Verona + Lake Garda Bike Tour

Your guides will meet you in Verona, and then we’re off to the fairytale village of Borghetto on the banks of the Mincio River. Here, get fitted for your bike and head out on a warmup ride through rich local farmland. Pedal through the vineyards of the Custoza wine region to lunch at a hip local restaurant in Valeggio. After lunch, spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing at our hotel and exploring Borghetto’s boutiques and footbridges, or opt for a longer ride to the fortified village of Castellaro. Tonight, we’ll taste the Veneto’s best pumpkin tortelli—the hand-stuffed pasta that’s a regional specialty—on the riverside terrace of our favourite local restaurant.

• Meals: Lunch / Dinner
• Destinations: Borghetto sul Mincio, Custoza
• Ride: 16 miles / 26 km, elevation gain: 951 feet / 290 metres
• Longer Option: 30 miles / 49 km, elevation gain: 1,640 feet / 500 metres
• Overnight: Corte Regia

Wake to the peaceful sounds of the Mincio River and enjoy breakfast on the terrace. Today, we follow the winding course of the river through this famously fertile land to reach Mantua, home to one of Italy’s greatest concentrations of Renaissance art. Admire the Renaissance architecture of the town before meeting our friend Antonia who will welcome us into her family’s palazzo for a home-made lunch. After lunch, opt to complete the ride back to the hotel or take a lift in the van. Tonight, our chef friend Serena will show us true Italian hospitality as we make pasta and share Italian cocktails at a cooking class that feels more like an intimate dinner party.

• Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
• Destinations: Mantua, Goito, Falzoni
• Ride: 21 miles / 34 km, elevation gain: 338 feet / 103 metres
• Longer Option: 41 miles / 66 km, elevation gain: 774 feet / 236 metres
• Overnight: Corte Regia

Today we’ll ride along the southern shores of Lake Garda. The idyllic terrain belies the historic summer of 1859, when Italian, French, and Austrian armies clashed here in a battle that set Italy on a path to unification. Soak up this history at the monumental tower of San Martino before continuing to Peschiera, the quaint lakefront town where we’ll board our private boat for a lunchtime cruise on Lake Garda. Take in the mountain scenery and cool down with a dip in the brilliant blue waters of Italy’s largest lake. We’ll disembark in Bardolino where you can challenge yourself with an extra ride or transfer right to our stunning Relais & Châteaux accommodations. This evening, meet a local winemaker for a private vineyard dinner.

• Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
• Destinations: Castellaro Lagusello, Peschiera, Bardolino
• Ride: 23 miles / 37 km, elevation gain: 1,180 feet / 360 metres
• Longer Option: 31 miles / 50 km, elevation gain: 2,027 feet / 618 metres
• Overnight: Villa Cordevigo

This morning we’ll pedal through history, tracing the route of Napoleon’s armies to the battlefield of Rivoli and past a vast gorge carved by the Adige River. A leafy bike path along the river winds through the gorge, illuminating its strategic importance as a gateway to the plains of Northern Italy. Stop for lunch at a family-run trattoria before completing the loop back to the hotel. Tonight, return to the picturesque town of Bardolino to sip an aperitivo beside Lake Garda and explore the local dining scene.

• Meals: Breakfast / Lunch
• Destinations: Rivoli, Rivalta, Chiusa di Ceraino
• Ride: 28 miles / 46 km, elevation gain: 1,468 feet / 447 metres
• Shorter Option: 25 miles / 40 km, elevation gain: 1,134 feet / 346 metres
• Overnight: Villa Cordevigo

Today we’ll enjoy a scenic drive up into the Lessini Mountains for a short walk through the mountain pastures to visit historic WWI trenches. The panoramic views of the Dolomites and valleys above Verona are worth the trip alone! Afterward, we’ll hop on our bikes for a long, gradual descent along the ridgelines of the Valpolicella. Savor a glass of Amarone with the winemaker himself at a picnic lunch before pedaling through the vineyards to the stunning Byblos Art hotel—a Renaissance villa that boasts a collection of contemporary art, including works by Anish Kapoor and Damien Hirst. Tonight, after an aperitivo, we’ll bid farewell to this beautiful region with dinner at our favourite enoteca.

• Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
• Destinations: Lessini Mountains, Sant’Anna d’Alfaedo, Fumane
• Ride: 29 miles / 47 km, elevation gain: 774 feet / 236 metres
• Longer Option: 33 miles / 53 km, elevation gain: 1,837 feet / 560 metres
• Overnight: Byblos Art Hotel

If you would like to ride this morning, you can do a final loop through the surrounding vineyards. Your guides will then transfer you to the Verona train station to say goodbye as you head on to your next destination.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Destinations: Verona