Day 2 Bolzano to Riva Del Garda 78 miles

“One of the most important days of my life, was when I learned to ride a bicycle.”

Michael Palin

Hotel Scala Stiegl - a fabulously grand style hotel with spacious rooms and a sense of morphing from Tyrollean Austrian to Italian chic, this hotel sitting in both camps.

The morning brief from Steve

 Other Steve listens on attentively.













To see route click on link -  Interactive google map

This will open a new window where you can zoom in and also click on parts of overall route to view different days.

 Where are the day's brew stops, lunch...

Missing an instruction can result in a tiresome re-tracking around a newly formed construction diversion.

 Hmm...  sounds like quite a long way today.

Views were breathtaking

One such diversion led us off our safe cycle path for a brief stretch of busy road. Drivers were mostly friendly.

Our route took us up into alpine villages, still with a distinct Austrian feel.

 This was Pinot Grigio country.

The style of churches changed as we descended down the valley.

The entire mountainside and valley floor were carpeted in vines.

Some vineyards had flowers at their borders.

The long and winding road

We cycled along a massive flat bottomed valley with huge vertical cliffs.

Our track took us through vineyards...

...on towards Trento.

Quick coffee on the way.

 We criss-crossed a river repeatedly.

Villages and small towns were very well cared for, everywhere a strong sense of civic pride

 Post coffee...

    ...still a long way to go.

Chris and Fran 'picked' their way up steadily, part of a day including >1000m of climbs.

Piazza Duomo in Trento

 David and Cheryl sporting matching tops.

 How utterly Italian...

The Duomo in Trento - 13th century Palazzo Pretoria building with a fabulous window.

 Even the cycle bridges out of town were stylish.

A much wanted brew stop at 63 miles.

Look at this simple footbridge over the road out of town. 

The descent to Lake Garda was a vision from a dream

We were tired and this was a very welcome site

 The evening light was very special

 ...capturing ridge edges 

View from our hotel room looking above across the lake as the sun descended