Italian Biking Adventure: Dolomites to Venice

Duration:
10 Days, July 20 - 29, 2024

Price:
From $1,875 from Venice (Bike rental included)

Tour Operator:
Funactive Tours

RESERVE YOUR SPACE

Stay Active. Learn Outdoors.

We are excited to announce that Lifelong Learning and the Outing Club have joined forces to offer our first collaborative, active educational adventure. This alliance brings together W&L’s strengths in educational travel and outdoor education to offer a unique program specifically designed for members of the W&L family who want to combine their love of physical activity with their quest to travel and learn.

This new type of trip features significant time outdoors, and participants should expect several hours of moderate physical activity each day. We have designed a program that strives to be affordable while maintaining many of the hallmark elements of W&L tours. Accommodations will be comfortable and will highlight options that cater to active travelers. Mealtimes will provide opportunities to sample locally produced specialties and nourishing fare all while engaging with fellow adventurers. Educational opportunities throughout the journey will combine self-guided tours and expert interpretive guides.

For our inaugural trip, we invite you to join us on a bike tour through some of the most beautiful countryside in Northern Italy. Our 300 kilometer journey will begin near the Austrian border in the northeastern Dolomites (southern Alps). You will ride through the Höhlensteintal Valley below the spectacular Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks) to the Olympic city of Cortina d‘Ampezzo.

Here we’ll make our first stop to climb a via ferrata built by soldiers during World War I or, for those who prefer it, a brisk hike to Monte Faloria. While in Cortina, we’ll also visit Hotel de la Posta where Ernest Hemingway lodged during his time in Italy and was reportedly inspired to write Across the River and Into the Trees. On the railway line of the former Dolomites Railway, we will continue to Pieve di Cadore, the birthplace of legendary Renaissance painter, Titian. The path continues through the valley to the Dolomite town of Belluno, famed for its tradition of making fine quality gelato.

Our trek continues through the foothills, heading first to Feltre and then on to Bassano del Grappa, where you can sample the bracing spirit that shares a name with its village of origin. Then, we’ll take a short detour to Asolo, the “city of a hundred horizons,” before we reach the plains and head to Treviso, known for its decadent tiramisù and as an Italian fashion center. Along the River Sile, we will cycle to our magnificent final destination, La Serenissima (aka Venice). The Floating City is ours to explore as we unwind before our final dinner together. The option to stay in Venice after the tour is a great way to take in the canals, piazzas, museums, palaces, and cathedrals that make this one of the world’s great cities.

Join us for this inaugural program offered in partnership with the Outing Club. Participants should be prepared to bike between 45-80 kilometers per day, including moderate elevation changes. Space on this tour is extremely limited, so reserve your spot today.

Traveling With You

James Dick is a legend, having served as an educator and mentor for thousands of students at Washington & Lee. He has directed the university’s Outdoor Education department for 22 years and has led backcountry expeditions and adventure programs on four continents. He is also a frequent host for Lifelong Learning tours, including recent trips to the Galapagos Islands and the National Parks of the American Southwest. James graduated from the University of New Mexico.