The MTB trails in Bolzano have long ceased to be an insider tip. The good news that you can hop into three different gondolas in the centre of the South Tyrolean capital and be on the mountain and at one of the many trail entrances in ten minutes has spread like wildfire. The gondolas here in Bolzano are like the S-Bahn in major German cities: Local transport. If you get on your bike for the main commute here, you have to be careful not to press the tyre tread onto the businessmen's suit trousers or get caught with the handlebars in your satchel. No, it's better to wait until rush hour is over and then have the gondolas almost to yourself.
Even Richie Schley from Canada has heard about the Bolzano Three Gondolas Tour. We are on our way to the Lake Garda Festival with him when he asks if we would like to stop off for a tour in Bolzano. Sure, no problem. The sun is shining and the low mountain ranges around the city, at around 1500 metres above sea level, have long been free of snow - which is more than can be said for the higher peers in the nearby city panorama. The Schlern and Rosengarten still have white caps on and the Sarntal Alps with their famous peaks are still deep in hibernation at the end of April. Hans Rey is part of the party. We meet in Oberbozen, which lies on a high plateau almost 1000 metres above Bolzano itself. A short detour to the famous earth pyramids in the Katzenbachtal valley - we owe our overseas visitor that much culture - then it's off to the first descent from the Ritten.
You can find these MTB tours around Bolzano in the PDF download below:
1st Ritten: Trail no. 2 and 3
2nd Kohlern: Trail no. 4
3. Jenesien: paths no. 6 and 9
