Advice for Italy travel in May requested!

[simplemind]

Wife and I are planning a cycling get-away in May to Italy. Tentatively looking at the Lake Garda area, then taking in some Tuscany. The cycling part is light duty, maybe 20-40 miles per day, mostly eating and drinking!
If you've been, and have suggestions, I'd love to hear your perspectives.

[Mr. Pink]

Originally Posted by simplemind

Wife and I are planning a cycling get-away in May to Italy. Tentatively looking at the Lake Garda area, then taking in some Tuscany. The cycling part is light duty, maybe 20-40 miles per day, mostly eating and drinking!
If you've been, and have suggestions, I'd love to hear your perspectives.

If Garda, then use this hotel https://www.gardabikehotel.com/en It's a bit flat immediately at the hotel and south, but gets much hillier to the north. I stopped in to the hotel a few years ago to check it out during a drive from Venice to Lake Como, and I can vouch that its a modern, nicely equipped hotel with very nice bikes for rent, kept very well, and they serve a post ride buffet by the pool every day. One nice feature is that they are just a few blocks from the train station, so, if you're not going to ride due to weather or whatever, you can be in Verona pretty quickly, and Vicenza and even Padua for a day trip. Venice is a bit far, but, doable.

Unfortunately, there are no bike hotels like this in Tuscany, which puzzles me, because everyone wants to bike in Tuscany, right? The hotels are much more affordable than the package outfitters, and you sleep in the same bed all week.

If I could pick one hotel in Tuscany as a place to stay for three to five days and bike out of (maybe with a car to get out a little further for one or two rides) I'd like to stay here: https://www.lafoce.com/en/ Tuscany doesnt get more beautiful. Look around Volterra, too. That's jaw dropping scenery, also. Bike rentals I can't help you with in either.

[sillverchevy]

If thinking the northern Lakes, I believe stage 19 ends in Lake Como on Sunday, then rest day with next stage on Tuesday taking place in Lago Iseo, with featured climbs of Ghisallo and Stelvio. You can see /ride Giro stages, as well as enjoy the beauty of Lake Como, Garda or Iseo...wine regions of Franciacorta.... Just a thought...

[Polyglot]

Originally Posted by simplemind

Wife and I are planning a cycling get-away in May to Italy. Tentatively looking at the Lake Garda area, then taking in some Tuscany. The cycling part is light duty, maybe 20-40 miles per day, mostly eating and drinking!
If you've been, and have suggestions, I'd love to hear your perspectives.

A friend of mine, together with his family, owns a hotel on the Northern part of the Lago di Garda. He is the chef of the hotel. In the basement of the hotel he has a small bicycle museum.

https://www.hotelvirgilioriva.it/it/...iclocollection

The food is great and if possible he will likely go for a ride with you or find somebody to ride at your speed. He knows most of the local pros. The hotel is affordable and acceptable.

Also in the Lago di Garda area, there is the Museo Nicolis that has an enviable collection of vintage cars, bikes, typewriters... I helped the founder source some bikes when he first founded the museum, unfortunately he passed away a number of years ago. His daughter now seems to be running the foundation and museum.

http://www.museonicolis.com/en/category/bicycles/

[msriddle]

Take a look at Verona. It’s close to Garda. It’s a great mid evil city, plenty to see and do. My family (non cyclists) really love it there.

It’s easy to cycle out of the city/across the river and up into the hills were there is very little traffic, tons of great riding.

I’ve been all over Garda, it’s a must see. I does get very crowded in certain areas. May will likely be better than summer for crowds.

If you do go to Verona, the Pegoretti workshop is a must.

Enjoy.

[merckxman]

Teriffic people at Garda Bike Hotel. They can also set you up with bike routes (and bikes if need be).

[Davist]

Have you been to Italy before?

To add on, I'd recommend Lake Como area, Bellagio is a great vista and the cycling church Madonna del Ghisallo is cool. I have business in Bergamo, which is a walled city and is part of the tour of Lombardy nearly every year, makes a nice jumping off point while being relatively convenient. Sample the cuisine, my favorite is the casoncelli and variety of "prosciuttos" made from boar, venison, etc.. enjoy it..

[simplemind]

Wow, I knew I was in the right place to ask!
Thanks for all the tips.
Any Tuscany love here?

[gomango]

Originally Posted by simplemind

Wow, I knew I was in the right place to ask!
Thanks for all the tips.
Any Tuscany love here?

We stay at Podera San Lorenzo near Volterra.

A beautiful working olive farm with top shelf accommodations.

Easy access to the hill cities/towns, biking, wineries and whatever.

We recommend to our friends as well.

Really, a can't miss.

https://www.agriturismo-volterra.it/

[thunderworks]

Originally Posted by simplemind

Wow, I knew I was in the right place to ask!
Thanks for all the tips.
Any Tuscany love here?

Almost anywhere in Tuscany can be fabulous. I particularly like the west side, south of Pisa. Suvereto, Castagneto Carduci, Bolgheri, Canneto, etc. I think there might be a little less traffic the further you get away from Florence and Siena. You can rent a good bike in Lucca.

Italy is a magical place, particularly on a bike.

[dbnm]

I am going to Tuscany in June and really looking forward to it.

[doubleklobbs]

Originally Posted by msriddle

If you do go to Verona, the Pegoretti workshop is a must.

Enjoy.

Also Chesini is around the corner from Pegoretti, great shop and brand. Otherwise I found Verona itself to be rammed with tourists, shoulder to shoulder. It was pretty stifling, but that could've also been the heat when I was there.

If you're in the north check out the city of Bergamo. The town itself is great, and is on the foothills of every Il Lombardia route. Some really legendary climbs in those hills like Colle Gallo or the road up to Selvino, pro conti teams out training everywhere. If the family is driving a car, you can cycle to Lake Como (~70km) and they can meet you there. To the east is Lake Iseo, which has plenty of flat routes if the steep stuff has gotten to be too much. Out to Iseo, around the lake, and back to Bergamo is about 120km and mostly flat. There are a few framebuilders in the area, like Pelizzoli (although I have never visited them).

This is the town of Sottochiesa, about 40km up the valley from Bergamo. Gorgeous canyon roads with barely a single car passing by:

[twangston73]

I did a Cinghiale tour based out of Castagneto Carducci. The riding is really terrific and there's a nice local shop called Ciclo Sport Donoratico. They rented us nice BMCs while there.