Self-Launched Cycling from the Dolomites to Venice

Travel to Dobbiaco in the Val Pusteria valley, your starting point in the heart of the Dolomites. The easiest route from the UK is to fly into Venice Marco Polo or Innsbruck, then take a train or bus north. From Venice, take a train to Calalzo di Cadore and then a SAD bus to Dobbiaco (~3–4 hrs total). Check into your guesthouse, hire your bike from a local rental shop (e.g. Sport Volgger or similar in Dobbiaco — expect ~£20–25/day for a quality touring bike), and pick up a printed or downloaded GPS route map. Explore the village and enjoy dinner at a local Tyrolean restaurant.

🚌Fly to Venice Marco Polo, then Trenitalia train to Calalzo di Cadore, then SAD bus to Dobbiaco (~£30–40 total one-way)

🛏Pension Toblacherhof or similar guesthouse/B&B in Dobbiaco (~£45–55/night including breakfast)

• →Travel to Dobbiaco by train and bus from Venice or Innsbruck
• →Hire a touring or e-bike locally (~£20–25/day) — book ahead in peak season
• →Download the Ciclovia delle Dolomiti GPX route or pick up a map at the tourist office
• →Evening stroll around Dobbiaco village and Lake Dobbiaco (Lago di Dobbiaco)

Your cycling adventure begins! Set off on the Ciclovia delle Dolomiti — a largely traffic-free path following the old narrow-gauge Dolomites railway track. Pedal past the shimmering Dobbiaco Lake and a poignant WWI war cemetery before crossing the regional border from South Tyrol into Veneto. The route climbs gently with jaw-dropping views of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. Arrive in Cortina d'Ampezzo, the glamorous 'Pearl of the Dolomites' and host city of the 1956 Winter Olympics. It's only 30 km today — a gentle warm-up with big scenery.

🚌Cycling (self-powered, 30 km / ~2–3 hrs on the flat railway track path)

🛏B&B Villa Nevada or similar guesthouse in or near Cortina d'Ampezzo (~£50–65/night including breakfast)

• →Cycle 30 km on the traffic-free Ciclovia delle Dolomiti railway track
• →Stop at Lago di Dobbiaco for photos
• →Visit the WWI war cemetery along the route
• →Views of the iconic Tre Cime di Lavaredo
• →Explore Cortina d'Ampezzo's pedestrian centre and Corso Italia

The biggest day of the trip at 75 km, but the route largely follows the old railway cycleway downhill through spectacular Dolomite scenery. Ride with the Sorapis massif to one side and the distinctive Cinque Torri (Five Towers) rock formations to the other. Stop for lunch in Pieve di Cadore, the birthplace of Renaissance master Titian — visit the Casa di Tiziano if it's open. Continue down through the 'valley of the ice-cream makers' (the Zoldo and Cadore area, famous for Italian gelato artisans who migrated across Europe) and roll into Belluno, the handsome provincial capital perched above the Piave River.

🚌Cycling (self-powered, 75 km / ~5–6 hrs including stops)

🛏Hotel Astor or Albergo delle Alpi in Belluno (~£45–60/night including breakfast)

• →Cycle 75 km on the Ciclovia delle Dolomiti — mostly downhill
• →Views of the Sorapis range and Cinque Torri rock formations
• →Lunch stop in Pieve di Cadore — birthplace of Titian
• →Visit Casa di Tiziano museum in Pieve di Cadore (entry ~£5)
• →Explore Belluno's elegant Piazza dei Martiri and historic centre

Leave Belluno and head south-west along quieter roads and cycling paths through the rolling Dolomite foothills. The route weaves through small villages on tree-lined avenues and through increasingly gentle terrain as you descend towards the Venetian plains. Arrive in Feltre, a beautifully preserved hilltop town that was completely rebuilt in the 16th century after being razed in 1510 due to its loyalty to Venice. Stroll the elegant Via Mezzaterra, admire the frescoed facades and visit the Museo Civico.

🚌Cycling (self-powered, 40 km / ~3–4 hrs)

🛏Hotel Doriguzzi or similar in Feltre (~£45–55/night including breakfast)

• →Cycle 40 km through Dolomite foothills on country roads and cycle paths
• →Explore Feltre's Via Mezzaterra with its Renaissance frescoed buildings
• →Visit the Museo Civico di Feltre (entry ~£5)
• →Walk up to the Castello di Feltre for panoramic views
• →Sample local Veneto cuisine — try pasta e fagioli at a local trattoria

Descend from the pre-Alps into the Brenta Valley and the broad Venetian plains — a significant landscape shift as the mountains finally give way to flatlands. The cycling becomes easier and faster. Roll into Bassano del Grappa, a lively and charming town named after nearby Monte Grappa. Cross the iconic wooden Ponte degli Alpini (Ponte Vecchio), designed by Palladio and dedicated to the Alpine troops — it's free and one of northern Italy's most photogenic spots. Visit the Poli Grappa museum (free entry) and sample a grappa tasting. The Museo Civico houses works by Jacopo Bassano.

🚌Cycling (self-powered, 55 km / ~3.5–4.5 hrs)

🛏Hotel Brennero or similar in Bassano del Grappa (~£50–65/night including breakfast)

• →Cycle 55 km descending into the Brenta Valley and Venetian plains
• →Cross the iconic Ponte degli Alpini (Ponte Vecchio) — free
• →Visit the Poli Grappa distillery museum — free entry, tastings available
• →Explore the Museo Civico di Bassano del Grappa (~£8 entry)
• →Evening aperitivo with a grappa-based Negroni in the town centre

Today's ride passes through one of Italy's most cultured landscapes. Pedal past grandiose Palladian villas — Palladio's architectural masterpieces are scattered across the Veneto plains (several are UNESCO-listed). Make a rest stop in Asolo, a hilltop gem known as the 'City of a Hundred Horizons', beloved by poets and artists, with a charming historic centre, castle ruins and great coffee. Continue along the plains to Treviso — a beautifully underrated city enclosed by medieval walls and criss-crossed by canals. Explore the arcaded streets, medieval frescoes in the Duomo, and the lively Pescheria fish market island.

🚌Cycling (self-powered, 55 km / ~3.5–4.5 hrs)

🛏Hotel Campeol or Al Giardino B&B in Treviso (~£55–70/night including breakfast)

• →Cycle 55 km past Palladian villas through the Veneto plains
• →Rest stop in Asolo — explore the hilltop town and views (free)
• →Visit Villa Barbaro at Maser near Asolo — a UNESCO Palladian villa (~£10 entry)
• →Arrive in Treviso — walk the medieval walls and canals
• →Dinner in Treviso — the city claims to have invented tiramisu; try it at Le Beccherie or similar

Your final cycling day — a scenic and mostly flat 45 km ride south along the River Sile cycleway from Treviso to Mestre on the Venice mainland. The Alzaia del Sile route is a beautiful riverside path through market gardens and wetlands. Once in Mestre, lock up your bike at the hotel (or return it to a hire shop). Then head across the Ponte della Libertà causeway into Venice itself. Spend the afternoon and evening exploring St Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco), the Doge's Palace, and the Rialto Bridge — all iconic and largely free to explore externally. Book the Doge's Palace in advance online to skip queues (~£25). Take a vaporetto (water bus) along the Grand Canal (~£7.50 for a 75-min pass).

🚌Cycling to Mestre (45 km / ~3 hrs), then local bus or walk to Venice (~£1.50 or free)

🛏Hotel Villa Costanza or similar in Mestre (~£55–75/night including breakfast) — staying in Mestre is significantly cheaper than Venice island

• →Cycle 45 km along the Alzaia del Sile riverside cycleway to Mestre
• →Return hired bike at Mestre or your hotel
• →Take the bus or walk across to Venice island (bus ~£1.50, or walk the causeway)
• →Explore Piazza San Marco and the Basilica di San Marco (free exterior, ~£3 interior)
• →Visit the Doge's Palace — book online in advance (~£25)
• →Vaporetto ride along the Grand Canal (75-min pass ~£7.50)
• →Rialto Bridge and Rialto Market area (free)
• →Dinner in Venice — try cicchetti (Venetian tapas) at a bacaro in the Cannaregio or Dorsoduro neighbourhood

Enjoy a final breakfast before departing. If your flight allows, spend a few extra hours in Venice — the city is best explored in the morning before the day-tripper crowds arrive. Consider adding an extra night in Mestre (much cheaper than Venice island) to fully explore the city. Venice Marco Polo airport is a 20-minute bus ride from Mestre (ATVO bus ~£8), or take the Alilaguna waterbus from Venice island (~£15). Alternatively, Trenitalia trains connect Venice Santa Lucia station to major Italian cities and beyond.

🚌ATVO bus from Mestre to Venice Marco Polo Airport (~£8), or Alilaguna waterbus from Venice (~£15)

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Final breakfast included at hotel
• →Optional early morning walk in Venice before crowds arrive
• →Optional: visit Peggy Guggenheim Collection (~£15) or Gallerie dell'Accademia (~£12)
• →Optional: day trip to Murano or Burano islands by vaporetto
• →Transfer to Venice Marco Polo Airport by ATVO bus from Mestre (~£8)