The Alps from west to east with the Dolomites, a profusion of lakes and a hundred of passes in-between, not for the faint-hearted!
5 Unesco world heritage sites on our itinerary: Milan, Rhaetian Railway in the Albula/Bernina, The Dolomites, Mantua, Verona
from the 08th to the 20th ofJuly 2023
A tour to reveal nature at its full expression, traversing roads and passes of the greatest renown, from the majesty of the western Alps highest peaks to the most spectacular lakes and crags landscapes for which the Dolomites have earned the prestigious title of UNESCO World Heritage Site.
If you want to put your riding skills to the test in the mountains, amid sharp bends and major climbs and descents, then the Alps and Dolomites Tour is the trip for you. The tour par excellence for expert riders who are more interested in feeling the tarmac beneath their wheels than visiting, with fewer tourist visits but the bonus of a magnificent Alpine backdrop.
Start / end place | Duration | Riding days | Hotels | Included meals |
Milan | 13 days 12 nights | 11 | 4 stars | 12 breakfasts 4 lunches 8 dinners |
Rest day | Total distance | Min-max /day | Tour /day | Route grading |
7: Ortisei | 2000 km 1245 mi. | 150-230 km 95-145 mi. | 6 – 8 hours | expert |
Tour program details
Day 1: Meeting in Milan (Milano)
We meet up in the afternoon at our hotel in Milan and pick up the rental bikes. We all meet up before dinner and get to know each other through a welcome aperitif and a short but important briefing, the time to explain a few simple rules for organizing and synchronizing things, thus ensuring that everyone has a safe holiday that is unforgettable for all the right reasons.
Overnight in 4-star hotel in Milan; included meals: D.
Day 2: 200 km
The tour begins properly and, with it, our ramble through Europe’s highest and most extensive mountain range, with its sweeping, majestic landscapes: the Alps! Its highest peaks have one foot in Italy and the other in France, leader of the pack being Mont Blanc. First, we head for Piedmont to visit the Sacred Mountain of Varallo and lunch on a succulent “elephant’s ear” (that’s a breaded cutlet). Suitably fed and watered, we’re ready for some exhilarating views, and the roads up to the village of Orta San Giulio on Lake Orta don’t disappoint. We press on over the Mottarone (for a 360° panorama over three lakes) and spend the night on the shore of Lake Maggiore. Dine where you please.
Overnight in 4-star hotel on Lake Maggiore; included meals: B, L.
Day 3: 160 km
We rumble on from Lake Maggiore to Lake Como, with a detour into Switzerland to skirt Lake Lugano before returning to the spectacular mountains of Lombardy. We hop across on the ferry to save time and then motor along the lakeside before tackling the mountains that will see us across the Swiss border. Then it’s back into Italy to visit Como and marvelous Villa Balbianello. We end the day at the tip of the lake.
Overnight in 4-star hotel on Lake Como; included meals: B, D.
Day 4: 230 km
Today we are bound for Bormio, in Valtellina, at the foot of the world-renowned Stelvio Pass. As usual, we take the scenic route – that’s the motorcyclists’ code of honor! – along the Lecco branch of Lake Como to reach Bormio from the north via San Moritz in Switzerland, scaling heights of 2000 m asl. We chug on to the picturesque duty-free town of Livigno, a shopping paradise, and finally to our hotel in Bormio, where we’ll spend two nights.
Overnight in 4-star hotel in Bormio; included meals: B, D.
Day 5: 150 km
Today’s ride packs a bunch of highlights into just 150 km. First up is the mouthwatering Stelvio Pass, the highest road pass in Europe at 2758 m, with its breathtaking views and hair-raising hairpins: 40 on the way up, 48 on the way down. We skirt the Austrian border at Lake Reschen, with its famous submerged bell tower, before crossing into Switzerland and girding our loins for another “succulent” pass. That takes us back into Italy, where we lunch in a lakeside refuge. Suitably nourished, we return to the hotel: to wind down in style, we heartily recommend a visit to the Bagni Vecchi, the lovely old Roman thermal baths hewn from the rock looking down on the town and its valley. Dine where you please.
Overnight in 4-star hotel in Bormio; included meals: B, L.
Day 6: 190 km
Leaving Lombardy behind, we embark on a route lined with stupendous scenery and sumptuous mountain passes, bound for the Trentino-Alto Adige region, the Dolomites, and the famous and lovely ski resort of Ortisei. Our route takes in the stunning Gavia Pass, a firm favorite among riders as much for its beauty as for its technical demands, with some pretty tight hairpin bends to look forward to. Now there’s challenge to relish!
Overnight in 4-star hotel in area Ortisei; included meals: B, D.
Day 7: 0-… km
After our exploits over the last few days, today is all about relaxing and giving the bikes a rest. Putting your feet up and enjoying the comforts of our hotel sounds like a good plan, but if you fancy something a little more active, here are some ideas:
- walk the peaks to savor the dreamy Dolomites in all their beauty (with various routes from the challenging vie ferrate, climbing 600 m in 3 hours, to the soft option of a chair lift)
- take a helicopter ride for a bird’s eye view of the magnificent mountain scenery that has earned UNESCO World Heritage status
- rent a bicycle and explore under your own steam (unguided)
- enjoy a fun adventure course up rock faces and in the treetops …
The staff are on hand to organize whatever you’d like to do with your day.
Overnight in 4-star hotel in Ortisei; included meals: B. No main meal is included to leave you completely bound-free on this rest day.
Day 8: 185 km
Today it’s your camera that will be taking the strain. The Sella and Marmolada massifs await us in the heart of the mountains; if you had only one day in the Dolomites, you’d want it to be this. The scenery here is quite unlike the western ranges, and our ramblings will be rewarded with a succession of the most gorgeous landscapes that the Dolomites have to offer. After a lakeside coffee break, we conclude the day by rolling into another mountain gem, the famous ski resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Overnight in 4-star hotel in area Cortina d’Ampezzo; included meals: B, D.
Day 9: 200 km
On this tour, every day is spectacular: a feast for the eyes meets pure motoring pleasure. On today’s ride, we discover a rather special swathe of the Dolomites, exploring the beauty and history of one of their most legendary landscapes. For we’ll be visiting two old border towns and their castles, enjoying a traditional lunch in a refuge by one of the area’s most delightful lakes, and admiring the ultimate symbol of the Dolomites: the Tre cime di Lavaredo (the three peaks of Lavaredo). Simply breathtaking! Dine where you please.
Overnight in 4-star hotel in area Cortina d’Ampezzo; included meals: B, L.
Day 10: 200 km
Today we weave our way along curvaceous roads and gorgeous passes to the gentler side of the Dolomites in the Trentino “lowlands” (relatively speaking). This ride is every bit as magnificent as the previous days’, as we explore the charming city of Trento with its delightful old centre and the magnificent Buonconsiglio Castle. For dinner we eat together in an elegant traditional restaurant in the old quarter.
Overnight in 4-star hotel in Trento; included meals: B, D.
Day 11: 190 km
Our last night at large will be beside a lake again. But before that, an endless feast of twists and turns awaits along a road clawed from the rock by the Austro-Hungarian soldiers during World War I, via one of the most impressive fortifications in the Trentino region. Then we power into the Veneto, arriving in the splendid Renaissance city of Verona (another UNESCO gem) for a look around its famous Roman arena followed by Juliet’s house of Shakespearean fame. Our final destination for today is Lake Garda – Sirmione, to be exact. This beautiful Roman town with the Grottoes of Catullus and its thermal springs lies at the tip of a finger of land pointing into the lake. We lunch on some traditional Veneto food and dinner along the lake is included too.
Overnight in 4-star hotel on Lake Garda; included meals: B, L, D.
Day 12: 200 km
On the road back to Milan, we stop to visit marvelous Mantova and its Palazzo Tè, the mannerist masterpiece built as Marquis Federico II Gonzaga’s pleasure palace. We have one last stop to make, in Cremona, the city of Stradivari and world hub of violin making. There is a fine museum and the world’s most famous school of lutherie that dates back centuries which is part of the UNESCO heritage. Finally, we roll back into Milan and check in to our original hotel. After taking the hire bikes back a lavish dinner provides a fitting end to our adventure together.
Overnight in 4-star hotel in Milan; included meals: B, D.
Day 13: Farewells in Milan
We say our goodbyes after breakfast, leaving you free to go home or explore further the magic of Italy on your own. There are plenty of opportunities to continue your trip that we can help you planning!
Included meals: B.
Price per person for this 13-day and 12-night tour:
FROM 3,790.00 Euro with your own motorcycle
FROM 4,175.00 Euro with a rental BMW G310GS
Prices for minimum 4 motorcycles/bike teams signed up by departure time.
Yet we guarantee all departures, even for one person only (with a supplement).
All our guided tours are limited editions for a maximum of 7 bikes to guarantee a major pleasure in riding as well as the safety of the group. An Italian Tour Leader (who speaks English and French) will accompany you all along this PREMIUM trip, thus granting you the carefreeness of a real holiday. Specifically, the personnel traveling with the group is:
- tour leader on his own motorcycle who leads up the way
- luggage van with a minimum of 8 participants.
The price also includes:
- registration fees, branded tee-shirt, pictures and videos of the tour
- basic assistance, medical and luggage insurance that covers both rider and passenger
- 1 typical Italian style aperitif the first day
furthermore:
- 12 nights en-suite accommodation in classy 4-star hotels or prestigious locations picked up for their charms and position, with fantastic buffet breakfasts
- 8 delicious dinners the which menu is specifically chosen to guide you through a voyage into the the authentic Italian cuisine, in hotel or external restaurant at walking distance
- 4 super lunches in typical restaurants or trattoria renowned for their local specialties
The price does not include:
- motorcycle operation costs
- all not specifically mentioned meals and drinks at meals but water
- extras and tourist tax in hotels
- entrance tickets in monuments/natural sites, etc – all visits are optional
- transfer to the first hotel upon arrival and from the last hotel when departing – available on request
- anything not specified in “The price includes”
ON REQUEST vast choice of motorbikes for hire of brands Ducati, BMW, Harley Davidson, Moto Guzzi, etc … with top case + 2 side cases
ON REQUEST shipment of luggage via express forwarder
Technical direction: Lab Travel Srl – Corso di Santarosa, 19 – 12100 CUNEO – I
VAT code IT03795120108 – licensed under Decree No. 21 of 26 July 2004 in Cuneo