14 green adventures to have in Italy: by bike and beyond

1. Trace the Giro d’Italia in Abruzzo

In 2023, the lesser-visited region of Abruzzo on the Adriatic Coast played host to three stages of Giro d’Italia race, including the opening stage which cruised along Costa dei Trabocchi (Trabocchi Coast) before a thrilling stage seven climb over Gran Sasso d’Italia and Campo Imperatore, with a finish line positioned at over 2,000m high.

This creates the perfect itinerary for keen cyclists who wish to test themselves against the tailwind of the professionals, and to explore some of Abruzzo’s most beautiful villages, taste the farm-to-fork cuisine and visit its vineyards at the same time.

Along the way are highlights of the region’s finest sights. Traditional stilt-fishing houses , known as trabocchis and the medieval Aragonese Castle at Ortona make up the Abruzzi heritage on the coast. Cutting inland are more medieval villages like Lanciano, lush green vineyards of the Teramo hills, as well as spectacular mountain scenery from the climbs, especially Campo Imperatore, a place considered the 'Tibet of Abruzzo'.

Image credit: A trabocco at Rocca San Giovanni (Gaetano de Medio)

2. Lace up for a hike in Campania

The bustling chaos of Naples, the colourful romantic terraced towns of the Amalfi Coast and the stunning islands are a familiar sight for film lovers. Visitors are often lured to driving its narrow streets, yet a better way to explore these beautiful locations in the Campania region is on foot.

Along the Sorrento to Positano coastline is the Sentiero degli Dei (Path of Gods). 8km of walking surrounded by colours of land, sea and the sky, with sweeping views across the sea to the islands beyond, a path that tells legends of Greek Gods, and lustrous Sirens.

For those seeking a multi-day adventure, various hiking trails cross into Campania from neighbouring regions. The long distance pilgrimage route Via Francigena, covers the distance from London in the UK through to the tip of the heel of the Apulian peninsula.

The region’s Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Parks also make great hiking destinations. Go slow and hike through the many green centres of Campania.

Image credit: Umbria Region

3. Feel a cyclist’s state of mind in South Tyrol

In the mountainous region of South Tyrol, cycling is not just a sport, it is a state of mind. The town of Bolzano/Bozen is considered the region’s cycling capital, where one in three people cycle on a daily basis, and not all of them training for the Giro! For one day a year, the town centre is closed to motorised vehicles for cyclists to enjoy a traffic free day. Ocassionally, other towns and villages would also choose to close parts of the roads to give cyclists some breathing space.

These initiatives makes South Tyrol an intriguing place to explore by bike. While the limestone peaks of the Alps may look better suited by the monumental athletes in Lycra, numerous cycle paths can be attempted by those who simply just want to go for a ride. Both road and mountain bikers will find their little heaven in South Tyrol, some may even choose to combine cycling with wine tasting by following the South Tyrolean Wine Road.

Image credit: South Tyrol region

4. Follow ancient mountain roads in Piedmont

Piedmont has recently become one of the popular destinations for cycling, and the region is certainly not short of attractions that can be toured by bike. One theme of bike touring that is popular among those interested in the Italian history and heritage is to follow the several cycle routes that takes in historic mountain roads with old fortifications, disused military tracks, ancient trade routes and places of pilgrimage.

An option is to take the roads in the areas of Biella and Lake Maggiore, Turin and Cuneo. For example, in the Alps along the French border between Turin and Cuneo, fit cyclists can find their challenge on the world famous cycling route along a former military road built in 1890 connecting two valleys through steep mountain passes, also the location where battle of Assietta was fought in 1747.

Dotted around the mountains there are ancient chapels and road side shrines, as well as historical shelters and rock engravings, all accessible on cycling routes in Piedmont.

Image credit: Assietta mountain is one of Piedmont's many cycling trails (Visit Piemonte)

5. Pedal the Alps in the Aosta Valley

Cradled by some of the highest peaks of Europe and home to Italy’s oldest national park, the Gran Paradiso, the Aosta Valley may be Italy’s smallest region, it is big on sustainable outdoor adventures.

While famous for its winter sports, adventures by bike are one of the best ways to explore the nature and culture surrounding Aosta Valley in the warmer months.

Road cyclists will find themselves spinning through the valley floor between vineyards and castles, and those looking for a challenge will be able to test their legs up the ascends up alpine passes like Great St. Bernard, the Little St. Bernard, Col di Joux, and Colle di Saint-Panthaleon.

Mountain bikers will enjoy greater flexibility in this mountainous terrain, crossing mule tracks, farm roads and forest paths of the national parks that are abundant of wildlife, waterfalls and breathtaking views. Not to mention the ability to visit farms or rural restaurants for some hearty polenta served with Fontina, the typical Aosta Valley cheese.

Image credit: Enrico Romanzi

6. Soak up village life in Marche

Get away from it all with a hike in the unique landscape of Monti Sibillini National Park of Marche. Famous for its flora, the flowering of lentil between May and July makes such a sight, that a Blooming Festival is dedicated to the occasion each year in June.

What makes the national park special is the number of ancient villages that seem to have been frozen in time. The fortified medieval village of Montefortino is locked in a trance of fairytale, and San Ginesio, an I Borghi più Belli d’Italia, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, is another intriguing destination.

With trails linking these ancient villages in Monti Sibillini National Park, walking is the best way to visit many of these ancient villages of Marche. Spend a day though forests, meadows, lakes and caves before bedding down in an ancient village and be absorbed into its sleepy life, because there is nothing quite authentic than the quiet village life in Marche.

Image credit: Panorama of Monti Sibillini (Renato Gatta)

7. Bike through Italy’s southern reaches in Basilicata

Basilicata was Giro’s southernmost stage region in the 2023 edition of Giro d’Italia. These long distance stages feature the serene lakes of Monticchio, two extinct volcanic craters mouths, and the lush natural surrounds of the Vulture Regional Park, a protected natural area surrounding the extinct ancient volcano, Mount Vulture.

Follow the Giro’s itinerary from the forests to the nearby town of Melfi, with its impressive ancient Norman defensive walls, used to be Frederick II of Swabia’s playground, where he used the forests of Vulture to practice his hobby of falconry and made the town his summer resort. A little distance away is Venosa, the city of Roman poet Horace and officially one of Italy’s most beautiful villages, for its wealth of archaeological preserves and the grand medieval Pirro del Balzo Castle. There are plenty of such gems through the region, and the Giro’s southern stage has given Basilicata its pink thumb of approval, rolling out itineraries for keen cyclists to follow.

Image credit: Melfi (APT Basilicata)

8. Head on a foodie cycle in Emilia-Romagna

Home to Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Parma ham, Traditional Balsamic Vinegar and tagliatelle and tortellini pastas, the region of Emilia-Romagna has some of the best-known Italian cuisines to the world. It is of no surprise that cycling itineraries in this region has a strong focus on the gourmet experiences in Emilia-Romagna.

A popular itinerary is the Food Valley Bike path. Roughly following the course of the Po River is 70km of iconic Italian flavours and culture. Through the landscape dotted with historical villas and palaces that inspired Italian composers such as Giuseppe Verdi and the fertile grounds that produces delicious regional delicacies, the cyclist is treated to a leisure ride through the region, linking one gourmet experience to the next.

Other than the Food Valley Bike path, Emilia-Romagna has multiple short and long distance cycle routes that takes the traveller through history, nature and the arts, all with plenty of foodie stops along the way.

Image credit: Ciclovia del Sole (The Crowded Planet)

9. Traverse Umbria on two wheels or two feet

Known as Italy's green heart, Umbria is veined with wild walking trails and cycle tracks that criss-cross its pristine landscapes. They're the best way to admire Umbria's natural beauty and plenty serve up showstopping panoramas, like the craggy mountain peaks of Sibilline National Park or the glittering waters of Lake Trasimeno.

Some trails are more of a literal walk through history, with the Way of St. Benedict and the St. Francis Way pilgrimage routes that trace the footsteps of two of Umbria's most famous sons. The former passes the rock-hewn monastery St. Benedict founded in Subiaco, while the latter threads through handsome medieval hill towns like Trevi and Ceselli.

In a region that embraces languid living, it's not hard to discover even more leisurely routes to enjoy, such as pedalling the Greenway alongside the Nera River or tackling a section of the trail that skirts the Tiber River between leafy San Giustino and Perugia, Umbria's capital city.

Image credit: The Marmore Falls (Umbria Region)

10. Cycle an ‘endless journey’ through Tuscany

Tuscany is the quintessential Italian postcard. Among the accentuating Cyprus trees and honey coloured villas is a dense web of cycling trails that crisscross picturesque villages,  blankets of vineyards and historic trails of that tells stories of Tuscan engineering heritage. Among the lesser known parts of Tuscany are the wild sand dunes and pine forests of the Etruscan Coast and the slopes of Mount Amiata, Mugello and the Apuan Alps, all laced together by the region’s well-established cycle network.

Great cities like Florence, Pisa and Lucca have some of the best cycling infrastructure in Italy, and it is possible to connect them through the various cycle ways to truly embrace the cycling culture in Tuscany.

Tuscany is the first region in Italy to create an Atlas of Cycling Routes, highlighting 20,000km of cycle paths, permanent low-traffic ways, with cycle itineraries based on geography, types of bikes, style of cycling and difficulty. Cycling possibilities in Tuscany are truly endless.

Image credit: Devil's Bridge (Federica Fornasotto)

11. Enjoy a slow pedal through Friuli Venezia Giulia

Through ancient conquests and existing multi-cultural borders, Friuli Venezia Giulia is a fascinating region with a unique blend of Italian, Germanic and Slavic cultures and cuisine.

Wedged between the mountains and the sea is the bucolic landscape dotted with pretty towns and villages linked by quiet country roads and dedicated cycle paths, making the region ideal to travel by bike.

The long distance journey along the Tagliamento River or the Alpa Adria cycle path from mountainous border with Austria to the Marano Lagoon near Venice is a leisurely route for a bikepacking adventure, passing medieval villages, old railway bridges, farming pastures, and vineyards. Curious cyclists can also use the opportunity to venture into Slovenia for a true cross border cultural experience. Roads are gentle and mostly flat heading north to south, so it is perfect for all cyclists.

That is not to say, racing enthusiasts looking for a challenge won’t find their ideal training in the mountains, but the possibility of a slow pedal is aplenty.

Image credit: Venzone (Friuli Venezia Giulia)

12. Explore the protected green parks of Trentino

With 30% of the region declared national parks and protected nature areas, Trentino is truly a region whose heart is among its nature. Since the Middle Ages, the culture of Trentino considered forests and meadows ‘common goods’ for all, and laws were created to protect these from harmful development, which evolved into the modern environmental policies of the region’s autonomous government, which created regional nature parks of Adamello-Brenta and Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino which joined the already established Stelvio National Park managed by the region.

Over the past 30 years, the region has launched a full-scale “System of protected areas in Trentino”. For the visitors, it means a wide range of sustainable, nature-based activities to be enjoyed, including cycling, hiking and taking deep meaningful breaths at Parco del Respiro, where visitors are also invited to hug a tree. For a unique musical experience that's entwined in nature, the Sounds of the Dolomites festival happens in Trentino at the tail end of each summer. After a short hike along mountain paths, you can enjoy performances by artists that seamlessly combine with the natural sounds and echoes of the wind and mountains, against bucolic backdrops of alpine meadows and snow-dusted peaks.

Due to the biodiversity in the protected areas, Trentino’s nature is also home to over 120 animal species protected under the European Habitats Directive, which is great news for wildlife spotters!

Image credit: Monte Bondone (Carlo Baroni)

13. Trace Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in Lombardy

German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe embarked on a grand tour of Italy in 1786 and documented his travels in his published Italian Journey, in which he wrote: “Lake Garda, a splendid spectacle, which I did not want to miss, and now I am nobly rewarded for taking this circuitous route”.

Travellers can recreate Goethe’s first impressions of Italy by cycling around the Lombardy region, in particular along the picturesque Mincio Cycle Path (Ciclovia del Mincio), which gently follows the flow of artificial canals and waterways that joins Lake Garda and the River Po.

The 50km route winds its way around the bends of the Mincio river from several points, through serene landscapes, charming villages and centuries-old fortresses. Parts of the path is built on the old Mantova-Peschiera railway highlighting the rail heritage of the region and most of the route is flat and traffic free, so the entire family can rediscover Goethe’s Italian Journey together.

Image credit: Villa Reale in Monza (inLombardia)

14. Trace the Imperial Coast in Puglia

Puglia is a region soaked in slow adventures, its bucolic countryside speckled with olive groves and ancient oaks that are worth lingering longer for – you'll never grow tired of this scenery.

Puglia's landscapes lend themselves perfectly for a leisurely cycle, none more so than the route which clings to the region's Imperial Coast. This slice of Puglia is its historic heartland, where you'll pedal past medieval towns like Bisceglie and Giovinazzo and masterful Romanesque architecture like the Santa Maria Maggiore church in Siponto.

But handsome heritage isn't all you'll see along Puglia's fringes. Make sure you pause at the Margherita di Savoia salt marshes, a bird-rich wetlands where you can spy species like black-winged stilts, pink flamingos and avocets. You're bound to work up an appetite along the way, so veer inland momentarily at Bitonto, nicknamed the 'City of Olives', before finishing with a fresh foccacia from one of the many bakeries along the alleyways of Bari Vecchia, the historic centre of Puglia’s capital.

Image credit: Coastline of Giovinazzo (Shutterstock)