Day 9: Bormio - Seefeld
Like every good fairy tale, also this one must come to an end. However, for the last riding day we have prepared quite a challenging and incredible route! The first pass will be Forcola di Livigno, followed by a stop in this duty free town. We then leave Livigno with the tunnel leading us into Switzerland, where we climb pass del Fuorn and then Umbrail pass. A few more hairpins and we are on top of the King of the passes: Stelvio!
Another fantastic blue sky day
The garden of Bormio Bagni Nuovi Therme is idyllic
Also the van made it to the top of Stelvio today
Day 8: Lake Garda to Bormio
It's time to ride towards north and climb some higher passes. Today we have a two course pass menu: first the very quiet and stunning Passo di Croce Domini, followed by the famous and narrow Passo Gavia. Our destination is Bormio, important thermal bath amidst high mountains..
Group photo on top of Croce Domini
Along the passo Gavia, a must for cyclists and motorcyclists
Lukas today has prepared a wonderful picnic.. Probably the highest Edelweiss picnic ever, at 2600m.
After arriving in Bormio Manuel, David and Vicky went for an extra loop on the majestic Torri di Fraele road. 46 hairpins in 9km..
This ball room for dinner is simply wonderful...
Just waiting for the princess to show up
Day 7: Verona to the Garda lake
It was another day with perfect weather. The roads were small and never straight. Also almost no traffic. Actually it almost can't be better. Our day ended with a ferry crossing over the Garda lake were we slept in a hotel just on the lake shaw.
Our lovely lunch place
Our hotel for tonight. Could have some swim before dinner.
Day 6: Bassano - Verona
These two towns are only about an hour apart but we will of course take the long way round, climbing half a dozen passes. Some of them are on very, very narrow roads. Quite a challenging yet rewarding ride! Well done every one!
The morning briefing. Manuel is talking about the nice things we will do today
First stop in Asiago this morning, the town of origin for Vicky's family.
What a gorgeous view over the Adige Valley
Today we have a tasty lunch in another Slow Food restaurant. Very hard to find but the pasta is simply sublime. Everyone wanted to lick the plates!
Last photo stop... Verona is not far anymore
Today is Lukas' birthday and Manuel is trying to get him an ice cream as a present... But half an hour in 33°C is a though challenge
Arrived at destination! Our agriturismo is such a relaxing place overlooking Verona!
Day 5: Bassano del Grappa rest day
We are already about half way of our tour, time flies when you love what you are doing, isn't it?
So for today we have a couple of options: Lukas is going wth David and Vicky by train to Venice (as it's just a short ride across the Po Valley and it's no fun by bike, much better to sit back and relax on the train) and Manuel goes for a short sightseeing ride to Marostica, Asolo and Villa di Maser with Ross, Tania, Jan and Dennis.
Ready for a game on the big square of chess.
Marostica was built party on the hill, surrounded by a very strong wall.
Lunch stop in Asolo, a very picturesque medieval village rich in history and culinary tradition
Ross found his favourite statue of the day... That sausage dog is soooo cute eh?
Last stop on our sightseeing route is Villa di Maser, designed in the Renaissance by the famous architect Palladio.
Just to proof that we have been to Venice some impressions of the city.
We haf a wonderful relaxed day with some boat trips using the public transtran systems of the city.
We had literally a triathlon today. First the train then the boats and in the afternoon we went for biking again to use as much of our time as possible.
And it's time for another wonderful dinner.. Here we have some lardo con crostini
... Followed by a classic, baccalà con polenta
And dulcis in fundo a very rich tiramisù
Day 4: Cison to Bassano del Grappa
Our motorcycles in the courtyard of the villa ready to take of for another beautiful day.
Here you can buy a selection of delicious food and Prosecco from the region. We enjoy the beautiful view and some minutes in the shade of the wine yard.
On the long way up to the top of Monte Grappa. A wonderful road and a breathtaking scenery. Breathtaking is also the view down from the road if you are scared of heights. At the top a surprise is waiting for us...
It's not only the best ride there is, we are also best in entertainment. So off course we booked a group of Scottish bagpipe players to come to the top of Monte Grappa and play for us What a unexpected crazy show. Day 3: Cornaiano - Cison
Blue sky and warm morning breeze over the vineyards is just the perfect way to start the day. Ahead us the mighty Dolomites. We will cross them west-east,, ending our route at the feet of the Alps in the homeland of prosecco wine..
Today there is a mountain bike race across the Dolomites, and most of the passes on our way to the lunch place are closed! We had to do quite a detour to get there... but wherever you go on the Dolomites, the roads are curvy and the landscape stunning!
Group photo on the San Pellegrino Pass, our alternative route.. not bad at all.
Having lunch in a Slow Food restaurant, placed at the end of Val Canali
In the afternoon we ride along the canyon of the Mis river, ending on the idyllic Mis Lake.
And here we are, nicely parked in the yard of this Renaissance Venetian Villa.
It's like having our private museum.... We are the only guests!
Selfie time for Manuel, in the frescoed dining hall
Tonight we have dinner in Da Andreetta, a wonderful restaurant in the middle of the prosecco hills.
Enjoying dinner and the view
A fantastic antipasto sampler with very local ingredients
Day 2 - Seefeld - Cornaiano
We start with a big shot: Timmelsjoch / Passo del Rombo, towering at 2500m right on the Austrian-Italian border is quite a delight! The weather is simply perfect today, allowing some gorgeous vistas towards endless peeks.
Before lunch we have some time to explore the fairly big collection of the motorcycle museum on the pass road. In the evening - several passes later - we reach Cornaiano (near Bolzano, main town of South Tyrol region in Italy), placed in the idyllic wine road area.
A group photo on top of Timmelsjoch
A busy parking lot in front of the hotel today
The van also wanted a selfie
Quite a collection!
Such a wonderful view over the vineyards
And another delicious and well presented dinner
Day 1 - Welcome to Seefeld!
What a fantastic setup for a tour start! In the prestigious and sunny Seefeld Manuel and Lukas are welcoming a very small and special group for this motorcycle royal tour across the Alps, mostly in Italy.
Tania & Ross arrived a day early, perfectioning their skills on tight hairpins with our riding school, and together with Jan & Dennis and Victoria & David will enjoy the next days riding some of the finest roads of the Alps.
Welcome to Seefeld in Tirol
Ross and Tania mastering the tight curves
Our "humble" hotel.. A wonderfully kept 500 years old monastery
The new support car for Edelweiss royal tours
And these are the spare cars also for support
A superb cuisine!