Giro d’Italia Cycling Tour

We’ll start the week with a spin out of Cosenza. This ride will blow the cobwebs out of your legs after your travels, and also give you the chance to test your bike set-up and make any micro adjustments, as you require.

You’ll roll out into the rugged landscape, meandering through little villages and hamlets, before returning via the old town and passing the Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta and other historic monuments that the town has become famous for.

After settling into our home for the next three nights, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the grand piazza and the lively pedestrian corso behind our centrally located hotel, before we start our Calabrian food and wine journey.

Distance: 31.6km | 22.7mi
Elevation: 773m | 2536’

Today you’ll head south and hug the edge of the wild and spectacular Sila National Park. Taking in many twists and turns, and passing through tiny villages, you’ll complete most of the climbing in the first half of the ride.

You’ll enjoy a 20km descent through spectacular pine forest, before stopping for lunch to enjoy more warm Calabrian hospitality in one of the region’s rustic ‘home’ restaurants, with home cooked goodness you’ll savour.

After lunch, there’s a final roll down the hill into town, where you’ll finish with enough time to freshen up and reward yourself with a local Calabräu beer, as you start to get into the Giro mood and party vibe at our local enoteca

Distance: 74.2km | 46.1mi
Elevation: 1485m | 4872’

Late today, we’ll be perfectly positioned to watch the race finish in the centre of our home town in Cosenza.

However, before the excitement of our first afternoon out at the Giro, we’ll roll out of town and start to climb, before then descending towards the spectacularly blue Tyrrhenian sea. Once we reach the water’s edge, we’ll join the closed road of the actual Giro course and start to soak up the thrill of the Giro arriving onto Italian soil.

We’ll follow the course and take on one last climb, before then descending into Cosenza where we’ll stow the bikes, change out of kit and join the local tifosi at the Giro party, as we await the arrival of the riders.

Distance: 89.4km  |  55.5mi
Elevation: 2315m | 7595’

Today we’ll start with a short transfer to the start of Stage 5 in Praia a Mare. Here we’ll mix with local and international cycling fans alike as we watch the spectacle of the team presentation and riders signing on, purchase a souvenir or two and the obligatory pink cap, before seeing the riders roll out at the start.

We’ll then have a tiny transfer following the peloton, before we start our day on the bike, and what a day this will be. You’ll start with a roll down a winding & picturesque hill to the edge of the Tyrrhenian sea and then hug the coastline for much of the day.

The road we will ride has to be seen to be believed. It is nothing short of spectacular. Turn after turn, you’ll hug the edge of the cliff and every pedal stroke will leave you mesmerised by the brilliant blue and breathtaking views ahead.

Distance: 77.6km  | 48.2mi
Elevation: 1470m | 4822’

We’ll start the day by rolling down from our hillside villa past the ancient Greek temples of Paestum, the location of today’s stage 6 start. From here we’ll join the race route and follow the road decorated pink through to Salerno and to the start of one of the world’s most stunning roads – the Amalfi Coast.

We’ll stop at a corner with a stunning vista and soak up the beauty of this stretch of coast, as we await the arrival of the race and cheer on the peloton.

After the last race car has passed, we’ll again be back on the bikes to follow the stuuning Amalfi Coast road which will see us climb up past Ravello and the highest part of today’s ride. This will be a 20+km stretch of absolute beauty, that will be forever etched into your memory; a road that hugs the mountains which fall into the shimmering sapphire sea, is decorated with vibrant bougainvillea and lined with stunning stone houses that are built into the cliffs, leaving you wondering how it is possible that such a road even exists.

From here, you’ll then enjoy a beautiful 10km descent to the flat lands surrounding Napoli, as we roll into our next home in the heart of ancient Pompeii.

Distance: 109km  |  67.7mi
Elevation: 1574m | 5164’

Today we’ll head to central Italy. We’ll start the day with a two and half hour transfer to get ahead of the race. On arrival to our ride start location, you’ll have time to take in one last espresso as your bike comes off the roof, and then you’ll join the race route once again, starting the day at the top a mountain pass, where you’ll first get to enjoy a beautiful 20km descent.

Following our descent, a mostly flat, undulating section in the middle will warm up the legs, before you start the climb of the infamous and beautiful Blockhaus. At 14km long, and with an 8.4% gradient, you’ll need to find your own rhythm, while keeping in the back of your mind that soon the pro’s will be following in your tyre tracks.

On reaching the summit, we’ll join the party and find a spot to watch the antics of the passionate local fans, as we wait for the race to rip up the road towards this year’s first Giro mountain top finish. It will be epic!

Once the stage has been won, you’ll literally roll down the other side of the mountain to our historic villa, where we’ll be staying for the next two nights.

Distance: 67.8km | 42.12
Elevation: 1596m | 5232’

After a leisurely breakfast, we’ll take a short transfer to the start point for today’s ride. One last brioche e caffe as the bikes are set up, and then the adventure begins. The Gran Sasso national park is a stunning natural wonder with quiet open roads, the highest peak in the Italian Apennine Mountain range, and the stunning Campo Imperatore, which is a 27km high plateau.

You’ll begin with a small descent before a quick left hand turn will see you start the day’s main event of a beautiful 30km climb, with an average gradient of 4.3%. You’ll pass through olive groves before hitting the hairpin corners and terrain which becomes more barren, open and beautiful, with a carpet of wildflowers in every direction.

We’ll stop for lunch in a stunning location and enjoy the most famous food of Abruzzo; the ‘arrosticini’, traditional skewers of lamb. After enjoying our charcoal cooked goodness and savouring the jaw dropping landscape, you’ll have a fast, mostly downhill roll back to the villa. This will be a beautiful ride to end a beautiful week.

Distance: 114km | 70mi 
Elevation: 1770m | 5836’

Option #2 More Giro Action

If your preference today is for more Giro action or for a final ride with a little less vertical meters, there will be a shorter ride option that will include watching the race as it leaves the mountains and hugs the Adriatic coast, on its way to Fermo.

After seeing the race pass, you’ll meander along quite country back roads lined with olive groves, vineyards and many of the little hamlets where you’ll stop for lunch and recharge before the final little kick back to the villa.

Distance: 59km | 36.6 mi
Elevation: 834m | 2736′