Hey guys!

I am travelling to Italy this summer with 3 friends for 2 weeks. We want to try the well known climbs from the Giro (Stelvio, Mortirolo etc.). We don't know much about the terrain around the climbs. If the terrain around the climbs are mostly highway, we prefer climbing less well known climbs for a better experience. In another way, the sorrounding terrain is equally as important as the climbs themselves.

Can anyone recommend cities, apartments, houses etc. in Italy? We have also talked about if 2 weeks is too much to stay at one place in Italy?

Thanks
Christoffer

Never been myself for a cycling trip, but you will mostly probably opt for Bormio.

Not sure what you mean by "surrending terrain" but in there you dont have much option than climbing!

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ciclismo-espresso.com

I made a flying visit (three days including traveling) to Bormio last September (blog link in my signature). Rode both sides of the Stelvio day one via a descent via the Umbrail pass and the Mortirolo and Gavia loop the second. Amazing riding! Not sure how many other rides are doable from Bormio if staying longer though?

Lake Como area is a few hours south and I still need to visit the Dolomites. One day hopefully!

I stayed at the Alpi & Golf hotel http://www.alpigolf.bormio.it/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and can definitely recommend. It is a very reasonably priced family run hotel on the edge of Bormio.

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http://climbinglama.blogspot.com.au

I would probably stay at 2-3 different places if I had two weeks just for cycling. E.g. Bormio for a week, and then move down near Lake Garda.

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Bikes: Raceur, Beateur

I've been to Lombardy a few times, and stayed a week at a hotel in Lecco at the start of October this year. Lecco and Como are both good because of easy rail links to Milan. I flew from the UK and was the same day riding Colle Brianza in the afternoon. This means that two days of your holiday are not lost entirely due to travelling.

Most roads are busy and dangerous in most parts of Italy, and especially so in Northern Italy, but the mountain roads are quiet and safe. Take rear lights on account of tunnels, some of which can be over 2km in length and with poor lighting. Others have no lighting at all.

I have found Lecco to be an excellent location because of the lakeside and other climbs within the area, and then if you want something further afield take your bikes on the train to Tirano for the higher climbs, like the Stelvio and Gavia. I like the Passo di Agueglio (16km) from Varenna and this is about the longest climb that The Tour of Lombardy uses. But lots of other Tour of Lombardy limbs in the area, including the Muro di Sormanno - 2km at >20%.

Never go on the No.36 road. Using the car ferry to cross Lake Lecco is one way of avoiding this road.

PM me if you want.

italy is naturally one of the best places for cycling. my favourite spot is dolomites - both skiing and cycling. the are many small and quiet villages/cities around, but with some great places to spend the evening in, especially if you're not affraid of 'going local'. i suppose if you choose some place around Sella Ronda (Arabba near Passo Pordoi, Canazei, La Villa, Selva di Val Gardena.. just try google..) you'll be more than satisfied with your stay - lots of great roads (maybe not the most famous Giro ascents, but still plenty of climbing), some of them almost completely traffic-free, and even better sights. best thing is you can avoid main roads, though i find italian drivers pretty cyclist-friendly (especially when i'm dressed in blue )

the prices and accomodation, well, you can find a 5-star hotel or a cheap family-run pension.. each to his own. i tend to try different places all the time, but there's one spot i can recommend (both summer and winter) especially if you like good food - hotel 'Cornelio' in Cortina d'Ampezzo

As some others pointed out, 2 weeks in Bormio might be way too much.
Id move somewhere like the already mentioned Lake of Garda or Lake of Como for the 2nd week just for a change of scenary and more riding options (off the bike as well).

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ciclismo-espresso.com

I have been going to Italy for the past 10 years. I have been to France and Austria but Italy, Dolomites is the best.
I stay in a great little town called Cavalese which is just north of Trentino and south of Bolzano.
I stay in an EXCELLENT family run hotel called Hotel La Stua. This is a bike hotel, whch means that they are cyclist friendly (lock-up, pump, tools, etc) it also has lots of regular guests
Cavalese gives you huge scope for cycling.I generally ride 150 - 200kM loops; I leave at 08:00 and am generally back for dinner at 19:00. If you get a good map and pre-plan your routes you can get in some great routes, my advice is have a maximum of 4 passes per day.
The following passes are all cyclable from Cavalese (the loops are up to you!) Lavaze, Costalunga, Pellgrino, Valles, Pordoi, Campolongo, Gardena, Sella, Fedaia, Giau, Fallzarego, Niger, Pramadiccio, Pampeago, Rolle, Cereda, Broncon, Gobbera, and more...
Also the Stelvio and Gavia are a 90 minute drive away.
Other towns may be more central (Canazei, Predazzo, Covara) but they are very "tourist trap" and more expensive. Cavalese is a genuine and has more character
I really reccommend it. I will be there at the end of July link up if you wish and I will be your guide

I've ridden in Italy or France most years since 1995. The Sella Ronda is my favourite ride, the Stelvio my favourite climb. I'm returning this year for a week in Corvara, another six days moving around, including Bormio. This will be my sixth time in Corvara, third at Hotel la Perla, the best place in town with great food and service. When we were there last year, so was Miguel Indurain, who rode the Maratona with his son. I rode it with my son but we weren't special guests, just regular guests who had a good time.

Fly in to Venice, ride Monte Grappa, then go up to the Dolomites. Corvara, Canazei or Arraba offer lots of routes in their areas and are all pretty close to one another. Sella Ronda, Marmolada, Falzarego, Giau,etc. Yes, the towns are touristy but that also means that there are lots of hotels at various price levels and lots of places to eat. If you're in Corvara, there's a good bike shop in la Villa, about 5 km down the hill. Bike shops are few and far between in the Dolomites in my experience so it's nice to know there's at least one good one.

Cortina is also a good location but I find it a lot more expensive than Corvara. I'd suggest a week or so in the Corvara area, then drive over to Bormio for a few days. Three big name climbs in that area - Stelvio, Gavia and Mortirolo. Lots of good hotels in Bormio, some of which cater to cyclists in the summer. Like Corvara, it's mainly a ski resort. You could then drive from there over to Como and do Ghisallo if you want and fly out of Milan if you can organize car rental and flights that way. If not, take the autostrada back to Venice.

Buy a Michelin or similarly detailed map of the area (you probably will need two to cover the whole area). Go to this site to look at the profile of the climbs:
http://www.zanibike.net/motore.aspx?lingua=eng

Have fun! Great biking and good food.

They key is if you are going to rent a car or not.

1. Always get to hotels and ask for half pension. It means you get breakfast, dinner and room. This is the best way to save money.

2. Bormio has basically 2 or 3 rides.

Bormio - Stelvio -Switzerland Loop - Stelvio - Bormio

Bormio - Mortirollo (=paso foppa) - Gavia - Bormio.

Hotel Danielle in Bormio is well located not expensive.

3. Kastelruth This is a great town in sud tyrol. Very close you will find basically most of the famous cols of the Dolomites, Pordoi, Sella and of course the classic of them all, Tre Cima di Lavoredo. You can have a great loop starting in Cortina going south and turning North to Tre Cima. You can rehearse the famous cycling movie with Eddy in the Giro of 1974.
Another day you can do Passo Fedai (Marmolada) another classic with Falzarego.etc . You can spend here 5 days.

4. An interesting area of Italy with also famous climbs and ot too many tourist is North of Turin close to the border with France. You can do here Col d'Agnelo cross to France and do Col l'Izoard and back. etc. You stay in Sampiere.

5. My advice is rent a car, this will make you trip very efficient and you will be able to climb many of the famous passes.
It is hard to help you in general terms because the options are many. I assumed you want to climb the famous passes.

Ciao

Thanks guys.

Every summer we stay in San Cassiano -Alta badia Dolomites

http://www.residencevally.it/en/residen ... a/1-0.html

Beautiful area, close to several big climbs, good bike shops the lot and the owner, Moreno, is a great guy who will look after you.