Where to go in Italy?
chill123
Posts: 210
I'm wanting to go to Italy in the SPring to train for a few days on some mountains. Does anyone have any ideas about where to go (ideally near an airport accessible from the UK) and which mountains to ride?
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Fly to Milan, Turin or Venice, all within reach of the Alps. Take a look at the Mortirolo Pass on Google Earth. Zoom in and wind your way up it........It is certainly on my to-do list before I die!
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Bormio - spent a week there and the did the gavia, stelvio, mortirolo etc. Dont know about spring though as the snow will linger in the high passesBrian B.0
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It depends when you call spring. Remember that in Alps spring comes in May, you risk snow and ice and many cols are closed until June.
Instead, think about a flight to:
Genoa or Turin: head for the Piemonte area in between these two places and you can ride some of the Milan -San Remo route. It is very hilly in places. If you like the Cinque Terre area on the coast is very hilly and very sunny.
Florence: Tuscany is where many Italian pros come from. You'll see why when you see the roads.0 -
not been in spring but love Tuscany and it has some amazing stuff to cycle!Your Past is Not Your Potential...0
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Spring when?
If it's April then the high passes will be closed, if it's May chances of them being open are higher, although Stelvio, Gavia etc, will probably still be closed at the beginning of May, given the severe winter and the amount of snow already fallen.
I come from close to Valle d'Aosta, extreme North West. There are 57 listed alpine climbs in the region, including many that are open most of the year. Some climbs are steady at 7-8%, others are brutal at 10% average, so there's a little bit of everything.
I will be there the second half of April, if you are around PM me, and I'll be happy to show you some of the best.
Closest airport is Turin and Saint Vincent is a good "operational base", with easy access to three cols at ca. 1600 mt elevation, surely open in spring. Here they are
http://www.zanibike.net/altimetria/4889 ... erres.aspx
http://www.zanibike.net/altimetria/5013 ... ncent.aspx
http://www.zanibike.net/altimetria/3508 ... mbave.aspxleft the forum March 20230 -
Brian B wrote:Bormio - spent a week there and the did the gavia, stelvio, mortirolo etc. Dont know about spring though as the snow will linger in the high passes
I agree with Brian B you could be hitting snow in April if you're in the high mountains. I can confirm that Tuscany is fab for riding, which is why so many pros base themselves there. The road surfaces are generally top class, the roads are quiet, the climbs are 4 - 8 km with a few up to 14 km. The terrain is such that you can get quality training yet shouldn't need a rest day cause you've knackered yourself. Great Scenery.
Check out "2011 Tuscany Week gallery": http://www.gregarios.co.uk
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Personally I would keep the Alps for a summer trip - some passes may be open in April or May, but there's a good chance you won't be able to taste the best of the area.
Northern Tuscany (Garfagnano) or Abruzze would be my preferred option for a spring trip0 -
Keep away from the Alps and Dolomites in the spring far to cold with the prospect of quite a few passes still blocked by snow. I did the Maratona Grand Fondo in 2006. July 2nd heat wave at Treviso Airport 41C. got up early to do the Maratona start in beautiful sunny clear weather did a 5k descent to La Villa at a balmy 5C :idea:
Best to train on the Apennines and the hills further south in Italy. I have been to Riccione near Rimini 10 times both in May and September and it is fine usually. Monte Carpengna (Cippo) is the highest lump that you can get to on a day ride at nearly 1400m above sea and you start near sea level it's got plenty of climbing on route with plenty of other lumps around to play with.
This Bike Hotel is the best in town.... http://www.belvederericcione.com/en/
enjoy. 8)0 -
+ 1 to the Riccione comment above. The fast and race group rides will give you a good workout and the rolling terrain will offer you a number of challenges whether it's the ride up the Cipo or the climb to San Leo plus the recommended hotel is superb.M.Rushton0
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Sicily0
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mrushton wrote:+ 1 to the Riccione comment above. The fast and race group rides will give you a good workout and the rolling terrain will offer you a number of challenges whether it's the ride up the Cipo or the climb to San Leo plus the recommended hotel is superb.
Both Corsica and Sardinia are supposed to be v.goodM.Rushton0 -
Sicily, Corsica and Sardinia can be very good... but windy near the coast.
Decisions, decisions 0 -
yes, but all these alternatives are not the same... I've cycled in Tuscany, it's hilly, nobody says it's not... but where are the cols? Where the view over snow capped mountains?
As I suggested earlier, there are climbs and cols in the alps that can be takled in April... I've always bagged in a few cols during my Easter holidays... of course not the 2000+ mt ones, but there's plenty of other options.
If it rains in the valley there is the risk of a dusting of snow at 1500-1600 mt, but rain will ruin any cycling holiday, even in Tuscany... besides, if it's too cold to go up, there are always lower roads that can be ridden in any weather.
In essence, I won't be put off by spring in the Alps, as long as you don't expct to climb the Stelvio, Gavia pass etc...left the forum March 20230 -
Don't know about you boys but frankly I've seen enough snow lately to last me at the very least the rest of this winter. Save it for the skiers, for me over the last winter months I've been down in the best place in Europe for winter cycling that is the Algarve. For hills we have the Monchique mountains nearby, up to 902m above sea with some great climbs and descents, for those that like company join in with the Lagos Road Bike Club up to 30 out on Sundays and some ride during the week. Take in the Tour of the Algarve in Mid-Feb and do what a lot of the pros do, train down there.
Some pics from our winter trips.....
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1 ... ed0e427dcb
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=3 ... 08e17e5b70
8) 0 -
I've stayed with these guys before, they're english and the food and accomodation were great and some good local climbs to contend with.
http://www.ifhannibalhad.com/0 -
Corsica remains one of my favourite cycling tours; easy to get to from the UK, direct flights although I flew to 'Nice' and caught a ferry. I have wriiten an account of that tour with pictures, a link at the bottom of this page.Kléber wrote:Sicily, Corsica and Sardinia can be very good... but windy near the coast.
Decisions, decisions
Paul_Smith
www.corridori.co.uk0 -
Been to Tuscany myself a few times - not mountainous, more lumpy. Fly to Pisa and head from there ?
Alternative I've been to is Garda, eg staying at Torbole, head North and ride the hills there, inc Passo Folgaria - a beast. I'll be honest and say I haven't a clue as to whether the Northern hills woudl be passable at your time of year.
Alternative is staying somewhere the French/Italian border, eg Nice area and from there you have hills like Col de Turini0 -
Tuscany can be seriously mountainous - if you go north of Lucca/Pisa, there's anough climbing there, and a couple of climbs to really rival the Alps. But, like anywhere higher up there can be snow there in early Spring; although probably clearing a bit earlier than in the Alpsandyrr wrote:Been to Tuscany myself a few times - not mountainous, more lumpy.0 -
Another + 1 for the Belvedere in Riccioni.
You will be completely looked after. Transport to airports, fantastic food, guided rides, the lot.
They also have a room full of De Rosa's you can hire. In fact the De Rosa family were stayiing there at the same time as me last summer.0 -
morrisje wrote:Another + 1 for the Belvedere in Riccioni.
You will be completely looked after. Transport to airports, fantastic food, guided rides, the lot.
They also have a room full of De Rosa's you can hire. In fact the De Rosa family were stayiing there at the same time as me last summer.
Transport to and from airports but only Rimini 12 mins away is free, others not cheap Bologna, Forli and Ancona. It's worth it if you can flying into Rimini it's so easy.
Tell Marina that it's OK the De Rosa's can have our room 420 as long as we aren't there 0 -
Cinque terra. Really nice - if you do the Milan-San Remo route you do part of it as well.
Enjoy.When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.0 -
Did Corsica last summer. Beaches v. good. Some nice hilltop villages and it has higher mountains in the interior.
Sardinia in April is generally good, south-east coastal area probably the best in spring, as it can be blustery on the north coast and the south west is somewhat flat.
These people are good – http://www.peteranne.it/ – and there's a beautiful 20 km road climb starting a couple of kms north of their town.0
