Cycling holidays: Discover Italy

If we were to do some country stereotyping, Italy would be the land of pasta, the Colosseum and shopping, but that would be a very crass definition of this amazing country. Italy is one of those countries which have the perfect mix of historical, cultural, culinary attractions, and of course, shopping opportunities. But at the root of all of this lies the unquestionable beauty of Italy’s landscapes.

And the best way to explore them is not by Ferrari (although that comes pretty close), but by two wheels, or two feet. And since Italy is too large to be seen through a walking tour (unless you have lots of time and very sturdy shoes), the best option are cycling tours. So grab your biking shorts and check out these cycling tours in Italy.

First of all, you should know that biking is so popular among tourists who visit Italy that there are countless hotels which are part of the Italy Bike Hotels’ consortium, and are tailored specially for the needs of bikers.

The advantage of these types of hotels is that they offer guided tours led by experts, and there are different tours for different skill levels. So if you’ve only learned how to bike a few months ago, you don’t have to embark on a 150 kilometer tour, but you can pedal away at a leisurely pace on a 50 kilometer tour.

The Adriatic coast of Italy seems to have been made for cycling tours. There is enough variety in the landscape so as not to make you bored (scenic vineyards, rolling hills, the occasional medieval town or village), but not as rugged as to make your life miserable.

Cycling by farmhouses and patches of trees, not to mention the cool streets of little towns will most likely tempt you to stop for a cold beer and half an hour of rest, but when you’re with a tour that will be impossible. The advantage of tours is that you won’t have to worry about choosing a trail and bury yourself under maps and brochures, but you don’t have nearly as much freedom as when you’re cycling alone or with friends.

One of the best regions in Italy for cycling tours in Piedmont, because it is pretty much unspoiled an it has some amazing landscapes. If you are planning on a self-guided tours, there are plenty of hotels where you can stop for the night. For the food-lovers, there’s the added advantage of vineyards, where you can stop for a wine tasting, and plenty of hazelnut groves where you can grab some fresh and natural snacks if you get the munchies on the road.

Most of the hotels offer great local cuisine too. Western Liguria is has some great trails too, along the coastline from Genoa to the French border. There is a special Cycling Riviera trail from the village of Ospedaletti to San Lorenzo al Mare, and there are plans to make it even longer in the future.

So take your bike to be serviced, make sure you have a pump in case of small accidents and don’t forget your gear. If you don’t fancy carrying your bike with you to Italy, in most towns you can find bikes for rent for about 5 euro per hour.

You might also like