The Merano region and the Venosta Valley are located in the western part of South Tyrol. Merano, the main town in this sunny holiday region, is located 30 kilometres northwest of the provincial capital of Bolzano. The Venosta Valley, the 70 kilometre long part of the Adige Valley from the Resia Pass to Naturno, begins just west of Merano. Geographically, the Vinschgau Valley even extends beyond the Reschen Pass to Nauders in Austria.
The Adige Valley is centrally located in the Alps, which reach their greatest width here at 250 kilometres - the valley is therefore well protected from bad weather from the south and north. With less than 500 millimetres of precipitation (in Schlanders), it is very dry. The further down the valley you go, the more the landscape is dominated by orchards and finally wine, framed by the ice giants of the Ötztal Alps in the north and the Ortler massif in the south-west.
Most of the climbs are moderate, ramps with 15 to 16 per cent gradients are the exception. But the sheer number of metres in altitude, with the Stelvio Pass, Timmelsjoch, Penser Joch and Jaufen Pass at altitudes of over 2,000 metres, requires a sprocket, triple chainring or compact crank suitable for mountain biking. The roads and cycle paths are in good to excellent condition, only Tour 3 at Lake Haidersee involves a short stretch on a dirt track. To avoid having to cycle on the cycle path in the valley again and again and to shorten the tours a little, we took the well-timed Vinschgau railway several times. Info: www.vinschgerbahn.it
Tour 1
Dead end Val Martello
50 Kilometres, 1.440 Altitude metres, max. 15 % Gradient
Your legs need to be relaxed as far as Goldrain, then the road climbs steeply into the Martelltal valley. After Gand, where the air smells of strawberries in the fields in summer, the road leans back. A few 14 per cent steep hairpin bends lead to the dam wall of the Zufritt reservoir, where another breather awaits before the last hairpin bends, up to 15 per cent steep, climb to the end of the asphalt road at the Alpengasthof Enzian (2,051 metres).
Tour 2
Highlight Stelvio Pass
90 Kilometres, 1.950 Altitude metres, max. 15 % Gradient
The 2,754 metre high Stelvio Pass is the second highest asphalted Alpine pass and one of the most beautiful - a must for ambitious climbers. Our tour avoids the 25 kilometre journey from Latsch and instead takes the Vinschgau train to Spondinig. However, if you want, you can also use the slightly uphill route as a warm-up. From the Stelvio Pass, the route takes you on a rapid ride via the Umbrail Pass to the Münstertal valley in Switzerland, from there to the Adige cycle path and back to Latsch.
Tour 3
Reschen-Round
94 Kilometres, 1.600 Altitude metres, max. 16 % Gradient
From Mals, we cycle along steep roads to Lake Reschen, where a detour into the Langtauferer Valley awaits. On the way back, we leave the Adige cycle path and cycle up a small road with magnificent views. If you don't take the Val Venosta/Vinschgau train to Malles/Mals like we did, you have to add around 30 kilometres and 400 metres in altitude from Laces/Latsch.
Tour 4
Into the Ultental Valley
117 Kilometres, 2.700 Altitude metres, max. 16 % Gradient
After rolling along the Adige cycle path, the Gampen Pass (1,518 metres) awaits with a steady 6 to 8 percent gradient. But the test is yet to come in the form of the relatively unknown Brezer Joch. Its 1,397 metres may elicit a tired smile, but this quickly fades on the many up to 16 percent steep ramps. Last but not least, there is a climb to an illuminated tunnel at 1,700 metres, which spits you out again downhill in the lonely Ulten Valley. If you don't take the Venosta Valley train from Marlengo to Laces, 27 kilometres and 300 metres more altitude await you.
Info about Merano and Venosta Valley
ARRIVAL
Car
From Stuttgart via Ulm, Memmingen (A8/7 motorway) to Füssen, federal road 189 via Fernpass to Imst. If you wish, you can bypass the short toll motorway section here via the country road (L 342/76), then continue to the Reschen Pass (B 180). From here another 50 kilometres of country road to Latsch; 5 hours in total. From Munich A95 to Garmisch-Partenkirchen and also over the Fernpass - or 30 kilometres longer but a little faster via the Brenner motorway to Bolzano, then on the expressway and later country road via Merano to Laces; 3.5 hours.
Railway
All routes run via Munich. From there, change trains in Innsbruck and Bolzano to Latsch in 7.5 hours. Info: www.bahn.de
Best time to travel
End of May, beginning of June until October - before and after that, high passes such as the Stelvio or Passo di Pennes are still closed. Information can be found in the traffic report of the Province of Bolzano: www.provinz.bz.it/verkehr
If you don't want to go so high up, you'll find good conditions from as early as April. In high summer, you should start early as there are often thunderstorms in the afternoon. You should avoid weekends for cycle tours, especially in August. The number of thunderstorms decreases in September, as do the number of cars on the roads.
ACCOMMODATION
BikeHotels South Tyrol
An association of 36 hotels in South Tyrol that have specially catered to the needs of cyclists. Road cyclists and mountain bikers will find tour advice and guided tours at various levels. Info at www.bikehotels.it
EAT & DRINK
Regional cuisine is often simple but tasty - and ideal for filling up your carbohydrate stores. There are dumplings in all varieties: bacon dumplings, spinach dumplings or pressed dumplings (with cheese) as well as Schlutzkrapfen (filled dumplings). They are accompanied by Schüttelbrot, caraway bread, "Vinschger", polenta and chestnut soup. Hearty main courses include farmer's roast, smoked pork and home-made sausages, served with potatoes and sauerkraut.
Nourishing and sweet: Kaiserschmarrn, apple strudel and walnut cake.
Laces
Beer cellar
Valtneidweg 2
Phone 0039/0473/623208
www.bierkeller-latsch.com
Hearty, meaty - at Törggele time, butcher's platters are also served, as well as pasta dishes and salads.
RADSERVICE
Laces
Maxx Bike Eldorado
Main street 65 a
Phone 0039/0473/720077
www.maxx-bike-eldorado.com
Malles
Sport-Tenne
Via della Stazione 6
Phone 0039/0473/830560
www.sport-tenne.com
Prad am Stilfser Joch
Baldi-Sport
Reutweg 19
Phone 0039/0473/617071
www.baldisport.it
BIKE DAY STELVIO
Every first Saturday in September, the Stelvio Bike Day takes place, during which the road (from Trafoi to Bormio) is closed to motorised traffic from the morning until late afternoon. The next edition will take place on 2 September 2017, for information call 0039/0473/830430 and www.stelviobike.com
INFO
Marketing company Merano
Via Gampen 95
I-39012 Merano
Phone 0039/0473/200443
www.merano-suedtirol.it
Venosta Valley Tourist Board
Laubengasse 11
I-39020 Glorenza/Glurns
Phone 0039/0473/620480
www.vinschgau-suedtirol.info
LITERATURE & MAPS
Travel guide
"Südtirol", 648 pages thick, with hikes and MTB tours; Michael Müller Verlag 2015, 24.90 euros.
Map
Marco Polo map set (3 double sheets) "Austria and South Tyrol", 1:200,000, MairDumont 2016, 9.70 euros.
