Biking tours
in Lombardy

Get ready for the Stelvio.
Or cycle along the shores of Lake Como.

Welcome to Lombardy

That sky of Lombardy, so beautiful when it is beautiful, so splendid, so at peace.

Alessandro Manzoni

Italian author, 1785 - 1873

Lombardy is the region where you can find some of the most iconic places in the world of cycling, the ones that are in the dreams of the most convinced cyclists. Surely you have heard of these climbs or areas: Stelvio, Mortirolo, Gavia to name a few. Or Lake Como, to name another cycling paradise. This is why we consider cycling in Lombardy something serious, almost compulsory to try: cycling (not only Italian) was born here!

The history of the bicycle and that of this land are deeply linked: since the last century, Milan and Lombardy have become one of the European epicentres of bicycle production. Velocipedes, cycles and bicycles, both artisanal and industrial, departed from this region to the rest of Europe.

The Bergamo area is still home to some of the most important brands in the bicycle industry: Santini, Kask, Vittoria, Bianchi are just some of the names that warm the hearts of enthusiasts around the world.

Many famous races such as the Giro d'Italia, Milano-Sanremo, Giro di Lombardia begin or end here. Cycling is deeply rooted in culture and is part of tradition. Every city, even the smallest, has its own Gruppo Sportivo or Pedale or Squadra Corse, these are the common names for local cycling clubs. Many bars are meeting points for sportspeople and have a TV tuned to cycling races. Weekends are dedicated to group racing: it is the norm here, something that has been part of the people's heritage, part of our lives since childhood.

Geography has been very generous to us, the undisputed variety of roads makes us feel like we are in an amusement park: long and short climbs, as damn steep as the Mortirolo or as progressive as Selvino, even undulating and flat roads and coastal lake roads. Cycling is as delicious and valuable as choosing the right bottle of wine at the restaurant.

There are many reasons to cycle here, which is why we have a place in Lombardy, and in the perfect city for cycling: Bergamo. Our aim is to introduce you to secret roads, the best climbs, and the best little old towns during your cycling tours in Lombardy. Bergamo is no different with its flamboyant lifestyle off the bike: bars, restaurants, wine bars and pizzerias.

Meet Daniele

Our tour designer for Northern Italy

Get in touch by email, phone or reserve a video call with us.

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OUR CYCLE TOURS IN LOMBARDY
ALPS AND COMO LAKE

Highlights from our rides

Because it's not just cycling

the narrow streets in Taormina

What a hell of a climb!

PASSO STELVIO and PASSO GAVIA

Stelvio and Gavia are amongst the most famous climbs of Italy. Both are famous because they are connected to the history of Giro d'Italia and because they are two monster climbs. Stelvio from Bormio is a 20 km climb, even longer from the North side: with its 25 km and 48 hairpins we challenge you to find another climb like this! If Stelvio is the longest and highest climb in Italy, Gavia might be even harder because of its harsh slopes peaking at 18%. What we do love about these twin climbs is that you can include both in a less than 100 km ride. What we do not know is whether your legs will appreciate it!

Riding up the Etna volcano

Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio. No guys, you are not in Las Vegas!

COMO LAKE

You are cycling on the gentle coastal roads of Lake Como. Here, thanks to a special microclimate, you can escape the harsh winters of northern Italy and come for an ice-cream ride even in the coldest season! Praised since the 19th century by the greatest poets and musicians of Romanticism, from Alessandro Manzoni to Stendhal, from George Gordon Byron to Franz Liszt, the landscape offers a profoundly varied territory, rich in history but on the whole discreet and harmonious. This is la Dolce Vita: bicycle, cappuccino and ice cream!
Arancini and beer, lunch of champions

A lovely chapel and museum all about cycling

MUSEO DEL CICLISMO - GHISALLO

There is just one spot in the world where you can see bicycles that have been used by Bartali, Coppi and Merckx in their Tour de France victories, the special bike used by Moser for his game-changer hour record and several maglie rosa, maillot jaune and rainbow jersey: this is the Museo del Ciclismo over the Passo del Ghisallo! The Pass Ghisallo is one of the best known places for cyclists of all ages and categories, competitive or not, as it was historically featured in Giro d’Italia and Giro di Lombardia. It's A nice ride from Bergamo or Milan of about 60 km will take you here. Once arrived you can climb up to the Pass and pay a visit at the museum, a real gem for every cycling enthusiast.
Riding along the Giardini Naxos beach

Better than an energy bar!

Taleggio Cheese

Taleggio is a semi soft, washed-rind, smear-ripened Italian cheese that is named after Val Taleggio, the mountain area North of Bergamo where this delicious cheese was born. The cheese has a thin crust and a strong aroma, but its flavour is comparatively mild with an unusual fruity tang. In Val Taleggio there are several small and independent local diaries where this cheese is still produced according to the original recipe. The area of Val Taleggio is popular among local cyclists it offers nice rides on a smooth road that runs on sweet slopes and through stunning canyoning cliffs. A stop is mandatory at BAR PESENTI run by the histrionic Signora Maria: here it is usually where every cyclist stops by for a panino con il taleggio. Just ask anybody around: everybody will know it. At home, after the ride, the cheese can be eaten grated on salads such as radicchio or rucola and with spices and tomato on bruschetta. It melts well, so it can be used in risotto with radicchio or on polenta, another local staple dish.
Our inspiration: the mountain goat

Bargamasque goat: our animal spirit guide

CAPRA BERGAMASCA

The capretta is our animal spirit guide. She is nice, friendly and stubborn. She does love climbing and the mountains. It can be found in all the valleys throughout the Orobic Alps, it is not uncommon for the clanking of the bells hanging from its neck to resonate in the background when we are sweating ourselves off on the deadliest climbs. It is an animal with a remarkable adaptability to very diverse diets due to a high ability to select foodstuffs and even single parts of the same plant, a remarkable capacity to utilise very fibrous fodder, and a good potential for storing reserves. She is often there, when we are puffing on hard climbs, looking at us in amusement and yet superior, peaceful but ready to charge if she feels in danger.
climbing up lovely Savoca

Bergamo offers a two-for-one experience

Città Alta

In the foothills of the Alps, Bergamo offers a two-for-one experience with the Città Alta (upper city) and Città Bassa (lower city) offering a dramatic contrast. Citta bassa is vivid, flamboyant and buzzy. Bergamo Alta is all cobbled streets and narrow vicoli (alleys) certainly a fascinating place with a long history, as it was a Roman municipality back in 49 BC! Now it is a picturesque little gem, surrounded by majestic walls that were built in the 16th century by the Republic of Venice, as Bergamo was its last garrison and needed to be protected by the attacks from the Duchy of Milano. Nowadays life in Bergamo Alta is slow and sweet centred around the small but immaculately formed Piazza Vecchia. In winter Bergamo Alta crackles with a mediaeval atmosphere, overlooked by the austere clock tower that once rang a nightly curfew for Bergamaschi to return within the city walls. (And actually nowadays the bell still strikes 100 times at 10pm creating a very suggestive atmosphere.)

Enjoy the best gelato ride!

GELATO ALLA STRACCIATELLA

Città Alta hosts one of the oldest coffee places in Italy that has been in continuous activity since 1476! Not to mention the pastry shop known for having invented back in the '60s what now is the worldwide-famous gelato alla stracciatella, mixing the chocolate leftover to the ice cream. But to get this sweet, well-deserved prize we have to get there: don’t worry, you will love to ride up some of the steep and cobble roads taking you up there.

One of the 5 Monument Classics.

GIRO DI LOMBARDIA

Milano Sanremo, Ronde, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Il Lombardia. This is our favourite nursery rhyme. It is often referred to as "The Fallen Leaves Classic" as it takes place at the end of the season when colours of the trees are getting yellow and red, for us it is the hardest classic of them all. With always about 250 km and with almost 4000 meters climbing: this is the classic for a true climbing lover, those whom we call 'salitomani' (roughly: climbing addicted), those who can not avoid climbs and double figure slopes. This classic happens every year, on the first Saturday of October: save the date, we will be waiting for you! And for those who dare to test the race course: the infamous Muro di Sormano (1.9km - 12.5%) is just around the corner!

We ride and make bikes

Cycle industry

The history of the bicycle and that of this land are deeply linked: since the last century, Milan and Lombardy have become one of the European epicenters of bicycle production. Velocipedes, cycles and bicycles, both artisanal and industrial, departed from this region to the rest of Europe.

The Bergamo area is still home to some of the most important brands in the bicycle industry: Santini, Kask, Vittoria, Limar, Bianchi are just some of the names that warm the hearts of enthusiasts around the world.

Are you interested
in visiting Lombardy?

Find out why you should, when and where!

  • When is the best time for cycling?

    Lombardy is one of the largest regions in Italy, orography and weather conditions vary greatly in different areas.

    The climate near the cities and around Lake Como is more stable and mild, which makes for a longer cycling season: from early spring to the end of September you can enjoy great rides.

    As all cycling enthusiasts are used to say: the cycling season starts with the Milano San Remo (third Saturday in March) and ends with the Giro di Lombardia (second Saturday in October). In between, cycling is most of the time very enjoyable. Especially the lakes (Como, Iseo to name some) are great because the traffic is little and weather stable. The Alpine environment is of course very different and if you would like to know our views on cycling in the Alps, please take a look at the website area dedicated to cycling the Alps.

  • What's the best cycling area in the region?

    Geography has been very generous to Lombardy, and the undisputed variety of roads makes it similar to an amusement park: long or short, steep or gentle climbs, gentle hills, even flat routes on the shores of lakes. Choosing a place to ride is like choosing a chocolate from the box: it is difficult to decide which is the best place because there are so many delicious options.

    In the northern part of the region we have the iconic high mountains and all the passes and peaks celebrated in the history of the Giro d'Italia. In the eastern part there is another exciting area with the three main lakes, of course Como, Ceresio and Maggiore. The Lombard lakes are very touristy areas, the upside is that there are many hotels and the level of accommodation and services is excellent. The downside is that on the beautiful, narrow roads that run along the lakes or up the surrounding hills the traffic is critical at certain times of the season, especially in summer. We use these beautiful areas for our tours and, of course, select the best routes and the best period or days to ensure the best cycling experience.

    Our bike centre is located in Bergamo, perhaps one of the best bases for everyday cycling: you can cycle for more than a week without repeating the same route. The area is beautiful, the roads are perfect and the city is highly recommended for a fixed stay: there are some major climbs not far from the city centre and the city is vibrant with its welcoming atmosphere and it is no problem at all to choose for the after-ride as Bergamo is not at all shy with bars, restaurants, wine bars and pizzerias.

  • Where can I fly to?

    Lombardia is very well connected to Europe and to most International airports. Bergamo airport, Orio Al Serio (BGY), has multiple daily connections to most Eu airports. Bergamo airport is just 7 km from the city center, and of course from our bike center. It’s the perfect landing airport to reach the main mountain cycling destinations in the North of Italy and to the Lakes and also to reach the Dolomites (3 hours by car).

    Milan Malpensa (MXP) is the airport of choice for transcontinental flights. It is 90 km easth of Milan and 110 km far from our bike center. Malpensa has daily flights to/from US, Asia, Africa and Europe of course. 

  • How are roads?

    Tarmac condition may vary depending on the area, but generally road surface is in between excellent and fairly good. Although roads are not pool tables like in Switzerland, we keep them well maintained, especially after our rigid winters. The same for traffic, some months (July/August) are off limits due to being an extremely touristic area, like Lago di Como. Of course it is that time of the year when prices get more expensive and hotels have less availability.

Weather and
rainfall in Lombardy

We have (so far) four offices accross Italy. Contact us via email, call us or drop by.

Cagliari

South Sardinia

Via Vittorio Emanuele, 27
Quartu Sant'Elena, Italy
+39 070 204 10 29
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Costa Smeralda

North Sardinia

Viale Costa Smeralda
@Galleria Dettori
Arzachena, Italy
+39 070 204 10 29
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Letojanni

Sicily headquarters

Via Vittorio Emanuele, 130
Letojanni, Italy
+39 340 342 6320
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Bergamo

Lombardy headquarters

via Finazzi, 6
Bergamo, Italy
+39 329 3781686
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  • +39 070 204 10 29
Support from 9 AM to 1 PM | 16 to 19 (GMT+1)

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