The Adige is Italy’s second-longest river, running for more than 400 kilometers. It has its source precisely in Alto Adige, near the Resia Pass. It then makes its way toward the Adriatic Sea, crossing Val Venosta, Merano and Bolzano, Trentino, Verona, and finally reaching the mouth near Rosolina Mare in the province of Rovigo.
In recent years the first stretch of its course has been flanked by a scenically designed and well-maintained cycle path nearly 300 kilometers long: the Adige Cycle Path, which from Resia Pass to Lake Garda accompanies visitors to discover a sensational territory. The route is part of the large European project EuroVelo 7, also known as the Sun Route, and offers a largely asphalted, well-signed path that is almost entirely downhill, making it suitable even for untrained cyclists or families with older children. May is the ideal time to tackle the itinerary: temperatures are mild, summer crowds are still distant, and the landscape is literally in bloom.
The Adige Cycle Path: Itinerary and Characteristics
The full course of the Adige Cycle Path from Resia to Lake Garda measures 280 kilometers and can be completed in five or six days at a relaxed pace, with daily stages between 45 and 60 kilometers.
In any case, it is a flexible itinerary that can be adapted to personal needs: those who prefer the sporty side of the experience can aim to finish it in three legs, while those who enjoy slower rhythms can take every possible pause along the way.
Moreover, the widespread railway network along the entire route makes it easy to start or end the journey at any point. Regional trains allow the transport of bicycles, though during peak months it is advisable to check availability in advance.
A further advantage of flexibility is the possibility of finding along the route numerous bike rental points, including e-bikes, often located near train stations.
Finally, a crucial feature of the Adige Cycle Path is the presence of the so-called bicigrill, the cyclists’ autogrills. Rest stops where cyclists can refuel, refresh, and recover energy before getting back in the saddle to tackle the next stretch.
First Part: Alto Adige
The starting point of the Adige Cycle Path is fixed at the Resia Pass, situated over 1,500 meters above sea level, at the Italian border with Austria and Switzerland, where the river has its origin. Practically as soon as you’re in the saddle, you ride along one of the most famous and scenic attractions of the cycling adventure: Lake Resia, with the bell tower of the sunken village of Curon rising solitary from the clear waters.
The story behind that surface is anything but romantic. Between 1947 and 1950, the construction of a large hydroelectric dam by Montecatini unified two natural lagoons and completely submerged the village of Curon Vecchia: 163 houses, 523 hectares of cultivated land, the entire life of a community. The inhabitants were evacuated and the towns of Curon and Resia were rebuilt higher up. Of the old village, only the bell tower of the church of Santa Caterina d’Alessandria, dating from 1357, remained visible. It is still there today, at an altitude of 1498 meters, rising from the water.
This first part of the route, also known as the standalone section called the Val Venosta Cycle Path, is essentially downhill. To reach Merano, you cover about 80 kilometers with a downhill drop of nearly a thousand meters.
The Val Venosta, squeezed between the mountains and benefiting from a particularly dry climate, has historically been a land of orchards. In spring, the blooming apple orchards that line the route present a white and pink spectacle, which contrasts beautifully with the snow-capped peaks of the Alps in the background.
Among the stops not to miss in this stretch is Glorenza (Glurns in German), one of the best-preserved walled towns in Alto Adige, with its medieval towers and distinctive lanes.
The center of Glorenza
The Alto Adige portion of the Adige Cycle Path then continues on to Merano and Bolzano. The first of the two cities, nestled in a basin surrounded by mountains, has such a mild microclimate that it allows palms and cypress trees to flourish. Merano has long been the favored destination of the Austro-Hungarian aristocracy seeking treatment and rest. The Merano spa baths carry on that tradition: for the cyclist whose legs are tired, an afternoon among the thermal waters is the perfect way to recharge before resuming toward Bolzano.
The stretch between Merano and Bolzano runs for about thirty kilometers, almost flat, set among a continuous sea of orchards and vineyards. Bolzano, with its castles and church towers, is the quintessential bilingual city, where Italian and Tyrolean souls coexist.
Second Part: Trentino
After crossing into the Trentino, the landscape changes once more. Open vistas fill the eye, while numerous castles dot the surrounding hills, dominating the terrain, such as the Buonconsiglio Castle in Trento or Castel Sabbionara at Avio. Alongside the cycle path, the calm flow of the river settles into a wider bed, slowing its pace slightly.
The Trentino portion of the route stretches about one hundred kilometers, crossing from bank to bank of the Adige several times.
The city of Trento deserves a pause. The historic center, with the Cathedral and the Neptune Fountain, is one of the best-preserved in northeastern Italy. The MUSE, the science museum designed by Renzo Piano and opened in 2013, is a must-visit and particularly recommended for travelers with children.
From Trento, the path descends toward Rovereto, the city that hosts the MART, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto, one of the most visited in Italy.
Arrival: Lake Garda and Other Destinations
From Rovereto you can make several choices. For those aiming to reach the shores of Lake Garda, the route turns west, following the Adige-Garda cycle path that connects Rovereto to Riva del Garda, at the far northern tip of the lake.
The last kilometers before Riva del Garda are among the most scenic. The cycle path descends from the Mori dam and climbs along the route of an old railway, through the Vallagarina, with the first glimpses of the lake appearing suddenly among the trees. When Lake Garda finally opens before the eyes, it’s hard not to stop to take a memory photo.
Many cyclists, however, prefer to head south, pass through Ala and Avio, enter Veneto, and continue to Verona, identified as the ultimate destination. You reach Verona from the hamlet of Chievo, crossing the Adige once more on the charming dam-bridge that lies there.
An alternative, for those who want to add a significant number of kilometers to the ride, is to continue to the mouth of the Adige, at Rosolina, in the province of Rovigo. The route then passes from Cologna Veneta to Legnago, crossing Badia Polesine, Rovigo, and Cavarzere. It is a long, enjoyable, largely flat finale, passing through cultivated fields and agricultural countryside—a landscape completely different from the alpine peaks where the journey began, yet equally captivating.
