Travel story cycle tour South Tyrol for families

First stop, Merano in South Tyrol

When we arrived in Merano, we found our hotel quickly. The Eurobike cycling holiday bikes were already ready for us, perfectly adjusted for our heights and equipped with panniers. Our bags will be driven from hotel to hotel by luggage transfer while we cycle.

All of our Eurobike cycling tours travel documents were available at the hotel reception. There was a list of hotels and the route, a voucher for ice cream and the train tickets for the first stage. There were also luggage tags and other informational resources.

Woman standing at a viewpoint near Merano

From Laas to Merano

We took the train for a short section of the first stage. The Eurobike cycling holiday started for us in Laas. The river Adige should accompany us almost the whole way to Lake Garda. We were impressed by the backdrop of apple trees. Huge orchards stood on both sides of the cycle path, which was well maintained.

On the edge of the path there were frequently small restaurants and snack bars for refreshments. We stopped at the bike bar. Many cyclists met here for coffee, and the atmosphere was very relaxed.

We continued and reached Merano again in the afternoon. This time, we had a little more time to explore the city. The Gilf promenade walk was perfect for a stroll, and among the city's small streets, we found something delicious for dinner.

Fravely on cycle path in Trentino with mountains in the background

From Merano to Bolzano, following the Adige

Today, our stage led us from Merano to Bolzano, the capital of South Tyrol. On the way was the Kränzelhof, a large park-like garden with its own vineyards. There was also a maze, as well as art and cuisine.

Flo and Ben naturally disappeared straight into the maze. We spent some time here and can definitely recommend the Kränzelhof as a stop on the tour.

We continued on to Bolzano. Here we also explored the city centre, with a delicious ice cream in hand. There was a market in the small streets, and we sampled our way through the different stalls and delicacies. In Bolzano, many restaurants offer South Tyrolean cuisine, so we found something suitable before the day ended.

Labyrinth at Kränzelhof from a bird's eye view

The wine road through Kaltern am See to Ora

After a good breakfast in our hotel, we cycled again along the Adige cycle path. Then it climbed up a mountain, and we stood in Kaltern am See.

There is a wine museum to visit here, with an impressive exhibition on how wine was produced in the past and the present. There is much to marvel at, from small wine jugs to huge wine barrels.

We then had wine, risotto, and pasta in the Italian sunshine on the market square in Kaltern am See. It was a wonderful day for us!

As we continued our journey, we passed a bird-watching hide. After this little detour, we continued to Ora, where today’s stage ended.

A bird's eye view of vineyards on the way to Ora

Becoming Italian in Trento

We started early today because it was the longest stretch of our Eurobike cycling holiday. The weather was perfect, and after a few kilometres, we reached the border between German-speaking and Italian-speaking areas.

Many cyclists were on the Adige cycle path, and the hushed rustle of the Brenner accompanied us through the valley.

Arriving in Trento, we immediately noticed the Italian flair. The city was different to Bolzano and Merano. With an ice cream in hand, we went to the cathedral square and the Neptune fountain. Frescos decorated the houses, and we felt good despite the nearly 60 kilometres on our legs.

In the evening, we had a really delicious pizza. We asked our hotel about the best pizza in town and immediately booked a table through them. It was worth it!

Family selfie on the cycle path between Ora and Trento

From Trento to Rovereto

Today’s stage was significantly shorter, at 30 kilometres. Therefore, we gave ourselves a more relaxed and gentler breakfast. We reached Rovereto shortly after midday.

In the small Italian town, there is a castle with a military museum. Beautiful little alleys lead to the castle. The museum is worth visiting for all history fans. Our boys asked a lot of questions, and we noticed how thoughtful they became.

In the evening, we found another excellent pizzeria in Rovereto. Here, too, the hotel staff helped us and gave us recommendations. It’s always worth asking.

Family selfie with ice cream cone in hand

The last stage to Lake Garda

We knew we would reach Lake Garda today and were looking forward to it, although we also knew it would be the end of the journey. We started in Rovereto and cycled further along the Adige River until we realized we had missed the turnoff.

We cycled back a bit and then up a mountain. As a reward, we had pistachio ice cream from Gelateria Bologna in the small town of Mori, for which the voucher was included in the Eurobike cycling holiday starter pack. Delicious! Refreshed, we continued cycling between olive trees, and suddenly, Lake Garda appeared before us.

We were happy to see it and immediately noticed the fresh breeze. Many sailing boats were on the lake. Our hotel, in Riva del Garda, lies directly on Lake Garda. We enjoyed the afternoon and evening by the lake and wandered through Riva del Garda.

Looking for a restaurant was a bit harder today. It is advisable to make a reservation here because there are far more tourists here than in the previous places.

A bird's eye view of the shores of Lake Garda

Our impression of Eurobike cycling holidays

We had a wonderful Eurobike cycling holiday through South Tyrol and Trentino. The organisation was outstanding. The starter packs and well-equipped bikes were ready for us in the first hotel. The luggage transfer service worked excellently. Our bags always arrived before us at the next hotel. The transfer back to Merano also worked without problems.

The route leads over very well-developed cycle paths. There were some diversions that we could handle well. The app did not work well or intuitively for us, but we oriented more via the route plan in the booklets and with maps on our phones. In addition, the route markings on the signposts (an “E”) helped us to find the way.

Family selfie on the cycle path with mountains in the background

Three cyclists on a cycle path with mountains in the background

Bird's eye view of a harbour on Lake Garda

Two cyclists on a cycle path with mountains in the background

This tour works very well for a family. The stages are possible even with children aged about eight or older. One or two small climbs are doable! Enjoying beautiful countryside by bike is very relaxing for children and parents. And in every town, you can treat yourselves to South Tyrolean and Italian delicacies. Ice cream always works!

Want to see more photos and stories from the Fraverly family? Read an even more detailed travel report of the Merano to Lake Garda cycle tour for families on the Fravely travel blog. You can also find the Fravely travel video for the "South Tyrol for families" cycle tour on our blog.