Day 1
Check in
Check in around 14.00 in your hotel in Angera near Lago Maggiore. There will be a briefing, bike fitting and the tour guide explains the coming itinerary of this Lake Lombardy cycling trip. Airport transfers from Milan Malpensa Airport on request (please contact us).
Day 2
Angera to Cernobbio 93 km - altitude 705m
On your first day you start in front of our hotel Belvedere right on the shores of Lago Maggiore. You first riding to the North one of Italy's most beautiful lakes. It is a gentle warm up ride over quiet scenic and picturesque roads. You will see many nice villas with huge gardens created in the 19th and 20th Century. In Luino you leave Lake Maggiore and soon you arrive Lake Lugano. here you will test your legs with a our first 6 km climb of this Tour on an incredibly scenic secondary road that will take you across the border into Swiss territory! Crossing over into Switzerland, you descend few switchbacks and you ride along the quiet shores of Lake Lugano and finally you reach your final destination, the Como lake side town of Cernobbio. This very pleasant town is the second home of George Clooney.
Day 3
Loop ride around Lake Como Cernobbio 77 km -altitude 1080m
Today there is scheduled a really nice loop ride around Lake Como. On today's ride you return to the same hotel.
Day 4
Cernobbio to Bellagio 71 km - altitude 1080m
The morning ride along lake Como shores will take you towards the renowned town of Bellaggio. Only avid cyclists know that Bellagio is at the very bottom of the Giro di Lombardia's last decisive climb of the "Madonna del Ghisallo" (length 6.6 miles - 1.811 feet of elevation gain - 5.2 % average grade), the little church of the patron saint of cyclist where you can admire the bikes of the great Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali! After a first steep descent and an incredibly scenic ride along the lake side of Lecco, you finally reach Bellagio, allowing time to wonder around town and take in the stylish Italian atmosphere.
Day 5
Bellagio to San Pellegrino 69 km - altitude 1350m
First you start with a beautiful short ferry ride across lake Como from Bellagio to the town of Varenna. Today you ride on a long cycle route (over paved bike paths) along the Valsassina valley. The valley overlooks the Grigne, one of the most famous rock-climbing training sites of Italy and home of the "ragni di Lecco". The climb to Bellano is part of the Giro di Lombardia each year and is 5.5 km long. Once in Valsassina you will leave the main road and start with your first "real" climb into Barzio (about 3 km) and finally to the Culmine di San Pietro (9 km of ascent averaging 8% in the final part of the climb ... total climbing distance from the valley about 12 km). After a long and spectacular winding descent, the ride along Bergamo's Val Taleggio is really breathtaking and the gorges towards the final part of this beautiful descent will remain forever with you.
Day 6
San Pellegrino to Iseo 99km - altitude 1320m
Today you ride across to Lago di Iseo, in the upper region of Bergamo and Brescia. The area is well kown as Italy’s training ground for the Giro della Lombardia, one of the 5 cycling classic monuments. Leaving San Pellegrino (also famous for it’s thermal bath) you go ahead trough the lower alpine hills towards Clusone and from here you head south to Lago d’Iseo. The climb from San Pellegrino up to Passo Zambla is 23.5 km long. A truly spectacular lake side ride from Lovere to Sarnico will take us the next accommodation in the town of Iseo.
Day 7
Iseo to Top of Passo Maniva/Lago d'Idro 56 km - altitude 1960m
On day 7 of our Lake Lombardy trip you get closer to the Italian Alps and soon you have a great climb up towards Passo di Maniva following the Mella valley.The climb has a length of 12 km from Collio with a 6.9 % average grade! Glimpses of the Adamello Galcier range will accompany you on the ride. The really long winding descent to Lago D’idro will be your reward to the day’s climb ... but you will save that for the morning as your accomodation for the night will be a mountain hut right on top of Passo Maniva.
Day 8
Top of Passo Maniva/Lago d'Idro to Saló/Lago di Garda 88 km - altitude 860m
A great final ride entering into alpine scenery on the way to Lake Garda. You will ride the Val Vestino (a 9 km challenging climb with few tough bits at 12%), the final section towards Lake Garda is a great flowing descent to the lakes shores, a perfect finish to a perfect week of riding.
Day 9
Departure day
Departure day…..Time to say goodbye, a good flight back home or a pleasant stay in Italy. Transfers will be made by the tour guide to Milan Malpensa airport.
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