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[Naples Bay - credit: Golden puppy]

Review: An seacoast bike tour along the sea landscape of the bay of Naples

Attractions:?

1. Capri
2. Ischia
3. Amalfi Coast

N° of Days: One week

Highlights: It’s a particular tour. You’ll combine different experiences like biking through romantic and relaxing landscapes. Don’t be scared about your legs fit…this place is so exiting that You won’t feel tired. Many young couples choose this tour to pass new vacations for their honeymoon.

What to Do: You can combine a sport trip with a walk though main natural attractions. You can also relax
in pubs, restaurants and other nightlife attractions

[Capri - credit: J.Salmoral]

1° Capri, in the southern part of the Bay of Naples

Natural Attractions

• Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto), a cavern where sunlights reflect through the underwater opening.
• I Faraglioni, three jutting limestone formations that rise from the sea off the Punta Tragara.
• Mount Solaro, the highest point on Capri. Beautiful views of the island and of all the surrounding areas.

Historic Attractions

• Villa Jovis remains, the most magnificent of twelve villas built by Tiberius Emperor
• Piazza della Vittoria

Relax: Capri is high level peaceful side, the best for a relaxing vacation

[Amalfi - credit: jordics]

2° Tour of the Amalfi Coast Attractions

You will bike through one of the most famous italian coasts and will visit:

• Amalfi
• Positano
• Ravello
• Sorrento, where you can take the ferryboat to go in the island of Capri
• Eremo’(hermitage) to enjoy the wonderful view over the Gulf of Naples
• Luna Convento (Franciscan Convent)
• Church of Santa Maria Maggiore
• Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sorrow (Sancturio Maria Santissima Addolorata)

Road Conditions: The terrain is hilly

Suggested Bike: Mountain bike

Skill Level: Many bikers protrude some difficults that can make this adventure more exciting:

• I would NOT suggest cycling along this road, it’s NARROW and busy!
• If you are a fit and experienced cyclist, you probably would not find the Amalfi Coast road too daunting. Between Positano and Amalfi it is reasonably level, climbing to perhaps 100-150 meters above sea level in places, then descending to sea level again - but not too steep.
• Off the beaten track will probably mean inland, away from the coast road, and this will be more difficult on a bike.
• Cycling would be hard, although I have seen cyclists there with all the lycra racing gear on. It would also take up several time and energy and you’d be too knackered out to enjoy it all once you get there.

Safety: To be realist this is a high car traffic place. Here is a cyclist experience:

• The erratic traffic is a serious safety risk for a cyclist
• Smog/smoke from buses and trucks would reduce my enjoyment
• It is steep. But safety is my number one issue.
• Be careful: the roads are narrow and when two tour bus are trying to pass each other there is no room for error.

[Ischia Bay - credit: Caleb Los]

3° Ischia

Ischia is a volcanic island at the northern end of the Gulf of Naples.

Attractions:

• Aragonese Castle, on a rock near the island.
• La Mortella Gardens

Skill Level: Easy, your tour will enjoy of a relaxing atmosphere

Bike Roads: Easy to bike

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N° of Days: One week

Beaches

Alghero beaches, west Sardinia

[Alghero Beach - credit: Ramón?Gris

Mugoni beaches, 18 kilometres north-west of Alghero

Characteristics:

• Paved and unpaved road
• Pine-wood
• Eucalyptus trees
• Fine white sand

Porto Palmas Beach, 40 kilometres north-west of Alghero

Characteristics:

• This beach is sloping towards the sea, it consists of pebbles and sand
• Crystal-clear water
• Crescent-shaped beach 30 metres long

Maria Pia Beach, 2 km north-west of Alghero

Characteristics:

• Sandy beach
• Pine-wood
• Dunes

[Smeralda Coast - credit: marconav]

Beaches of the Smeralda Coast

Is the north-eastern sardinian coast

Attraction

Cala di Volpe, la Celvia, Liscia Ruja

Natural landscape:

• Green Capriccioli headland
• White sandy beach
• Strawberry trees

Pevero Beach

Natural landscape:

• Dunes
• Junipers

Romazzino Beach

Natural lanscape:

• Crystal-clear water
• Blue water

Poltu li Cogghi - Principe Beaches

Natural landscape:

• Sandy beach
• Rocks around here
• Crystal-clear water

[Nuraghi - credit: do.se]

Historical Attractions

Less than half an hour from the sea you will find:

• The home and the tomb of the National Hero Giuseppe Garibaldi is today an important Museum. It is located in Caprera island, connected to La Maddalena by a long bridge.
• The building were last Garibaldi’s home from 1854 to 1882.
• The Church of San Simplicio in Olbia is a medieval building (XI-XIII century).
• Tomb of the Giants of Coddu ‘ecchiu, a funerary monument dating from the Ancient Bronze Age (1800 B.C.)
• The Necropolis of Li Muri (3500 Before Christ)
• Albucciu Nuraghe, dating from 1220 B.C.
• Nuragic Temple of Malchittu

Accomodation Suggestions: Take accommodation in Olbia and take trip out

Road Conditions: Unpaved and paved roads alternate along the route

Nightlife: Sardinia will entertain you with its Restaurant, Discos, Pubs and music clubs

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[Coast of Capo D'Orlando, North of Sicily - credit: grafosecondo]

N° Days: 4 days

Accomodation Suggestions

You can Book your accommodation in:

• Palermo
• Milazzo
• Maniace

Stages : You can choose to bike in 3 different places:

1. Sea places
2. Mountain places
3. North Etna Villages

1° Sea Places to Visit

• Gioiosa Marea
• Capo d’Orlando
• Messina
• Milazzo
  

[Gioiosa Marea - credit: * mario *]

Here the landscape is unique, You will enjoy the sea in front of the green hills of Messina and the farmhouses to taste local food.

[Lake in the Nebrodi Mounts - credit: eriol ]

2° Mountain Places to Visit

The Route is between the slopes of Nebrodi and Etna Mount.

• Nebrodi Regional Park
• Etna Regional Park
• Madonie Regional Park

[Medieval Church in Randazzo - credit: .countz]

3° North Etna Villages

• Bronte
• Randazzo
• Maniace

What’s the Best Period?

To ride this zone is better to choose springtime. During this period It’s common to swim in the tyrrhenian sea in summer. Winter offers you a good-time trip, but the most tourist services are available in summer or spring, because this is a summer resort.

Fit Level

• High-level. The Slopes of Mount Etna are good for well-trained cyclists
• Etna villages are about 700-800 metres on sea level
• Nebrodi park and Madonie are at great height too

Road Conditions: Asphalted roads

Suggested Tours

• Start visiting Madonie Regional Park
• On the second day visit Nebrodi Regional Park
• You can end doing Etna villages tour to cycle through the ancient etna villages of Bronte

Here you can taste the typical sicilian cuisine such as pistacchio and visit the Horatio Nelson’s Castle.

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[Mt. Vesuvius - credit: Dr. Pat]

Biking along the ancient crossroad between Cumae, Nola and Stabiae destroyed by Vesuvio eruption in the AD79

Tour’s Highlights:

• Ride through the way that connect Vesuvio To Pompei so you will see two landscapes:
• The view of Vesuvio from Pompei
• The view of Pompei ruins from the height of Vesuvio

What to See:

• A wild atmosphere that combine the historic ruins of Pompei with the majestic Vesuvio.
• You will go through the ancient ruins buried.
• This is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Skill Level: Middle-high difficult. The Vesuvio rise will be the more difficult path

[Pompeii - Credit: Stuck in Customs]

What to See:

• The Ruins: The city is mainly famous for the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii, located in the frazione of Pompei Scavi.
• Theater in Pompei

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[Apulia Coast - credit: ????]

The Adratic Coast

Route:

1. Taranto gulf has a low coast with white beaches bordered by splendid pine forests
2. Gallipoli
3. Lido Silvana: here you will find crystal-clear water and a green landscape
4. Campomarino: here the coast is like a desert: rocks, nooks , spurs
5. Torre del Pizzo bay
6. Marina di Leuca
7. Santa Maria di Lèuca: here is the lighthouse that divides both Adriatico and Ionio seas,
8. Santa Cesarea

Landscape: You can see Albania mounts. Near Brindisi there are San Foca and San Cataldo beaches and other tourist facilities.

[Tremiti Islands - credit: Rev. Santino]

Tremiti Islands

• San Nicola
• San Domino
• Cretaccio
• Caprara
• Pianosa

Highlights

• Crystal-clear water
• Important VIP summer resort
• Good tourist facilities
• Low cost
• Sandy beaches
• Mediterranean vegetation

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[credit: Giampaolo Macorig]

N° of Days: One Week

Highlights

• Nature
• History
• Folklore

Attractions

• Coast and sea landscapes
• Historic sites
• Ancient Greek and roman monuments

Daily Itinerary

[Cefalù Beach - credit: farsergio]

Cefalù - Visit its Mosaics and the House where Satanist Aleister Crowley have gone in 1920

Palermo - See the interesting construction style of the city. Here you have to visit the Norman Palace, the seat of Sicilian Parliament; the many theatres attend in the city; the characteristics market of Vucciria. At least, if you will go in Summer, on the 15 July there is the S. Rosalia Festivity.

[San Vito Lo Capo - credit: pureguava]

San Vito Lo Capo - This is one of the most important sicilian summer resort, an attraction for tourists coming from all over the world

Erice - Norman Castle and Erice Castle

Segesta - It’s? an ancient site where you can see Greek Temple and Theatre.

Marsala - It’s an important historic site, where you can see:

• Cassero, an archaeological site
• Old roman house rests called INSULA ROMANA
• Punic tower basement
• Defensive punic Fosse
• Greek-Roman necropolis

[Sciacca - credit: hetan_hunt13]

Mazara del Vallo - A fishermen village

Sciacca - It’s main attractions are:

• Counts Luna castle built on 1380,
• Ferdinandea island: in the south of the coast of Sciacca there is a small island in the sea born by an eruption of a marine volcano

Porto Empedocle - A village near Agrigento where visit the Temple Valley

Accomodation: You can take your accommodation in Palermo, Marsala, Sciacca

Roads Conditions

• Easy: you don’t have difficulties riding west Sicily roads.
• Slightly hilly
• Asphalted roads
• Total Km: between 205 and 215

When to Bike?

The best period is spring, so you will enjoy the mild mediterranean climate. But winter is good too, because cold days are not much. Summer is a good period because you can relax on sicilian beaches, but your ride will be hard because the hot temperatures

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Touring the Sulcis Iglesiente in the south-west sardinian region

[Sulcis - credit: TheMadcapLaughs]

Suggested Bike: Mountain bike

N° of Days: To visit and enjoy this amazing experience you need of 2/3 days trip.

You can divide the itinerary in three parts. During your cyclotour you can have a picnic in the appropiate areas, so your trip can joins biking and relax.

Accommodation suggestion: Take a bed and breakfast in Cagliari and take trip out.

How to reach Sulcis: You can reach Sulcis Iglesiente starting from Cagliari by bike or by car. In this case you will leave your car in the proper parking zone.

[Coast of Iglesiente - credit: mark78_xp]

Natural Attractions

• Here is the largest natural Mediterranean Forest in Europe
• WWF Oasis of Monte Arcosu - Height: 948 metres sea level
• Rock faces of Monte Lattias - Height: 1,086 metres sea level
• “Cannoneris” forest, where there is Sardinian deer Preserve.
• Iglesiente area, famous for its mines.
• Waterfalls of Muru Mannu, Piscina Irgas and sa Spendula.
• Caves of Su Mannau. Here are thousands of paths which cross this area giving access to cyclists.
• Monte Linas mountains, with Perda de sa Mesa peak at 1,236 metres sea level, is the highest peak in Cagliari.

[Antas Temple - credit: atrogu]

Historical Attractions

• You can visit also the abandoned mining villages in the areas of Malacalzetta, Reigraxius, Candiazzus and Arenas.
• Antas temple, an ancient Punic-Roman ruin.
• Buggerru, mining area

Skill Level: High

• Difficult paths and unpaved roads
• Presence of slopes
• Woods and all other places are easily accessible

Landscapes: To enjoy a beautiful landascape you can’t lose the view from the Is Crabus peak, at 545 metres sea level. From this height you’ll look the coast below Santa Margherita.

• Rocky headlands
• Rough and desolate landscape of the mining areas

Road Conditions: It is an interesting experience because the difficult paths can be a good attraction for a ciclyst.
You will find unpaved roads, difficult paths and slopes.

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[Cycling in Tuscany - credit: Vir gin ia]N° of Days: This tour is one week long

Accomodations: It is better to take the accommodation in the centre of the cities and take trips out through the countriside. Your start point will be the city, so your tour will be more exiting. You will see the changing landscape of different locations. You may want to pick with you a lunch bag during your cyclotour.

[Chianti Vineyards - credit: Juergen Kurlvink]

Cycling in Chianti Region

Three-day bike tour of Chianti, the wine country of Tuscany.

Local Food:

• Olive oil
• Wine: Chianti Classico DOCG, Cabernet-Merlot-Sangiovese blend.

Skill Level: The route is hilly but not difficult.

Landscapes:

• Forest of chestnut and oak trees
• Sea of vineyards

Attractions to See

• Greve town
• Montefioralle, a medieval fortified village
• Monteriggioni town: Its beautifully preserved fortifications, encircling wall and 14 towers
• The fortified medieval monastery of Abbadia Isola

Road Conditions: Dirt and paved roads alternate along the route.

[Siena Countryside - credit: the bbp]

Biking in Siena Countryside

Road conditions: Natural cycle tracks through countryside

Attractions to Visit

• Crete Senesi, pug crests that create an arid desert. The undulateing roads follow the crest of the rolling hills.
• Lecceto Hermitage
• Granduca tunnel

[Val D' Orcia -? credit: rayced]?

Cycling Events

• The Brunello Gran Fondo is an amateur competition of the Val d’Orcia on September in Montalcino.
• There are two routes:
  
  • Competitive route of 54 km
  • Excursion route of 32 km. LINK COMPETITIONS

Landscape

• Vineyards
• Groves
• Rocca d’Orcia
• Bagno Vignoni
• Abbacy of Sant’Antimo

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[Old Bridge in Florence - credit: G|o®g|O]

Your tour will consist in the view of the historic centres of three cities: Florence, Siena and Pisa. Monuments, Churches, Tower, Walls, Squares, Bridegs will be part of these itineraries through italian history

N° of Days: 3/4 days

Accomodation: Book Your accommodation in a bed and breakfast in the centre of the cities. You can pick a lunch bag during the cyclotour.

Biking in Florence’s city center

History, Art and Culture to see

Squares:

• Piazza della Signoria
• Piazzale Michelangelo

Roman churches:

• San Miniato al Monte.
• Cascine park, hunting grounds of the Medici family
• Franciscan Church of Santa Croce where you can see the tombs of Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo, Rossini,

Other Attractions:

• Vasari’s Corridor
• Dante’s old neighbourhood.
• Giotto’s Bell Tower

[Sculpture in Florence - credit: wit]

Arts:

• Accademia Gallery where there is MichelAngelo’s David and other breathtaking sculptures
• Uffizi Gallery, a wonderful museum. You need a guidebook the navigate the over 40 rooms where you can admire:
  • Several Raphaels
  • A few Michelangelos: Madonna and Holy Family, Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus and Primavera,
  • Leonardo da Vinci’s The Annunciation
  • Caravaggio’s Medusa

Scenic Views

In the City:

• Bike along the romantic Viale dei Colli up to Piazzale Michelangelo to see the wonderful landscape of Florence
• Panoramic view of the Boboli Gardens
• Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge)

Florence countryside:

• Pine forest of San Miniato
• Cypress trees
• Country churches

Roads condition: Narrow roads that wind through the hill

Lanscape: returning into town, you can enjoy the views of Florence from the height of the hills

Suggestions:

• For florence city tour it is better choosing an ibrid bike, good for countryside and city routes
• Bike rental estimated prices
  • 1-hour about 3 Euro
  • 1-day: from a minimum of 14,00 Euro to a maximum of 27 Euro
  • 5 days: from a minimum of 55 Euro to a maximum of 110 Euro
  • One week: from a minimum of 65 Euro to a maximum of 136 Euro

Florence Cycle Tracks: Florence is full of cycle tracks in its historic centre, and this make the city the best attracion for a cyclotour.

[The Palio of? Siena -? credit: pedro prats]

Cycling Tour of Siena

This wonderful medieval town is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Its peculiarity is the medieval town .

Attractions

• Cathedral in the Dome, with its Ss. Annunziata church
• Campo square, where you will see Mangia tower, one of the higher italian tower with its 87 metres
• Roman door, an ancient door of the Siena Wall
• Siena Palio on the 2 July and on the 16 august, the most famous horse run in Italy. The particular is that horse ride without saddle
• Siena Wall
• Important Villas and Museums
• The architectural beautifulness of this medieval city
• Siena Fountains

Nature

Your Siena tour can be a way to discover Siena parks: you will find natural landscape inside a city.

• Lizza park
• Botanical garden
• Orto de’ Pecci

You can’t lose the experience of biking Siena countryside LINK INLAND TUSCANY

Roads: Good condition for your biking, because Siena is a city with no high traffic cars

[Pisa Tower - credit: ccgd]

Pisa bike Tour

Attractions

• Pisa tower
• Miracle square, that is Dome Square, is on the list of Unesco: here you can see the Santa Maria Assunta medieval cathedral
• Medieval City Wall around historic centre
• Clock tower

[Pisa Bridge on the Arno river - credit: ccgd]

The landscape of Bridges on Arno river:

• Ponte di Mezzo
• Ponte della Vittoria
• Ponte Solferino
• Ponte della Fortezza
• Ponte della Cittadella

After your bikeday, in the evening you can relax taking a scenic walk to see Arno river lightened by lights of the city: I sugget to go to Ponte di mezzo to enjoy a beautiful view.

Famous People: It’s the city of Galileo Galilei, the famous scientist and other important people: writers, other scientists, Popes, Artists.

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