The ideal geographic position of Bolzano makes it to the ideal starting point for every kind of biking tours. A network of bicycle paths radiates out from the city through the orchards and vineyards in the foothills and on up into the Alps. Starting from the central square Piazza Walther Platz you can reach the bicycle ways to Trento or the "Apple-Road" to Merano, which runs through the apple trees along the river Adige.
 

The Tourist Board of Bolzano and  the association Passepartour organise guided bicycle tours to discover the touristic attractions in the town and around Bolzano.


RECOMMENDED BICYCLE TOUR
Bolzano-Terlan-Vilpian-Meran/o

Start at Bolzano’s Piazza Walther Platz: take the road which passes the cathedral; turn left after 100 metres passing the cathedral’s main entrance (vestibule with column-bearing lions); when you reach the end of the narrow street, cross the road at the traffic lights (Piazza Verdi), carry on towards the bridge but before you actually reach it turn right onto the cycle path which runs beside the River Eisack/Isarco (right-hand side looking downstream). Keep to the main route (crossing the following bridges: the iron bridge over the River Talfer/Talvera, then the Roma, Palermo and Resia/Reschen bridges via underpasses).  After around 5 km the pathway forks with a bench beside the path: take the right-hand trail marked “pista ciclabile delle mele/Apfelradweg” i.e., the “apple-orchards cycle path”. The route follows the bank of the Adige upstream beneath the ruins of Sigmundskron Castle (which accommodates the Mountain Museum of the famous climber Reinhold Messner). At a certain point you join the main road: turn left and continue for a short distance over the level crossing and the river, then turn right onto the cycle pathway to Terlan (signposted) which partially follows the River Adige upstream, and in places leads through Europe’s largest self-contained apple orchard which fills the Adige Valley between Meran and South Tyrol’s southern border at Salurn. The route passes Terlan and then Vilpian. At the crossing with the (old) main road you have the choice of cycling through the various villages along the route, perhaps stopping for refreshments or visiting their various tourist attractions. Alternatively you can shorten the ride by taking the train back at any of the various railway stations along the Bolzano – Meran line. At Tscherms you can take the B-roads and visit the spa town of Meran. The tourist information office is in the Freiheits-Strasse/Corso Libertà.
You may choose to return to Bolzano by train (plenty of connections during the day), return along the same route, or head back towards Lana and take the Wine Route (little motor traffic) following the signs to Nals-Andrian-Eppan, then Frangart, after which you can rejoin the outward route (follow the signs to Bolzano, cross the Adige bridge and the level crossing, then turn right onto the cycle path which leads back to the starting point in the Piazza Walther Platz).

Distance: one way approx. 33 km; there and back approx.65 km.
Time required: without stopping, one way approx. 1 ¾/2 hours; 4 hours there and back.
Difficulty rating: easy, recommended for family bike rides.
Best season: during the spectacle of the apple blossom period (approx. mid to end of April); otherwise all year round.
Places of interest along the route: Terlan: Neuhaus Castle and parish church with frescoes by Hans Stotzinger (1407); Unter-Lana: Gothic-style parish church with its magnificent altar by Schnatterbeck (1500) ; Lana: Apple Museum and castles in the environs; Meran: Royal Castle (1470); cathedral (1367-1495) with its Gothic tower (83 m/272 ft high), Church of the Holy Ghost; the gardens and “Touriseum” museum at Trauttmannsdorf Castle; promenades beside the River Passer.