Gentle and slow cycling experience around Italian Lake District
We have designed a 7-day cycling guided tour around Lake Maggiore, Lugano and Varese mainly along cycle paths and back roads where you can avoid cycling any big hills and medium sized hills as well.
The Northern Italy's Lake District isn't flat. You might think that this is not the place for more relaxed rides or for gentle and slow cycling. However we can arrange a perfect blend of riding and relaxation for slower cyclists.
The rides are suitable for those who doesn't love to tackle climbs.
Look at the scheduled rides below (distances, elevations).
The Gentle Cycling Tour starts and ends on Saturday in Varese and it's based on two hotels. You will be staying a few days in Varese and a few days in Colmegna on Lake Maggiore. 7 nights and 6 days of cycling.
On day 3 you will move from Varese to Colmegna by bike and on day 7 you will move from Colmegna to Varese by bike.
Varese is 25 km in a crow flies from Milan Malpensa Airport and can be reached in a 43-minute train ride every hour (no change). How to Get Here
Northern Italy's natural lakes are famous and admired all over the world, nestled between the Alps to the North and the flat lands of the Po Valley to the South, with breathtaking panoramas, ancient villages, and villas on each lake.
In the Northern area of the region the mountains fall steeply into the blue waters of the lakes. These lakes and their mountains have been natural and physical borders for thousands of years.
Today they continue to serve as borders among Lombardy (Italy), Piedmont (Italy) and Canton of Ticino (Italian speaking part of Switzerland).
There's so much diversity environmentally and culturally within this small area.
You can only truly grasp all there is to see by bike.
Learn more about the best tourist attractions around.
Easy cycle routes around Lake Maggiore, Lugano, Varese
Explore Lake Maggiore, Lugano and Varese. Enjoy a deeper exploration of what our area has to offer: ancient villas, parks, churches and hermitages which were built from Sixteenth Century to the Nineteenth Century, exibitions, history, art, culture.
In particular we suggest to visit Villa Panza at Varese, Villa della Porta Bozzolo at Casalzuigno, Hermitage of Santa Caterina del Sasso on Lake Maggiore, Sacro Monte of Varese (historic site on the UNESCO Worldwide Heritage List).
2024 Gentle cycling tour prices per person in Euro
Start location:
Varese
End location:
Varese
Duration:
7 days, 7 nights, 6 days of cycling
Limit:
8 guests
Level of difficulty:
recreational cyclists
Terrain:
flat, undulating with occasional small climbs
2024 scheduled dates
Gentle Cycling Tour
April 13th – 20th 2024
April 27th – May 4th 2024
May 11th – 18th 2024
May 25th – June 1st 2024
June 8th – 15th 2024
June 22nd – 29th 2024
August 17th – 24th 2024
August 31st – Sep 7th 2024
September 7st – 14th 2024
September 14th – 21st 2024
September 28th – Oct 5th 2024
October 12th – 19th 2024
Other dates are possible and we can create a departure for you.
Please contact us, so we will see how we can help you.
The Gentle Cycling Tour usually starts and ends on Saturday in Varese and it's based on two hotels. You will be staying a few days in Varese and a few days in Colmegna on Lake Maggiore. 7 nights and 6 days of cycling.
On day 3 you will move from Varese to Colmegna by bike and on day 7 you will move from Colmegna to Varese by bike.
Our bike tours are guaranteed to run once we have one confirmed booking on the tour. If zero guests have booked one of our tours, we reserve the right to cancel it.
Book with confidence with our flexible: Terms & Conditions .
Included services in bike tour:
- 3 nights in double room in Varese - 4 nights in apartment room in Colmegna
- High-calorie continental breakfasts
- Packed lunches, strengthened and protein content snack with bananas and sandwiches
- Post ride lunches when you go back to the hotel
- Dinners
- Double occupancy as standard
- A skilled bike guide
- Luggage transport when you move from the first hotel to the second hotel
- Any travel by ferry or train along the rides
- The digital map of the routes drawn by us, so you can look at it on smartphone dispaly
- Safe storage with CCTV for your bike at the hotel
- Workstand tool bench for basic maintenance
- Isotonic drinks or water for your ride
- Washing and cleaning area for bikes
- Daily laundry service for your cycle clothing
- Bicycle recovery assistance in case of breakdown
- Free Internet Wi-Fi
- Car parking
Not included:
- Bike hire
- Travel insurance
- Medical and physiotherapy services
- Transfer to and from Airport
- Entrance fees Castles, Villas, Museums
- Any extra-beverage and other extras at dinner
Gentle Cycling Bike Tour
Details / Daily Routes
Expect small groups up to 8 riders with a guide leading the way on the road. The reason is to ensure the best riding. In such a way we can garantee you the best quality and attention. If there are more guests, it is better a split-up in two groups during the daily rides.
When you’re riding you’ll always have at least one guide on the road with the group.
The guide leads the way on the road giving you the flexibility to ride at your own pace expecially along the climbs. There is no vehicle support.
This is a general program to to demonstrate how the cycling esperience is structured. We can include more distance, less distance or different routes. The riding arrangements can be flexible according to your needs.
We generally meet at the bikes at 8.00/8.30 in the morning getting back to the hotel in the afternoon at 14.00/15.00, so you can enjoy a post ride lunch. The rest of the day is relax time. A coffee stop, stops for feeding on the way and for regrouping are suggested during the daily ride .
Learn more about the best tourist attractions around.
Can't find what are you looking for?
Please have a look at:
FAQS
1 ~ Saturday - Arrival
Assembling your own bike or delivery of rental bike and pre-tour briefing.
Accomodation: Hotel Ungheria Varese
2 ~ Sunday
We have selected two rides which start from Varese. You can choose from:
- Around Lake Varese (35 km, elevation gain 300 m),
- Around Lake Lugano (52 km, elevation gain 120 m).
Accomodation: Hotel Ungheria Varese
3 ~ Monday
Today we move by bike from Varese to Colmegna on Lake Maggiore , while your luggage will be transfered to Colmegna.
You can choose from:
- Route 1 - via West coast Lake Lugano (43 km, elevation gain 100 m),
- Route 2 – via Valcuvia and Valtravaglia (40 km, elevation gain 360 m).
Accomodation: Relais Villa Porta in Colmegna
4 ~ Tuesday, 5 ~ Wednesday, 6 ~ Thursday
We have selected several rides which start from Colmegna.
You can choose from them:
- Cannero, Ascona, Locarno (63 km, elevation gain 200 m),
- Lake Maggiore on the inside: Laveno, Villa Della Porta Bozzolo (50 km, elevation gain 230 m),
- Ponte Tresa, Lake Lugano, Marchirolo (40 km, elevation gain 550 m),
- Piano Magadino, Bellinzona and Medieval Castels (80 km, elevation gain 200 m).
Accomodation: Relais Villa Porta in Colmegna
7 ~ Friday
Today we say goodbye to Lake Maggiore and head to Varese again by bike, while your luggage will be transfered to Varese.
There are two rides to choose from:
- Route 1 – via Lake Lugano East coast and Morcote (50 km, elevation gain 250 m),
- Route 2 - via Ganna and Brinzio (46 km, elevation gain 500 m).
Accomodation: Hotel Ungheria Varese
8 ~ Saturday - Departure
Breakfast and departure.
Photographer: Lakes Northern Italy Bike Tours
Copyright: Lakes Northern Italy Bike Tours
Credit: Lakes Northern Italy Bike Tours
