Cycle paths, abundant in northern Italy, often two-lane, are not suitable for road cyclists. They are so old, the asphalt is torn open, so that with thin tires you are very quickly at the end here. Suddenly, they run to the right and left of the well-paved roads. Suddenly they end, and we are glad that we can cycle on the smooth asphalt of the highways.
In Veneto we found some good trails. And also through the Po Valley it goes on nice trails through the water.
We ride for some time on the Eurovelo 8 which goes in Italy from the Balkan border to the Po Delta, first very nice through Friuli on an old railway track. It is well frequented, especially by road cyclists, but then poorly signposted and runs more or less in the Po Delta. On the Eurovelo 5 – via francigena which goes from Canterbury to Rome we come across in Tuscany by chance. We meet Matt and Jessica in San Gimiano. They are from Canterbury and go to Rome.
At the end of our six-week journey through Bella Italia, we gain 25 kilometers of unforgettable experience on our ride through Napoli.
We cycle to the port of Naples. The tour through the metropolitan area requires our absolute concentration. The traffic is insane. Cars, buses, mopeds, instructors on the streets that show the cars the way to the hotel garages or parking lots. Stop and go, the closer we get to the city center and the harbor. The streets cobblestones. Only a few sections have a cycle path. Where possible, we use the bus or tram lane.
The traveling Dutch people we meet on the way ask us about our experiences. They find it hyper-dangerous, however they are naturally spoiled by their flat, bike-friendly country.
Sardinia shows itself quite differently. Sardinia has super paved, carless and deserted roads. A pleasure for touring cyclists and road cyclists. Apart from us, however, there are almost none, neither locals nor tourists. The gradients are moderate, often with six percent which is very nice to ride. But also 1300/1400 meters of altitude difference accumulate every day. The fact that it is a pleasure to ride is seen by the motorcyclists. Even those with Marburg license plates are spotted.
North-south highway allowed for cyclists and safe even without side lanes, at least now that it is not yet high season.
With this we leave Italy and Sardinia the direction to France.
Your wish is our command – thank you, Stefan, for the tip with the card. You can find our tour, as in previous years, in the main menu or you click right here: https://rapl-kiste.de/wp/maps/