Cycling: Verona to Lake Garda

As is typical for me, several days of sightseeing always make me itch for a hike, bike, or just something out of the city. The airplane ear resolved after a few days, so it was time to test my balance on a cycling break. I knew it was too late in the season to count on enough good weather to plan a cycling itinerary, so instead I came prepared to take advantage of the random nice day that came along. That day came, nestled perfectly between a bout of sightseeing and a thunderstorm.

Though I’d already downloaded routes should an occasion arise, I decided to try out a navigation app called Bikemap because I liked how you can “dial in” your tolerance for busy roads. Last year, I was cycling with a group and when you have that many cyclists together, you’re more visible to cars. As a solo cyclist, however, I was less eager to be on a busy road by myself, so I plugged in a destination, asked it to find a route that optimized bike lanes and quiet roads, and away I went.

The city really rolls out the red carpet

Navigating out of Verona was a bit hectic, but there’s an abundance of bike lanes to keep you out of traffic (and honestly, I needn’t have worried about the cars because they’re so used to cyclists that drivers are very accommodating…a refreshing change!) Once I got out of the city, I was struck by the extensive and well-connected cycling path infrastructure in this area, with one path even offering occasional cycling stops complete with picnic table, water fountain, and a bike repair stand with tools.

I blissfully rode to Peschiera de Garda, which is a little town on the southern tip of Lake Garda, Italy’s largest lake at 880 square miles. Though I originally intended to do an out-and-back, I enjoyed the ride so much that I decided to extend it a bit farther north so I could take advantage of a small portion of the “Sun Route,” which is a EuroVelo route that extends through many European countries and runs along the southeast side of Lake Garda. After enjoying the path along the lake, I eventually turned east toward Verona, cycling through the southern part of Valpolicella wine country and enjoying the sight of numerous vineyards on my way home. It was a long day (I stopped recording the route, but it was at least 50 miles), but a wonderful break before the storm arrives.