Italy: Lake Como & the Italian Lake District
Guided Biking
- Daily Mileage: 7-32 miles|
- Biking: 1-5 hours|
Starting From
10-day Air Package
$5,245
7-day Bike Tour Only
$4,095
Per person, double occupancy
Italy: Lake Como & the Italian Lake District
While many claim to know the Italian lake district, few have visited Lake Iseo. Nestled between Lake Garda and Lake Como, this pristine lagoon is Lombardy’s hidden gem—almost completely unknown to tourists. Here, you’ll explore the lake’s serene waters by boat, and its quiet shoreline by bike, before ferrying to charming Monte Isola to discover its 13th-century castle and hamlet. Our leaders will introduce you to the vineyards of Franciacorta, where you’ll meet local vintners and sample their sparkling wines. Observe glaciers through the dome-windowed cars of the legendary Bernina Express en route to Switzerland’s St. Moritz. After a glorious adventure in the opulent city of Bellagio, your knowledge (and enjoyment!) of the Italian lakes district will outshine that of mere tourists.
Tour Highlights
- Sample delicious sparkling wines at a cantina in Franciacorta, Italy’s “Champagne” region.
- Cycle the scenic lakeside bike paths around Lake Iseo, made famous when the artist Christo installed his “floating piers” here.
- Marvel at breathtaking scenery when you ride the UNESCO-listed Bernina railway, then cycle among the splendid Bernina peaks.
- Ride the easy bike paths of the Valtellina valley, blanketed in vineyard terraces among miles of dry-stone walls.
- Taste delicious Pizzoccheri pasta and local cheeses only found in Valtellina.
Positive Impact
VBT is proud to support Wine to Water with a donation on behalf of each guest on this tour. Wine to Water is an international organization providing access to clean drinking water and emergency supplies in water-challenged regions. We believe in giving back to the places that have enriched the lives of our guests. We’re committed to identifying and supporting sustainable initiatives in a variety of areas including education, world health, economic equality, safe drinking water, the environment, and the preservation of cultural traditions.
What to Expect
This tour offers easy terrain and is suitable for beginning cyclists who are comfortable with some easy uphill rides and riding on packed gravel paths. Unpaved terrain is approximately 10% of the entire cycling offered. The tour runs mostly on dedicated and well-marked bike paths as well as country roads. We recommend a hybrid bike or an E-bike for this tour. Road bikes are available, but riders should be aware that on land-package days 2, 4, and 5 there are some short stretches on unpaved paths or roads.
Our VBT support vehicle is always available for those who would like assistance with hills.
- Daily Mileage: 7-32 miles|
- Biking: 1-5 hours|
- Group Size: 22
Cyclists
Support
Average High /
Low Temperature (°F):
May72º/49º
Jun79º/56º
Jul79º/59º
Aug81º/61º
Sep75º/55º
Oct63º/47º
Average
Precipitation:
May2.8 in
Jun2.5 in
Jul1.5 in
Aug2.6 in
Sep2.2 in
Oct2.7 in
Air Package |
Tour Only |
|
---|---|---|
Roundtrip international airfare |
||
Airport car service for arrival and departure |
||
One night in Sirmione on Lake Garda and one night in Bellagio in Lakeside hotels with daily breakfast |
||
6 nights in 4-star lakeside hotels and one eco-friendly hotel |
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12 meals: 6 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 4 dinners |
Step-Through Electric-Assisted Bicycle (E-bike)
See More >Road Bicycle (Carbon frame)
See More >Step-Through (Mixte Hybrid) Comfort Bicycle
See More >Step-Over (Diamond) Comfort Bicycle
See More >Biking Packages Include:
Custom VBT Bike and Helmet
Two Local, Bilingual Trip Leaders
Support Vehicle
Luggage Transportation
Ride with GPS and Daily Route Notes
Welcome Reception
Facilitated Cultural Experiences
Your Choice of VBT Branded Gear for Your Adventure
Accommodations (Please Note: Days are based on the Air Package Itinerary. Accommodations may vary depending on departure date. )
Enjoy Your Vacation Longer With Low-Cost Trip Extensions
Air Package Only
2024 Pre-Trip Extension - Sirmione
2 Nights From
$295
per person, double
occupancy
Single Supplement: From $95
- 2 nights at the Hotel Ideal
- Airport car service for arrival
- Daily breakfast
- City information
Your vacation is about to begin! Spend your first night aloft and arrive ready for an unforgettable trip.
A VBT representative will greet you at the Verona airport to start your adventure off right. A complimentary car service will whisk you to your centrally located hotel in Sirmione. From here, you are perfectly positioned to explore this charming city at your leisure.
After a delicious included breakfast at your hotel, you are free to explore on your own, using our included city information packet to guide your discoveries.
Included Meals: Breakfast
After a delicious included breakfast at your hotel, you are free to explore on your own, using our included city information packet to guide your discoveries.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Hotel Ideal
Perfectly situated on the northern tip of the scenic Sirmione peninsula, the Hotel Ideal offers tranquility and breathtaking views of Lake Garda. Enjoy private access to the lake and a natural waterside terrace via a stairway to the water. The most beautiful beach on the lake is a five-minute walk away; the Lido delle Bionde hot springs are also nearby, as are the town’s Aquaria thermal baths. The famous Caves of Catullus are visible from the hotel’s terrace. Enjoy strolls among olive trees in the property’s gardens, take a dip in the pool water, enjoy local cuisine at Essentia restaurant, and enjoy ample amenities in your modern, air-conditioned room.
Air Package Only
2024 Post-Trip Extension - Bellagio
2 Nights From
$245
per person, double
occupancy
Single Supplement: From $145
- 2 nights at the Hotel Florence Bellagio
- Airport car service for departure
- Daily breakfast
- City information
After a delicious included breakfast at your hotel, you are free to continue exploring on your own, using our included city information packet to guide your discoveries.
Included Meals: Breakfast
After a delicious included breakfast at your hotel, you are free to continue exploring on your own, using our included city information packet to guide your discoveries.
Included Meals: Breakfast
After an included breakfast this morning, complimentary transportation to the Milan Malpensa Airport will be provided (an approximately one-hour 15 minute drive, depending on traffic) for your departing flight.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Hotel Du Lac
This historical hotel is centrally located, right across from the pier and Lake Como. The restaurant and roof bar offer amazing panoramas of the lake, the villages on the opposite side, the mountains, and the city. The hotel’s spacious rooms and bathrooms have been recently refurbished, and each features air conditioning, a telephone, satellite TV, a minibar, an in-room safe, a coffee maker, and a private bath with hair dryer.
This was my fifth VBT ride in Italy and certainly one of the most pretty rides anywhere. Sometimes new rides like this have growing pains, this one did not. There were no hiccups, everything worked as planned and was well thought out and the variety of terrain and cycling vistas a true delight. I have two rides that were labeled as moderate to challenging when listed which are no longer done in a way that is challenging and there is no fear of that on this ride. A relatively small section of hard packed dirt is a climb and at over 7,000 feet after a train ride the altitude is an adjustment but the rating it has is just about right in my view --it is mostly easy with a moderate section or two on a couple days with a regular bicycle as I use. A signature feature of VBT is its hotels and they are terrific on this one. And the ride leaders are among the most knowledgeable and likeabile I have had the pleasure to ride with. Of all five this was the first time we had a full compliment of riders yet to always seemed to me to have that even small group quality
A Ride of Beauty
What an amazing biking trip! The pre trip to Sirimione was a beautiful experience and then the FUN began. Our guides, Angelo and Giovanni, were so knowledgeable and very helpful with everything. They made our trip memorable in many ways. There are not enough superlatives to describe the beauty of the Lake District. If you love VBT please move this one to the top of your next trip!
Lake District Italy
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