Italy - End to End
- Thread starter Onyer
- Start date
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steveindenmark
Legendary Member
Italy is one of the greatest cycling and tourist countries in Europe.
What do you need to know?
Steve
What do you need to know?
Steve
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
Sorry i had to add i read
"Itchy end to end " and giggled .
"Itchy end to end " and giggled .
As usual to pick the brains on this forum. Where to start (North), Where to end and how best to get back. Any routes would also be useful. Any places to avoid. etc etc
I saw one blog and they seemed to ride down the west coast. I would like to stop off in Umbria to see some friends and also to tour the heel before ending up in the toe.
Just to add I have done a bit of cycling in Italy - in the Veneto area and also Umbria.
Jimmy Doug
If you know what's good for you ...
I tried this once - then gave up. I think Italy is a cyclist heaven, but my touring route was bad. I started in Nice and intended to go to Sicily having cycled across to the Ravenna via Albenga, Modenna and Bolongna. I then hugged the Adriatic coast until I got to Taranto - and took the train from there. I'm too attached to life to cycle on a motorway! In those days, Google Street View had only just started so I had no idea that the route was very busy and what looked like a normal road on the map was a motorway in all but name. I was advised not to cycle through the mountains of Calabria but I now regret it - it would have been far more suitable, even though it's mountainous. On the plus side, the ride around the Galgano was fantastic. No idea what it's like on the other side, but I've heard the Amalfi coast is very busy with cars. If I were to do it again, I'd plan it a lot more carefully.
- Location
- London
Can I ask why?
I realise that this may be a daft question and it might just be the climbs.
But if you don't ask you don't learn
- Location
- London
Jimmy Doug
If you know what's good for you ...
Well, originally I'd intended to go from Bologna to Florence, then cycle through the centre to get to Messina. But two things happened that made me change my mind. First, it was terribly hot that year - and after the worst climb I'd ever done (and it remains the worst climb) between Albenga and Garassio where I nearly got into trouble through heat exhaustion (even with three bottles of water and a rest-stop at a bar where I bought more) I really didn't want a repeat performance. Subsequently to this ride, I've done much tougher mountains, including the Galibier, the Troll road in Norway and others in Greece, but it was the terrible heat that got to me.
The second reason is that I was advised by a cycle shop owner to steer well clear of Calabria because of crime. I can't comment on the accuracy of this information, because I haven't been back, but I suspect that it was probably a bit exaggerated. In any case, I didn't have an appetite for the mountains after my experience near Albenga and I guess I was looking for a way out. I regret that now. The road I took was truly awful - loads of traffic and very ugly in places.
- Location
- London
Thanks for the reply Doug.
I did wonder if it was partly crime related.
Calabria was infamously described by US intelligence via Wikileaks as being (if it were classed as a country) a failed state and does have spectacular crime problems. Whether this would be likely to cause issues for a cycle tourist I have no idea.
I'll check out that road you mentioned - with a certain trepidation - heat exhaustion/sunstroke is serious stuff - I once ended up in an Italian outpatients because of it. Not cycling related I stress.
I did wonder if it was partly crime related.
Calabria was infamously described by US intelligence via Wikileaks as being (if it were classed as a country) a failed state and does have spectacular crime problems. Whether this would be likely to cause issues for a cycle tourist I have no idea.
I'll check out that road you mentioned - with a certain trepidation - heat exhaustion/sunstroke is serious stuff - I once ended up in an Italian outpatients because of it. Not cycling related I stress.
Jimmy Doug
If you know what's good for you ...
Here is the route:
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4765174
As I said, the road is very hard work, but it's certainly not the worst. If you leave early in the morning and take lots of water it should be OK. Zuccarello is supposed to be beautiful but I didn't stop (another regret) and there's a bar at Erli. After that, you have to turn off the road to get provisions. But it's a long haul from Erli to there! I keep saying to myself that I really should go back and do it in better conditions.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4765174
As I said, the road is very hard work, but it's certainly not the worst. If you leave early in the morning and take lots of water it should be OK. Zuccarello is supposed to be beautiful but I didn't stop (another regret) and there's a bar at Erli. After that, you have to turn off the road to get provisions. But it's a long haul from Erli to there! I keep saying to myself that I really should go back and do it in better conditions.
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
Italy has got everything. Mountains, lakes, flat areas, great towns and cities, fabulous weather, wonderful food and the people love cyclists. I could go on but the list is huge. Plus, they build Moto Guzzis there.
But you can get snow in the mountains. This was in September a couple of years ago. Totally unexpected as you can see by my lack of Winter boots. The fruit trees were falling over everywhere because of the weight of fruit and snow.
Onyer, how long have you got to take this ride and will you be camping?
Steve
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Definately not camping!! I was thinking about 15 to 17 daysItaly has got everything. Mountains, lakes, flat areas, great towns and cities, fabulous weather, wonderful food and the people love cyclists. I could go on but the list is huge. Plus, they build Moto Guzzis there.
But you can get snow in the mountains. This was in September a couple of years ago. Totally unexpected as you can see by my lack of Winter boots. The fruit trees were falling over everywhere because of the weight of fruit and snow.
Onyer, how long have you got to take this ride and will you be camping?
Steve
robjh
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire - almost Essex
As for the dangers of Calabria, I have no personal experience there (unlike some other parts of Southern Italy), but most warnings of the type 'don't go to X because the people are criminals/drunks/scumbags' are greatly exaggerated and of little relevance to the passing tourist.
A quick look at www.crazyguyonabike.com reveals a few people passing through the area, and without obvious trouble. This one for example is a tour from north to south that might have some similarities to your plans.
A quick look at www.crazyguyonabike.com reveals a few people passing through the area, and without obvious trouble. This one for example is a tour from north to south that might have some similarities to your plans.
- Location
- London
Yes I rather thought that might be the case, horrifying as organised crime is in Calabria. Italians are infamous for slagging off folks from the next village/town even though to the casual foriegn observer/sane person the homes of the slagger and slagged might look pretty much the same. The Italians have a word for it, campanalismo - sometimes said to be a myth/cliche but it's not.
frank9755
Cyclist
- Location
- West London
Organised crime generally has more ambitious targets than cycle tourists! I wouldn't be concerned about Calabria on that score.
