Cycling Lake Garda: ride the big climbs, the Ponale and the lake path

At the top of Lake Garda the mountains drop straight into the water. Early in the day a north wind, the Pelèr, runs down the lake; after lunch the Ora swings round and blows back up it. Between those two winds sit climbs that rival the hardest in the Italian Alps. There is an old cliff road where cars are no longer allowed, and river paths flat enough to ride side by side and talk. It is a place where a group with mixed legs can split for the morning and meet again for a swim.

The climbs worth the trip are the long ones above the north shore, plus Punta Veleno on Monte Baldo, the hardest climb on the lake. The Garda Trentino tourist board (Garda Dolomiti Azienda per il Turismo) lists the main ascents on its road bike climbs page, with the figures below.

Lago di Tenno and Passo Duron suit a first day or a rider still finding their climbing legs: steady gradients under 6 per cent. Passo Tremalzo is the classic for a strong group: 13 km averaging 7 per cent. Monte Velo, San Giovanni al Monte, Malga Campo di Drena and Prati di Nago are the serious ones. Each gains 1,140 m or more at 8.5 to 10 per cent, so save them for fresh legs and a cool morning.

Punta Veleno means Poison Peak, and the name was earned. Climbing from Brenzone on the east shore, it gains a thousand metres in 10 km through 20 numbered hairpins. From km 2 to km 8 it averages 14.6 per cent, with ramps of 20 per cent, and it tops out at Prada Alta, 1,156 m. Vincenzo Torriani, the organiser of the Giro d'Italia, christened it in the seventies.

To get there from Torbole, Aktivhotel Santalucia sends riders in its Punta Veleno route notes 18 km south on the Gardesana road to Assenza, then up through Castello and Zignago. Never ride down the same way: continue to Prada and descend past Castellago to San Zeno di Montagna. The Gardesana has tunnels between Torbole and Malcesine, so fit a rear light.

Lake Garda cannot yet be ridden all the way round on a continuous cycle path, though the ring is filling in section by section. The Ciclovia del Garda, or Garda by Bike, is a ring around the lake planned at about 165 km across Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino. The best-known stretch is the hanging path at Limone sul Garda, opened in July 2018: about 3 km of cantilevered deck fixed into the cliff 50 m above the water, lit at night and gentle enough for any bike. The Ciclovia del Garda project lists other sections already open, including Torbole to Riva del Garda, Garda to Punta San Vigilio, Bardolino to Garda and Peschiera del Garda to Lazise. Until the gaps close, a full lap means long stretches on the Gardesana coast roads, with tunnels on the east shore and heavier traffic in July and August.

The Ciclovia del Garda project site keeps the list of open sections. For a first ride, link Riva del Garda to Torbole on the lakeside path, then ride the Limone section as a morning out and back.

The best off-road riding starts on the Ponale Road, the old cliff road from Riva del Garda to the Ledro valley. Since 2004 it has been open only to cyclists and walkers. Garda Trentino's Ponale Gravel Tour leaves Piazza III Novembre in Riva, follows the lakeshore to the first tunnel on the road towards Limone. Then it climbs the old road on gravel. After the bridge over the Ponale gorge it turns to tarmac for the climb to the church above Pregasina.

The tour is 14.4 km out and back with 858 m of climbing. In the third tunnel, look through the gates for the Tagliata, an Austrian fort cut into the rock. It suits a gravel bike and anyone who wants big views for a modest distance.

Passo Tremalzo is the bigger day. The Tremalzo Big Tour (route 779) starts in Pieve di Ledro, follows the Ledro valley cycle path towards Lake Ampola, then climbs about 15 km of tarmac at 7 per cent. The way down is the reason to go: a First World War military road through a tunnel and over Passo Nota, with tight curves and views down to Lake Garda. The loop is 45.8 km with 1,425 m of climbing and a high point of 1,833 m. Garda Trentino grades it difficult, so it suits a mountain biker or a confident gravel rider. Finish with a swim in Lake Ledro.

The flattest riding is on the north shore, where paved paths link Riva del Garda and Torbole. From Torbole, a cycle path follows the River Sarca inland to Sarche: 24.9 km through Arco, Ceniga, Dro and Pietramurata, climbing only 233 m. The mild climate keeps it open all year. North of Dro it crosses the Marocche, the largest post-glacial landslide in the Alps, a field of boulders that looks like the moon. Garda Trentino calls it the busiest cycle path in Trentino, so expect walkers and runners. In summer, two small river beaches make a good stop to cool off.

It suits families, a couple who want one easy day, and anyone spinning out tired legs after a big climb. On the south and east shores, the lakeside paths from Peschiera del Garda to Lazise and from Bardolino to Garda give flat riding with the water beside you.

The best time is April to October, when the passes are clear of snow. High routes such as Monte Baldo are usually snowbound from November to March. April, May and September bring quieter roads and milder days, while July and August are hotter and busier on the coast roads. May is also the month of the Bike Festival in Riva del Garda.

Plan each day around the wind. According to Malcesine's guide to the Garda winds, the Pelèr blows from north to south from the night until late morning, usually at 20 knots. Between noon and 1pm the Ora takes over from the south and blows until sunset. It is strongest in spring and early summer, and stronger the further north you go. From a north shore base, ride south in the morning and turn for home after lunch: the wind is at your back both ways. A daytime storm can flip the wind suddenly, so watch the sky. On Punta Veleno, which sits in sun all day, start early in summer.

The table shows theKlub's month-by-month climate for Lake Garda: average highs and lows, and the days with rain.

Two numbers stand out. July and August both average highs of 28.2 °C, which makes early starts sensible. May has the most wet days of the year, 19.2 on average, so pack a rain jacket for a spring week.

Pick Riva del Garda or Torbole for the most riding from the door. Bike hire and bike services are concentrated there, at the foot of the Ponale, the Sarca path and the Trentino climbs. Riva puts the Ponale and Ledro rides on your doorstep, and Hotel Villa Enrica is one of our cycling-friendly picks there. Torbole is the start of the Sarca path and the Gardesana south towards Punta Veleno; Aktivhotel Santalucia, in Nago-Torbole, is our pick there for riders.

Malcesine, on the east shore under Monte Baldo, suits riders who want the big mountain close by; Wellness Hotel Casa Barca (Adult Only) is there. In the south, Desenzano del Garda is a centre for local riders and the birthplace of Sonny Colbrelli, the 2021 Paris-Roubaix winner. Our cycling in Lake Garda page lists every stay we rate for riders.

Lake Garda rewards riders who plan around the wind and save the steep days for cool mornings. For more rides like these, read our guide to Europe's cycling routes for every level or browse our cycling holidays with theKlub. Pick a base on the north shore, then make the Ponale your first morning ride.