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Blissful biking through Renaissance towns and red poppy fields. The Veneto has inspired aristocrats and artists for centuries, from Queen Cathryn of Cyprus to Andrea Palladio, the master of Italian architecture. This tranquil region in the Northeast of Italy has enough gardens, Renaissance villas and sophisticated little towns to inspire us all. Our biking is through flat farmlands, by stately 16th & 17th c. villas, and along canals reminiscent of the Veneto's most famous town, Venice. We follow the Strada del Prosecco (the wine road) as we cycle past vineyards, castles and into the gentle foothills of the Dolomites. A stop to sample sparkling wines, a cooking lesson in a 1,000 year old castle and charming little towns such as Asolo and Bassano del Grappa are among the highlights. At each day's end we relax and savor the dolce vita with classic Venetian cuisine and luxurious villa hotels.
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• Palladio's architectural masterpieces at Villa Malcontenta
• Window shopping in Asolo
• Grappa tasting in Bassano
• Sampling classic Venetian antipasti at a local, family-run trattoria
• Biking through the prosecco vineyards
•: Sipping a Bellini in Villa Cipriani's magnificant garden
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Days 1 & 2 Riviera Del Brenta, Lido di Venezia and the Venetian Lagoon
Warm up ride along tiny canalled streets and by fields bursting with bright red poppies. Signora Adriana takes us on a special tour of the private Villa Malcontenta, a gracious patrician estate designed by the world's most famous architict, Andrea Palladio. Palladio's mastery of beauty and function is apparent in this stunning country home that was also a working farm. We admire the graceful frescoes depicting Bacchus, Venus and Cupid, and learn why Villa Foscari was renamed Malcontenta. Enjoy a welcome apertivi on the terrace and a superb dinner at our inn, Villa Franceschi.
The next morning we head by a privately chartered boat to Lido di Venezia, one of the islands that separate the Venetian Lagoon from the Adriatic. We ride along the Adriatic toward Alberoni where we catch a short ferry to another island, Lido di Pellestrina, a colorful and cheerful island with a quaint bike path. Dinner is typical Venetian fare in a cozy neighborhood osteria.
• Two nights in Mira Porte at Villa Franceschi, a luxuriously decorated 16th centurey villa with vintage furnature, Venetian artwork and wood-burning fireplaces.
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Day 3 The Venetian Plain, Abano Terme & Arcugnano
Our route takes us through the flat prairies just south of Padua towards Abano Terme and the foothills of the Colli Euganei. The Romans discovered two remarkable features of this area...mineral springs and wine. Monti Berici and its foothills loom in the distance as we bike towards Arcugnano, just outside Vicenza. Our day finishes with a visit to the Rotunda; a UNESCO World Heritage Site vill designed by Palladio. We dine at our inn's elegant restaurant.
• One night at Hotel Villa Michelangelo, an exclusive 18th century stately residence.
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Day 4, 5 & 6 Vicenza, Bassano del Grappa & Asolo
Our morning begins with a private guided visit of Vicenza "City of Palladio" before we pedal to the Alpine village of Bassano del Grappa for a tasting of locally made grappa at the Jacopo Poli distilleries. Wander through the old town or stroll across Palladio's covered bridge. We then arrive in Asolo, a magical walled hill-village and once the home of painter Robert Barrett Browning.
Our route takes us north towards the Pre-Alps for some striking scenery. Farmlands give way to rolling vineyards as we pedal along the Strada del Prosecco in the Proseco wine region. Cristina welcomes us to the Bisol Winery where we tour their handsome 18th c. cantina and sample their bubbly white prosecco. Our farewell dinner overlooks the sumptuous gardens at the Villa Cipriani's acclaimed restaurant featuring carpaccio, bresaola with shaved parmesan and risotto spiced with Amarone wine.
Join your guides for an early morning optional ride to Villa Barbaro in nearby Maser, a graceful Palladian villa that synthesizes two tremendous Renaissance talents...Palladio for his dignified yet playful architectural plan and Veronese for his ravishing frescoes decorating the villa rooms.
• Two nights at Villa Cipriani, , a legnedary 4 star inn.
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"Bike Riders delivers a tour that's saturated in the locale..." Departures Magazine
Read AARP Magazine's feature article describing this trip, published in the Jan/Feb 2007 issue
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Dates: May 25-30, Jun 22-27, Jul 20-25, Aug 31-Sep 5, Oct 5-10, May 17-22, 2009, Jun 21-26, 2009, Jul 19-24, 2009
Length: 6 days/5 nights
Level: 1 A/B
Daily Mileage: 15-35 miles on flat to gently rolling terrain. A few hills.
Cost: $3880
Single Supplement: $800
Meals: All breakfasts, all dinners but 1; picnic lunch.
Hotels: 4 star villas and classic country inns.
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