There’s an image that, once seen, is hard to forget: a slender walkway of steel and wood stretching out from the rock face, suspended fifty meters above the waters of Lake Garda, with the deep blue lake beneath your feet and mountains rising all around. It’s not a postcard. It’s the Ciclovia del Garda — also known as Garda by Bike — the most ambitious and spectacular cycling project in Italy, aiming to connect the entire perimeter of Europe’s largest lake by bike. A dream still under construction, yet already capable of delivering unforgettable emotions.
The birth of the “cycle path of dreams”
The project officially took shape in 2018, thanks to significant European funding and the shared commitment of three regions — Lombardy, Trentino, and Veneto — to create a cycling route that enhances one of Italy’s most beautiful landscapes. The final goal is a 140-kilometer route following the lake’s shoreline, passing through medieval villages, olive groves, vineyards, and mountain scenery.
The symbolic moment came on July 14, 2018, with the inauguration of the first spectacular section: the stretch extending from Limone sul Garda toward the Trentino border. Building here was no easy task — the rock face is vertical, and space is almost nonexistent. To anchor the walkway to the cliff, a team of specialized climbers worked using harnesses, steel cables, and even helicopters.
The result is an engineering masterpiece: 2.5 meters wide, illuminated with LED lights so it can be used even at night, with a speed limit of 10 km/h — not for bureaucracy, but to encourage everyone to slow down and take in the view. From that day on, the world of cycling travel discovered a new wonder.
Where you can ride today: the Venetian heart of the lake
The Ciclovia del Garda is not yet complete — and that is part of its charm: it is an open-air construction site, a story still unfolding. Today, the sections already open are spread across all three shores: from Peschiera del Garda to Lazise, from Riva del Garda to Torbole, and from the lakeside promenade of Malcesine toward Brenzone.
The eastern shore, in the Verona area, is among the most generous in terms of scenery: the lake widens, the hills soften, and villages follow one another like chapters in a book you don’t want to finish.
Torri del Benaco is one of those chapters — perhaps one of the most beautiful. With its Scaliger castle reflected in the water, lemon trees scenting the alleys, and a lakeside promenade that invites you to slow down, it is a natural starting point for exploring this part of the Ciclovia del Garda. Whether heading north toward Brenzone and Malcesine, or south toward Garda and Bardolino, you ride through a landscape that constantly shifts between nature, history, and culinary culture.
The future: closing the loop
Work continues. The most anticipated section — the one that will finally connect Limone sul Garda to Riva del Garda through the Alto Garda area in Lombardy — is expected to be completed within this year, despite technical challenges and high costs. The link between Brenzone and Torri del Benaco is planned for 2027, while construction is progressing on the southern shore to connect Sirmione, Desenzano, Salò, and Gardone Riviera.
When the loop is complete, the 140 kilometers of the Ciclovia del Garda will become one of Europe’s most iconic cycling routes: a full tour of the lake entirely on two wheels, away from traffic, in close contact with water and mountains. A slow journey, in the best sense of the word.
Cycling from Cà del Lago: some practical tips
If you are our guests and would like to experience this firsthand, you are in the right place. Torri del Benaco is already served by cycling paths connecting both north and south, and the spring season — with longer days and mild temperatures — is the ideal time to ride.
We recommend renting an e-bike to tackle the hillier sections with ease, and setting off early in the morning to enjoy the lake in its best light, before the afternoon breeze picks up.
But there is something even better: thanks to the combination of existing cycle paths and ferries connecting the lake’s villages, it is already possible to explore every corner of Lake Garda without ever getting into a car — a slow, quiet, and sustainable way of traveling. A lake to truly experience, not just pass through.
If this idea inspires you, feel free to ask at reception: we are always up to date on open sections and can suggest the route best suited to your day. Because exploring Lake Garda by bike is not just sport — it’s a different way to fall in love with this lake, one meter at a time.
