Can you smell the fresh mountain air, hear the bubbling brooks, imagine mountains as far as the eyes can see and million dollar views? That’s what you’ll find in the Alps this summer. Backroads offers multiple Alps vacations that let you hike the Alps, bike the Alps (if you dare!) and be outdoors to enjoy this beautiful section of the world that we like to call “the rooftop of Europe.” Be it the Swiss Alps, French Alps or Italian Alps, we’ve got an alpine getaway that’s calling you.

Here are a few of our Alps adventures:

Swiss Alps Walking & Hiking Tour – On this 6-day, 5-night hiking tour of Switzerland, you’ll get the full alpine treatment. Taste Swiss cheese at a local farm, climb by cable car to an amazing hike, take a dip in healing thermal waters, travel via train to the town of Zermatt, enjoy local fare like strudel, fondue and plenty of wine, and relax at the luxurious Riffelalp Resort. The stress is already melting away, isn’t it?

French & Italian Alps Walking & Hiking Tour – As you hike the French Alps and the Italian Alps, you’ll be treated to the reward of a gorgeous turquoise lake, visit chic Chamonix, take in view of rock spires, saw-edged peaks and woodland valleys, take a breathtaking glacier walk, enjoy local flavors of wine and visit the Italian side of Mont Blanc. This 6-day, 5-night Alps hiking tour will have you saying bonjour and arrivederci.

Italy’s Dolomites Walking & Hiking Tour – We like to call the Dolomites “Italy’s best kept alpine playground” so get ready to do plenty of “playing”! The Dolomites are full of fairytale villages, grassy meadows and majestic mountains, along with the chamois, eagles and marmots if you keep a sharp eye. On this 6-day, 5-night Dolomites hike, you’ll picnic at a 13^th century Gothic castle, ride chairlifts, hike through wildflowers, taste wines at a local wine cellar and visit a natural park.

Italy’s Dolomites Biking Tour – Dare you bike the Dolomites? We think you should! On this 6-day, 5-night Dolomites biking trip, you’ll get to bike the Sella Ronda Loop, one of the most spectacular rides you may ever experience, pedal through storybook villages, conquer 14 alpine passes in 6 days (including epic Passo Giau with a 9% grade over 6 miles!) and participate in wine tastings as your reward.

Which mountain adventure will you choose? No matter your choice, you’ll be glad you settled on the Alps for your summer vacation. For more information or to book your Alps getaway, call us at 800-462-2848 7 a.m.- 5 p.m. Pacific time daily.

Backroads’ new Italy biking trip through the Dolomites combines some of the best Italian views with some of the best Italian food – a winning combination. You’ll spend your days biking through Northern Italy and your evenings relaxing at premiere inns and dining on Michelin-starred dinners. This six-day, five-night biking tour begins in Bolzano, Italy and ends in Venice.

It’s perfect for avid cyclists who get goose bumps just thinking about conquering tough mountain climbs. Over the course of the tour, you’ll tame 14 alpine passes in six days. Of course, you’ll get your share of glorious descents with sweeping views as a reward!

The Sella Ronda loop is possibly one of the most spectacular rides you’ll ever experience with four mountain passes and grades of nearly 7 percent. You’ll also get the excitement of 30 hairpin turns along the Passo Pordoi. There’s also the legendary Passo Giau, serving up an average grade of 9 percent over 6 miles! Are you short of breath just reading about it? J

Take your reward in the evening with plentiful Italian food and drink, including the cuisine at La Stüa de Michil and Michelin-starred Tivoli, as well as superb regional vintages. Don’t worry, you’ll burn off all those calories on this trip, for sure, so enjoy!

The lodging for this trip is exceptional: Hotel Goldner Adler in Bressanone is a 500-year-old hotel with an amazing rooftop terrace that provides views of this historic region. Hotel La Perla is a chalet that offers views of the Dolomites, a Michelin-starred restaurant, and, oh yes, one of Italy’s best wine cellars. Hotel de la Poste, as its name suggests, was once a former inn for mail coaches and has been around since 1835.

So start getting in cycling shape and get ready to tame some of the highest climbs you can dream of! See you in the Dolomites!