OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES UNDER THE SPRING SUN

In Trentino, the "gravel" biking trend (cycling on mixed routes) has taken centre stage. While waiting for the famous Giro d'Italia race, you can climb the Sella and Rolle passes, two of the 23 "legendary climbs". Or book your pass for the new Riva Bike Festival or the openings of the Bike Parks. And if you don't suffer from vertigo you can walk on the suspension bridges. The latest one stretches as high as 123 m on Monte di Mezzocorona.

 Twelve cycle paths connect our territory, from the Dolomites to Lake Garda, crossing the most diverse natural environments and cultivated landscapes. A network of more than 460 km of well-kept routes designated for bikers allows visitors to discover new views and corners of Trentino. The cycle paths, uniform in coverage, and equipped with specific signs and GPS tracks that can be downloaded onto your mobile phone, are also mostly suitable for families. Along the paths you can find 20 bike grills, offering refreshments and services. In the main tourist destinations, there is no shortage of bike and e-bike rentals and bike-friendly accommodation facilities.

“Gravelling”

Gravel bikes are designed for pedalling on regular roads, forest paths, cycle paths and dirt roads. In the Lake Garda area, eight new routes of different lengths and degrees of difficulty have been created on which you can discover the most representative places of an area that extends from the northern shores of Lake Garda up to the Dolomites of Brenta, the Valle dei Laghi and the surrounding areas of Comano and Lake Ledro. We are talking about a "gravel-oriented" bike area where there are real specialists who offer services dedicated to gravel riding (repairs, sale of bikes and accessories, shuttles, etc.), including about ten rental stores.

The gravel experience in Val di Cavedine, where cyclists journey through the production area of Nosiola and Trentino Vino Santo, is one of the most revered in Trentino. The trail starts in Arco and after the village of Braila enters the Val di Cavedine, at the foot of Monte Bondone. The route passes through the archaeological area of ​​Cavedine and then Lake Cavedine. It then passes through the villages of Madruzzo, Sarche, Lake Toblino, the lake and the village of Santa Massenza, including multiple stops in the numerous wineries along the route. All the gravel routes in Garda Trentino can be found here: www.gardatrentino.it/gravel.

Find out here the other gravel experiences from Val di Sole to San Martino di Castrozza.

The Piné Plateau is recognised for its rich network of dirt roads, forest roads and paths that span more than 200 km. The route crosses woods and natural wonders, testing cyclists with surprising climbs and descents that are sure to get the adrenaline flowing. The highlight is the Hike & Bike Pinè, a project that has mapped the different routes and itineraries of varying length and difficulty, which extend across the entire plateau, reaching panoramic points and places of cultural and naturalistic interest. The Dosso di Costalta, for example, at 1955 metres of altitude, is a balcony overlooking the plateau and the peaks of Trentino and can be reached on foot or by bike. Visitors can choose the itinerary best suited to their level by downloading the Moviebike App and viewing the full list of itineraries and essential information on the routes.

Along the Cycle path of the Flowers

Cycle for almost 55 kilometres, from the Val Rendena to the Valle del Chiese, among the spring blooms and meadows of these valleys in western Trentino. Between April and June, a unique and colourful “herbarium” of over 600 species of flower covers the meadows along the cycle path, the banks of the Sarca and Chiese rivers and the banks of the lakes namely the “Blue Flag” lake Idro and Roncone. Along the Flower Cycle Path, it is also possible to take part in a very special experience: it is called “eco-printing” and you learn to transfer the natural colours of plants and flowers onto clothes, bags and other objects.

 Biking events

For 30 years the Bike Festival Riva has been marking the opening of the cycling season in Trentino. This year, it is scheduled from 2 to 5 May and the increasingly international public can admire and even test the latest models and new technologies in the off-road sector. As usual, a large space will be reserved in the programme for competitive events, including the UCI Bike Marathon scheduled for 4 May. Over 1,500 bikes to try; over 350 sector brands present; 7 side events with 2,500 participants. www.bikefestivalriva.com/en

This year, the Giro d'Italia, scheduled from 4 to 26 May 2024, will touch Trentino with the arrival of the seventeenth stage Selva di Val Gardena - Passo del Brocon and the departure the following day of the eighteenth stage Fiera di Primiero – Padua. In the last week, stage number 17 will be decisive in this Giro, with climbs of Passo Sella, Passo Rolle, Passo Gobbera and Passo Brocon.

Passo Sella and Passo Rolle are two of the 23 legendary climbs in Trentino; epic cycling routes linked to legendary figures of this sport and recurring in editions of the Giro d’Italia. They offer enthusiasts cycling adventures that grow in intensity and emotion at every bend, as the destination gets closer, and the horizon broadens over the most beautiful mountain landscapes, starting with the peaks of the Dolomites. The Bike and Music Festival which will inaugurate the Paganella Bike Park season is scheduled for May 31st to June 2nd, but the first trails will be accessible as early as April 20th in the Molveno Area and from April 25th in the Fai Area. At the Dolomiti Paganella Bike Opening, there will be no shortage of music in the refuges of the Bike Area and at the Base Camp in Andalo with DJs. There will be many bikes to test and gastronomic delicacies to try at the food trucks present and, in the late afternoon, après bike concerts. Above all, you will be able to enjoy the entire 80 km connection on the single trails and flow trails that the bike area offers.www.dolomitipaganellabike.com

Val di Sole is preparing to welcome once again the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, in the traditional setting of Daolasa di Commezzadura (Trento), from 14 to 16 June 2024. Four days of great entertainment, adrenaline at the highest levels. In the race, there will be the best competitors of Mountain Bike in all its forms, from Short Track to Cross Country, from Four-cross to Downhill. In Daolasa di Commezzadura we begin on Friday 14 June with the Short Track show in the afternoon and the evening with the 4X Pro Tour competitions. We continue with the Downhill on Saturday 15 June, and finally with the Cross Country on Sunday 16. www.valdisolebikeland.com

Two days a year on the roads towards the Dolomites passes the sounds of cars and motorbikes die down and silence envelops the valleys of legends. It will happen on Saturday 8 June (and will be repeated on Saturday 14 September), from 8.30 to 16.00, with the blocking of car traffic to allow, in the silence found, thousands of cyclists and hikers of all ages to experience the Sellaronda Bike Day. 53 km, with 1,637 m of altitude difference, between the valleys of Fassa, Gardena, Badia and Livinallongo, on the Sella, Pordoi, Gardena and Campolongo passes.

On a Tibetan bridge in Trentino…

Suspended between earth and sky. For those who don't suffer from vertigo, the Tibetan bridges in Trentino are an experience worth trying in the summer. Suspended over valleys, forests, and waterfalls, these stunning bridges, equipped with handrails for accessibility, provide incredible vistas of the region. The latest addition to the suspension bridges is located on Monte di Mezzocorona, it is 123 meters long and crosses the Val della Villa gorge. In the centre, 133 meters of emptiness opens up under your feet. It is located 20 minutes away from the arrival station of the cable car that starts in Mezzocorona. The bridge via Ferrata is another awe-inspiring experience that will once again get the adrenaline going as visitors overlook lakes and waterfalls, and peer inside ravines and canyons.

In Val di Non, the waters of some streams have carved out the rocks of the left bank for millions of years resulting in spectacularly formed canyons. The canyon at Rio Sass is the most famous and surprising. It is accessed from the centre of the village of Fondo where what seems like a quiet stream sinks into an abyss that slips between the houses. Walkways and ladders allow for rapid declines and as you proceed the sky can only be viewed through an increasingly smaller crack. The canyon can be explored from early April to November by reservation. The highlight for 2024 is night visits. A second canyon is the one formed by the Rio Novella which flows into Lake Santa Giustina. You descend on bridges, ladders and suspended walkways, but the alternative is to go up by canoe from the lake: a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Mio Trentino is the official app for experiencing Trentino. It immediately offers lots of advice for your holiday: what to do and what to see and always updated information on openings, events and activities. It's like having a friend who helps us plan the trip, suggests tailor-made experiences and is ready to answer any questions.