BIKE TOUR FOR CONNOISSEURS ALONG THE RIVERS RIENZ, EISACK AND ETSCH (APPROX. 260 KM; EASY TOUR; INDIVIDUAL, SELF GUIDED TOUR)

From the north east of the Dolomites the bike path takes you through the Pustertal Valley to Bruneck and then on to the bishop’s town of Brixen. From here you cycle to the capital town of South Tyrol, Bozen, to visit the oldest Tyrolean, the Ice Man. Along the side of the River Etsch, youe cycle through orchards and fields to Lake Garda, the most well loved lake in Italy.

Character
Easy Tour. For real connoisseurs. The week has been planned so that you cycle along side the rivers on a slight descent. Between the Etsch Valley and Lake Garda there is only one long ascent. There is plenty of time to look at cultural places of interest or relax along the way.

1st day: Individual arrival in Hochpustertal (possibility to make a short tour of 20 km )
Individual arrival at your hotel in Hochpustertal. Private car park nearby included in the price. Information evening at about 6 pm with handing over of the documents and bikes (if booked). For those arriving earlier, it is well worth cycling into the Höhlenstein Valley and visiting Lake Toblach.

2nd day: Hochpustertal-Brixen/Bressanone (approx. 56-68 km) The bike path first takes you past the famous Pragser Valley, one of the pearls of the Dolomites with its dark woods, white cliffs and the crystal clear turquoise blue Lake Pragser Wildsee. By following Rienz River you reach the Michael Pacher town of Bruneck. You gently cycle through the lower Pustertal valley, past the ruin of Mühlbacher Klause into the Eisack Valley. Just before Brixen you can visit the monastery of Neustift. In the town itself it is well worth visiting the old part of the town with its arcades and cathedral.

3rd day: Brixen/Bressanone – Bozen/Bolzano (approx. 43 km) Today’s tour takes along the Eisack Valley past the town of Klausen to Waidbruck with a view of the Trostburg. From here the valley gets narrower on its way to the capital town of Bozen.

4th day: Meran/Merano - Bozen/Bolzano (approx. 40 km) Transfer by train from Bolzano to the spa town Merano with its Mediterranean flair. From the spa town of Meran, you cycle through the orchards along the Etsch Valley to the capital town of South Tyrol, Bozen. Here you can wander through the arcades, visit the fruit market or just enjoy the flair of a town with two cultures. 

5th day: Bozen/Bolzano – Trento (approx. 65 km)
From Bozen there are two ways to get to Salurn. Either along the old railway track to Überetsch and then on further to Kaltern and Lake Kaltern, or through the wide Etsch Valley along the bike path. Here you leave the German speaking province of South Tyrol and enter the famous Trento wine growing region and the bishop’s town of Trento.

6th day: Trento - Riva/Lake Garda (approx. 45 km)
After passing the old Tyrolean border town of Rovereto you leave the Etsch Valley and go over the S. Giovanni Pass (150 m difference in altitude) to Lake Garda.

7th day: Individual departure. Individual departure or possibility of staying on for a few more days.

Starting point:
Niederdorf/Villabassa or Toblach/Dobbiaoc

Arrival:
By car on the Brenner motorway (A22) to Brixen/Bressanone and then through the
Pustertal Valley (SS49) to Niederdorf/Villabassa or Toblach/Dobbiaco.
Or along the Felbertauernstraße to Lienz in Osttirol (Austria) and then further to Italy 637,00 through the Hochpustertal.

By train to Innsbruck over the “Brenner/Brennero” to Franzensfeste/Fortezza. Change
train for the Pustertal Valley getting off at either Niederdorf/Villabassa or
Toblach/Dobbiaco depending on the hotel you are starting from.

By plane:
- Low cost flights to Treviso
- Venice, Marco Polo airport
Upon request we even organize transfers from the airport to the starting point of the bicycle tour.

Parking:
Free unattended car park at the first hotel (included)

Transfer:
Return-transfer by shuttle-bus every Sunday from Riva to Hochpustertal at the price of € 48,00 for person, included bicycle (to be paid directly on the spot); reservation necessary; limited places
On every other day transfer on request (min. 4 pax)

Or
By train: good connections to the train station in Rovereto which lies on the main Verona – Munich line.