My wife has very thoughtfully suggested that we cycle, as a family of 4, along a route like Bolzano to Verona next year (probably May).

There are several package companies offering 4-5 day itineraries for about £5-600 per head, at about 25ish miles per day for this route. Our kids are competent on their bikes and this looks like a fairly unchallenging route, hopefully making up for the fact that the kids are not practised at all-day cycling.

I wondered whether STW had any experience of doing this sort of thing? I fancied organising something like this myself – instead of a package – and taking bikes to Italy in our van rather than flying / hiring bikes…

Does the package include luggage carrying? That might tip it for me. It means you can take loads of stuff if its being taken in a van and also you know where your dinner and bed is going to be. NIce to have noncycling shoes for example for the evening

A few years ago we did a tour in the Alps where a local company had organised the route and put it on a Garmin, Booker all the hotels and arranged for a taxi to pick our luggage up every morning and transport it to our next hotel. It worked pretty well and allowed us to take our own time and ride how we wanted. I’ll see if I can dig out what their name was.

I can’t give you any advice about what’s best for the wife and kids but I’ve cycled the section from Bolzano to Trento and can confirm it is straightforward cycling on flat cycle paths. I would guess you can carry enough gear for 2+2 for a few days in panniers.

If you’re driving out then I suggest thinking about cycling the section from the Rechensee down to Bolzano or Trento as it’s more scenic than the Bolzano-Trento section and has a lot of downhill.

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I’m not sure how the driver would get back to the van though, the train would take you to Mals but the climb to the lake would be too stiff for your family. Maybe leave the van in Mals before you start?

Donald is correct. The Etsch cycle path from Reschensee through Vinschgau and its vineyards and endless apple orchards is lovely.

From Meran to Bozen and further southonwards it’s not quite as attractive (Valley is much wider, and open).

Plenty of places to stay a night. Would be surprised if you needed to book ahead. Self sufficient shouldn’t be too hard.

There is a bus service from Mals to Lake Reschen.

In theory you could get a train to the Brenner Pass, but then you’d be following the motorway for the whole journey.