Travelling by bicycle is the perfect remedy for stress and the best way to discover new places. You only need to choose your destination, take the essentials and jump in the saddle of your travel bike. In all parts of Italy, you can find nice country roads, picturesque medieval villages and even food and wine tours, real gems to discover riding your bike. Take your time, choose when to have a break and stop any time you see something interesting: the best part of travelling by bike is the incredible experience of discovering what there is after every bend. In this page, we have selected for you some of the most suggestive cycle routes in Italy, destinations for those who love travelling and discovering new places by bike that definitely should visit.
Liguria & Finale
A narrow strip of land between the sea and the mountains, Liguria offers beautiful cycle routes with wonderful views of its bays and beaches. The “Dei Fiori” is one of the most well-known and appreciated cycle routes. It is 24 km long and winds through Diano Marina and Ospedaletti on the route of the old Genoa-Ventimiglia railway. Along this route, you will have the opportunity to visit the coastal towns of Santo Stefano al Mare and Riva Ligure, the inland towns of Cipressa and Costarainera and the renowned city of Sanremo.
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Tuscany
Tuscany is a real paradise for cyclists who prefer long-distance cycle routes and breathtaking dirt roads. The part of Via Francigena in Tuscany is the ideal route for those who love gravel and bike packing. Its 380-km route winds along dirt roads and farm roads, passing through ancient medieval villages nestled in the charming hills of Tuscany such as San Gimignano and San Quirico d’Orcia. For those who love dirt tracks, we recommend “L’Eroica”, a permanent route and one of the traditional professional cycling routes: start and arrival in Gaiole in Chianti with 209 km of continuous ascents and descents and several stretches of dirt tracks, including the famous climb “Monte Sante Marie”.
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Rome & Apennines
When talking about cycle routes around the capital, one of the first to mention is again Via Francigena. In the centre of Rome, exactly in St Peter’s Square, there is the arrival point of the cycle route which starts from the pass of Gran San Bernardo and crosses a large part of Italy. The last stage of Via Francigena starts from Formello and winds through the Lazio countryside for about 34 km before merging with the Tiber cycle path and finally reaching St Peter’s Square.
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Apulia
If you want to discover the heel of the Italian “boot” riding a bicycle, we recommend following the Ciclovia Adriatica, a cycle path which starts from Trieste and reaches Santa Maria di Leuca. The route goes along the entire Adriatic coast (including the Gargano peninsula) on secondary roads with little traffic and crosses some of the most picturesque villages in Puglia, including Vieste, Polignano a Mare and Torre Canne. It finally reaches Santa Maria di Leuca, the southernmost tip of Puglia, where you can admire the majestic beauty of the place where the Ionian Sea and the Adriatic Sea meet.
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Dolomites
Cycling in the Dolomites is an unparalleled experience. These mountains are not only a UNESCO’s world heritage site with incredibly beautiful and unique scenery but also offer many well-marked and easy-to-follow cycle routes. One of the first cycle routes to recommend is the “Val Pusteria” route which goes from Rio Pusteria to San Candido: its 60 km and elevation gain of “only” 400m make it suitable for cyclists of all levels. The “Val Venosta” cycle route is also a very suggestive route suitable for anyone. It is almost all tarmac and connects the cities of Malles and Merano for a distance of 65 km which even allows you to easily go downhill if you choose Malles as the starting point. Finally, we recommend the Val di Sole cycle route which is 35 km long and goes along the River Noce.
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Garda Lake
Its mild climate throughout the year makes Lake Garda one of the most popular destinations for those who enjoy going on a cycling holiday. Here, there is an incredible number of cycle routes to choose from. In particular, we recommend the Mincio cycle path, a 45 km route which connects Peschiera del Garda with Mantua, going through the moraine hills of southern Garda and ancient medieval villages such as Monzanbano and Borghetto sul Mincio, an area which was once the battle ground of the Italian Wars of Independence. Another picturesque cycle path is the one which connects Peschiera del Garda with Verona: 32 km of country roads and cycle paths leading to the renowned city of Romeo and Juliet.
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Adriatic Coast
Ravenna, Cesenatico, Rimini and Riccione are only some of the most popular Romagna towns crossed by the Adriatic cycle route. The route which goes from Trieste to Santa Maria di Leuca will allow you to discover one of the most renowned Italian regions, well appreciated for its hospitality. In addition to famous arts cities such as Ravenna, you will have the opportunity to visit well-known seaside resorts in the Adriatic coast of Romagna, Rimini and above all, Riccione. During your stops, we recommend taking the time to enjoy a piadina in one of the many kiosks found in the towns and relaxing on the beaches of Romagna.
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