Social distancing and rules to prevent the spread of Covid-19 seem to put a strain on our holidays. But slow tourism offers many opportunities for choice, which Italians and not only are seriously considering.
Hiking and cycle tourism, together with the possibility of moving through small little-known villages to be explored, will probably be the trend of summer 2020. A cycling holiday could be a really good choice: it allows social distancing, allows you to carry out physical and outdoor activities and, finally, it is a form of ecological tourism!
Those who have already experienced a bike trip know that the path is full of surprises and satisfactions; going at your own pace in the various natural landscapes, savoring the beauty of the landscapes and venturing into countries to discover in continuous harmony and harmony with the territory are experiences of undeniable emotion and unparalleled satisfaction.
Itineraries can be organized for stages of several weeks or a few days; great distances are not important: sometimes great treasures are hidden around the corner! Obviously it will be necessary to calibrate the kilometers to be covered and the type of roads according to one’s own competence and physical capacity, taking into account the fact of being more or less trained in this type of activity.
By selecting the itinerary, care must be taken to establish sustainable stages, ensuring adequate breaks to rest and to start exploring the various destinations. It is good to get ready for the night by booking at b & b, hotels and bike friendly campsites; in some cases, maintenance tools or bicycle workshops may be made available, especially if located along the cycle paths. In this sense, the Abruzzo region has moved, which recently launched the Abruzzo Bike Friendly project, while in South Tyrol there are the Bikehotels, where expert bikers provide advice and advice to better manage the trip.
Despite the difficulties associated with the pandemic, several travel ideas are already available online in Italy, among the Euganean Hills, on Lake Garda, the Adige cycle path. Italy has a network of cycle paths, cycle paths and trails of over 90 thousand km and there are many regions to discover by pedaling.
Emilia Romagna is crossed by the Ciclovia del Sole, the Italian part of one of the most important European cycle paths, which goes from Crevalcore to the border with Tuscany, taking advantage of the existing tracks and secondary roads of the capital. In the city of Bologna, work is underway on the Bicipolitana, which will be completed in 2030 and will connect the city to the surrounding population centers.
In Trentino the Val di Sole cycle path runs alongside the path of the river Noce; the route is not demanding and is made easy by the presence of the Bike Train, to load the bike, and the Bike Bus. Piedmont offers several itineraries in Monferrato; in particular, the itinerary that crosses the Po Park passes through banks, woods and rice fields up to the first hills of Monferrato.
The cycle ring of the Euganean Hills is a tour with a thousand facets that leads the tourist between archeology, art and nature; the area is affected by the presence of multiple floristic species and a great variety of fauna that can be observed thanks to a system of hanging wooden walkways.
Among the Abruzzo routes it is worth mentioning the 130 km long Bike to Coast, which follows the Abruzzo coast and has points of excellence in the stretch of the Costa dei Trabocchi (wooden giants used for fishing) and in the stretch that crosses the ancient region of Marsica; the latter starts from Carsoli and is dotted with medieval villages, natural caves and splendid archaeological sites, such as that of the ancient Alba Fucens.
The Marche Outdoor project, with its twenty-four cycle paths, gives an excellent experience to those who want to immerse themselves in nature; the ring paths connect the mountain to the sea and bring together hermitages, caves, gorges, waterfalls and lakes.
Between the hills of Chianti and Val d’Orcia or along the coasts and valleys wind the many cycle routes of Tuscany, where it will be possible to discover not only landscapes, but also local culture, food and good wine.
With its badlands and roads on the sea, Basilicata has also opened its borders to cycling tourism; one of the paths starts from Rotonda and reaches the heart of the Pollino National Park up to Terranova del Pollino. On the way there are some villages of Arbereshe culture, where even the roads and signs are written in two languages and particular customs and foods can be discovered.
On the other hand, starting from Castelmezzano you can live a cycle-touring experience with an electric bike: you get to the top of Monte Caperrino and go from the panoramic point of Tempa delle Forche; the route includes a short trek to majestic monumental trees and to discover the history and landscape of the place.
The goals are many and all really interesting; all that remains is to get on the saddle and set off on a new experience!
