Bright sunshine, wide meadows, dark forests, and imposing peaks; in between all of that, a narrow, twisting pass road that winds its way upwards.
Or picturesque villages with inviting restaurants and a relaxed road that runs through apple orchards and vineyards.
That's how varied your motorbiking holiday in northern Italy is. What doesn't change are the emotions you feel while driving, the feeling of freedom, the wind in your hair, the joy of accelerating on the straight passages and the satisfaction you get from the perfect execution of a turn.
Would you like to feel these emotions again? Nowhere are the tours more varied, the roads more exciting and the views more breathtaking than in Italy's northernmost province. Exploring the Alps by motorbike means discovering hidden natural treasures, enjoying local specialties along the way, and rediscovering a lost feeling of wildness and youth.
Where are you most likely to find this feeling? Try the following tours:
Venosta Valley and Stelvio Pass
This motorbike tour in Italy takes you from the spa town to the 2,757-metre-high Stelvio Pass, the highest asphalted mountain pass in Italy. But let's start from the beginning...
The starting point is our biker-friendly hotel in Merano, where you can conveniently park your motorbike in the private underground car park. First, take the road in the direction of Val Venosta/Passo Resia. The Venosta Valley is the main western valley in South Tyrol, which crosses over into Austria at the Resia Pass. Many small villages, sunny hillsides and mild temperatures characterise this rather dry valley. The traditional inns along the road and in the village centres invite you to take an enjoyable break - and you should treat yourself to one before you start the ascent to the pass. From Prato allo Stelvio, follow the signs towards Passo dello Stelvio for a total of 27 kilometres. After a breathtaking 48 hairpin bends, you reach the end of your tour. The road to the Stelvio Pass was built between 1820 and 1825 and is considered one of the curviest roads in the world. But it's not just motorcyclists who love the Stelvio Pass: one of the hardest stages of the “Giro d'Italia” also runs over this pass. Luckily, with some extra horsepower you'll have a much easier time... If you still have time and energy on the way back, you can extend the route with a detour into the Senales Valley, a northern side valley of the Venosta Valley. The icy Similaun glacier at the head of the valley is where Ötzi, the famous neolithic ice mummy, was found. You should calculate a total time of 3-4 hours for this tour.
Three Valleys Tour
Do you want to see as much as possible while motorbiking in the Alps? This motorcycle route in Italy starts in Merano and takes you through the Passirio, Sarentino and Adige Valleys in 4-5 hours.
In Merano, first follow the signs to Val Passiria to the north of Merano. This valley is best known as the birthplace of the South Tyrolean freedom fighter Andreas Hofer. In San Leonardo, a museum has been added to the house where he was born - both can be visited. The fishing pond directly opposite also invites you to take a breather. The route then continues towards the Passo Giovo - one of two passes at the end of the Passirio Valley. Once you got over it, Vipiteno, the northernmost town in South Tyrol, is not far away. Here you can take a break for lunch in the town centre before heading over the nearby Passo Pennes and into the Sarentino Valley, which is one of the most unspoilt areas in South Tyrol. Old handicrafts, such as quill embroidery and wood carving, are still alive there today. The Sarentino Valley finally flows into the Bolzano basin. We can only recommend a detour to the provincial capital for an afternoon coffee on Walther square. The motorway then takes you back to Merano in around half an hour.
What is possibly the best road for motorcycling in Italy
The Sellaronda is a legendary circuit around the Sella massif in the Dolomites; it can be completed on the road in summer and on ski slopes in winter. If you want to go motorcycling in the Dolomites, you shouldn't miss out on this highlight! The Sellaronda is around 60 kilometres long and runs over 4 Dolomite passes: the Gardena Pass in the north, the Campolongo Pass in the east, the Pordoi Pass in the south and the Sella Pass in the west.
If you are staying at our biker-friendly hotel in Merano, South Tyrol, we recommend that you start the Sellaronda at the village of Corvara. However, you can already look forward to varied roads and appealing panoramic views during the journey there. From Corvara, the route first takes you to the Gardena Pass, then to the Sella Pass, Pordoi Pass and finally over the Campolongo Pass before the tour ends again in Corvara. On one of the best motorcycle routes in the Dolomites, you can expect exceptionally varied roads, picture-perfect views at every turn, four passes to conquer and plenty of healthy mountain air around your helmet. Make sure you stop a few times for a souvenir photo or two, and also for a little refreshment at the pass huts. You should allow around 6 hours for the tour, including the journey there and back.
Is it just us or can you also not wait to press down on the accelerator? Then get your bike out of the garage, get it in shape (or hire one from one of the many hire points in South Tyrol) and start planning the routes you want to take while motorbiking in Italy. A fully equipped apartment and your private underground car and motorbike parking spot are already waiting for you at Wosching Haus, your biker-friendly hotel in Merano, South Tyrol.
Copyright:
IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige/Andreas Mierswa
IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige/Matt Cherubino
IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige/Benjamin Pfitscher