Northern Italy Cycle Tour

The tour is 25 days long with 20 days being cycling days.

Be sure to check the tour map and itinerary to make sure that you are comfortable with the distances and terrain of this ride. Your aim in training should be to cycle at an average speed of 20-25kph on flat terrain, and also do some training on hills, in which case we expect that you will finish your day’s ride between 1-4pm. The route has been planned on bitumen roads and bike paths however surface conditions cannot be guaranteed.

Over the length of the tour you will almost surely hit some construction, and possibly some short gravel or dirt roads along the journey. Though there are local guides, they may or may not have ridden the route in advance on a bike. There may be occasions where tour leaders will need to adjust the day’s route on the fly.

You will usually see a support vehicle 2-4 times a day, but not at pre-specified times so you should plan to be self-sufficient to a certain degree. This also gives cyclists more flexibility to ‘go at their own pace’. If you are far ahead of other cyclists in the group you may not see the van at all. If you should need a ride, van support is usually within the vicinity, but know that if close to the end of the route, you may have to wait until after the van has arrived at the hotel, deposited the luggage and doubles back for you. Phone numbers for Tour Leaders will be provided if you get stuck or need assistance.

Yes, you can hire a bike in Europe. Hiring a bike will help you avoid hassles that arise on occasion with travelling on airlines with bicycles and also leave you free to enjoy pre and post tour travel without a bicycle as luggage. For those bringing their own bike, note that we may need to transfer and/or store bike bags and hard case bike boxes to the end of your ride at your own expense –contact us for more info.

The local operators have a great range of light weight titanium Van Nicholas hire bikes, which are high quality road bikes with drop down or flat handlebars along with a small rack on the back for camera, jacket and any other personal items. You can also bring your own seat to give you that little bit of ‘home comfort’ and/or pedals if you wish.

European motorists have a great reputation for being cyclist-considerate. We at AllTrails have a great safety record however cyclists must play their part in keeping well over to the side of the road where possible. You will also be briefed before each day’s ride pointing out parts of the road that may get narrow or have any known hazards.

Limit your luggage to two medium-sized pieces. The best combination is a medium-sized suitcase on wheels and a small or medium carry-on bag, such as a backpack or a small duffel bag. Your baggage should be clearly labelled and kept to a reasonable minimum. Luggage limits on airlines are strictly enforced and space on vehicles is limited. Most economy class flights booked through Travel Agents (domestic and international) have a luggage limit of 20 kilograms per person and usually this can include your bike if you are not renting one in Europe. You will be required to carry your own luggage at times so you should be capable of carrying your own bags up and down stairs. A good guide is to try to keep it under 15kg. If you are doing lots of shopping during your travels, it may be necessary for you to forward any excess to the city where your journey concludes, or ship purchases directly home.

Always a big part of any cycling holiday! The emphasis is on fresh local food and a balanced diet with plenty of carbohydrates, proteins, fruit and veggies catering for a cycling holiday. The tour operator always try to include as many local specialties, delicacies and flavours as possible. The local team can cater to most dietary requirements, however please be aware that this can sometimes be a little more challenging in Europe and you may need to exercise some patience in this area – feel free to contact us if you wish to discuss further.You may also wish to bring supplemental food/snacks from home.

Daily quality breakfasts and many dinners will be provided. You will generally purchase your own lunches and some evening meals however there are plenty of great bakeries and cafes along the way for you to pick up lunches and snacks as you wish (our team will give you recommendations).

There will be no set times for snack & lunch stops as is generally done. Cafes and restaurants in Europe often cannot handle a group all arriving at once. Dinners together may be buffet style to make meals quicker and will not include alcoholic drinks.

Yes, yes, yes. Make sure that you are covered for every country that you are travelling to and ensure that you are covered from and including the day you leave and arrive back home. Due to the nature of the tours you will sometimes be in remote areas – ensure that you have medical insurance that would cover the cost of a helicopter ambulance to transport you to the nearest hospital.

It's recommended that you get travel insurance in place immediately after you book your ride so that you are covered for unforeseen events which may lead to you having to cancel your trip.