Munich - Venice

Tour information and the handing out of the bikes. This is Bavaria’s county capital and it is waiting for you with its many tourist attractions (English gardens, town hall, Hofbräuhaus…)

You leave the metropolis of Munich by following the River Isar and dive straight into untouched nature. The river bike path will remain your companion whilst you head South. Soon you will get to Lake Tegern, which is a popular destination by holiday makers in the Bavarian Alps. It is also one of the cleanest lakes in Bavaria.

Leaving Jenbach, you cycle on well constructed cycle paths along the River Inn towards Tyrol’s capital, Innsbruck. Stroll through the historical old town, check out the famous Golden Roof or take a trip to the Isel mountain where there is a ski jump or the Isel mountain museum about the battles that took place under Andreas Hofer’s supreme command as a freedom fighter. The demanding section of today’s ride from Innsbruck to the Brenner pass, which is the border between Austria and Italy will be done via transfer by train or bus. Nowadays there are only some buildings to remind us about the former border. From Brenner you cycle along the old railway track to get to Sterzing followed by Franzensfeste and then Mühlbach .

From Mühlbach there is a good cycle path running through the Puster valley and past the Mühlbach pass, a former border post. In former times this formed an ancient gateway between the provinces of Rätien and Norikum. You will arrive in Bruneck by cycling along the River Rienz. We recommend a visit to the outdoor ethnology museum in Dietenheim. It documents the agricultural, cultural and traditional life in Southern Tyrol. From Bruneck you cycle along a bike path running along the River Rienz until you get to Niederdorf/Toblach, which is today’s destination.

Today you will cycle along the former Dolomite railway track, which is now a cycle path, through the Höhlenstein valley. It will take you past Lake Toblach and the war cemetery: this is a WW1 memorial of the front which you cross. Shortly after this you will get a fantastic panoramic view of the the rock formations of the ‘Drei Zinnen’ mountain peaks before you arrive at Lake Dürren. You now cycle slightly uphill towards the border of the two provinces Bolzano and Belluno. After this, you can free wheel along the former railway downhill. The valley opens up towards the South and you arrive in Cortina d’Ampezzo, which is a town in the Dolomites and that is located amongst wonderful scenery. You then cycle continuously downhill mostly along the former railway. To your left you get a view of the Sorapis massif and to the right the right formation of the ‘Cinque Torri’ - the five towers. You then continue cycling through the Boite valley to the junction of Pieve/Calazo die Cadore.

You cycle along the newly built cycle path to Longarone. This town was rebuilt really quickly after it was flooded in 1963 when a rock fall in the reservoir caused a tsunami. You then continue to today’s destination, Conegliano.

Today you leave the Alps behind you and have a relaxed cycle ride along the flat to Treviso, which is the town of waterways and fashion. On your way you will keep spotting villas designed by the Italian architect Palladio. These are magnificent buildings that he completed here really close to the influential sphere of Venice.  Along the home straights of this tour you head towards the Adriatic Sea. The River Sile will be your main companion for this last section as the bike path to mainland Venice runs alongside it. Venice is of course the final destination of your tour and is a great place to end it with all of its gorgeous buildings.