Ciclabile dei fiori, to cycle among hundreds of colors

There is certainly no shortage of cycling routes of great scenic interest in Trentino. Some cycle paths follow rivers, winding through vineyards and orchards, others pass alongside stunning castles, and others link one beautiful alpine lake after another.
However, there is one that, especially in spring, stands out above all: we are talking about the fantastic Ciclabile dei fiori, which is the cycling and walking path of Val Rendena and Valle del Chiese. In spring, the blossoming here is at its absolute best, allowing cyclists to pedal among over 600 species of flowers. The meadows that alternate along the cycle path, which is also surrounded by the Parco Naturale Adamello Brenta, transform the landscape into a colorful palette: cycling has never been so fascinating!

The Val Rendena cycle path

 

The Ciclabile dei fiori consists of two routes. The first, further north, is made up of the cycling and walking path of Val Rendena, which winds for 24 kilometers between Carisolo and Lake Ponte Pià, shortly after Tione di Trento in the direction of Terme di Comano. Traveling along this route during the spring period, every stretch of the cycle path features different flowers and plants. In the first few kilometers of the route, between Pinzolo, Caderzone Terme, and Spiazzo, the yellow of buttercups and dandelions dominates, enhanced here and there by the presence of the pink and red of chervil, the green of poaceae, the white of white bedstraw, as well as the blue-purple of bluegrass, alfalfa, and cocksfoot flowers.
The landscape changes between Fisto and Pelugo: in those wooded areas, the eye meets ash, beech, and spruce trees, not to mention mountain lime and elderberry. But there is certainly no shortage of flowers, with the wooded areas offering the pink and white of corydalis, as well as the green of wild asparagus and ivy.
Between Darè, Javrè, and Sesena, alongside the Ciclabile dei fiori, the expanses of meadows return, dotted with the white petals of daisies and the lilac ones of brown knapweed. But there, in those expanses of colors, it becomes a challenge to identify all the medicinal plants present: dandelion, nettle, meadow clary, wild carrot, wild rocket, white goosefoot, and mountain spinach, each with its own unique color.
In the last kilometers of the Val Rendena cycle path, east of Tione, you can finally find white, red, and purple willows, as well as goat willow.

 

The Valle del Chiese cycle path

The second part of the Ciclabile dei fiori is located in the Valle del Chiese: the route starts from Bondo and reaches Baitoni on Lake Idro, along a cycling and walking path alternating with sections on low-traffic roads, for a total of 28 kilometers. It begins in the meadows of Roncone with the pink flowers of red campion, the white ones of bladder campion, and the gold-colored ones of giant goldenrod and common reed. The palette becomes even richer around Lardaro, with the pink petals of meadow clary, the yellow ones of St. John's wort, and the white ones of daisies and campions.
Following the Chiese river and approaching Storo, the meadows gradually become increasingly yellow, dominated by buttercups, dandelions, and perennial wall-rocket. Only a few more pedals remain to the shores of Lake Idro, the second Blue Flag lake along the route after Roncone: here you encounter medicinal and thermophilic flowers such as spring cinquefoil and St. John's wort, as well as here and there the military orchid, the green-winged orchid, and the burnt orchid.

The Bicibus of the Ciclabile dei fiori, in spring

To allow everyone to discover the fantastic views of the Ciclabile dei fiori without any logistical difficulties, a special Bicibus service is active during the blossoming period. The bus runs on weekends and public holidays from mid-April to early June, with mandatory online booking or at the tourist offices of Madonna di Campiglio, Pinzolo, Tione, and Pieve di Bono.
During the summer season, the service is more comprehensive and detailed: see all the Bicibus info here to organize your mountain bike holiday.

Ph: Campigliodolomiti.it