The Best Gravel Rides in Northern Italy

Five standout loop routes across the Dolomites, Prosecco Hills, Venice Lagoon, Asiago Plateau and Val d’Orcia (Siena) — with route stats, GPX files, seasonal advice and logistics for every ride.

All roads may lead to Rome, but much of the best gravel riding can be found in Northern Italy.

Earlier this year we did a recon trip to Tuscany to finalise the routes for our recently launched Tuscany gravel trips. I’ve ridden in Tuscany before, but it was on a road bike, and this was the first time riding the fabled Strade Bianche. I’ve always felt that Tuscany as a cycling region was a bit overrated — that it gets more attention than it really deserves. Italy suffers from OGRES (Overabundance of Great Riding & Eating Spots), and places like Piedmont, Veneto, and Emilia-Romagna don’t get the credit they deserve, in my humble cycling opinion.

I have to admit though: I came away from Tuscany genuinely impressed. It really is a fantastic place for gravel riding. We’ll cover what’s to like and not like in the appropriate section below. But let’s be clear — Tuscany is just one of the many extraordinary gravel experiences Northern Italy has to offer.

A quick note on my personal gravel journey, because it frames why I’ve selected these routes. I could be categorised as a ‘groadie’ — someone who migrated from road to gravel. It’s true that I don’t own any loose-fitting cycling apparel and cannot bring myself to put a bag on my handlebars. But riding gravel is a welcome diversion from the more performance-focused rides I do on the road. No power meter on the gravel bike, and I probably couldn’t read the numbers anyway with all the bouncing around. Gravel riding for me is about exploration, being closer to nature, and challenging myself on a bit of good old gnarly terrain.

Below are five of my favourite gravel routes — one per region — along with seasonal advice, logistics and local highlights. All are loop rides, so you can tackle them self-supported. Of course, one advantage of riding with us on a supported self-guided trip is that you can ride point-to-point, and some of the most satisfying routes are ones where you arrive somewhere completely new at the end of the day. Looking for the GPX files? You can find them via the link at the end of the article.

Route 1: Dolomites — Platzwiese Loop from Cortina

THE RIDE

No question: the Dolomites are breathtakingly beautiful. But they are also proper mountains, and much of the off-road riding is more appropriate for mountain biking than gravel grinding. Many trails are very steep, making both ascent and descent a challenge on a gravel setup. Fortunately, our Dolomites gravel trips explore the valleys of the region rather than tackling the mountains head-on — though you always have the option of a ‘road day’ to tick off one of the famous passes.

A great base is Cortina d’Ampezzo. Accommodation tends to be a touch pricier than elsewhere in the region, but Cortina is relatively easy to access from Venice, the views are outstanding, and it sits right on the converted rail line that runs almost entirely on gravel north of town.

This loop out of Cortina is not easy — but it is arguably one of the most scenic gravel routes anywhere in the world. Starting and finishing on the old railway bed, the ride climbs to the Platzwiese mountain hut (‘Prato Piazza’ in Italian), then descends to the Val Pusteria before circling back to Cortina along the converted rail corridor. Along the way, enjoy stunning views of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, then cruise the gradual downhill stretch back into town. Finish your day with an Aperol Spritz on the chic Corso Italia — ideally covered in dust and a little mud.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS & BEST VIEWPOINTS

• Tre Cime di Lavaredo viewpoint along the rail-trail: one of the most photographed panoramas in the Alps
• Platzwiese plateau and mountain hut: a high alpine meadow with jaw-dropping 360° views of the Dolomites; stop for barley soup or Kaiserschmarrn
• Lago di Landro (Dürrensee): a scenic alpine lake passed on the return stretch
• The old railway tunnels and viaducts: a thrillingly atmospheric section on the gravel rail-trail north of Cortina
• The Corso Italia, Cortina: best post-ride Aperol Spritz setting in the Dolomites

RECOMMENDED SEASON

Mid-June to late September. The Platzwiese plateau sits at around 2,000 m; snow can linger well into June. July and August are prime alpine months but also busiest. Mid-September to early October offers ideal conditions: quieter trails, cool temperatures and crystal-clear mountain air. 

SERVICES & LOGISTICS

Getting there: Cortina is approx. 2.5 hours by car from Venice Marco Polo Airport; bus services via Flixbus and the Cortina Express. Bike rental available in town. Food & water: stock up in Cortina before departure; the Platzwiese Rifugio (Plätzwiese Hütte) is a reliable mid-ride stop for food and water. Accommodation: wide range in Cortina; book well ahead for July/August. Bike shops: two well-stocked options in town, but gravel bike rental in town is limited. Best to come with your bike already. 

Route 2: Prosecco Hills — Soligo Loop via Isola Morti

THE RIDE

Gravel riding in the Prosecco Hills is quite an adventure, with constant surface changes and the fun of navigating maze-like little towns. The vistas along the way are spellbinding — genuinely rivalling those of Tuscany — and yet the region attracts a fraction of the cycling tourists. If you try to explore these hills without a plan, you can end up on some very steep access roads that dead-end in someone’s vineyard. This loop has a few steeper inclines, but nothing too extreme or too frequent.

The start is in Pieve di Soligo — which served as the finish line of the 2023 UCI Gravel World Championships. The route first heads south until meeting the Piave river, then follows the edge of the river until Vidor and enters the Prosecco Hills proper. A few challenging uphills along the Via Canal Vecchio provide the perfect vantage points to take in the beauty of the area. The vineyard views continue along the Via Serre until you reach the town of Follina, where the route heads back towards Pieve di Soligo. If you want to kick it up a notch, take the detour up to Collagù, which was the last uphill of the 2023 World Championships. But be warned, this is paved with concrete but STEEP! 

KEY HIGHLIGHTS & BEST VIEWPOINTS

• Isola dei Morti (Island of the Dead): a moving WWI memorial park on the Piave riverbank, marking the spot where elite Arditi troops were cut down in the battle's final days. The river-stone pyramid monument and D'Annunzio verses make it one of the most atmospheric stops in the Veneto — and a world away from the vineyard selfies that await a few kilometres further up the road.
• Via Canal Vecchio viewpoints: the challenging uphills on this section reward you with some of the best panoramas of the UNESCO Prosecco Hills — have the camera ready
• Abbazia di Follina: a beautifully preserved 12th-century Cistercian abbey with peaceful Romanesque cloisters — a perfect mid-ride stop
• Collagù climb (optional): the brutal concrete-paved finale of the 2023 UCI Gravel World Championships — short, very steep, and deeply satisfying if you make it

RECOMMENDED SEASON

April to October. Spring (April–May) is spectacular when the vines are fresh green and tourist numbers are low. September and October are arguably the best months: the vendemmia (grape harvest) transforms the hills into a riot of gold and amber, temperatures are ideal for riding, and the local osterie are buzzing with seasonal energy. Avoid mid-summer heat, particularly on exposed ridge sections. The Prosecco Hills can be ridden all through the winter, as altitude is low (max ~700 m on this route).

SERVICES & LOGISTICS

Getting there: Pieve di Soligo is approx. 50 km from Venice. Easiest is by car from Venice or Treviso, which has an international airport with low-cost connections. Regular train services run to Conegliano, but then it’s a taxi/bus to Pieve. Food & water: you’re never too far from civilization on this ride, with Vidor, Follina, and Soligo all having cafès and restaurants. Accommodation: Pieve di Soligo and Follina offer good options at reasonable prices. Its also possible to make this a longer day ride from Treviso.

Route 3: Venice Lagoon — Caorle to the Stalis Mills via Portogruaro

THE RIDE

Just north of Venice you’ll find a gravel paradise that is largely off the international radar, though already well-loved by locals. The many rivers threading through this flat coastal plain — the Lemene, the Livenza, the Brian Canal — offer wonderful riding along their quiet gravel service roads, past abandoned mills, Benedictine abbeys and ancient towns that seem frozen in time.

The start is Caorle, an old fishing village and popular summer beach destination that is far more authentic than its better-known neighbour, Jesolo. This figure-8 loop is longer than the others on this list at almost 100 km, but it’s essentially flat and can be easily shortened by turning back after Portogruaro. That said, the extra loop via the Stalis Mills is absolutely worth the effort. Following the Lemene river along the Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto border, you’ll pass abandoned mills, the medieval fortified town of Cordovado, and the majestic 7th-century Benedictine abbey of Santa Maria in Sylvis at Sesto al Reghena. The return along the Livenza river and Brian Canal brings you back to Caorle in time for an afternoon swim.

A wonderfully peaceful journey through a landscape that has barely changed in centuries — and virtually no hills to worry about.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS & BEST VIEWPOINTS

• Caorle historic centre: the cylindrical Romanesque bell tower and Sanctuary of the Madonna dell’Angelo jutting into the Adriatic make for a memorable start and finish
• Casoni dei pescatori: traditional fishermen’s huts made of local reeds on the Caorle lagoon — a unique and photogenic landscape
• Stalis Mills (Mulini di Stalis): two ancient watermills on the River Lemene, documented as far back as 1432, recently restored — open to visitors in summer
• Cordovado: a compact medieval fortified town — one of ‘the most beautiful villages in Italy’ — still entered through its original castle gates
• Portogruaro: a Venetian-style town with Gothic and Renaissance palazzi lining the Lemene, and the characteristic working mills right in the historic centre
• Chioggia: not on this particular route, but if you join our Venice Lagoon trip, you will end up in this beautiful town that is a smaller, more approachable (and less crowded) alternative to Venice.

RECOMMENDED SEASON

March to October. This is one of the few routes on this list that works well in early spring, as there is virtually no altitude and road conditions are good year-round. Summer can be hot and although you won't be slogging uphill the route is largely exposed to the sun, so start early and carry plenty of water. Autumn is pleasant, with the harvest season adding colour to the surrounding farmland. Avoid the first three weeks of August if you can; the coastal roads around Caorle can be congested with beach traffic in the period around ferragosto when most of Italy is either at the beach or in the mountains.

SERVICES & LOGISTICS

Getting there: Caorle is approx. 70 km from Venice Marco Polo Airport by car (1 hour). There is no direct train to Caorle; the nearest stations are at Portogruaro (then ~20 km by bike or taxi) or San Stino di Livenza. Bike rental: available seasonally in Caorle. Food & water: Caorle, Portogruaro and Sesto al Reghena all have good cafè and restaurant options; carry at least 1.5L of water in summer as some sections are remote. Accommodation: Caorle has abundant beach accommodation (heavily booked in July–August); Portogruaro offers quieter, year-round options.

Route 4: Asiago Plateau — The Euro Gravel Loop

THE RIDE

Asiago is well known for its cheese — and rightly so. The DOP-certified Asiago is something special; the local cows graze at altitude on the plateau’s rich pastures, producing milk of exceptional quality. The plateau was also of enormous strategic importance in the First World War: the numerous British War Cemeteries are a sobering testament to this, and the Hapsburg-era architecture in Asiago town itself reflects the years the area spent under Austrian control.

More recently, the Asiago Plateau has experienced a resurgence as a hiking and gravel riding destination. The network of military roads crisscrossing the plateau — built to supply the front lines in WWI — are now seeing a more peaceful kind of traffic. And the altitude (around 1,000 m) provides a welcome cool escape from the summer heat of the Veneto plain below.

This loop is one of the options on our Veneto Gravel Plus itinerary. Although it follows the course of the 2024 UCI Gravel European Championships — the second edition of the continental championships, held in October 2024 — it is not overly technically demanding. You can start from the Granezza Rifugio if you’re based outside Asiago, or from the town centre. From Asiago, the route passes the imposing WWI Sacrario Militare before looping back through the forest past the remains of a British Military Hospital and a British War Cemetery. Shortly after Granezza, the vast panorama of the Po Valley suddenly appears. After following the plateau perimeter, the route descends to meet the tunnels of the old military railway, which carries you back down to Asiago. Finish with an afternoon aperitivo and a cheese board at Cafè Adler, where the Austrian atmosphere lives on.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS & BEST VIEWPOINTS

• Sacrario Militare di Asiago: the monumental WWI memorial is a powerful and moving start to the ride
• Plateau perimeter panorama: on clear days, the view from the edge of the plateau stretches across the entire Pianura Padana to the Adriatic
• British War Cemetery and Military Hospital ruins: sobering and atmospheric — a reminder that these gravel roads were once supply lines
• Granezza Rifugio: excellent mid-ride stop for Asiago DOP cheese, local salumi and cold drinks

RECOMMENDED SEASON

Late May to October. The plateau sits at around 1,000 m, so conditions are generally good from late spring onwards. Late spring (May–June) and early autumn (September–October) are the sweet spots: quiet roads, good trail surfaces and comfortable temperatures. Summer is pleasant at altitude but the Jeroboam gravel event (usually June) and peak holiday season (July–August) bring more traffic.

SERVICES & LOGISTICS

Getting there: Asiago is approx. 1 hour by car from Vicenza or Bassano del Grappa, and 2 1/2 hrs from Venice. No direct train to the plateau. Food & water: Asiago town has excellent cafès, restaurants; on-route stops at Granezza and various Malghe. Accommodation: good range in Asiago. Bike shops: one well-equipped shop in Asiago town. Note: the plateau’s karst terrain means public water sources are rare — carry at least 1L in the summer.

Route 5: Val d’Orcia, Tuscany — Pienza to Montepulciano Loop

THE RIDE

Like I said in the intro, Tuscany lives up to its reputation when it comes to gravel riding. There is nowhere else on earth that combines such beautiful scenery and quaint hilltop towns with such a vast network of white gravel roads. The only real drawback is the overtourism that sets in once the season gets rolling. Come in April and May, or in October, and it’s much more civilised.

Don’t be deceived by the modest 40 km distance on this route. The climbs into Montepulciano, Monticchiello and Pienza make it a genuinely demanding ride. Both Pienza and Montepulciano serve as good starting points. From Pienza, the first section is paved downhill — put your gilet on if it’s fresh out. Once the Strade Bianche begin, the character of the ride changes completely: pale limestone gravel, rolling hills, cypress-lined avenues and the kind of scenery that makes you stop the bike just to stare.

A long, progressively steeper climb brings you into the wine town of Montepulciano, home of the celebrated Vino Nobile. You don’t have to ride right into the historic centre, but if you can tolerate the cobbles and the gradients, it’s worth the detour. From Montepulciano, the route heads into the heart of the Val d’Orcia and the hilltop hamlet of Monticchiello. As you approach Pienza once more, take the short detour to ride the cypress-lined stretch of road made famous in the film Gladiator — and then admire it from above once you’ve completed the final climb back into town. Same road. Completely different perspective.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS & BEST VIEWPOINTS

• The ‘Gladiator Road’: the cypress-lined gravel avenue near Pienza, famously featured in the opening and closing scenes of Ridley Scott’s film — arguably the most photographed gravel road in the world
• Pienza: the UNESCO-listed ‘ideal city of the Renaissance’ — built to order by Pope Pius II in the 15th century; outstanding for Pecorino di Pienza cheese
• Montepulciano: a stunning Renaissance hilltop town with Etruscan foundations; stop for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano in one of the underground cantina on Corso
• Monticchiello: a perfectly preserved medieval hamlet with fairy-tale walls, turrets and sweeping valley views
• Val d’Orcia panoramas: rolling hills, lone cypresses and geometric farmhouses that look exactly like a Renaissance painting
• Vitaleta Chapel: the tiny isolated chapel in the wheat fields is one of the most-photographed spots in Tuscany

RECOMMENDED SEASON

April–May and September–October. These are the Tuscan sweet spots: spring brings vivid green wheat fields and red poppies; autumn colours the vineyards with gold. Both seasons offer comfortable temperatures and manageable tourist numbers. The Val d’Orcia in high summer (July–August) can be searingly hot; the white roads reflect the heat and there is little shade. The strade bianche can also become dusty and loose in very dry conditions. Avoid after heavy rain, when they turn to sticky clay.

SERVICES & LOGISTICS

Getting there: Pienza is reached most easily by car; it’s approx. 1.5 hours from Florence or 2.5 hours from Rome. Food & water: Pienza and Montepulciano are well served; Monticchiello has a small bar but limited services — carry enough water for the full loop. Accommodation: Pienza has several excellent boutique options; Montepulciano is well-served for all budgets. Bike rental: available in Pienza and Montepulciano (including e-bikes). Note: the strade bianche can be exposed and dusty; tyres of at least 38 mm recommended.

Ready to Ride?

All five routes above are available as GPX downloads via our Komoot collection. Whether you’re planning a solo self-supported adventure or looking for a fully supported gravel cycling trip in Northern Italy, we’d love to help you plan it. Our gravel tours cover the Prosecco Hills, Asiago Plateau, Tuscany and Dolomites — with luggage transfers, route support and handpicked accommodation included.

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