The hills and the river Mincio

28 KM
distance
difficulty
60% paved
40% dirt tracks
Road surface
TREKKING BIKE
MOUNTAIN BIKE
Type of bicycle

Route

This easy trail, roughly 28 km long, is mostly on dirt tracks. Mountain or trekking bikes are strongly advised, as the ground can be extremely uneven. The ideal starting point is the football field in Via campo sportivo, Peschiera del Garda, because nearby there is a short lane leading to the bike path alongside the river Mincio.

Cycling down this lane you will leave the traffic behind, and the defence walls of the ancient citadel will immediately catch your eye. Given its strategic position, Peschiera has always been a fortified town and at the time of the Italian Wars of Independence was part of the Austrian ‘quadrilatero’.

A magnificent, level bike trail linking Peschiera to Mantua has been built along the edge of the Mincio from which you can admire the rich river fauna and luscious vegetation. About 7 kilometres further on, there is the Salionze weir bridge .

You cannot fail to see a tall chimney nearby: it is the Mincio thermal power station. Having crossed over the bridge to the other side, the trail takes you back along the opposite side of the river, and you soon reach a lane leading to the town of Salionze.

At first, you may meet some traffic, then the trail continues along narrow dirt tracks winding across a vast expanse of vineyards. Needless to say, this is the production area of the renowned Custoza DOC wine. The countryside however is also dotted with a number of apple orchards.

It is an easy route that takes you to the village of Oliosi first, and then Castelnuovo del Garda. It is only a few miles more to the shores of Lake Garda, in Pacengo di Lazise. A lakefront route then takes you back to Peschiera del Garda.