Adige cycleway: from Merano to Verona by bicycle

 

Adige cycleway runs along all the valley from Merano (actually the cycle path starts from Lake Resia but for convenience we will tell you about it in another article!) to Verona, with a few " trespassing" on secondary and countryside roads. In Merano the majority of population speaks German and you’ll be surprised to see the tangle of cycle paths that run through it.Merano smells of freshly baked cereal bread and strudel with vanilla cream so before leaving buy some stocks for lunch. Cycling from Merano where there’s the starting point also of the cycle path of the Venosta Valley and the cycle path of the Passiria valley, in about 30 km you reach Bolzano where you can visit its historical center starting from the Walther square and the wonderful Roncolo Castle. You go down towards Trento passing through the vineyards of the excellent Gewurztraminer in the area of Lake Caldaro (where you can find many MTB itineraries) first and Teroldego area then, passing through the Rotaliana plain. Arrived to Trentino’s main city, you’ll be welcomed by the Buonconsiglio Castle and the Duomo with the fountain of Neptune. Continuing to the south, you run along the Adige cycle path flanking the river till Castel Beseno and Rovereto. From the city of Mart (Contemporary art museum) you go down passing by Mori, Ala, Avio with the beautiful Sabbionara Castle and Borghetto, the last village in Trentino. In Veneto region you follow the new cycle path with mild ups and downs till the last climb to the fortress of Rivoli. From Rivoli Veronese you can decide to continue towards Affi along the “Ciclopista del Sole” (cycle path of the sun) or towards Verona along the cycle path of the Venetian rivers. Let’s see the Adige cycle path more in detail starting from Bolzano and reaching Verona or Affi through the deviation along the “ciclopista del Sole”...

From Bolzano to Trento between Isarco and Adige rivers

Bolzano, main city of South Tyrol, is the starting point we chose, but it’s possible to connect to this city from the Resia Pass following the Venosta Valley cycle path till Merano. Cycling from Merano, where starts also the cycle path of the Passiria Valley, you continue to the south along the Adige and you reach Bolzano in about 30 km. Alternatively you can arrive to Bolzano also from the Pusteria Valley (continuation of the Drava cycle path in Austria) which reaches the city after a stretch of the Isarco Valley. After visiting Bolzano, you go down towards Trento passing through huge stretches of vineyards: those of the excellent Gewurztraminer of the area of the Lake Caldaro and those of Teroldego in the Rotaliana Plain. Close to the railway station in Ora there’s the starting point of the mountain bike route (also feasible with touring bikes) of Vecia Ferrovia (Old railway) - from Ora to Molina di Fiemme which connects the Adige Valley to the Fiemme and Fassa Dolomites.The cycle path enters the territory of Trentino after passing Salorno. The valley gets narrow before opening close to San Michele all’Adige, where starts the Rotaliana Plain. Here there is also the Sabino - San Michele connection that passing through Mezzolombardo leads to the Non Valley. Continuing instead to the south, with the sharp top of Mount Bondone as a reference, you pass by the area of the asparagus of Zambana to reach Lavis and do a large horse-shoe route around the mouth of Avisio river that flows into Adige. It’s only a few kilometers to reach Trento, where you enter catching sight of the Doss Trento and the church of Sant’Apollinare on the right orographic bank of the Adige. Arrived to Trentino’s main city, you’re welcomed by the Buonconsiglio Castle and the Duomo Square with the fountain of the Neptune.

From Trento to Rovereto, from a city to another one

With the elegant  Duomo Square behind and the cathedral that watches over the cycling tourists, you go along Via Verdi flanking the university and many bars. At the parking of Sanseverino you turn right and access the cycleway of the Adige Valley at the first roundabout. Looking to the north you spot the beautiful church of Sant'Apollinare below  Doss Trento, while a little higher the Sardagna cableway offers an alternative point of view on Trento. The cycle path continues to the south meeting soon the Palazzo delle Albere of the XVI century and the Muse. In front of the Science Museum was set up a large public park where to relax or have a picnic. Along the bank of the river Adige it’s not difficult to spot a fleeting rabbit jumping into the vegetation while you cycle towards Rovereto. Close to the Ravina Bridge you cross the river Adige and continue to follow it on the right orographic bank. The countryside skimming the cycleway are dotted with vineyards and apple trees that in spring bloom in white. You cross Gianni Caproni  Air Force Museum reachable through the new cycling link road. In Mattarello, a district of the municipality of Trento, you cross again the Adige river  going to the left bank in sight of the Vigolana Peak. Adige cycleway stays alongside the water stream while the state road remains higher passing close to the villages of the valley. Shortly before entering in Besenello, dominated by the majestic Beseno Castle dating back to the XII century, the cycle path diverts passing again the Adige. To visit the manor house it is necessary to follow the itinerary towards Besenello and then go up to the entrance of the fortress.