Get on my booties Gonna head to Italy next month I reckon. Be starting from Barcelona, heading east, then south into the heart of Italy. I dont have a plan yet, no route, but was gonna try and camp as much as possible. Any of you folks done Italy on two wheels? Suggested routes, itineraries, camp sites, cheap motorcycle friendly hotels.....all would be very much appreciated! Many thanks Mike
Did Verona, bergamo, sermione and Garda last year mate... Loved every minute of it.. Going again this year, but to como.
Cheers Si Would love to get up there in Northern Italy, but I reckon I may be pushing my luck at this time of year up north. Nearly made it up to the Italian Alps and Dolomites a few years back, but my 675 packed up in Switzerland (That was the reason I bought a Fireblade!) Cheers
We need the trip report of your last jaunt Mike before we help with this one! I've got a little knowledge of the end of the ROute Napoleon and Italian Alps - all depends how far south into Italy you going - can you wait a bit longer for warmer weather - you like your Alpine passes or sweepers?
Alblade, you've got me by the short and curly's, no doubt. Trip report from my short trip to the Alps coming up this week. Mike
We booked onto a Ducati tour in bologna last year, headed down from Monaco, amazing how much further from home it felt... Loved it, but found the roads a bit more mixed bag of velvet through to gravel death traps in half a mile so do keep that in the back of your mind!! Had a ride to Florence one day from bologna which was brilliant. Anyway, the pesky Italians decided to close the factory (without warning - some silly excuse like a major earthquake) and we headed north through the Dolomites (stunning but again mixed road surfaces slightly a downer for me) into Austria. But in all loved it. Def want to do more alps / lakes next time I'm that way...
Mike, Went to Lake Garda last year and it is stunning. Stayed in Riva and plenty of camping areas around there. Great roads and lovely scenery I have also been advised to visit the Amalfi coast too, which i believe takes in Sorrento etc Have fun Jules
Dolomites also get thumbs up here and being a bit lower than the alps could work well Florence is good, but dont do a U turn on a 6 lane wide one way street and then realise its a one way street as 6 lanes of traffic approach you... Monaco needs a bit of time and good map to get the best from it / see the main sights. You need to go through the French Grand Canyon or 'Gorges Verdun' - another place to see is Mount Ventu where the british tour de France rider lost his life when dopped up to the eyeballs
Word of warning if riding round Monaco: don't try and follow the GP route as the filth aren't particularly keen on having smelly motorbikes riding through Casino Square and showing up all the prime Italian 4-wheeled exotica parked up on show! On the plus side the fines are relatively small. For Italy, the autostradas between France and Genoa are fun, with lots of tunnels, sharp bends and with the vagaries of Italian drivers added to the mix! Just past Genoa is Santa Margherita which is a nice little town with beautiful seafront and boat trips round the headland to Portofino. After that you can carry on following the coast round past La Spezia & Cinque Terre to Viareggio, Pisa and Lucca then cut across to Florence and up the excellent A1 winding through the hills and over amazing viaducts and up to Bologna and Modena (for the Ferrari factory & Galleria) and preferably Sirmione & Garda, as Si says. Absolutely stunning place, but may depend on weather?
Anyone been up in to the Dolomites as early as mid April??? I know the weather will be extremely variable that time of year, but I want to have a crack if it's viable. I'm thinking most of the roads will be open??
Only ridden first week June, but I am sure many passes will be open and views stunning. You can take cable car up into WW1 trenches. Arabba very good place to stay, lots of motorbike friendly places to stay.
Cheers Al I seem to be reading quite a lot about hotels, cable cars, etc shutting for the closed season between april and june. But no doubt there will be enough available to look after me. Plan on heading to central/southern Italy initially for a week or so, then up to the Dolomites by the end of April, hopefully the weather should be on the up by then. I'll see what happens. Gonna head off with no fixed plan, so I'll see where it takes me. A hostage of fate if you will, that or a fucked and freezing biker in the Dolomites with no where to stay or ride. We shall see. Been reading quite a bit surrounding the history of the roads in the Dolomites, and the construction of most during WW1. Interesting stuff, be great to get up and see the trenches etc. Savage environment to fight a war by all accounts.
I fear another 'Alblade on tour' photo about to appear lol It's a great area and sunset when mountains glow orange not to be missed.
Few pics here - all taken June 2010 on way to Mugello You should def. try and take the cable car up to here: Open Air Museums of the First World War - Falzarego Pass - Giau Pass Stayed here - cracking hotel in Arabba and good value half board
Anyone ridden around Sicily? Or southern Italy? Looking at my trip, thinking of tracking the west coast all the way down, and then jumping across to Sicily. Anyone sampled this part of the world on a bike? Cheers
I had planned to head over to Lake Como last year but earthquakes in the region and 10 days of rain forecast, I ended up in Barcelona. Am planning to make Como this year.
