The Veneto has thousands of kilometers of cycling routes, and one of them – the Treviso-Ostiglia greenway – runs straight through Piazzola sul Brenta, close enough to the apartment to start pedaling from the front door. Whether you’re an occasional rider looking for a flat afternoon out or training for something steeper, here are 7 real routes, sorted by difficulty, with the distance, elevation gain, and a detailed map for each.
Treviso-Ostiglia Greenway – built on a former military railway line, so it’s flat and shaded almost the entire way. The completed stretch currently runs about 85 km from Treviso to Cologna Veneta (figures vary by source since the western extension toward Ostiglia is still under construction – some maps show up to 126 km once finished). You don’t need to ride all of it: there’s even a dedicated 24.9 km loop that starts and ends right in Piazzola sul Brenta, rated easy and mostly paved, on komoot. For the full official route and current status, see treviso-ostiglia.it.
Riviera del Brenta (Padua to Venice) – about 35-40 km, almost entirely flat, following the Naviglio del Brenta canal past a string of historic Venetian villas, including the grand Villa Pisani in Stra. A short section between Stra and Malcontenta runs on shared roads with local traffic, so it’s not ideal for young children unsupervised. See the detailed route on komoot.
Mincio Cycle Path (Peschiera del Garda to Mantua) – 43.5 km, only about 100 m of elevation gain, fully paved and largely separated from traffic – one of the easiest long rides in northern Italy. It passes the medieval village of Borghetto sul Mincio, with its old watermills, a natural lunch stop. Full route and GPX at tiportoinbici.it.
Euganean Hills Ring (Anello Ciclabile E2) – 63 km circling the Euganean Hills near Padua, with a very modest elevation gain (sources put it between 30 and 80 m over the whole loop) – almost entirely flat, with a few short gravel stretches near Battaglia Terme and Este. It passes the walled towns of Monselice and Este, the Abbey of Praglia, and the thermal spa towns of Abano and Montegrotto. Route details at visitabanomontegrotto.com.
Prosecco Hills Ring (Conegliano-Valdobbiadene) – the official ring route published by the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG consortium runs 33 km with 440 m of elevation gain, about half paved and half gravel, rated “easy” despite the climbing since the distance is short. It passes Follina’s abbey and the Castello Brandolini in Cison di Valmarino, through vineyards that are part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. If you want more distance, longer variants exist up to 100 km and 1,510 m of climbing for the annual Prosecco Cycling granfondo. Official route at prosecco.it.
Passo Stretto (Bassano del Grappa to the Asiago Plateau) – about 33 km from the center of Bassano, with the real climb starting after 4 km of flat riding at San Michele: 29 km and roughly 940 m of elevation gain up to 1,058 m altitude. The average gradient is a manageable 4-5%, but the first 8-10 km include stretches up to 9.5-10%. Full profile and route notes at cyclinginlove.com.
Sella Ronda (Dolomites, four mountain passes) – not in the Veneto plain, but worth the trip: a 53 km loop around the Sella massif taking in the Sella, Gardena, Pordoi, and Campolongo passes, with total elevation gain between 1,650 and 2,030 m depending on your starting valley. Twice a year – June 6 and September 12, 2026 – the passes close entirely to motor traffic for the Sella Ronda Bike Day, letting thousands of cyclists ride them car-free. Details at sellarondabikeday.com.
You don’t need to bring your own bike to do any of this. Right in Piazzola sul Brenta, Casabella Rent a Bike (Via Carturo 15/B, tel. 049 945 0999) and Bike Rental KM 75 (tel. 392 754 5760) both rent out bikes within walking distance of the apartment – either one works as a starting point for the Treviso-Ostiglia greenway or the Brenta cycle path. If your plan is the Riviera del Brenta ride toward Venice, Riviera del Brenta Bike in Oriago also rents locally-made bikes right along that route, with a repair workshop and even a breakdown recovery service if you get stuck. For anything more specific – road bikes, e-bikes, or a rental to keep for several days – it’s worth calling ahead to confirm availability, especially on antique market weekends when the town gets busier.
Spring, early summer, and September through October are the best months – summer heat on the flat routes and unpredictable weather in the mountains both cut into the enjoyment. Bike rental is widely available in most towns along these routes, and e-bikes have made the moderate and challenging routes far more accessible if you don’t want to arrive somewhere out of breath.
Planning a trip to the Veneto? Don’t miss our day-trip guides to the region’s best cities – Venice, Padua, Vicenza, and Verona – each with a local’s itinerary, real prices, and honest tips on what to see and what to skip.
Boutique House alle Logge. A private stay inside the historic Palladian Loggias of Villa Contarini, in Piazzola sul Brenta.
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