UK - Dolomites - Tuscany - Sorrento - UK?

[UK Jon]

Hello There,

Have just about 3 weeks to play with and am looking at returning to Italy and the Amalfi Coast this time. With exception of 1st night, am not booking accommodation in advance as want this to be a holiday as well as an adventure.

Am looking at Calais to Colmar, then to Lindau and then Dolomites. Can anyone recommend a route from Dolomites down to Tuscany? I assume best route from Tuscany to Sorrento is to follow the coast?

I then need a route from Sorrento back to Calais, am looking at 5 x 250 mile days?

Thanks very much.

 

[alecg]

Surely the fun is in planning you're own route and seeing how things work out ?.

 

[Neil W]

Nice first day from Lindau would be over the Splugen Pass down through Mandello del Lario either an early stop there and visit the Guzzi museum or continue on south for a couple of hours

 

[Simon W]

Frankly, from the bottom of the Dolomites I'd just burn a few hours on motorway to get across the flat, busy central corridor/axis of northern Italy. Draw a line from Milan through Piacenza, Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologan, Imola, Forli to Rimini: that's the motorway corridor. Between the bottom of the hills and there, it's not desperately scenic, there's not that much great riding and there are a lot of towns/villages/traffic/police/speed cameras.

If you're just heading south through Mandello you'll miss the heart of the Dolomites - you want to head further east, to Cortina/Corvara/Arabba for the classic high Dolomites. Personally, I'd aim to loop through the Dolomites to Riva del Garda, ride the eastern shore (or along the hills above the shore, over Monte Baldo) and then leg it to Bologna as fast as possible. Heading south through the hills of Emilia Romana from there, you get some outstanding roads. Whether you start with the Futa Pass or the Passo del Muraglione, you won't be disappointed.

Heading further south, there are some great places to visit on the coast, but the best riding is along the Apennine spine of Italy: lots of curving, twisting, amazing roads; the coastal plains tend to be (a) flat (plains) and (b) busier. Also, everything seems to be more expensive on the coast - from rooms to coffee to lunch. Your euros definitely go further in the hills.

But whichever way you go, you'll have a great trip. It's an amazing place to ride. The only really useful advice is: go to whatever lengths are necessary to avoid riding through Naples. It's mental.

 

[snelly]

Frankly, from the bottom of the Dolomites I'd just burn a few hours on motorway to get across the flat, busy central corridor/axis of northern Italy. Draw a line from Milan through Piacenza, Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologan, Imola, Forli to Rimini: that's the motorway corridor. Between the bottom of the hills and there, it's not desperately scenic, there's not that much great riding and there are a lot of towns/villages/traffic/police/speed cameras.

If you're just heading south through Mandello you'll miss the heart of the Dolomites - you want to head further east, to Cortina/Corvara/Arabba for the classic high Dolomites. Personally, I'd aim to loop through the Dolomites to Riva del Garda, ride the eastern shore (or along the hills above the shore, over Monte Baldo) and then leg it to Bologna as fast as possible. Heading south through the hills of Emilia Romana from there, you get some outstanding roads. Whether you start with the Futa Pass or the Passo del Muraglione, you won't be disappointed.

Heading further south, there are some great places to visit on the coast, but the best riding is along the Apennine spine of Italy: lots of curving, twisting, amazing roads; the coastal plains tend to be (a) flat (plains) and (b) busier. Also, everything seems to be more expensive on the coast - from rooms to coffee to lunch. Your euros definitely go further in the hills.

But whichever way you go, you'll have a great trip. It's an amazing place to ride. The only really useful advice is: go to whatever lengths are necessary to avoid riding through Naples. It's mental.

I don't recall you riding that route with me Mr Weir. You took the words straight out of my mouth.I might add, if your thinking of camping, there's a campsite on the top of the Futa pass, next to the German war cemetery. They now have a pool there i believe which was something we could have done with when we based ourselfs for a few days. All the d Dolomites and the Appenines are amazing , and are one of my all time favourite rides. The coastal regions are pretty , but very slow, so plan well and enjoy.

 

[UK Jon]

Thanks for the prompt & informative responses.

I have visited Arabba once before, but weather turned against us. Thunderstorm night we arrived and woke up following morning snowed in! Had to sit all our stay in Dolomites in hotel as we and the other 14 bikes that were at same hotel could not move.

Know Riva del Garada very well, one of my and my partners favourite places. Ridden there several times. Looking forward to following your suggestions Simon.

Thanks again

Regards