Dolomites, Lake Garda & Venice Ride

Day 1
Fly to Venice; transfer to Trento.

Fly to Venice; transfer to Trento, province ofTrentino-Alto Adige nestled
in the Adige River Valley. A cosmopolitan city and a centre for industry,
education, science and finance, Trento is one of the wealthiest and most
prosperous cities in Italy boasting an atmospheric historic centre adorned by
well preserved Medieval and Renaissance buildings. Depending on the group’s
arrival time, there may betime to go into town before we have our evening
meal and trip briefing.

*Comfortable Hotel*

Day 2
Morning train to Bolzano, capital city of the South Tyrol. Cycle on quiet
roads following the Adige River back to Trento.

After breakfast we take a short train ride (40 mins) to Bolzano,the capital
city of the South Tyrol set in a stunning location surrounded by mountains.
In 2012 Bolzano was voted asthe city with the best quality of life in
Italy. We have the opportunity to familiarise ourselves with the bikes whilst
taking a short tour around the historic centre. From here we will cycle south
along the Adige River, following quiet undulating roads, with an overall
ascent of approximately 300m. Cycling through orchards and vineyards, we pass
Lake Caldaro and the lovely villages of Ora, Egna and Salorno. This area is
well known for its wine production, which represents three quarters of the
whole of the South Tyrol. We arrive back in Trento late afternoon and spend a
second night at our central hotel.

Day 3
Continue riding along the river to Lake Garda. A 2.5 hrs ferry cruise takes
us to the south shore of the lake.

We continue along the Adige until we reach Rovereto and Mori. From here, we
head west towards the northern shores of Lake Gard. After some short ascents,
we cycle down to Torbole and then onto the elegant resort of Riva del Garda,
offeringplenty of bars and restaurants along the lake shore and a lovely
beach. Later in the afternoon wetake the ferry to the southern end of the
lake, leaving Trentino and heading towards the Veneto region. The cruise on
the lake gives us the opportunity to enjoy the splendid landscape and relax
before we reachour final destination of the day, Desenzano, where we take a
short walk from the ferry port to reach our hotel for the night.

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Day 4
From Lake Garda, we cycle to Verona, made famous by Shakespeares Romeo and
Juliet.

Cycling mainly on quiet roads and cycle paths today, we make our way to the
legendary city of Verona. Located on the river Adige, Verona is arguably the
most beautiful city in Veneto. Its famous arena is one of the many Roman
monuments we can discover there. Other places of interest are the Basilica
San Zeno and of course Juliet’s house and the famous balcony!
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Day 5
Cycle to Vicenza; riding through vineyards and the rolling hills of Monti
Berici.

After a flat start, we reach the hillier region of Monti Berici. There are a
couple of more challenging climbs on todays route as we cycle over the
undulating terrain, but we are rewarded with fantastic views of our
destination for the day: Vicenza. The old city centre is a jewel of
Renaissance architecture: private palaces, public buildings and the Basilica
are testaments to the work of one of Italy’s most renowned architects: Andrea
Palladio. A visit to the best ice-cream parlour in Vicenza is a great reward
after today’s ride!

Day 6
Pass the Palladian Villa Rotonda, as we cycle to Padova where Giottos
Chapel and other marvels await.

Today we have the opportunity to take in some of the greenest and most
stunning views of the Veneto countryside. .Leaving Vicenza, we cycle past
beautiful Palladian villas. En route, time and availability permitting, the
leader might arrange to have lunch in a family-run winery. We continue along
the Bacchiglione River, on relatively quiet and flat roads, to the
fascinating city of Padova, famous for the Scrovegni Chapel, painted by
Giotto, and the Prato della Valle, one of the biggest squares in Europe.

Day 7
Transfer to Venice by train and free time for sightseeing; overnight in
Venice Mestre.

This morning we transfer to Venice by train (approx. 30mins). Once in the
heart of the ‘Floating City’, we can explore the labyrinth of narrow streets,
bridges and waterways. We will see famous sights including Doges Palace,
the Rialto Bridge and of course Piazza San Marco. After exploring the city we
can enjoy a relaxed evening and perhaps a gondola ride before returning to
our hotel in Mestre by train.
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Day 8 Free morning in Venice; fly to London.

After breakfast we have most of the day free to further explore Venice before
transfering to the airport and flying to London.
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