Warm-up ride through the mountain villages on the eastern slope near Bolzano and Laives with a 1,000-metre change in altitude
Image gallery: Bike tour to Colle and La Costa
29 kilometres on Bolzano's local mountain? Our goal is set, our starting point is the valley station of the Colle Cable Car north of Bolzano. A car park and a connection to the cycle path network are available. We cycle past the right side of the valley station, where the climb to the Colle begins.
The single-lane asphalt road winds its way up the mountain, accompanied by deciduous forest, vineyards, and finally mixed woodland. At an altitude of 800 metres, we find our first opportunity to stop for refreshments at the former Sant'Isidoro Bath (Bad St. Isidor), where we take a coffee break. Afterwards, the route climbs another 200 metres in altitude.
Then we reach the village of Colle di Bolzano - actually comprising Colle dei Signori and Colle dei Contadini - and the Schneiderwiesen meadows. At the junction towards Laives at an altitude of 1,250 metres, we turn right: we have done enough pedalling!
A fast-paced descent lies ahead of us. Passing the hamlet of La Costa, we quickly reach the valley floor and enjoy beautiful views of the south of South Tyrol along the way.
Before reaching the bottom of the valley, we pass the settlement of Pineta di Laives and reach a roundabout, where we turn towards San Giacomo. This village also belongs to Laives, Bolzano's neighbouring town. The road now leads us - partly with a cycle lane - into the district of Aslago, and after two and a half hours, we are back in the provincial capital.
Author: AT
Experienced: July 2011
Last updated: 2026
-
- Starting point:
- valley station of the Colle Cable Car in Bolzano (232 m a.s.l.)
-
- Overall time:
- 02:35 h
-
- Total route length:
- 28,6 km
-
- Altitude:
- from 232 m to 1.244 m
-
- Altitude difference (uphill | downhill):
- +1012 m | -1012 m
-
- Route:
- Bolzano - Bad St. Isidor - Colle - Schneiderwiesen meadows - La Costa - Pineta di Laives - San Giacomo - Bolzano
-
- Destination:
- Schneiderwiesen meadows on the Colle
-
- Resting points:
- Bad St. Isidor inn, Schneiderwiesen inn
-
- Track surface:
- asphalt
-
- Recommended time of year:
- Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
-
- Download GPX track:
- Bike tour to Colle and La Costa
-
- More information:
- The overall time shown above refers to the cycling time only, not including breaks or stops. Avoid this route on hot summer days, as the climb is exposed to the sun!
We highly recommend checking the weather and trail conditions in advance and on site before starting this tour.
