Giro del lago di Garda tappa 1: Peschiera del Garda - Tignale

One leaves Peschiera del Garda in the direction of Sirmione as close as possible to the lakeshore, which one leaves almost immediately for stretches of bicycle path alongside the main road that lead shortly to the Sirmione peninsula. One is forced to leave the bike outside the walls, but there are many racks to tie it to and a secure parking lot near a gas station. A brief visit to the charming village, then set off again toward Desenzano, which you reach again on a roadside bike path. Past the town you pedal a short distance from the water, almost always within sight, and then take a relaxing stretch of cemented lakeside path from Padenghe to Porto Moniga.

From here it is necessary to climb back up to Moniga and follow the somewhat overgrown and narrow inland road, then follow signs for a dirt bike path to the left that passes Solarolo and, on secondary asphalt with some steep ramps crosses Montinelle and Manerba to descend back to the lake at Porto Torchio and, to stay as close to the coast as possible with an up and down to Porto San Felice. You return inland to Portese still on secondary asphalt with no traffic, descend to Porto Portese and, with the lake in view to Porticcioli. From here the aversion to cyclists can be felt, with the lakefront driveways forbidden to bikes, forcing one to follow the increasingly busy asphalt to Salò, where prohibitions continue toward the coast, so it is necessary to zigzag between tailgating cars and sidewalks in order to get past D'Annunzio's town, taking advantage of the few coastal variants and then plunging back into the fray all the way to Toscolano Maderno, with short, relaxed stretches on dedicated trails.

More short stretches in the next towns to escape the traffic (at least here the roads are wide enough to have a few tens of cm between the white line and the guard-rail) and you reach Gargnano, which you cross and to the right take Via Rimembranza, narrow paved but lightly trafficked, with splendid views of the lake, which ends with a bar and a ban also for pedestrians and bikes, inviting you to go back onto the main narrow Gardesana where the stretch of tunnels begins in the meantime. Clearly we proceed on the forbidden road, only dirty from some landslide debris, but rideable despite the increasing gradient needed to rejoin the main. Here a choice between a dark tunnel without a platform and a very steep old asphalt road that climbs to the perched villages above the Gardesana.

Obviously you choose the second one and with effort but also great satisfaction, with splendid views of the lake and ancient lemon houses you reach the charming village of Piovere di Tignale. Short stop and then take the provincial road that first descends and then climbs to Oldesio and Gardola, the main hamlet of Tignale. Ramps over 20 percent are not spared even in the village, where the first stage ends.