WHEN TO GO
DURATION
7 days / 6 nights
BIKE TYPE
Road Bike / E-Bike
RIDER TYPE
Level 2 & 3
NUMBER OF GUESTS
Max 6 Cyclists
PRICE FROM
€3.790 / person
Tour
Overview
FROM PARMA TO THE CINQUE TERRE
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. On this amazing bike tour we will ride from Parma, the Unesco city of Gastronomy, to the pristine villages of the Cinque Terre exploring 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
- Explore the unbeaten Appenini mountains
- Discover Parma, the city of Gastronomy
- Ride above the pristine Cinque Terre
Eat and Drink
- from Emilia: Parma Ham, Parmigiano, Pisarei
- from Lunigiana: Testaroli, Torta d’Erbi, Pattona
- from Liguria: Croxetti, Pesto, Focaccia
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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
290km / 180mi
TOTAL ELEVATION
5.000m / 16.000ft
AVG DISTANCE PER DAY
55km / 35mi
OUR FAVOURITE DAY
Day 5
TOUR START
Parma
TOUR FINISH
Levanto
Day by day
Day by day
01 Welcome to Parma
Your Vago Cycling guides will meet you at Parma train station and quickly shuttle to your cozy hotel. Enjoy a flat and relaxed ride to ensure your bike is perfectly fitted before we enjoy a walking tour of Parma and a bountiful dinner of local delights. Welcome to the Food Valley!
Distance
25km / 15mi
Elevation
100m / 300ft
Sleep
Porporano
Eat
Lunch, Dinner
02 Torrechiara Loop
Today’s ride takes us on a stunning loop through the hills surrounding the majestic Torrechiara Castle. As you pedal, enjoy breathtaking views and immerse yourself in the beauty of the landscape. After the ride, dive into a relaxing afternoon, topped off with an aperitif and another delightful dinner. Life is good…cheers!
Distance
40km / 25mi
Elevation
800m / 2600ft
Sleep
Porporano
Eat
All meals
03 Ride for Parmigiano
Today we visit a local caseificio to unveil the secrets of the world-famous Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. After a delightful tasting of different seasonings we’ll hop on the bike for a beautiful ride in the quiet hills of Terre di Canossa. In the evening, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy dinner at a restaurant of your choice in the UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. Buon appetito!
Distance
70km / 45mi
Elevation
1100m / 3600ft
Sleep
Porporano
Eat
Breakfast, Lunch
04 Unbeaten Tuscany
Savor your morning cappuccino and fuel up with a hearty breakfast before we embark on today’s ride into Lunigiana, Tuscany’s northernmost corner. After a quick shuttle to the ride’s starting point, we’ll hop on our bikes to tackle the Passo della Cisa, a breathtaking road winding through the heart of the Appennino Tosco-Emiliano. Our destination for today is the village of Pontremoli, a tiny treasure of history, nature and culinary tradition.
Distance
45km / 30mi
Elevation
900m / 2900ft
Sleep
Pontremoli
Eat
All meals
05 Liguria
New day, new region to ride and explore: Liguria, a sliver of land where the Appennino mountains dive into the sea. On top of today’s climb merge in the spectacular views from the mountains to the Ligurian sea before we finish the day with a winding descend to Levanto. It’s time to celebrate another great ride with a slice of focaccia and a cold beer by the beach. Cheers!
Distance
70km / 45mi
Elevation
1400m / 4500ft
Sleep
Levanto
Eat
All meals
06 Cinque Terre
Today’s ride takes us along the stunning panoramic road that overlooks the coastal villages of the Cinque Terre. Enjoy the breeze and immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the sea as we make our way to the pristine village of Manarola. Once there, you can choose to hop on the train to explore the other Cinque Terre villages or ride back to the hotel for some relaxation before we wrap up this amazing adventure with a delightful farewell dinner. What a great ride it was!
Distance
40km / 25mi
Elevation
900m / 2900ft
Sleep
Levanto
Eat
All meals
07 Arrivederci
Time to say goodbye after this incredible week of cycling. See you soon for your next adventure!
Distance
–
Elevation
–
Sleep
–
Eat
Breakfast
ACCOMMODATION DETAILS
- Villino Porporano – a charming villa few minutes from Parma city center
- Ca Del Moro – a relaxing hotel in the Lunigiana countryside
- La Vignola – a cozy B&B at the entrance of the Cinque Terre
OUR BIKES FOR THE RIDE
The available road bike models for this tour are Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro Disc or Colnago V3 Disc. You can upgrade to a Trek Emonda SLR 7 for just €350.
E-bikes are welcome to join this tour and the available models are Trek Powerfly 7 or Trek Domane Plus.
Other
details
Pick up
- On Day 1 Vago team will meet you at Parma train station at 11am. Trains from Milano Centrale depart frequently for Parma and journey time is about 90 minutes. Please do not hesitate to contact us for any logistic and planning support.
Drop off
- Drop off point is Levanto train Station. The station is well connected for travelers 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 you can visit the beautiful city of Genova or spend some more days in the wonderful area of the Cinque Terre. Please do not hesitate to ask for any planning support.
What's included
- 6 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 bike equipped with flat pack 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 €800)
- Any optional activity not outlined in the itinerary
- Travel insurance
- Anything not listed in the “What’s included” section