WHEN TO GO
DURATION
6 days / 5 nights
BIKE TYPE
Road Bike
RIDER TYPE
Level 2 & 3
NUMBER OF GUESTS
Max 6 Cyclists
PRICE FROM
€2.990 / person
Tour
Overview
FROM PARMA TO THE LIGURIAN SEA
Rolling hills, unbeaten mountains and a gran finale to the sea
Welcome to the Food Valley, an unspoiled microcosm of everything beautiful about Italy: delicious food, warm hospitality and a rich cultural heritage. Our expertly planned route connects Parma, the Unesco Creative city of Gastronomy, to the fishing village of Camogli and touches 3 different regions: Emilia Romagna, land of rolling hills and medieval hamlets; Lunigiana, the remote northermost corner of Tuscany, and Liguria, a sliver of land where the Appennino mountains dive into the sea. A feast for your legs, palate and eyes is about to start. Join the ride!
Tour Highlights
- Unbeaten Appenini climbs
- Parma, Unesco creative city of Gastronomy
- The fishing village of Camogli
- Medieval hamlets and castles
Eat and Drink
- from Emilia: Parma Ham, Parmigiano, Pisarei
- from Liguria: Croxetti, Trofie al pesto, Focaccia
- from Lunigiana: Testaroli, Torta d’Erbi, Pattona
- Wine tasting at Cantina il Poggiolo
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WHAT'S INCLUDED:
All accomodations
Luggage transfers
High end road bike and helmet
Cycling Guides and Support Vehicle
Daily meals and beverages
Map
TOTAL DISTANCE
385km / 240mi
TOTAL ELEVATION
6.600m / 21.600ft
AVG DISTANCE PER DAY
65km / 40mi
OUR FAVOURITE DAY
Day 4
STARTING
Castell’Arquato
ENDING
Camogli
Day by day
Day by day
01 Welcome to the Food Valley
Settle in your cozy Agriturismo and make yourself at ease. When ready, shake off your legs with a gentle ride through rolling hills, quiet backroads and the charming hamlets of Vigoleno and Castell’Arquato. Tonight we celebrate the beginning of this adventure with a wine tasting at our favourite cellar and a bountiful dinner of local delights. Welcome to the Food Valley!
Distance
40km / 25mi
Elevation
700m / 2300ft
Sleep
Castell’Arquato
Eat
Dinner
02 The hills of Parmigiano
Soak in the sights and smell of endless vineyards and enjoy another day of great cycling. After the ride, visit a a traditional caseificio to unveil the secrets of Parmigiano cheese and explore Parma, the Unesco creative city of Gastronomy.
Distance
60km / 37mi
Elevation
900m / 3000ft
Sleep
Castell’Arquato
Eat
All meals
03 The castles ride
Time to leave the hills and head to the Appennino mountains. Two passes, Pellizzone and Montevacca, and two imposing castles, Bardi and Compiano, guard the way to Borgo Taro: the Slow Food city of good living and capital of the Porcino mushroom. Another feast awaits for dinner. Buon appetito!
Distance
85km / 52mi
Elevation
1500m / 4900ft
Sleep
Borgo Taro
Eat
All meals
04 Unbeaten Tuscany
New day, new region to ride and explore: Lunigiana, the unbeaten northernmost corner of Tuscany. The village of Pontremoli is a tiny treasure to discover and the whole area offers an astonishing mixture of nature, history and culinary tradition. Today’s route is a hard challenge with 3 passes to be conquered: Bratello, Cirone and Sillara.
Distance
90km / 56mi
Elevation
2300m / 7500ft
Sleep
Borgo Taro
Eat
All meals
05 To the sea
Passo del Bocco, covered by a splendid beechwood forest, is our gateway into Liguria. From the top of the climb, head down to the fishing village of Camogli, relax by the beach and celebrate another great ride with a delicious slice of Focaccia and a cold beer. Cheers!
Distance
100km / 62mi
Elevation
1200m / 3900ft
Sleep
Camogli
Eat
All meals
06 Arrivederci
Time to say goodbye after this incredible week of cycling. See you soon for your next adventure!
Distance
–
Elevation
–
Sleep
–
Eat
Breakfast
OUR BIKES FOR THE RIDE
The available models for this tour are Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro Disc, Colnago V3 Disc and Ridley Fenix SL Disc. You can upgrade to Trek Emonda SLR 7 or Trek Domane SLR 7, for just €170.
Other
details
Pick up
- On Day 1 Vago team will meet you at Piacenza train station at 11am. Trains from Milano Centrale depart frequently for Piacenza and journey time is about 55 minutes. Please do not hesitate to contact us for any logistic and planning support.
Drop off
- Drop off point is Camogli train Station. The station is well connected for travellers heading both north and south. Please do not hesitate to contact us for any logistic and planning support.
PRE and AFTER tour tips
- The main airports to reach and leave the tour are Milan Linate (LIN), Milan Malpensa (MXP) and Bergamo Orio al Serio (BGY). Genova (GOA) is a minor airport but you may consider it if after the tour you’re flying within Italy. In order to minimize the risk of jet lag and enjoy every moment of your cycling vacation, we suggest to land in Italy at least one day prior to the beginning of your tour. Before the tour we suggest to spend some days visiting the city of Milan while after the tour the best options are the beautiful city of Genova (north of Camogli) or the wonderful area of the Cinque Terre (South of Camogli). Please do not hesitate to ask any help or informations.
What's included
- 5 nights of accommodation at carefully selected hotels
- Daily meals as outlined in the itinerary
- Snacks and drinks for each day’s ride
- At least two experienced local guides
- Daily route support with cycling guides and support van
- High end carbon frame road bike equipped with flat pack, lights and pedals
- Luggage transfers and transportation during your trip
- Entrance fees for all activities, private tours and events as outlined in the itinerary
What's not included
- Airfare
- Airport pick up and drop off
- Single occupancy supplement (from €500)
- Any optional activity not outlined in the itinerary
- Travel insurance
- Anything not listed in the “What’s included” section