The most beautiful cycle paths in Italy

Cycling is beneficial at any age, and Italy offers a series of highly evocative cycle paths in every region, crisscrossed by natural landscapes. Here are the most beautiful ones.

Aosta Valley: cycle path towards Verrès

A route of approximately fifty kilometers, with an elevation gain of 750 meters, winding along the Dora Baltea River, connecting the two train stations of Aosta and Verrès via a pleasant and easy route on asphalt and dirt roads. The trail passes through agricultural landscapes, vineyards, and the most famous castles of the Aosta Valley.

Lombardy: the Valtellina tour

One of Italy's largest and greenest valleys, one of Italy's longest rivers, the Adda, and a trail that runs alongside it. A brief description of a bike path just over one hundred kilometers long, nestled in the magnificent Valtellina . Don't be afraid of the length; the path is completely flat and full of refreshment stands and picnic areas . Furthermore, it runs entirely alongside the Milan-Tirano railway line, so you can start and stop wherever you like at one of its stops between Colico and Bormio , passing through Sondrio and Grosio . Don't have your bike with you? No problem, thanks to the various rental shops located along the route, where you can rent the type of bike you prefer and drop it off at the rental point closest to your arrival.

Veneto: from the Adige to the Po

Beyond the fog, the Po Valley is home to marvelous landscapes and villages that all resemble giant nativity scenes. In the 33,5 km that separate Italy's two great rivers, the Po and the Adige , there are more than ten, all immersed in the greenery of the Polesine Valley . The route was officially inaugurated on May 5, 2013, crossing the region that connects the municipalities of Lendinara and Polesella . The richness of this route is manifold. First of all, the itinerary is immersed in natural river environments (especially floodplains and whirlpools) and open countryside, which changes with each change of season, offering ever-changing colors and impressions . Furthermore, there are many connections with other routes. You can, in fact, continue towards Rovigo and Venice , on the Eurovelo 8 (the path that leads to Cyprus ). Or, you can continue to the Po Delta , or in the opposite direction to Ferrara , exploring the entire Po Valley.

Friuli Venezia Giulia: the Friulian Dolomites

A unique trail, unique for the beauty of the landscapes it passes through , and ideal for those who love cycling in winter. It allows you to traverse the towns of Carnia or climb the Mauria Pass (1295 meters). The views are spectacular. For this route, we recommend using a mountain bike or a fat bike.

Liguria: in the heart of the Cinque Terre

This itinerary starts from the end of the Arenzano seafront promenade in the direction of Savona , entering and exiting beautiful tunnels – illuminated and renovated – that once housed the passage of the train: the route , in fact, here too winds along the old railway line . The route is one of those " for all legs ." Long 10 km, it is simple, flat, paved, entirely developed on the beautiful pedestrian/cycle path that always keeps you away from traffic and very close to the splendid Ligurian Sea . The ease of the route helps you enjoy its beauty carefree. You will be genuinely enchanted by the sight of the dozens of coves that give life to small beaches framed by rocks, in what seems to be a Caribbean landscape. You end up in Varazze , immediately after the famous " Casa Araba " in the town of Piani d'Invrea. The desire to continue on to Sanremo is strong – but there are 117 km to go.

Tuscany: among the hills of Val d'Orcia

Tuscany is one of the cradles of cycling. It's therefore inevitable that it hosts some of the most beautiful cycling routes in all of Italy, and beyond. Choosing one above all others isn't a definitive choice, but by combining the criteria of beauty with those of practicability for all types of bicycles, a perfect combination is found. This is the Val d'Orcia ring , a delightful up-and-down route through green hills fringed with vineyards . Starting from Torrenieri , you almost immediately reach the beautiful village of Lucignano d'Asso: here, it's a punishable sin not to stop for a typical Tuscan snack . The ancient inns are also used by cyclists from around the world, who flock in their thousands during the first week of October to ride the routes of the Eroica—a race for amateur cyclists and collectors who ride on vintage steel bicycles and the kits of historic cycling teams.

Abruzzo: from L'Aquila to Amatrice

The memory of all, when pronouncing the names of these two places in the central Italian Apennines, runs to earthquakes that devastated them, first in 2009 and then in 2016. Cycling between L'Aquila and Amatrice It contains a meaning that is first and foremost symbolic, of a journey to places that have risked and are at risk of disappearing. But it also has the sense of bring lifeblood to the activities of those places, through cycling – the most planet e clean e addictive between ways to exploreFinally, the 62 km that separate L'Aquila and Amatrice are a discovery ancient villages and uncontaminated nature. From the villages of Assergic e Vasto, in the green of the Gran Sasso Natural Park, up to Composto Lake Reserve, with the path that runs alongside it for almost the entire last part.

Umbria: Assisi – Spoleto – Norcia

Perhaps it's no coincidence that the most beautiful cycle path in Italy, among all the most beautiful, is located right in the center of Italy , in Umbria. In fact, the route that connects Assisi to Norcia , passing through Spoleto, has been awarded the title of the most evocative cycle path in the country. Landscape characteristics with few rivals in the world, the scenery of villages such as Sant'Anatolia di Narco , Vallo di Nera, and Preci . The stretch between Spoleto and Norcia is perhaps the most fascinating, in fact it passes almost entirely on the old railway line , so it is all in and out of the dozens of narrow tunnels that seem like gateways to other worlds . Finally, the technical characteristics are perfect for a route that is truly suitable for everyone : here too the length is almost 100 kilometers , but the gradients are not merciless and can be cycled by all levels.

Lazio: the Appian Way

Lazio is rich in cycling routes, as are many other Italian regions, especially in the North and Center, with the stunning Tuscan-Emilian and Umbrian landscapes. Choosing the most beautiful one per region isn't easy, but in the case of Lazio, there are Rome, and Rome when it comes to Great Beauties He always knows his stuff. That's why we chose a route that, in terms of history and charm, has few equals in the world. Cycling on the Appian Way it means putting the wheels on the same cobblestones as Caesarian or Flavian eraA long road lined with imposing pine trees and ancient ruins, in full Roman countryside, for a route that starts from just below Castel Gandolfo and it arrives up to the Aurelian Walls, then to Baths of Caracalla. All this, passing through the Villa of Maxentius, the Catacombs of San Callisto e San Sebastiano, As well as the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella. Finally, it is not unusual to come across, during your 25 km ride, a herd of sheep, or cows, or buffaloes and bulls intent on their walk with shepherds and dogs. A slice of antiquity from the gates of Rome right into its heart.

Marche: Lake Fiastra

Molise: between carpione and bear hill

Molise is always overlooked in the news and even in national rankings. Here at Non Sprecare, we don't forget anyone, and we've discovered that even in the province of Isernia there's a cycling route that hides enviable beauty. A circular cycling route that starts in Carpinone and passes through Sessano del Molise and Colle Dell'Orso . These 32 kilometers of Molise's hinterland have it all: monuments, castles, waterfalls and streams , and even a lake . One more reason to visit every corner of Italy, even the most hidden and least talked about.

Campania: the Amalfi Coast

A destination for mass tourism and more, the setting for memorable films, worldly hotspots, and Michelin-starred cuisine. The Amalfi Coast is all this, but there's another way to experience it, outside the traditional confines, and that's on a bike. Starting from the Sorrento seafront , on the Gulf of Naples, you'll cross to the other shore of the small Sorrento peninsula. From there, you'll be continually amazed by the wonders of Italy's most famous coast—and beyond. From the thousand colors of Positano Bay , to the fishermen's homes of Praiano , to the white houses of the former and powerful Maritime Republic of Amalfi . One beauty after another, pedaling hundreds of meters above sea level, enjoying one of the most beautiful views and sunsets in Italy.

Puglia: from Gigazzano to Ceglie Messapica

It is the most famous and evocative aqueduct in Italy – and the largest in Europe – and can be explored by bike on a brand new, protected and safe cycle path: 11 kilometers from Figazzano , a hamlet in the municipality of Cisternino , to Ceglie Massapica , both in the province of Brindisi. A half-day trip immersed in the Apulian landscapes, among the unmistakable Mediterranean scrub and cultivated fields . The arrival is in the town of Ceglie Massapica, a city of art and land of gastronomy which, thanks to its trulli , farmhouses , centuries-old olive groves , and karst caves , has become a popular destination for many foreigners, especially the British. Furthermore, this first short stretch is just the beginning of what will be one of the longest cycle paths in Italy , connecting Puglia to Campania, for a ride through the wonderful hinterland of Southern Italy.

Sicily: The Sculpture Park

As is increasingly happening, old railway lines are being transformed into cycle paths . This is the case of the Parco delle Sculture cycle path in Syracuse , which follows the route of the now-disused railway line that connected the city to Catania . A relatively short ride, given its length of only 6 km, yet all of it is immersed in a UNESCO World Heritage landscape . A dive into an ancient and evocative atmosphere, from the Greek Theatre in Ortigia square to the Baroque churches , without forgetting the splendid view of the Mediterranean and the classic natural beauty of Sicily. Furthermore, the cycle path is dotted with sculptures by ten contemporary artists . This project (entirely financed with European funds ) was born to create a bridge of languages ​​between ancient and contemporary art and the surrounding landscape.

The portal for cycle paths in Italy

• How to organize a cycling holiday
• Cycle paths: the 10 most beautiful in Italy