Top 5 cycle routes on Lake Iseo: Northern Italy by bike

Top 5 cycle routes on Lake Iseo – Mild climate, flat lakeside roads and a picturesque mountain panorama over the lake – what more could you want for extensive tours by bike?
Lake Iseo in the north of Italy offers you a wide selection of lakeside paths for cycling.
Whether it’s around an island, between small towns on the western and eastern shores or a tour around the entire lake, here you will find tour suggestions to suit different levels of endurance and ability.

Between cliffs & olive groves: coastal roads

Lake Iseo in the north of Italy offers you a unique landscape, combining the foothills of the Alps and Mediterranean plants.
Cliffs and olive groves line the shores of the lake.
Interspersed with small houses and villas with red tiled roofs that stand on the mountain slopes.
Many of the cycle paths offer a picturesque view of precisely this variety, as they run right between the water and the mountainside.
Due to its location in northern Italy, the temperature rarely rises above 30 °C.
This means that you can enjoy warm summers with sunshine, but also enjoy a relaxed bike ride without fear of heatstroke.

Riding a bike: Basics, tips & repetition

Cycling is healthy, keeps you fit and you can relax and enjoy the view.
Even on vacation.
You can hire a bike in almost every major town on Lake Iseo.
Or you can take your own with you on the bike rack behind the roof tent. Are you no longer 100% sure about cycling or would you like to teach someone before your vacation?
Then you’ll find more tips for beginners and returners here:

• Learn to ride a bike

After the cycling repetition, these impressions of the landscape await you:

Island tour: Around the “Monte Isola”

The island of “Monte Isola” lies in the middle of the blue waters of Lake Iseo.
It is car-free and therefore safer for cyclists.
This cycle tour takes you around the island once.
The ferry port is a good starting point.
Take the ferry from the other shore in Sulzano and arrive in Peschiera Maraglio.
The ferry ride past the picturesque shore is an experience in itself.
Once you arrive on Monte Isola, head north and follow the lakeside road along the beautiful scenery until you arrive back at the port.
At a glance:

• Car-free island
• Circumnavigate by bike
• Picturesque landscape

The most important things at a glance:

• Duration approx. 45 min
• Distance: 11.6 km
• Predominantly constant terrain

Here you can see a possible tour of the island on the map:

From Vello to Iseo: cycle tour with an island view

You can enjoy a fantastic view over Lake Iseo on this route, which runs directly along the coast.
You start in the historic town of Vello and can even see the island of Monte Isola from the lakeside road.
You will also pass Sulzano on the way.
So this tour can also be combined with an excursion to Monte Isola.
An overview of the tour:

• Vello: historic small town
• Road directly on the shore
• View: Lake & Monte Isola
• Visit to Monte Isola

The most important things at a glance:

• Duration: approx. 41 min
• Distance: 13.8 km
• Slight differences in altitude

Here you can see the tour on the map: And such a view awaits you:

Vello to Pisogne: via the old riverside road

From Vello to Toline, there is a well-maintained cycle and walking path called the “old lakeside road”.
Here, too, you cycle directly along the lake and can take in the views of the picturesque natural surroundings.
The lakeside road is also car-free, making it safer for younger children.
If you follow this road, you will get from Vello to the outskirts of Toline.
This is a small village that belongs to Pisogne, the next larger town.
From here, it’s also worth making a detour to the picturesque harbor town of Pisogne for a bite to eat.
This is what makes the old coastal road so special:

• From Vello to Toline (Pisogne)
• Car-free (safer for children)
• View of Lake Iseo
• Excursion to Pisogne & the countryside

These are the most important key data on the way to Toline and Pisogne

• Duration: approx. 22 min
• Distance: 7.3 km
• Hardly any significant differences in altitude

Here you can see the route on the map: And you can experience this view during the bike tour:

Riva di Solto to Lovere: experience the eastern shore

Now that we have spent a lot of time in the west of Lake Iseo, you will also find a tour for the shore in the east here.
The starting point is the town of Riva di Solto and the destination is Lovere in the north of Lake Iseo.
You will pass the picturesque cliffs of the Lake Iseo landscape.
While the steep rock faces tower above you, you can look down on the glistening lake.
From Riva di Solto to Lovere – a brief overview:

• Collecting experiences on the east bank
• Interplay of cliffs & sea

The most important data:

• Duration: approx. 21 min
• Length of the route: 6.5 km
• Slight differences in the gradient

Here you have the route on the map: And here you will find a first view of the cliffs and the lake:

All the way around!
Tour around the whole of Lake Iseo

After the individual short bike tours, we now come to the tour for which you should plan the most time and stamina.
Cycle all the way around Lake Iseo?
You can do it by bike!
If you don’t take any breaks, you’ll be on the road for around three and a half hours.
But the landscape and the towns you will pass are perfect for a short break.
These include picturesque towns such as Iseo, Pisogne and Vello.
Tip: You can find a more detailed list below.
In addition to the romantic towns and villages on the mountain slopes, you can also take in the impressive natural surroundings.
Many of the lakeside paths lead directly between the green rocky slopes of the steep coasts and the glistening waters of the lake.
On your tour around the lake, you can also see the small islands on the water and the charming villas and gardens.
The highlight for every cyclist on Lake Iseo at a glance:

• Plan time & stamina
• Visit many cities
• Villas & gardens on the islands
• Cycle paths between cliffs & lake

You can prepare yourself for such a landscape:

Planning in advance: what to expect along the way!

So that you know in advance what to expect, you can find the estimated duration, route length and differences in altitude here:

• Duration: approx. 3h 21 min (without breaks)
• Length of the route: 64.2 km
• Slight differences in the gradient

You can visit these places on your way around Lake Iseo.
They can also serve as a guide so that you don’t stray from the route along the way.
You are sure to recognize some of them from the shorter cycle tours.

• Iseo
• Paratico
• Sarnico
• Tavernole Bergamasca
• Riva di Solto
• Lovere
• Pisogne
• Vello
• Sulzano
• Iseo

Here you have the complete circular route once on the map:

Camping on Lake Iseo

In addition to the cycle paths, Lake Iseo offers many other great vacation opportunities.
For example, the great bathing spots on Monte Isola, but also in Pisogne and Iseo.
Of course, you can also include these on your cycle tours to cool off in between.
You can find more tips, a map and an overview of Lake Iseo here:

• Camping on Lake Iseo