italy

A Cycling Journey: Northern Italy From the Alps to Verona

Program No. 20865RJ
Unravel the enchanting story of Northern Italy as you cycle from the Alps to Verona, learning about Roman monuments, traditional vineyards, ancient villages and authentic cuisine.

Enroll with Confidence

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. Learn more

Protecting the Environment

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more

Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
airfare
Need airfare?
Our airfare tool can help. Check it out
climate
Plan ahead.
What kind of weather can you expect? Take a look!
itinerary
Please Note:
The itinerary for this program is different on certain dates.
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Filling Fast!
Sep 2 - Sep 13, 2023
Starting at
3,949
Itinerary Note

Filman Group

Filling Fast!
Sep 16 - Sep 27, 2023
Starting at
4,049
May 18 - May 29, 2024
Starting at
4,199
Aug 31 - Sep 11, 2024
Starting at
4,199
Sep 14 - Sep 25, 2024
Starting at
4,199
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Filling Fast!
Sep 2 - Sep 13, 2023
Starting at
4,339
Itinerary Note

Filman Group

Filling Fast!
Sep 16 - Sep 27, 2023
Starting at
4,439
Filling Fast!
May 18 - May 29, 2024
Starting at
4,629
Aug 31 - Sep 11, 2024
Starting at
4,629
Sep 14 - Sep 25, 2024
Starting at
4,629

At a Glance

Pedal along the Adige River Valley in the shadow of the Alps and the Dolomites. Follow former railway tracks to an awesome mountain descent to the deep blue Lago di Garda, Italy's largest lake. Accompanied by experts and other cyclists, ride to ancient Roman outposts, sprawling vineyards and great monuments of both German- and Italian-speaking worlds, stopping for local insights and perspectives on each treasure you encounter.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Intermediate to experienced cyclists. Cycling up to 23-43 miles (5 hours) daily on primarily flat terrain with occasional undulations frequent stops. Walking one mile on uneven terrain, standing for up to two hours and climbing stairs.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Bicycle on dedicated paths along the Adige River while immersing yourself in South Tyrol and Trentino.
  • Gain insights into the discovery of Ötzi, the 5,300-year-old-ice mummy found in a local glacier, during a visit to the South Tyrol Archaeology Museum.
  • Learn about the origins of Lasa pure white marble and how wine is produced in Mezzocorona.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Luciano Rech
Luciano Rech was born in the city of Fano, located in Le Marche, during World War II. After the war, he and his family moved north to Bolzano in the South Tyrol province of north Italy where Luciano has made his home ever since. Luciano worked for TrenItalia for a number of years before joining with the city of Bolzano as an educator. He speaks Italian, German, and English.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Luciano Rech
Luciano Rech View biography
Luciano Rech was born in the city of Fano, located in Le Marche, during World War II. After the war, he and his family moved north to Bolzano in the South Tyrol province of north Italy where Luciano has made his home ever since. Luciano worked for TrenItalia for a number of years before joining with the city of Bolzano as an educator. He speaks Italian, German, and English.
Profile Image of Stefan Renzler
Stefan Renzler View biography
Stefan Renzler is an accredited travel leader in the Bolzano and South Tyrol regions of Italy. Since 1996, he has been organizing summer wilderness trips via boat and on foot in areas such as the Yukon Territory, Arctic regions of Canada’s Northwest Territories and Alaska as well as the hot desert states in the Southwestern United States. His biggest passions are hiking and mountain biking in the South Tyrolean Mountains. He speaks fluent German, Italian, English, and Spanish.
Profile Image of Luciano Rech
Luciano Rech View biography
Luciano Rech was born in the city of Fano, located in Le Marche, during World War II. After the war, he and his family moved north to Bolzano in the South Tyrol province of north Italy where Luciano has made his home ever since. Luciano worked for TrenItalia for a number of years before joining with the city of Bolzano as an educator. He speaks Italian, German, and English.
Profile Image of Stefan Renzler
Stefan Renzler View biography
Stefan Renzler is an accredited travel leader in the Bolzano and South Tyrol regions of Italy. Since 1996, he has been organizing summer wilderness trips via boat and on foot in areas such as the Yukon Territory, Arctic regions of Canada’s Northwest Territories and Alaska as well as the hot desert states in the Southwestern United States. His biggest passions are hiking and mountain biking in the South Tyrolean Mountains. He speaks fluent German, Italian, English, and Spanish.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Cuisines of the Alps
by Kay Shaw Nelson
Subtitled "Recipes, Drinks, and Lore from France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Slovenia," this colorful tour of the region's rustic cuisine offers more than 140 recipes, a section on regional wines and historical information.
A Long Finish, An Aurelio Zen Mystery
by Michael Dibdin
Another enjoyable "Aurelio Zen Mystery" from Michael Dibdin, this time private investigator Zen is in Rome and Alba, enjoying wonderful wine and food while uncovering a murderous plot that may jeopardize the Piemontese wine industry.
La Bella Figura, A Field Guide to the Italian Mind
by Beppe Severgnini
Italians themselves love this guide to the Italian character, which addresses their never-ending passion for beauty, disorder and high emotion. Severgnini opens the book with a snapshot of the hubbub at Malpensa Airport, then moves on to Tuscany, Rome, Naples and Sardinia.
A Traveller's History of Italy
by Valerio Lintner
A brief history of Italy through the 1990s - wide-ranging, accessible and necessarily condensed. With a useful chronology and historical gazetteer, this book marches confidently through the centuries.
Iceman: Uncovering the Life and Times of a Prehistoric Man Found in an Alpine Glacier
by Brenda Fowler
The complete story of the discovery of and controversy surrounding the frozen corpse of a prehistoric man found in the Tyrolian Alps.
Why Italians Love to Talk About Food
by Elena Kostioukovitch
This charming, informative journey through Italy's great regional cuisine, from the Alps to Sicily, includes color photos, menus and glossaries. Umberto Eco's Russian translator, Kostioukovitch explores the food of her adopted homeland as a way to understand the different tastes, dialects and attitudes of each region.
Eyewitness Guide Milan and the Lakes
by Eyewitness Guides
A superb guide to Milan and the Italian lakes featuring color photography, dozens of excellent local maps and a region-by-region synopsis of the area's attractions. Handsome, convenient and up-to-date, this is the guide to carry.
Blue Guide Northern Italy, from the Alps to the Adriatic
by Paul Blanchard
This guide by a popular tour leader provides a thorough overview of the history, art and architecture of northern Italy from Trieste across to the Valle d'Aosta, Venice, Verona, Milan, Genoa and Bologna.
Birds of Europe
by Lars Svensson
Featuring 3,500 glorious paintings by Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterstrom, the second edition of this exquisite guide has been updated with revised text and maps.
The Italian Summer: Golf, Food, and Family at Lake Como
by Roland Merullo
Merullo shares this congenial account of a summer with his family in Italy and Switzerland, offering delicious descriptions of wonderful meals, colorful characters --and rounds of golf at some of the most beautiful courses in Europe. He is a golf fanatic.
The Path To Rome
by Hilaire Belloc
A reprint of the 1902 memoir of Belloc's pilgrimage on foot across the Alps and Apennines in order to "see all Europe which the Christian Faith has saved." With 77 of the author's original line drawings.
The Habsburgs, Embodying Empire
by Andrew Wheatcroft
With skillful scholarship and engaging style, Wheatcroft reveals the history of this family of eccentric monarchs.
The Alps, A Cultural History
by Andrew Beattie
Beattie explores the turbulent past and vibrant present of the Alps, where early pioneers of tourism, mountaineering and scientific research have all left their mark.
A Tramp Abroad
by Mark Twain, David Eggers (Introduction), Kerry Driscoll (Introduction)
Written 11 years after Innocents Abroad, this is Twain's second foray into European travel. Filled with his characteristic wit and humorous observations, it documents his journeys through Germany, Switzerland, France and Italy. Now with an introduction by Dave Eggers.
Northern Italy Map
by Touring Club Italiano
This beautifully shaded road map of Northern Italy (1:400,000) shows the region including Trieste, Venice, Bologna Milan and Turin.
Alps Map
by Freytag & Berndt
This regional map (1:500,000), centered on the Alps, includes portions of Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and France.
Trieste and the Meaning of Nowhere
by Jan Morris
Morris called this her favorite book, a loving celebration of the city and its faded glory. Creased between Slovenia and the sea, the elusive sea port has an enchanting identity that imparts a "sweet melancholy" to her remembrances of past travels.
Killing Dragons, The Conquest of the Alps
by Fergus Fleming
Fleming spins lively tales of man against nature in this entertaining history of the eccentrics, adventurers and publicity-hounds who sought to conquer the Alps, including Whymper and his first ascent of the Matterhorn (where four of the seven-man team perished).
Meals
20 Meals
10 Breakfasts
0 Lunches
10 Dinners
The following choices may be available when requested in advance: Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Low Fat
Lodging
Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.
Display
Sep 02, 2023 - Sep 13, 2023
  • Sep 02, 2023 - Sep 13, 2023
  • Sep 02, 2023 - Sep 13, 2023 (San Valentino alla Muta to Verona)
  • Sep 16, 2023 - Sep 27, 2023 (San Valentino alla Muta to Mantua)
  • May 18, 2024 - May 29, 2024 (San Valentino alla Muta to Verona)
  • Aug 31, 2024 - Sep 11, 2024 (San Valentino alla Muta to Verona)
  • Sep 14, 2024 - Sep 25, 2024 (San Valentino alla Muta to Verona)
1 night
San Valentino alla Muta
A family-operated hotel in the Reschenpass region of Tyrol. The hotel offers modern rooms and a restaurant featuring Italian and Tyrolean cuisine.
1 night
Silandro
A family-operated hotel in the center of the beautiful village of Silandro in the heart of the Vinschgau Valley. The hotel offers a restaurant featuring typical Tyrolean cuisine.
1 night
Merano, BZ
Family-operated modern and stylish hotel located in the charming historic center of Merano.
2 nights
Bolzano
A privately-owned hotel located in a quiet residential district ten minutes from the historic center of Bolzano. The hotel had its origins as an ancient coach station and boasts a restaurant with fresco cycles by Rudolf Stolz. A Liberty-style facade adorns the hotel.
2 nights
Trento
A family-operated hotel located in the historical town center, a short walk to the Castle del Buonconsiglio and the Cattedrale di San Vigilio. The hotel offers individually decorated guest rooms.
1 night
Torbole sul Garda
Hotel Caravel is in Torbole sul Garda, just 200m from the beaches and the small town centre. This is the ideal starting point for a range of excursions and activities.
1 night
Peschiera del Garda
A family-owned and operated hotel set on the shores of Lake Garda. The hotel is a ten-minute walk from the historic downtown area of Peschiera and features a large garden area. Evening meals will be on the the terrace of a former historic fort which has been converted into a restaurant with magnificent lake vistas.
1 night
Verona
Elegant and comfortable, the hotel has recently undergone a complete renovation.
See All Lodging Options
1 night
San Valentino alla Muta
A family-operated hotel in the Reschenpass region of Tyrol. The hotel offers modern rooms and a restaurant featuring Italian and Tyrolean cuisine.
1 night
Silandro
A family-operated hotel in the center of the beautiful village of Silandro in the heart of the Vinschgau Valley. The hotel offers a restaurant featuring typical Tyrolean cuisine.
1 night
Merano, BZ
Family-operated modern and stylish hotel located in the charming historic center of Merano.
2 nights
Bolzano
A privately-owned hotel located in a quiet residential district ten minutes from the historic center of Bolzano. The hotel had its origins as an ancient coach station and boasts a restaurant with fresco cycles by Rudolf Stolz. A Liberty-style facade adorns the hotel.
2 nights
Trento
A family-operated hotel located in the historical town center, a short walk to the Castle del Buonconsiglio and the Cattedrale di San Vigilio. The hotel offers individually decorated guest rooms.
1 night
Torbole sul Garda
Hotel Caravel is in Torbole sul Garda, just 200m from the beaches and the small town centre. This is the ideal starting point for a range of excursions and activities.
1 night
Peschiera del Garda
A family-owned and operated hotel set on the shores of Lake Garda. The hotel is a ten-minute walk from the historic downtown area of Peschiera and features a large garden area. Evening meals will be on the the terrace of a former historic fort which has been converted into a restaurant with magnificent lake vistas.
1 night
Mantova
A family-operated hotel which provides a unique exclusive environment, furnished in a minimalist, sophisticated style. The hotel is located within a ten-minute walk to the old city center. The group will enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant featuring typical local cuisine.
See All Lodging Options
1 night
San Valentino alla Muta
A family-operated hotel in the Reschenpass region of Tyrol. The hotel offers modern rooms and a restaurant featuring Italian and Tyrolean cuisine.
1 night
Silandro
A family-operated hotel in the center of the beautiful village of Silandro in the heart of the Vinschgau Valley. The hotel offers a restaurant featuring typical Tyrolean cuisine.
1 night
Merano, BZ
Family-operated modern and stylish hotel located in the charming historic center of Merano.
2 nights
Bolzano
A privately-owned hotel located in a quiet residential district ten minutes from the historic center of Bolzano. The hotel had its origins as an ancient coach station and boasts a restaurant with fresco cycles by Rudolf Stolz. A Liberty-style facade adorns the hotel.
2 nights
Trento
A family-operated hotel located in the historical town center, a short walk to the Castle del Buonconsiglio and the Cattedrale di San Vigilio. The hotel offers individually decorated guest rooms.
1 night
Torbole sul Garda
Hotel Caravel is in Torbole sul Garda, just 200m from the beaches and the small town centre. This is the ideal starting point for a range of excursions and activities.
1 night
Peschiera del Garda
A family-owned and operated hotel set on the shores of Lake Garda. The hotel is a ten-minute walk from the historic downtown area of Peschiera and features a large garden area. Evening meals will be on the the terrace of a former historic fort which has been converted into a restaurant with magnificent lake vistas.
1 night
Verona
Elegant and comfortable, the hotel has recently undergone a complete renovation.
See All Lodging Options
1 night
San Valentino alla Muta
A family-operated hotel in the Reschenpass region of Tyrol. The hotel offers modern rooms and a restaurant featuring Italian and Tyrolean cuisine.
1 night
Silandro
A family-operated hotel in the center of the beautiful village of Silandro in the heart of the Vinschgau Valley. The hotel offers a restaurant featuring typical Tyrolean cuisine.
1 night
Merano, BZ
Family-operated modern and stylish hotel located in the charming historic center of Merano.
2 nights
Bolzano
A privately-owned hotel located in a quiet residential district ten minutes from the historic center of Bolzano. The hotel had its origins as an ancient coach station and boasts a restaurant with fresco cycles by Rudolf Stolz. A Liberty-style facade adorns the hotel.
2 nights
Trento
A family-operated hotel located in the historical town center, a short walk to the Castle del Buonconsiglio and the Cattedrale di San Vigilio. The hotel offers individually decorated guest rooms.
1 night
Torbole sul Garda
Hotel Caravel is in Torbole sul Garda, just 200m from the beaches and the small town centre. This is the ideal starting point for a range of excursions and activities.
1 night
Peschiera del Garda
A family-owned and operated hotel set on the shores of Lake Garda. The hotel is a ten-minute walk from the historic downtown area of Peschiera and features a large garden area. Evening meals will be on the the terrace of a former historic fort which has been converted into a restaurant with magnificent lake vistas.
1 night
Verona
Elegant and comfortable, the hotel has recently undergone a complete renovation.
See All Lodging Options
1 night
San Valentino alla Muta
A family-operated hotel in the Reschenpass region of Tyrol. The hotel offers modern rooms and a restaurant featuring Italian and Tyrolean cuisine.
1 night
Silandro
A family-operated hotel in the center of the beautiful village of Silandro in the heart of the Vinschgau Valley. The hotel offers a restaurant featuring typical Tyrolean cuisine.
1 night
Merano, BZ
Family-operated modern and stylish hotel located in the charming historic center of Merano.
2 nights
Bolzano
A privately-owned hotel located in a quiet residential district ten minutes from the historic center of Bolzano. The hotel had its origins as an ancient coach station and boasts a restaurant with fresco cycles by Rudolf Stolz. A Liberty-style facade adorns the hotel.
2 nights
Trento
A family-operated hotel located in the historical town center, a short walk to the Castle del Buonconsiglio and the Cattedrale di San Vigilio. The hotel offers individually decorated guest rooms.
1 night
Torbole sul Garda
Hotel Caravel is in Torbole sul Garda, just 200m from the beaches and the small town centre. This is the ideal starting point for a range of excursions and activities.
1 night
Peschiera del Garda
A family-owned and operated hotel set on the shores of Lake Garda. The hotel is a ten-minute walk from the historic downtown area of Peschiera and features a large garden area. Evening meals will be on the the terrace of a former historic fort which has been converted into a restaurant with magnificent lake vistas.
1 night
Verona
Elegant and comfortable, the hotel has recently undergone a complete renovation.
See All Lodging Options





Important registration tip:
If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.