160 castles, the Apennino Tosco Emiliano National Park, forests, medieval villages, mountains and rivers. If you go cycling in Lunigiana in northern Tuscany, you will find it all. The alternation between fairly flat cycling along the river and climbing to the mountain passes makes the area fantastic for sporty cyclists. We spoke to Arnoud Thuss, a connoisseur of the region, who also has a very nice farmhouse in the region, from where he organises cycling holidays.
Cycling in Lunigiana - Undiscovered territory
The area is still undiscovered by tourists, so you can enjoy some quiet time on the Strada del Vino or the Via del Sale (known from the GranFondo). The Via del Volte Santo and Via Francigena are at your feet, alongside other, unfamiliar routes. The history of these often dates back to the Middle Ages. Do you opt for winding country roads among olive trees and vineyards or go for serious passes up to around 1700 metres altitude. You will find in Lunigiana not only the friendly hilly landscape characteristic of Tuscany, but also a rugged mountainous landscape. Something for everyone.
Cycling holiday
Using a 17th-century farmhouse as a base, Arnoud Thuss, of www.cyclingintoscane.co.uk Tailor-made cycling holidays for small groups. "We do our best to pamper cyclists a bit in the accommodation. In doing so, we know on a ride where the most beautiful places are. We let everyone have a nice cycling adventure where they know what to expect. It's helpful if you know in advance how tough the ride is. That you know where the really steep bits are and what the quality of the road surface is. Also useful for gravel riders: which unpaved paths are maintained or not. I prefer to cycle with people to show them the high points. With us, guests can use the whole farm, where they can eat, drink and relax." Near the farm is a sizeable piece of land where you can take a stroll among the fruit trees, olive trees and an herb garden. Have you finished? Then you can go make a pizza in the wood-fired pizza oven on the terrace.
Piatti Tipici
In the old town of Pontremoli, you can enjoy "piatti tipici" such as the Testarolo, which seems to bring together the deliciousness of pasta and pancakes. Of course, there is also the Amor Pontremolese, a kind of tompouce but (even) tastier. Head to Podenzana for the original 'Panigacci di Podenzana' (street food sandwich with pickled meat or cheese). In Fivizzano you'll find a good Torta d'erbi (vegetable cake) and in autumn a delicious caffè and 'castagnaccio' (cake made of cinnamon flour).
Bike ride through the Apennino Tosco Emiliano National Park
From Liciana Nardi, we leave early for a challenging 95-kilometre ride. It leads past the vines of the Strada del Vino dei Colli di Candia and through the forest towards Fivizzano. Along the way, there are beautiful views of the Monte Tambura and Monte Cusna mountain ranges. After coffee in Fivizzano, we ride past the impressive Fortezza di Verrucola. It then continues through the heart of the Parco Nazionale dell' Appenino Tosco-Emiliano. There, 3 mountain passes of about 1250 metres await us. Nature is overwhelming. We pass rock faces, forests, lakes, waterfalls, a ski resort and villages where almost nothing has changed in the last 100 years. Not even the recipe for an authentic lunch at the tiny Bar Caffe 1207 in Vallisnera.
A fine reward awaits at the end of the ride in the form of a 20km descent on good tarmac, where we whizz down from the Passo Lagastrello with beautiful views. It's a wonderful ride for well-trained nature lovers who like climbing (max about 10%) and a bit of a challenge. That's cycling in Lunigiana all over again.
