From Algund via Mitterplars to Töll - entrance to the new cycle path. Ride towards the bridge, then follow the Quadrathofstrasse, which will lead you up a steep hill. After 2.4 km turn in the direction of Aschbach (left) at the crossroads, pass two restaurants: at 3 km Gasthaus Niederhof and at 4.3 km Gasthof Bründl. The road leads you through steep forests uphill, passing the former Gasthof Mahlbach (ruins), until the roads ends at 7.3 km at a barrier. Ride on via the forest road, which soon becomes less steep, until you come to 9.2 km. At a fork at 9.8 km, you have reached the highest point (1,416 metres). Turn right, follow path # 27 to Aschbach until you come to 10.9 km, where the forest road ends. After pushing your bike for about 3 to 4 minutes along the hiking path, you come back to a forest road leading downhill to Aschbach (1,362 metres / 12.4 km / N46º 38631 E011º04.421). The Aschbacherhof is a good place to rest and eat and offers you wonderful panoramic views. Be careful on the road leading down to the valley. There are lots of unexpected cars turning corners. Drive via Mitterplars to Algund.
The family-friendly bike ride with the starting point in Nalles, leads you along the villages of the Etschtal Valley through the apple trees.
This is a challenging gravel tour in which you will proceed from the shore of the Etsch River via a demanding ascent to this hidden pass. In the Etsch / Adige Valley, it will take you to Salorno / Salurn, on the border to Trentino and then disappears in the quiet forest behind the cliffs which sharply demarcate the Etsch / Adige Valley on the eastern side.
The start will help you limber up and warm your muscles. From Kaltern / Caldaro, you'll roll down at a fast pace to Lake Caldaro. From the southern shore of the lake, you'll quickly reach the Etsch Valley Bicycle Trail. Here, you will follow the river another 10 km – with a tailwind, if you're lucky – and soon reach Salorno / Salurn, the southernmost settlement in South Tyrol. But that isn't entirely true – because just before you come to it, there's a forest road representing a short-cut to the road up to Gfrill / Cauria, a peaceful hamlet 1,000 meters above the valley. That is the decisive ascent of this tour – because you'll have to master another 200 meters of altitude differential on forest trails to the saddle – with an average grade of 10%. This is then followed by a descent of 400 meters on the other side on gravel trails in the forest as you approach Gschnon / Casignano. This is the perfect place to take a short side-trip (one kilometer in each direction) to the "Kanzel," an extraordinary lookout point high above the Etsch Valley. A street leads from Gschnon to Mühlen and into the valley through which the Truden Brook runs steeply down into the Etsch / Adige Valley. You'll follow it uphill till you get to Truden / Trodena and gain another 300 meters of altitude differential along the little valley road. The descent from Truden into the Etsch / Adige Valley represents the highpoint of this tour, with regards to beautiful landscape. The gravel trail along the former Fleims / Fiemme Valley railroad will take you down to Montan / Montagna. ATTENTION! The entrance to the tunnels can be a little daunting – built-in motion sensors will first have to detect your presence before they switch on the lights. After you've exited the final tunnel, the landscape will open up, and you'll be treated to a sublime view of the Etsch / Adige Valley – the most-spectacular of which is on the viaduct near Pinzon / Pinzano, a looped bridge which the engineers used to elegantly smooth out the necessary hairpin curve of the railroad in the somewhat steeper area of the slope. Then you'll be treated to the Castelfeder biotope, an ancient cult site which is certain to catch your eye against the surrounding landscape. Extravagant geological formations and enormous boulders left behind by receding glaciers are scattered about at various elevations. The wild, romantic hilly landscape has lost none of its magical appeal. Castelfeder is the subject of numerous legends and stories. The so-called "Kuchelen" on the highest level are the remains of a ring wall dating back to the Early Middle Ages. This is an ideal place to pause for a breather and enjoy the scenery. Or to prepare for the next segment. That's because the trail from the Etsch / Adige Valley, Lake Caldaro, and uphill to the center of Kaltern represents another 200 meters of altitude differential to be managed.
Variants: If you'd like to enjoy some sightseeing in Salorno / Salurn, you can also take the ascent to Gfrill / Cauria from the center of Salurn. However, that entails more time on the streets. If you'd like to take a short-cut, proceed from Mühlen and follow the Truden Brook downhill until you return to the main trail just before you pass the small hamlet of Glen prior to the viaduct.
Bike trip from Laives/Leifers to Nalles/Nals on the trail of Lagrein and Sauvignon.
Route length in km: 22,6
Vertical climb: ascent 922m – descent 897m
Surface: asphalt,forest path, 1 short Single-Trail-section (Mohlboch-Trail)
Required technical skills: S0/S1 – easy
The mystical Haderburg Castle in Salorno is majestically enthroned on a ledge and offers a breathtaking view over the whole valley.
The bike trail goes trough the wine villages Eppan, Kaltern, Tramin and Kurtatsch up to the country frontier at Salurn on traffic-calmed streets. The tour is appropriate for all kinds of bycicles, but is the most fun to ride on e-bikes or racing bikes.
The route starts at Eppan and leads on the cycle path and the lake loop road to the Kalterer lake and onwards to Tramin. Towards the village you’ll find a rise. Take it and follow the Weinstraße until you reach Margreid and Kurtinig. In all of those villages you’ll find plenty of possibilities to stop for a bite to eat.
Arriving at Salurn, change the downhill side and follow the hillslope until you come to Laag. From there you can take the cycle path along the Etsch in a northward direction up until the spot where the rivers Etsch and Eisack are meeting. There you turn left and follow the old railway track of the Überetscher railway until the initial point in Eppan.
Parcines/Rablà – Naturno – Castelbello – Laces –
Coldrano – Lago di Coldrano and back
This is a wild and demanding gravel tour which will take you across the "Green Line" of the South Tyrolean forests and down to Lago Santo ("Lake Heilig") in Trentino. You'll proceed along winding forest trails and curving paths – requiring a good command of your gravel bike on earthy terrain.
You'd better have an adventurous spirit if you want to undertake this tour. In the border area between South Tyrol and the province of Trentino, you'll be passing through seemingly endless forests radiating an enchanting quality. There are many reasons to undertake this tour: You'll love the unparalleled peace and quiet – in part on earthy trails where you can have some fun. And idyllic "Lago Santo" is certainly a worthwhile destination. You'll first proceed at a quick pace via Lake Caldaro and down into the Etsch / Adige Valley. You'll start your ascent on the valley's left flank near Auer / Ora. The trail along the former Fleims / Fiemme Valley railroad will afford you splendid views of the "South of South Tyrol." Once you've passed the last few hamlets, you'll be leaving civilization and ascending on forest roads to the Gfrill Saddle. After a short ascent, you'll arrive in the hamlet of Gfrill / Cauria, 1,000 meters above the Etsch Valley, the last small outpost of South Tyrol before you pass over the provincial border to Trentino. You'll enter into this wild forest and proceed along earthy trails on your way to Lake Heilig. But the adventure isn't over yet! First, there's an exciting descent where you'll come out in Salorno / Salurn, on the shores of the Etsch River. The Etsch Bicycle Trail is the quickest connection back to Lake Caldaro where you can perhaps take a refreshing dip and maybe enjoy a snack near Klughammer. The real end of this tour is only after you have accomplished the final 200 meters of altitude differential on your way to Kaltern / Caldaro. But you'll already have rest-stop options along the way – e.g., at the Albergo Lago Santo or in Salurn. Neumarkt / Egna is likewise worth a side-trip. The bicycle trail will lead you right to it.
Variants: This tour can also be taken in the reverse order. However, when cycling from Salorno / Salurn up to Lake Heilig, you'll have to overcome slight ramps.
The Regglberg is a high-altitude plateau rising above the eastern shores of the Etsch / Adige River. If you choose to ascend from Leifers / Laives to Deutschnofen / Nova Ponente, you'll land in a landscape of alpine meadows. Here you'll find plenty of rest-stop options – too many, in fact, since you couldn't possibly stop for a break in every inn and cafe situated along this challenging and long tour.
This tour is challenging, but allows you to explore the east of the Etsch / Adige Valley, on the fringe of the foot of the Dolomites. The meadow landscape at the Regglberg between Deutschnofen and Aldein / Aldino resembles a verdant carpet stretching out in front of the impressive Latemar – from the perspective of Kaltern, the nearest outpost of the Dolomites, this most-prominent peak looms 2,842 meters above sea-level. But to approach it, you'll have to constantly pedal. The first milestone of your journey is the Mitterberg / Monte di Mezzo, accessible via the little Pass Road and the Kreither Saddle and then into the Etsch / Adige Valley. After a couple of relatively level kilometers, you'll reach Leifers / Laives, where the Branten Valley indicate the continued upward direction. At the upper end of the Branten Valley, you'll find the town of Deutschnofen / Nova Ponente perched on a high-altitude plateau. There is a path in the valley basin for your ascent, but the winding trails on the north flank of the valley offer more scenic beauty and are just as quick – besides giving you more panoramic views towards Deutschnofen. You will now proceed upwards into the rolling meadow landscape. You've mastered the steep uphill grade; now, it's a constant up and down. This route offers beauty and variety, and every couple of kilometers, you can take a rest-stop at one of the many charming inns and cafes along the way: the Laabalm, the Neuhütt-Alm, the Schmiederalm, or the Schönrast-Alm. In view of this wealth of options, you might be tempted to spend too much time here – but don't forget: The return leg is still ahead of you! The trail will first take you down into the Etsch Valley. But because the direct way from the Regglberg into the valley is possible only via very steep trails that are best traversed on foot, you'll have to instead take a slight diversion and follow the trail along the former Fleims / Fiemme Valley railroad, which displays a pleasant downhill grade at Montan / Montagna. And you'll be treated to spectacular scenery along the way: First, there's the unobstructed view of the valley, then the rolling terrain of the Castelfeder biotope with its mystical medieval cult site. Once you've arrived in Auer / Ora, you can traverse the Etsch River and quickly reach Lake Caldaro. On warm summer days, you could now take a pleasant dip at Klughammer. After a refreshing dip, you'll be ready to attack the final 200 meters of altitude differential from the lake up to Kaltern / Caldaro.
If you've ever been to Kaltern / Caldaro or at least passed by it, then you'll already be familiar with the Mitterberg, this long, heavily forested hump of reddish rock in the middle of the Etsch / Adige Valley between the Etsch / Adige River and Lake Caldaro. But not everyone knows that there are more than 600 km of trails and paths in the vicinity of the Mitterberg – an ideal playground for bikers of every stripe. The Mitterberg circuit tour leads entirely along bike trails. It is not restricted solely to the Mitterberg. Rather, it will take you around it – a tour that is extremely suitable for beginners and families – but also a great trail to get a little practice. From Kaltern, you'll first glide along the bike trail on your way down to Auer / Ora. You then continue along Lake Caldaro and finally round the southern tip of the Mitterberg until you come to the Etsch Bridge. Here – just before the village of Auer – you'll now enter the Etsch Valley Bicycle Trail which continues to the south towards Trento and to the north towards Bozen / Bolzano. The tour sticks to the Etsch River – usually far enough away from the autobahn so that you won't be bothered by traffic noise. The Mitterberg circuit tour can be taken in either direction since it consists wholly of asphalt bicycle paths. But the direction indicated here is recommended especially for afternoons when the south wind – the "Ora" – will provide a pleasant tailwind as you speed along the level Etsch Bicycle Trail towards Bozen. Just behind Bozen, the bike trail winds along the old railroad line slightly uphill towards Kaltern.
Variants: To the south of Lake Caldaro, you can continue straight on the bike trail to Auer / Ora and combine this route with, e.g., the "Neumarkt / Egna" tour.
Mustn't be missed: Lake Caldaro, the provincial capital of Bozen, Sigmundskron Castle with the Messner Mountain Museum.
Der Kalterer See ist der wärmste Bergsee im Alpenraum. Die gemütliche Radtour, geeignet für die ganze Familie, führt entlang des Sees durch bezaubernde Obstwiesen und Weinberge. Erkunden Sie die schönsten Plätze im Süden Südtirols auf Ihrem Fahrrad.
Shuttle service to Glorenza – Via Claudia Augusta cycle
path from Glorenza to Naturno
In Val Passiria, we sample apples from South Tyrol at the country’s first
Apple Hotel.
Ramitzl Alpine Trail
Anyone looking for a bigger challenge, does not turn towards the Unterpulghütte mountain hut after 4.4km, but continues his route at the same gradient to the Ramitzler Schwaige Alpine pasture. As a reward and compensation for all efforts, excellent food and sensational views are also waiting here. For the sportily ambitious, there is also the opportunity to continue the route without bicycle and to climb the Rasciesa di Fuori/Außerraschötz mountain with its extraordinary summit cross and incredible 360° panoramic view (walking time of approx. 1.5 hours from the Ramitzler Schwaige).
This bike tour follows the trackbed of the former Fleimstalbahn railway, which was built during the First World War, serving primarily to transport goods until 1936. It began in Ora/Auer and ran to the town of Predazzo. The stretch from Ora to San Lugano is still in good condition and is easy to ride. The bike tour leads through historic villages, wonderful vineyards - right through the Pinot Noir heart of Pinzon/Pinzano and through Auer/Ora, the home of the Lagrein - the wonderful mountain landscape of the Trudner Horn/Monte Corno Nature Park and is particularly rewarding because of the unique view of the South Tyrolean lowlands.
Variants: This roundtrip tour can be taken in either direction. If you take it in reverse order, you'll begin in Neumarkt / Egna and visit the Castelfeder last. But because the route crosses the street between Neumarkt and Montan / Montagna, you can also limit yourself to looping backwards via Pinzon / Pinzano and Montan, or you can completely forgo this loop.
Route length in km: 33,0
Vertical climb: ascent 979m – descent 1.814m
Surface: asphalt,forest path, 1 short Single-Trail-section
Required technical skills: S0/S1/S2 – easy with short Single-Trail-section S1/S2
Route length in km: 17,9
Vertical climb: ascent 777m – descent 761m
Surface: asphalt, forest path, 1 short Single-Trail-section (Mohlboch)
Required technical skills: S0/S1 – easy with short Single-Trail-section S1
During this gravel tour you'll be speeding along the western fringes of the Etsch / Adige Valley. You'll be biking along paths and trails offering a variety of cycling experiences, via Altenburg and Graun all the way up to Lake Fennberg, through to Tramin / Termeno and then back to Lake Caldaro.
In the "South of South Tyrol," the Mendel Ridge rises majestically above the Etsch / Adige Valley. At first glance, it looks as though, between the various wine villages dotted across the valley and the mighty summits, there were only forest. But if you are adventurous at heart, you might want to explore this hidden landscape offering a variety of views and experiences. From the Altenburg Sports Center, forest paths wind their way along the slopes to the Gummererhof Alpine Inn and on into the little hamlet of Graun. From here, you can admire the fabulous view of some of the communities strung along the Wine Route like pearls on a necklace: Tramin / Termeno and Kurtatsch / Cortaccia. You can now remain up high on this balcony and continue rolling to Lake Fennberg. An idyllic scene that – when viewed from below – you wouldn't expect. The lake and the church over its shores is hidden on a small saddle, shielded from the prying eyes of the busy valley, which is why it radiates a special sense of peace and quiet. When taking the return trip, you'll first proceed down the same route, but will the soon leave this balcony and roll down into the Etsch Valley. From Tramin via Lake Caldaro, vineyards will again dominate the landscape. If you have the time, there are numerous eateries and inns along the way where you can stop for refreshments. But there's no reason to not forge on ahead until you get to the market square in Kaltern / Caldaro, where you can toast your success with a glass of delicious Lake Caldaro wine. Or you can interrupt your tour to go for an invigorating dip in the lake.
Variants: You can simply take this tour back and forth. If you choose this option, when getting to Graun on the return leg, you can also divert and proceed to Altenburg. From here, the road will then take you straight back to Kaltern.
Starting point: St. Peter, kilometres: 10.3 km; altitude difference: 324 m; altitude of starting point: 1145 m; altitude of end: 1145 m; Best season: May to October
Tour description: The starting point of the tour is the village centre of St. Peter in the Villnöss valley. Here the route first passes by St. Jakob on an asphalted road. This tour leads you along the slopes of the foresty mountain, which parts the Afer and the Villnöss Valleys. After you reach the beautifully situated “Jochhöfe” (farm houses), you make your way across the saddleback on the northern side. You will be rewarded with a panoramic view to Brixen. After about 3 km of forest road, you return to the south side, past the Tschaufisserhöfe farmsteads to Coll. Crossing the road Coll, continue to the Gsoier Bild and via the Sunnseitenweg back to St. Peter.
