A surprise awaits on Italy's rooftop: a network of quiet cycling paths for everyone's taste. From Italy to Austria, pedal amid lush valleys and limestone massifs. Connect with local people whose unique traditions enhance your journey. Savor exquisite meals, regional wines and cozy inns and be welcomed like family.
Days
1-2 Welcome to South Tyrol, home to a captivating mix of Italian, Austrian and Tyrolean cultures 
Ready to dive into the spectacular Dolomites World Heritage site? Embark on a pleasant valley ride among vineyards set along the Adige River Piste ciclabili in Italy, Radwege in Austria—whatever you call them, the bike paths in this mountain playground are idyllic! Descend through the Rendena Valley, flanked by the jagged peaks of the Brenta Dolomite mountain group 
Indulge in delectable alpine cuisine complemented by local wines like full-bodied lagrein and tasty traminer.
Day
3 Meadows, woodland and quiet hamlets set the stage for today's ride along the Rienza River Sprechen Sie Deutsch? In the medieval town of Brunico, most residents speak German A haven of tranquility, the Aurina Valley greets you with a few short hills and delights with majestic vistas of the snow-covered peaks of the Zillertal range Soak up the scene of fairy-tale forests, barns and locals hand-cutting their lawns with traditional wooden scythes.
Day
4 Magnificent limestone peaks frame hidden valleys and storybook villages Following peaceful cycling roads into Austria, make your way through the countryside to Lienz, a charming cobbled town ringed by jagged spires.
Days
5-6 Taste wonderful regional wines, including vernatsch and gewürztraminer Spin along a picture-perfect route through a forested valley nestled among the Alps Savor the bounty of an alpine picnic in cozy Matrei In Lienz, celebrate an unforgettable week of biking over a festive farewell dinner Pedal into the Drava River valley before saying auf wiedersehen to South Tyrol.
The Dolomites trip made my summer! The landscape, the riding, the food, but most of all the trip leaders and support staff made it remarkable.- New York
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Accommodations may vary based on departure date. Any difference from what is listed below can be found by clicking on your desired date on the Dates & Prices tab.
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Owned by a former Olympic athlete and professional snowboarder, this rustic yet elegant alpine chalet offers warm hospitality and peaceful natural surroundings. (pool, spa)
Fall in love with the stunning surroundings and sleek minimalist-chic style of the "first carbon-neutral hotel in South Tyrol." (pool, spa)
Framed by the Dolomites and Austria's highest peaks, this lavish new hotel epitomizes "sustainable luxury" with its utilization of solar and geothermal energy. (pool, spa)
There's no better way to find out about Backroads than by hearing it from the people who have traveled with us. For more about the Backroads Experience, read our Guest Testimonials.
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Reviewed by 1 customer
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Comments about Dolomites Bike Tour:
The Dolomites trip made my summer! The landscape, the riding, the food, but most of all the trip leaders and support staff made it remarkable.
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind—you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due.
Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.
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AVAILABLE TO BOOKi GOING FASTi CONTACT USi PRIVATE TRIP - RESERVEDi
Interested in a Private Trip? Check out the Make It Private tab for private dates available, or call us at 800-462-2848.
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next—and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.
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| Daily Route Options | ||||||||||
| Day | EASYGOING | ACTIVE | AVID | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | ||||||
| miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | |
| 1 | 18* | 900 | 21* | 1400 | ||||||
| 2 | 23* | 1600 | 30* | 2200 | 31* | 4000 | ||||
| 3 | 18* | 1600 | 29 | 2000 | 41 | 4300 | ||||
| 4 | 32* | 2100 | 60 | 2700 | ||||||
| 38* | 900 | |||||||||
| 5 | 21* | 1500 | 36* | 1400 | 41* | 2000 | 56 | 4300 | ||
| 6 | 16 | 800 | 18 | 1400 | ||||||
Note: There is less than 10% of riding on hard-packed dirt on this trip. Since the overwhelming majority of the trip is paved, we've elected to use standard road bike tires on our titanium road bikes. Most guests find this to be the right answer. If you prefer to skip the dirt, a shuttle is always a possibility.
* Includes shuttle.
Learn more about how we determine our activity levels and fully support a range of abilities and interests.
Please note that our distance and elevation figures come from Ride with GPS. Other sources (such as Map My Ride and Garmin devices) may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies. Readings from a Garmin or a smart phone are influenced by other factors such as air pressure.
We’re the only active travel company that offers you easy biking through spectacular river valleys in the shadow of the Dolomites, with stays each night the best hotels in the region.
We design and support our Dolomites trips to suit mixed abilities and varied interests—so you can set your own pace, then change things up as the day unfolds. And all guests are free to do the same, traveling together or apart, with no one cramping anyone else's style. Which sounds easy in theory, but it's hard to pull off. Here's more on how we do it.
On our Dolomites trips we have an extra leader supporting you along the road—for a total of three, compared to the industry standard two. So we can be in more places at once, giving personal attention to guests traveling at their own pace. Here's more on our Trip Leaders.
Backroads is the only active travel company providing two support vans in Dolomites—because we know it's essential to ensure a truly great travel experience. It doubles our ability to be there when you need us to offer hydration, lighten your load or give you a lift if it's time to take a break. Read more on why two vans make all the difference.
Backroads has the best-qualified people to lead your trip in Dolomites, and our guests back that up, rating our Trip Leaders an average of 9.75 out of 10 for all-around quality of performance. Get the facts (and no fluff) on how we recruit and develop the very best people for your trip.
Thanks to our extensive connections in Dolomites, Backroads takes you off the beaten track and deep into the region's culture in ways that traditional travel can never hope to do. We know the people and their customs, the legacy of art and architecture, the complex history and politic—and if we're not sure, our amazing local experts can fill in the blanks.
Choose a Backroads Custom Titanium or Custom Electric Assist bike—both are included in your trip price. Maybe a Specialized carbon-fiber pro model is more your speed or go for double fun on a tandem. Our fleet is the best in active travel, so you don't have to roll the dice on this vital trip component. Learn why our titanium bikes are ideal for most riders. See the bike options for this trip.
Your ride comes equipped with a Garmin Edge Explore 1000, the best bike-touring GPS device on the market. This is a Backroads exclusive, and it's included with your bike in Dolomites. If you prefer to bring your own device, we also have downloadable GPS files and of course, our good old paper directions are always available. Read more on why our navigation options are the best.
With Backroads you won't end up with kids on what you thought was an adult trip; we have exclusive departures for families, so they're off having their own adventures. As you browse our unrivaled selection of trips and dates, you can count on finding a trip in Dolomites that's geared exclusively to your choice of traveling companions.
Backroads has been welcoming active travelers to Europe since before the Berlin Wall came down. Today it's virtually our second home. We know the perfect roads and trails, the most scenic valleys and hilltop towns, the hidden churches and gem-like museums, the up-and-coming vintners and celebrated chefs—and, of course, all the best places to stay.
Since 1979, Backroads Founder and President Tom Hale has shown that staying #1 means constantly evaluating our performance using the best possible source of information: our guests. As we systematically analyze your feedback on our trip consultants, leaders, hotels, meals and on-trip activities, we never stop working to make a great company even better.
Guests rave about our picnic spreads. Enjoy a welcome break in a scenic spot, or a quick refuel stop if you don't want to lose momentum. And because we have two vans, one can host lunch while the other is out providing support along the route.
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Gather your favorite people to share a Backroads adventure on a ready-to-book Private Trip - featuring all the legendary Backroads hallmarks from expert leaders to unforgettable activities. You can pick from the selection of dates below for your group; some dates are only available for 16 or more guests while other dates are available for 8 or more guests. If your party has fewer than 8 guests, or your preferred date is not available, we'll create a departure just for you. Call or email us to reserve your date.
Click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.
8 AVAILABLE TO BOOK FOR 8 OR MORE GUESTS 16 AVAILABLE TO BOOK FOR 16 OR MORE GUESTS RESERVED
Don't see your ideal travel date? Make a Date! i
Invite your family and friends on an adventure that's entirely your own - for your group of 8 or more. Find out more
I simply can't imagine a better way to immerse yourself in the life of a region, to explore hidden corners and appreciate nuances while enjoying the benefits and enormous satisfaction of traveling under your own power. These are experiences you cannot have behind the wheel of a car, or on a train or a tour bus. Active travel is, at its heart, a way of connecting more authentically with the world. Sure, Backroads provides amazing leaders, superb accommodations and meals, and opportunities you could never arrange on your own. But all of our comprehensive planning and support is aimed at something far simpler: bringing you the immediate, highly personal satisfaction of discovering a new world on your own terms.
— Tom Hale, Founder & President
