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September 29 - October 8, 2012
Italiaoutdoors Food and Wine invites you to join us on a unique 10 day bike and wine adventure in the beautiful regions of Northeast Italy - Trentino-Alto Adige and the Veneto. We will begin our explorations in the city of Bolzano, spending a few days exploring the Sudtirol Weinstrasse (Wine Road). Picturesque bike paths wind their way along this road, which meanders through the many wonderful wine producers of the Sudtirol Alto Adige region. Daily wine tastings will guide us through the many varietals produced in this region, several of which will be new to most of you. Our constant companions during our first days of travel - the magnificent Dolomites, which will surround us on all sides as we cycle down the wine road.
Keep reading for more details, or
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for more information.
To quote wine experts Joseph Bastianich and David Lynch, in their Vino Italiano The Regional Wines of Italy guide, “For those who love both the outdoors and wines, Trentino-Alto Adige is hard to beat.”
Wine Enthusiast names the Veneto one of the Top 10 Wine Destinations for 2012. Come visit both with us!
Click here to learn more about our ability to cater to cyclists of all levels.
We make our way south, stopping in the city of Trento with visits to the Mezzocorona and Mezzolombardo wine areas, home to the wonderful Teroldego Rotaliano wines. Then we enter the Veneto, moving from the mountains to lake front. We spend a few days on the shores of lovely Lago di Garda, discovering the wines of the surrounding areas - Bardolino, Lugana, Valpolicella.
Our next stop is the historic city of Verona, home to Juliet’s balcony and the ancient Arena that still hosts cultural events and operas today. We continue to explore wine regions, with rides in Valpolicella and Soave, a charming walled city, and home to the wonderfully refreshing white Soave wines.
Can't join us for 10 days? Join us for 8, and we'll drop you off in Verona. Our 8 day itinerary is priced at $3595 ppdo. Contact us.
Day 1:
Morning arrival at Verona Airport. Transfer to the city of Bolzano, in Alto Adige. Bolzano, the Gateway to the Dolomites, is surrounded by the majestic mountains. Before World War I, Bolzano was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and the architecture, culture, foods and wines display this northern influence.
Each guest will be individually fitted for their bike, and we enjoy an introduction to the foods of the region as we review the routes for our adventure.
A welcome wine tasting will introduce wines from each of the areas we will explore, followed by dinner at a ristorante in Bolzano, specializing in the traditional local cuisine.
Day 2:
Our first ride heads north and west, up the Adige river valley to the Terlaner wine zone. Exquisite white Terlaner wines are produced here, from Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay grapes grown on the terraced vineyards above us.
We return to our Bolzano hotel in early afternoon for some time to relax before our dinner at a ‘brew pub’ that serves great locally cured meats and spaetzle, accompanied by their own beer, or a nice selection of local wines.
Day 3:
We will explore the Valle d’Isarco today, heading north and east of Bolzano. Another valley known for its whites, including the varietals Muller Thurgau and Sylvaner. The cool nights and warm days plus the perfect valley breezes give the wines from this valley a typically tart and dry taste, with a full, robust body.
After our daily wine tasting, this one exploring the wines we passed today from the Valle d’Isarco, you are free to explore the nightlife of Bolzano on your own.
Day 4: 
Today we head south along the Sudtirol Weinstrasse (Wine Road) to our next destination, the city of Trento. Lovely towns lie along our path, including Caldaro with its wine museum and gorgeous view of Lago di Caldaro, as well as numerous producers, including Alois Lageder, probably the best known producer of Alto Adige wines outside the region.
As we enter the Trentino region, we pass through the wine towns of Mezzolombardo and Mezzocorona, home to wonderful wines including the local red Teroldego Rotaliano.
Our evening is spent in the city of Trento, with its picturesque Medieval and Renaissance historic center featuring the ancient Trento Cathedral and the Castello del Buonconsiglio.
Our evening wine tasting will be followed by dinner at a lovely little trattoria on the Piazza del Duomo that features a 0km menu (local products, within ‘0km’).
Day 5:
Today we leave our mountains behind, but our change of scenery is equally spectacular - our port of call today is the largest lake in Italy, Lago di Garda. We will stay for two nights in Torbole, on the northern end of the lake. Torbole’s picturesque old harbor, colorful houses, and amphitheater setting on the lake have made it a favorite destination for artists for centuries.
Our wine tasting this evening will introduce some well-known Trentino varietals, including Mozart’s favorite, Marzemino, the precious Vino Santo from Trentino (not to be confused with the Vin Santo from Tuscany), and the regions refreshing sparkling wines.
Dinner is at a ristorante in Torbole.
Day 6:
Our ride today visits the lakeside wine regions of Bardolino and Lugana. These wines are white and lighter reds that pair perfectly with the freshwater fish delicacies we find in the local eateries. We’ll enjoy rides down the coast and back, with the option of returning by ferry for those who may want a more relaxed day. The Wine Museum in Bardolino is also an option.
Our wine tasting today includes the red Bardolino, the rose Chiaretto, and white from Lugana. Dinner follows in the lakeside town of Bardolino.
Day 7:
Today we move inland, to the city of Verona, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, due to the importance of its many historical buildings. Don’t miss a visit to the Arena, the ancient amphitheater built by the Romans that annually hosts several fairs and the opera, as well as Juliet’s balcony.
We now move into the wine region of Valpolicella, home to the Valpolicella wines, and their more robust relative, Amarone. It is hard to believe these wines are made from the same grapes as the lighter Bardolino, and we’ll learn about the different production techniques that can create such different styles of wines from the same grapes.
After our wine tasting tonight, we will visit one of the better known trattorias in Verona for dinner.
Day 8:
We will continue to explore the Valpolicella wine region today. Some rolling hills may challenge us as we move to discover the smaller, family run producers, rather than visit the factory wineries located in the valleys. But our climbs will be well rewarded with a unique visit to a small family farm which has been producing quality wines for hundreds of years at this same location.
Our ride today will be a bit shorter, as we allow time for a free afternoon and evening to explore and shop in Verona. Dinner is on your own.
Day 9:
Our last riding day takes us east to a new wine zone, Soave. This charming walled city is easily explored in a short visit, and home to several wonderful wineries, included the renowned producer Pieropan. We will have a tasting at a smaller producer, and try their award winning Soave, as well as their grappa.
Our daily wine tasting will introduce more Soave wines, as well as some local dessert wines, Recioto. Our farewell dinner, at a wonderful local ristorante in Verona, will allow us to revisit our favorite wines of the week!
Day 10:
After breakfast at our hotel, we will transfer you to Verona airport for flights home.
Our tour includes:
To sign up, send us an email. We personally work with each and every guest to answer all questions, and make sure our trip is customized to your abilities and preferences. We're also happy just to chat, and hear how you would like to travel.
* Single supplement of $700
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