Itinerary

Day Day 1 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION US/Fly overnight to Venice

Depart from the U.S. for Italy. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary and airline tickets.

Day Day 2 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Arrive in Venice/Begin your Trip Extension

You arrive at the airport in Venice, Italy. Once in the arrival terminal, please proceed to the water taxi and Info desk. The staff of ‘Venezia Taxi' – one of the 3 operators there – will take care of you and show the way to your water taxi. From the airport pier, you'll transfer (approximately 35 minutes) to your centrally located hotel in Venice. At the hotel, you receive a City Information Packet to help guide your independent stay in this unique and remarkable city. The rest of the day is free to discover and dine on your own.

Day Day 1 of AIR PACKAGE Depart US/Fly overnight to Venice

Depart from the U.S. for Italy. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary and airline tickets.

Day Day 3 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION exploration of Venice

Today, explore Venice to your heart's delight. Perhaps take a vaporetto to visit some of its islands. Built on 118 islands in a shallow lagoon, Venice is a city like no other. It contains more than 150 canals and 400 bridges, which are delightful to explore by gondola or water taxi. Much of the city can also be seen on foot. Be sure to visit the Grand Canal and the famous Rialto Bridge, as well as St. Mark's Basilica, one of the best examples of Byzantine architecture in Europe. Other spots not to miss include the Bridge of Sighs (said to provide prisoners with their last view of freedom before their incarceration), the Doge's Palace, the Gallerie dell'Accademia and the island of Murano, famed for its glass-blowing. Your centrally located hotel will make it easy to access all the wonderful features this famous city has to offer.

Day Day 2 of AIR PACKAGE Arrive in Venice

You arrive at the airport in Venice, Italy. Once in the arrival terminal, please show up at the water taxi and Info desk. The staff of ‘Venezia Taxi' – one of the 3 operators there –will take care of you and show the way to your water taxi. From the airport pier, you'll transfer (approximately 35 minutes) to your centrally located hotel in Venice. At the hotel, you receive a City Information Package to help guide your independent stay in this unique city. The rest of the day is free to discover and dine on your own.

Please note: If you arrive early, your hotel room may not be available until 2 p.m. You may store your luggage with the Reception Desk.

Please note: VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you fly in earlier than the scheduled program dates, transportation from the airport will be at your own expense.

You have the rest of the day free to discover the remarkable sites of Venice. Be sure to stroll along the Grand Canal and visit its most famous square, Piazza San Marco.Dine on your own at one of it countless restaurants.

Day Day 4 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Independent Exploration of Venice/Begin Main Tour

Continue your exploration of the city.

Day Day 1 of BIKE TOUR Meet Trip Leaders/Warm-up ride/Welcome reception

VBT No-Air Package guests: Meet your fellow travelers and Trip Leaders at 2:00 p.m. at our hotel in Cortina d'Ampezzo for a safety clinic and warm-up ride (the hotel address is listed within your final documents). Note that because our Venice hotel assignment is subject to change without notice, and our water taxis are pre-booked for our Air Package guests, we do not recommend that you make plans to join the group at the Venice hotel.

If your arrival at 2:00 p.m. is delayed, please contact our hotel in Cortina d'Ampezzo to advise staff of the delay, and they will pass your message along to your VBT Trip Leaders. To get to Cortina d'Ampezzo, you may want to use the fast bus service that connects the city to the Marco Polo airport in Venice and the railway station in Mestre. Fast bus services are also available from other cities. For information about timetables, fares, reservations and purchasing tickets please contact info@cortinaexpress.it. In case of delays, also please see page 3 of “For Travel-Related Emergencies.” VBT highly recommends flying to Italy at least one day before the tour begins. This allows you to rest and recover from jet lag before you begin sightseeing and cycling.

VBT Air Package and Pre-Extension guests: Meet your VBT Representative at 9:30 a.m in the main lobby of our Venice hotel; our Rep will be wearing VBT staff garments.

From our hotel, a water taxi will transfer us first to the mainland and the Venice Marco Polo airport, where we meet our private motor coach. We'll continue on to Cortina. The transfer will last about 2 hours and we will make a short stop on the way. Our VBT Trip Leaders will meet you at your arrival point and escort you to our first hotel in Cortina.

We arrive in Cortina in time for lunch on your own. Our hotel is located in the heart of the city, on the main shopping and pedestrian area, full of life, elegant shops, restaurants and trendy cafés. After lunch we settle in to our historical hotel, managed by generations of the Sartor family with pride and care. Year after year, they have been awarded for the quality of both their accommodations and freshly prepared food.

Later, our VBT Trip Leaders will hold a safety and bike-fitting session, followed by a warm-up ride.

Tonight, enjoy a welcome cocktail reception in the hotel's cozy bar, full of art works. Later, enjoy our special welcome dinner in the hotel's elegant restaurant. A large salad buffet, followed by Ampezzan specialties like casunzei, or crescent-shaped ravioli, will immerse you in the culinary traditions of a region that has inherited influences of both Austrian Tyrol and Italian Veneto kitchens.

Day Day 2 of BIKE TOUR Cycle to Cadore/Picnic with your Trip Leaders

After breakfast, we start biking downhill along the Boite River valley on the newly paved Dolomites Bike Path that takes us from a 1250-meter altitude down to 770 in Calalzo. The path was a former railway track that connects the little villages of the Cadore mountain community. The mountain group of Le Tofane marks our progress. Soon we admire the towering pyramidal peak of Antelao to our left Mount Pelmo to our right, with its saddle-like summit. The latter is now a natural reserve area due to the presence of many fossils and dinosaur footprints. In Pieve di Cadore we may stop to visit the house-museum of the painter Titian, a true master of Renaissance painting. We can view an original Titian painting in the parish church before continuing down to the lake of Calalzo.

We are now in the Ampezzan Valley, one of the four historical Ladin valleys. The Ladins - a population evolved from Celtic tribes and Roman soldiers – are the inhabitants of these valleys. Long remote and secluded from the rest of Italy, they remain a proud people whose rare language – Ladin -- is closely related to the Swiss Romansh, Surselvan and Friulian. It is also still spoken in nearby Austro-Italian border regions.

The two Italian provinces of Trento and Bolzano are administratively independent from the rest of Italy, meaning they maintain a degree of autonomy. In particular Cortina retains its own legislative system, one that is unique in the Dolomites: a council known as Regole d'Ampezzo. Under the regole and the ancient Celtic structure of property ownership, the 800 original families administer the community's common land which cannot be split or sold to outsiders or other families.

Lunch is a picnic organized by our Trip Leaders. Early this afternoon we shuttle back to Cortina and have the rest of the afternoon to discover on our own. You may want to follow our leaders on an easy walk, or visit the Ethnography museum that houses a collection of antique tools and cultural artifacts. A thrilling summertime trip is a gondola ride up to the slopes of Le Tofane or Faloria to enjoy the breathtaking vistas of surrounding peaks. Or take a bus ride and a walk to the open-air Museum of the Great War at 5-Torri, one of the most exciting and moving itineraries in the Dolomites. Dinner is at our hotel restaurant tonight.

Tonight enjoy a stroll. In the summer, your visit might coincide with a cultural event, folk festival, or classical music concert.

Day Day 3 of BIKE TOUR Cycle on bike paths to Dobbiaco, San Candido, Brunico

Today we take a moderate ride up to Cimabanche Pass through a wooded and scenic area. If you prefer an easier start, you may take a brief shuttle before joining an easy downhill and flat ride on bike paths to Dobbiaco and San Candido. The views on the way are spectacular: we pedal by the Pomagagnon Mountain, the Tre Cime di Lavaredo (the “Three Peaks”), and picturesque Toblacher Lake. En route, we might stop to pay tribute to the war victims of World War I at the intimate cemetery at the foothills of Monte Piana.

As we arrive in Dobbiaco the landscape changes: rocky mountain flanks skirted with green, and roadside alpine lakes give way to open meadows and green pastures dotted with large, isolated houses or masi. Snow-capped peaks rise in the distance. This is the Pusteria Valley, a paradise for bikers with its network of bike paths, bike hotels, and bike shops – aimed at promoting an environmentally friendly lifestyle and healthy discovery of the valleys.

We soon arrive in San Candido in South Tyrol, close to the border with Austria. Here we stop for lunch and a stroll in this little city that is more than a millennium in age. You can visit the ancient, Romanesque style Duomo della Collegiata -- the oldest monastery in the Dolomites -- and drink at one of the many stone fountains in the cobblestone pedestrian area. The Pusteria Valley is rich in history and legend as it was on the ancient trade route to Aguntum (now in Austria) from Rome.

In the afternoon we continue biking along the Upper Pusteria Valley to Brunico, through open lush meadows, forested woods and charming villages, always following the course of the Rienza River. We're cycling in the heart of South Tyrol and a strong Austrian influence is everywhere, from the language (all signs are first in German and then Italian) to the architectural features and local traditions. Our terrain is paved except in some short stretches in the woods. We offer both an easy and an easy/moderate ride. Later we get to our hotel in Riscone, beautifully located at the foothills of the Plan de Corones mountain ridge. You're sure to feel comfortable and even spoiled here: our hotel features a large garden, an indoor swimming pool fed by unspoiled mountain springs, in-room waterbeds, sauna options, and a large buffet of afternoon snacks. Dinner is served at the elegant hotel restaurant.

Day Day 4 of BIKE TOUR DISCOVERY DAY! Cycle through the valleys Aurina and Tures.

After a late breakfast today, we cycle north to discover the beauty of the valleys of Aurina and Tures. About 90% of our biking today is on easy paths along the Rio Aurino river. After an initial stretch through Brunico's open fields, our path runs by high mountains dotted with slope-hugging castles. Brunico was built in a strategic position at the crossroads of four valleys; castles paid the important role of watching and defending the territory. We pass tidy hamlets of wooden houses, high steeples, well-manicured gardens and cattle pens. In Campo Tures, we pause to enjoy a short walk to the waterfalls, where we'll enjoy a special barbecue lunch of tasty meats and crispy vegetables prepared by our host Mani. After lunch we loop around Campo Tures, where you can visit a castle beautifully furnished with antique furniture, majolica stoves, glass artworks, sculptures, paintings, and an arm gallery. On the way back to our hotel, we offer an extra easy/moderate loop to the charming village of Lutago. Further on, the valley is bikeable but becomes quite steep as it gives rise to the Vetta d'Italia or “Peak of Italy.” Despite its name, it is not the highest summit in the country (at 2912 meters), but the northernmost point of Italy.

En route back to our hotel, take some time to discover the city of Brunico, its pedestrian area full of cafés and gelato shops and boutiques, and maybe pay a visit to the recently restored castle of Ripa. Part of this castle is managed by Reinhold Messner, a famous climber and mountain lover. It is the fifth and last castle of a larger project started by Messner to promote mountain culture and knowledge. His “collection” in Brunico is dedicated to the everyday people living in mountainous regions of the world -- Sherpas, Indios, Tibetans, Walser, Mongols and Hunzas.

Back at the hotel, you might stroll some of the beautiful trails of Plan de Corones, enjoy horseback riding or simply pamper yourself at the health center. Dinner is at our hotel restaurant.

Day Day 5 of BIKE TOUR The Isarco River Valley, the medieval towns of Bressanone and Chiusa

This morning we leave our beautiful hotel and pedal across the wide plateau where it is set. On the way we can admire the traditional masi farmhouses above Brunico. Soon we rejoin the picturesque Pusteria Valley bike path along the Rienza River and enjoy a beautiful ride though more forests, tiny villages and covered bridges. Before lunch near the ruins of the Rio Pusteria castle, we have the option to shuttle into Bressanone or continue on a moderate stretch through a thickly wooded, scenic area. Both options end in the medieval city of Bressanone at the confluence of the rivers Rienza and Isarco. Bressanone has been a very important bishop town, evidenced by the duomo, its beautiful frescoed and sculptured cloister, the Hofburg Bishopric, and its stone city gates. The narrow, porticoed streets and multicolored house facades will capture your heart. Lunch is on your own here.

Early this afternoon we cycle beautiful roads down the Isarco River Valley, through the medieval city of Chiusa, and then on to Campodazzo. From here, we shuttle to the next destination: Merano. Our modern Hotel Delle Terme is centrally located on the pedestrian ‘Kurpromenade' on the River Adige, and opposite the historical ‘Kurhouse.' Relax, perhaps enjoying the wellness center, before dinner on your own.

Like Cortina, Merano is a vibrant cultural city, offering concerts and entertainment on summer evenings.

Day Day 6 of BIKE TOUR Resia Lake, apple trees and vineyards in Val di Non.

After breakfast, we bike to the nearby railway station of Merano and board a modern local train to Malles in Venosta Valley at 1,000 meters' altitude. Easy/moderate and energetic bikers can shuttle a little further up to 1,500 meters and enjoy a beautiful extra loop around Lake Resia, before joining our bike path in Malles. The lake is famous for the steeple emerging from its waters, submerged after the village of Curon was evacuated, dynamited and flooded following the construction of a dam. Today's ride, all downhill or flat, is particularly picturesque with spellbinding landscapes the likes of which we haven't yet seen. Surrounded by mountain peaks, we cycle through sprawling apple orchards, then pass vineyards and castles adorning the slopes. We'll pass many tractors and farm workers tending to their fields. We lose almost 700 meters as we cycle along the Adige River back to Merano, through Renaissance villages like Gorenza, past tiny hamlets and isolated country chapels, and more apple trees. It's sure to be one of your more memorable rides.

Back in Merano raise a glass at Rametz Castle. This is a wine-growing estate dating back to 1227. In 1860 the first Blauburgunder grapevine in South Tyrol was planted here. The owner and host Stanislav Schmid gives us a personal tour of his vineyard and private museum of ancient tools. We'll taste his best wines and speck – ham smoked with juniper branches in special rooms -- and toast our week our farewell dinner.

Day Day 7 of BIKE TOUR Free time in Merano/Transfer to Verona/VBT No-Air Package ends

VBT No-Air Package guests: your tour ends at our Merano hotel today. The morning is free for you as well as for our Air-Package guests, who will not leave until 1:00 p.m. You can take a taxi on your own to the Merano train station. Most trains connect in Bolzano. The taxi to Merano train station costs approx. 10-15 euro and the ride is about 5 minutes.

VBT Air Package guests: After breakfast, say ciao to your Trip Leaders and spend the rest of the morning discovering Merano. For only 5.5€ (special price reserved to our guests) you can visit the amazing Terme of Merano, a design building with 25 thermal pools, half of which are set in a five-hectare garden (for more information visit www.termemerano.it). A private underground tunnel connects our hotel to this public facility.

If you prefer, shop and stroll the historical city centre. Or take a walk out of the city to visit the Truttmansdorff gardens and castle, where Austrian Empress Sissi lived. The gardens' 12 hectares are beautifully landscaped and were voted in 2005 the most beautiful Gardens of Italy. Have lunch on own and at 1:00 p.m. be ready to leave with our private motor coach to our hotel in Verona, where we will arrive at about 1:30. The bus is exclusively reserved for VBT Air Package and Pre-Extension guests. You have the rest of the day to visit or relax in Verona.

If you have chosen the independent Post-Trip extension to Verona, you remain at this hotel for three nights. When you arrive today, you receive a city information packet that includes maps and recommendations for restaurants and sightseeing in Verona and surroundings. If you are visiting from mid-June to end of August, don't miss the opera shows in the Roman Arena, a very short walk from our hotel. A little tip: local opera lovers say the best seats (particularly for acoustics) are the very affordable “Unreserved Stone Steps in Sectors D or E (Gradinata D or E).” You can buy these at the last minute at the ticket office or – best - in advance on the website, http://www.arena.it/en-US/HOMEen.html. An open-air opera in the Arena is an unforgettable experience..

Day Day 8 of AIR PACKAGE Depart for U.S.

Early this morning, transfer to the Verona Airport for your flight back to the U.S. VBT recommends that you check the transfer time in your “Transfer Reminder” the night before your flight. The transfer is prearranged with the reception desk and is prepaid by VBT.

Please note: For guests with early-morning departures, breakfast at the hotel may not be available. Please check with the Front Desk to verify the times that breakfast is served.

Please note: VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you extend your stay beyond the scheduled program dates, return transportation to the airport will be at your own expense.

Day Day 1 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Continue your extension in Verona.

If you have chosen the optional Post-Trip Extension, you have another day to discover the city. You may also take a 40-minute train to Padua to explore this beautiful art city. The centerpiece here is undoubtedly the “Scrovegni Chapel” a 14th-century masterpiece reminiscent of a small Sistine Chapel. Its walls are covered with frescoes by Giotto.

Day Day 2 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Independent exploration of Verona and surroundings.

Continue your exploration of Verona. If you enjoy natural springs, you might plan a day in the nearby villages of Montegrotto or Abano.

Day Day 3 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Depart for the U.S

Early this morning*, transfer to the Verona airport for your flight home. VBT recommends that you check your transfer time in your “Transfer Reminder.” The transfer is prearranged with the reception desk and is prepaid by VBT**.

* Please note: For guests with early-morning departures, breakfast at the hotel may not be available. Please check with the Front Desk to verify the times that breakfast is served.

** Please note: VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you extend your stay beyond the scheduled program dates, return transportation to the airport will be at your own expense.

Italy: Cycling the Dolomite Valleys 2011

Pre and Post Trip Extensions

Pre-Trip Extension

Venice 2011 (Dolomites) - 2 nights for only $295

Venice is not to be missed. During your extension, you will stay in a small boutique hotel located a few steps from St. Mark’s Square and a short walk from all the main sights that this amazing city can offer. Whether you decide to explore the intricate calle maze or travel as locals do, by vaporetto (water bus), you will be astonished by the decorated palaces, museums, picturesque bridges, gondolas, churches and little squares that are so unique to this city. View masterpieces by Titian, Bellini and Donatello. Venture to Murano, the famous glass-blowing center, and relax at an outdoor cafè at the Piazza San Marco. This historic city is truly a must-see!


Available only with the Air Inclusive Package.

Note: Single supplement for this extension is $95.

Post-Trip Extension

Verona 2011 - 2 nights for only $245

Evidence of a bustling Roman metropolis – as Verona was in the first century B.C – are all over in its streets, amphitheaters, doorways, bridges and ancient city walls. In particular the most famous monument, the Arena, so well preserved and used today for unforgettable opera and theatre performances, is the third largest amphitheater in the world. In the 13th century, when medieval Verona was dominated by the powerful and liberal Scaligeri family, it became an even richer hub of trade and commerce as well as a centre of culture and art, modeled after Venice. During your independent stay, you might visit the purported houses of Juliet and her famed, fictional suitor, Romeo. Their sad story made famous by William Shakespeare was set here. Explore the Palace of Reason, the lively medieval squares of Piazza Bra and Piazza delle Erbe, or the fine art gallery housed in the Castelvecchio fortress. Verona is a ‘man-sized’ city, easy to stroll and enjoy for its large quiet pedestrian areas and streets, the quiet flow of the river Adige, and its attractive and fashionable population. You’re sure to rub elbows with these friendly Veronese as they linger in a lively café sipping a ‘Spritz’!

Note: Single supplement for this extension is $95.

Accommodations

Hotel Dona Palace

The Hotel Donà Palace is a 14th century palace and was the ancient residence of the Doge Donà. This elegant boutique hotel faces the Doge's Palace, and has a small private garden alongside the canal that is crossed by the famous Bridge of Sighs, just a few steps away. The hotel is just a minute’s walk from Saint Mark's Square, yet offers a tranquil, private retreat.

Hotel Ancora

The Hotel Ancora is situated in an emerald valley ringed by the Dolomite Alps. One of the oldest hotels in Cortina (1826), the hotel was built in the characteristic Ampezzano style with wooden balconies and intricately carved and painted interior details. The Hotel is right in the center of the pedestrian area which encompasses most of downtown Cortina, one of the most famous and elite resort towns in the world.

Park Hotel Schoenblick

This hotel combines charming hospitality, exceptional comfort and luxury. Set at the foot of the Kronplatz (Plan de Corones), and surrounded by meadows and fields, it is just 2 km from the historical town of Brunico.

Hotel Terme Merano

Hotel Terme Merano is a wellness hotel located in the center of Merano – a chic health resort -- surrounded by the beautiful Alps of South Tyrol. It is directly connected to Merano’s public Thermal Baths and Park. The unique design is created by star designer Matteo Thun with local furniture, and the Wellness & Spa area offers a considerable range of wellness activities.

Hotel Accademia

The Hotel Accademia is in the center of Verona. Well placed on the via Mazzini, the hotel is in the heart of the exclusive shopping area, conveniently positioned between the Brà Square and the Arena. Nearby are the Erbe Square and Juliet's House with its legendary balcony.

Rating Level

Easy

This tour offers easy terrain throughout and is ideal for beginning cyclists. Two exciting afternoon rides on easy/moderate terrain offer fun for more avid bikers. Our VBT support shuttle is always available for those who need assistance with hills.