The decision to go on an Italian cycling tour is often part of an extended 3-5 week holiday for couples and groups of friends. So what’s a woman (or man) to do when their cycling partner decides they want part of the trip to be a 7-9 day cycling tour, and they don’t ride?
This is the dilemma we happily solve on each of our tours and the inspiration behind the design of all of our Italian cycling holidays.
Essentially, it’s a ‘tour within the tour’, designed to give both cyclists and their non-riding partners a fully immersive and shared experience of the Italian cycling tour. At the end of the day, we believe these special life experiences are best shared.
So what does A’QTO’s non-riding program involve?
It’s one of the first questions we are often asked by cyclists and their non-riding partners so we’ve provided an overview here.
1. Beyond riding, what’s on offer in the regions we visit?
The main platform for the design of our non-riding programs is the regions we’re in and what is on offer. From our Giro d’Italia Cycling Tour to our Cycling Tour of Tuscany, through to Piemonte and the Dolomites, the experiences on offer are as diverse as the regions we visit. The one activity common across all programs is the inclusion of walking and and scenic hikes, the degree of which is tailored to the guests on each specific tour.
Our Giro Cycling Tour always includes some amazing hiking through the Dolomites and Alps so whether you’re an avid hiker or someone who enjoys a more gentle walk through nature, our goal is to ensure we accommodate your level.
2. What are your specific interests and how can we accommodate these?
When we design your Italian cycling tour program, we spend time getting know you, discovering your interests and ensuring we can deliver a program that delivers on as many of your interests as possible.
From exploring the beautiful medieval hilltop towns of Tuscany and Piemonte through to enjoying guided walking tours of ancient castles, museums, galleries and gardens, there is always something of interest on offer. More specific interests include photography classes and ceramics painting workshops in Tuscany, through to truffle hunts and chocolate making workshops in Piemonte. Just tell us what you’re interested in and we’ll always aim to include it in the program.
Recently we had a non riding partner join us on our cycling Tour of Tuscany who was particularly interested in Italian ceramics and so we booked her in to a 3 hour ceramics painting workshop, which she thoroughly enjoyed.
3. Which non-riding activities do we share with the riding group?
Of course there are a number of non-riding activities that are enjoyed together with the riding group during each of our cycling tours of Italy. Activities range from indulging in ancient Roman thermal baths, to sampling produce at specially selected tastings, cooking classes, and long degustation lunches.
The range of cultural and non-riding activities on offer within A’qto’s Italian cycling holidays, are designed to ensure the whole group is provided an enriching, wholistic, and immersive experience of Italy.
As we all sit around the dinner table each evening and talk of all of our activities enjoyed from the day, each of the riding and non-riding experiences are certainly made richer for having been shared.
If you’d like to find out more about our Italian Cycling Tours and specific non-riding programs and activities, please visit our specific tour pages or contact us via livechat
