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September 15 - September 24, 2012
Italiaoutdoors Food and Wine invites wine lovers to Bike the Wine Roads of the Veneto in the fall of 2012, with our 10 day bike and wine adventure in the beautiful Veneto region of Northeast Italy. This area, home to the largest number of quality DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) wines in Italy, produces world-renowned vintages -- some only familiar to travelers within Italy – and includes Valpolicella, Bardolino, Soave, Prosecco and Breganze. Wine Enthusiast named the Veneto one of the Top 10 Wine Destinations for 2012.
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We will begin our travels on the shores of lovely Lago di Garda, discovering the wines of the surrounding areas - Bardolino, Lugana, Valpolicella. Our next stops are the cities of Verona and Vicenza, both historic gems and located in the midst of wonderful wines, from Valpolicella and Soave, to Gambellara and Colli Berici. We then head north, to the picturesque town of Bassano del Grappa, home to Breganze and Colli Asolani wines (not to mention two great grappa producers), finishing our adventure with a tour through the lovely Prosecco region.
Our ten day/nine night Grape Harvest Bike the Wine Roads of the Veneto adventure:Can't join us for 10 days? Join us for 8, and we'll get you back to Venice airport. Our 8 day/7 night itinerary is priced at $3595 ppdo. Contact us.
Click here to learn more about our ability to cater to cyclists of all levels.
Day 1:
Morning arrival at Venice Marco Polo Airport. Transfer to the city of delightful town of Torbole, located on the shores of Lago di Garda, the largest lake in Italy. 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.
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 Torbole, specializing in the traditional local cuisine.
Day 2:
Our first ride 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 3:
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 4:
We head east today 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.
We continue east toward our next destination, the City of Palladio, Vicenza. Our hotel tonight is right in downtown Vicenza. You will have an opportunity to explore this beautiful city, and admire the architecture of Palladio, and the Teatro Olympia. Dinner is on your own in Vicenza.
Day 5:
Today our riding takes us into the picturesque hills of the Colli Berici DOC. This day can be challenging or easier, depending upon the mood of the group; both flatter rides as well as rolling hill routes are possible. Both routes explore the smaller producers of this region, known for the local varietal Tai Rosso, as well as international favorites such as Cabernet and Merlot. We will also pass olive orchards for the local olive oil, and view the caves of Lumignano, famous for their spring peas.
Our evening wine tasting will feature the wines of the Colli Berici. We will dine tonight on the outdoor patio of a beautiful trattoria in the Berici hills, and we will be sure to try specialities like Gnocchi with the local black truffles.
Day 6:
Our next destination is the lovely city of Bassano del Grappa, located in the foothill of the Dolomites. We head north, through the Vicenza and Montello and Colli Asolani wine DOCs. Along the way we will visit two beautiful walled cities, Castelfranco and Cittadella.
After arriving and relaxing at our hotel, we will visit yet another beautiful city, Bassano del Grappa. We will have a grappa tasting at a local distillery, before some free time in town, followed by dinner at a wonderful traditional osteria.
Day 7:
The Breganze wine region is our destination today, home to the Macaulan winery that distributes quality wines to the US, but also many other lesser known producers. We will have an opportunity to explore the ancient walled city of Marostica, home to the historic annual human chess tournament that takes place every other year, as well as the center of local cherry production.
We return to our hotel, and after some down time we transfer to a local winery for a wine tasting of their wonderful wines, and a elegant dinner at their small, renowned restaurant. We will dine on their locally raised beef and products from their garden, at the height of the fall harvest season.
Day 8:
The Montello and Colli Asolani region is another area relatively unknown outside of the Veneto. It is an area of gently rolling hills and plains that runs from the Piave river to the mountains. We will stop in the lovely hill town of Asolo for lunch, “The Pearl of the province of Treviso”, as we head east to our next stop.
Our destination today is the city of Conegliano. We will enjoy the wines of the Montello and Colli Asolani as well as Colli Conegliano DOCs during our evening wine tasting, then all are free to explore Conegliano. Dinner this evening is on your own in Conegliano.
Day 9:
During our last day, we will explore the renowned Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG, home of the highest quality prosecco sparkling wines. We will find a few hills today along our path, but the wines we discover along the way will be our reward! Our travels will take us through this amazingly picturesque region, where the prosecco grape has been cultivated for centuries. Famous prosecco producers will dot our path, but we will stop for a taste and a snack at a small, family run producer that makes a wonderful prosecco not sold outside of the region.
We return to Conegliano, where we will taste some mouthwatering proseccos from the Grand Cru area of the region, the Cartizze area. Our farewell dinner this evening is in a local ristorante.
Day 10:
After breakfast at our hotel, we will transfer you to Venice Marco Polo 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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