Discover Romagna, the land of La Dolce Vita
Casual self-guided - Ravenna to Bologna
A new take on our classic tour of charming Romagna. Still being discovered by foreigners, this is the heart of Italy's homemade pasta and one of the most bicycle-friendly regions in Italy. You will explore the famous ceramics town of Faenza, enchanting hilltop villages like Dozza, Riolo Terme, and Brisighella (officially among The Most Beautiful Hamlets in Italy). Start in marvelous Ravenna, once the capital of the Western Roman Empire and now a UNESCO world-heritage art city, cycling all the way to historic Bologna, famous for its pastel colors and countless porticoes. Easy flat rides, or many options for more serious hill rides make for a cycling paradise. After pedaling, delight your culinary taste buds with freshly made tagliatelle, lasagne, ravioli and more, all washed down with local Sangiovese wine.
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Day 1
Marvelous Ravenna - welcome to the Romagna region
Highlights: Byzantine mosaics, 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Arrive in Ravenna today, once the capital of the Western Roman Empire. Your centrally-located hotel allows you to walk to Dante's Tomb and the UNESCO World Heritage mosaics of San Vitale, Sant'Apollinare Nuovo and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia this afternoon. Don't miss these early Byzantine churches with their colorful mosaics that draw travelers from around the world.
Accommodation: Hotel Centrale Byron or Hotel Diana. -
Day 2
Bicycle to Faenza
Highlights: Faenza International Ceramics Museum and Renaissance Town Square
Exiting Ravenna you have the choice to visit another very important Byzantine masterpiece: Sant'Apollinare in Classe. Cross the plains through fruit plantations and arrive to Faenza. Your hotel is a restored convent near the central square of this regional market center and famous ceramics town. Enjoy the bustle in the market square and the main "piazza" which is always full of bicycle riders of all ages. Faenza is world-renowned for its hand decorated ceramics; we recommend a visit to the International Ceramics Museum as well as several of the local artists' studios specialized in this colorful pottery.
Daily distance: 56 km (35 miles)
Elevation gain: + 143 m (469 ft)
Accommodation: Hotel Vittoria, or similar. -
Day 3
Bicycle Faenza to Brisighella and Riolo Terme
Highlights: Medieval Brisighella; Via degli Asini
Enjoy a quiet ride through vineyards and kiwi orchards on your way to the enchanting Medieval town of Brisighella. You should certainly plan to explore the historic town center and to see the unique Via degli Asini, one of the best preserved medieval artisan streets anywhere in Italy. The homemade pasta in Brisighella is worth a lunch stop (and the gelato is not bad, either)! Your ride continues through lovely scenery on to Riolo Terme, a picturesque town on the Romagna hills, with its medieval castle and moat still intact.
You have two options for your ride today:
Short option: 26 km (16 miles), with + 382 m (1253 ft) elevation gain.
Long option: 61 km (38 miles), with + 996 m (3267 ft) elevation gain.
Accommodation: Hotel Antico Borgo, or similar.
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Day 4
Riolo Terme loop ride
Highlights: Riolo Terme and the Romagna countryside; Challenging ridge ride to the feet of the Apennines, or easier ride to Castel Bolognese
The Riolo Terme area offers options for the avid cyclist and for the more relaxed rider alike. The town itself is a lovely small spa center, so you can always enjoy a plethora of thermal water spa treatments, play a round of golf, get a massage, participate in a fun pasta making demonstration and class at the Agriturismo - or just take it easy. We'll recommend a long ride into the hills for those wanting to put some hill rides on their legs, or an easy ride to Castel Bolognese for those who want just a little exercise - both rides in a lovely setting of low hills, vineyards, farms and olive groves all around, with the Apennines in view.
Short option: 32 km (19 miles) with 346 m (1135 ft) elevation gain
Long option: 61 km (38 miles) with 1136 m (3727 ft) elevation gain
Accommodation: Hotel Antico Borgo, or similar.
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Day 5
Cycling Riolo Terme to Dozza
Highlights: Wine village of Dozza; beautiful views across the Po Valley; wall murals in Dozza
Your ride today takes you through more vineyards and rich orchards to the Medieval hill town of Dozza, famous for its wall murals. The castle in Dozza houses the Emilia-Romagna Regional Enoteca or wine museum. Regional specialties include the red Sangiovese (father grape of Chianti) which is gaining more and more worldwide recognition as an important wine in and of itself, the light and fizzy Lambrusco from the hills of Modena and Bologna (excellent accompaniment to the regional cold cuts like prosciutto and salame), or the sweet Albana di Romagna. Plan to arrive mid-afternoon so you can tour the castle and taste a little wine!
You have two options for your ride today:
Short option: 28 km (17 miles), with + 484 m (1587 ft) elevation gain.
Long option: 41 km (25 miles), with + 669 m (2195 ft) elevation gain.
Accommodation: Albergo Ristorante Canè, or Agriturismo La Rondinella. -
Day 6
Bicycle from Dozza to Bologna
Highlights: Bologna - Italy's culinary capital
We'll leave the hills of Dozza to ride to Bologna today, Emilia Romagna's administrative capital, and, arguably, its culinary capital too. Home to the oldest continually operating university in the world, Bologna has a long tradition of studies, arts, and gastronomy. Speaking of gastronomy, Bologna gave birth to the mortadella, vulgarly distorted abroad as "bologna," although the fresh, artisanal mortadella has nothing to do with processed ham! Make sure you put this culinary delight on your 'must try' list!
Daily distance: 68 km (42 miles)
Elevation gain: + 177 m (580 ft)
Accommodation: Hotel Guercino , or similar. -
Day 7
Tour ends in Bologna
Highlights: Tour End
Your bicycle ride in Emilia Romagna ends this morning in Bologna. If you have the time you might consider an extra night or two in Bologna to enjoy the rich cultural history here . Alternatively, train connections are convenient to Rome, Venice or Milan. Thanks for joining us and buon viaggio!
PLEASE NOTE : The final itinerary, including hotels and/or activities described here, are subject to changes according to availability. City hotel taxes are not included.
| Includes | Includes: 6 nights in 2-,3- and 4-star hotels and B&Bs of similar quality; all breakfasts; access to smartphone app with preloaded tracks and digital roadbook; luggage transfers. Half-board option: €215 per person Not Included: Travel to and from the tour start and end; bicycle rental (see Prices tab); GPS device; entrance to museums or other activities; city hotel tax (€2 to 5 per night per person, to be paid locally by traveler); Any meals or beverages not indicated as included. Solo Traveler and Private Group departures available: please inquire. Lodging Upgrade: Room upgrades are possible in some hotels - please inquire for prices and availability Extra nights: Please inquire about adding nights along the itinerary or before/after the tour, including in Ravenna or Bologna (the tour starting and ending cities). Extra meals & activities (please inquire for price and availability): Day 1 - Dinner in Ravenna Day 2 – Guided visit of Ravenna (approx. 3 hours long) Day 2 – Dinner in Faenza Day 3 – Olive oil tasting Day 6 – Dinner at the hotel in Dozza Day 7 – Dinner in Bologna Cooking classes are available in various locations - please inquire! ________________________________________ Navigation and roadbook: On our CASUAL lineup of tours, detailed daily tour information and route navigation are provided through our "digital roadbook", delivered to tour participants via the Ride With GPS app, which is accessed free on a smartphone - daily maps, elevation profiles, routes and ride descriptions; schedules and hotel itinerary; cultural and sightseeing information, visit suggestions; emergency numbers and more, all stored in one organized, easy to use app. Downloading the app content also allows for offline mode navigation. Participants can also upload the routes to their own GPS device, and even print the detailed route notes before leaving home For more information on our navigation options, as well as the smartphone app, please read our blog: What's it like to navigate on our self-guided tours?. GPS devices with pre-loaded routes are also available for rent - please inquire. ________________________________________ Luggage transfers are included in your package. The luggage is normally collected from 09.30 at the reception of the hotel and is delivered at the following hotel by 15.30. Every piece of luggage must be marked with a visible luggage tag. Please make sure yours have correct tags. If your luggage is not ready by the time the driver comes to collect it, you may have to pay a local taxi for the service. Please consider that the luggage is not insured during the transport. You need to have your own insurance. Do not leave valuables or fragile items in your luggage. Normally, the luggage transport service cannot be used by participants to skip the cycling stage. In case you need help to skip the cycling stage, please contact our emergency number and we will arrange it for you. PLEASE NOTE: The final itinerary, including hotels and/or activities described here, are subject to changes according to availability. City hotel taxes are not included. Tour code: itbs3990 |
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| Countries | Italy |
| Begin/End | Ravenna / Bologna |
| Arrive/Depart | How to get there and away: Fly in and out of Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ) Starting point: Ostello Galletti Abbiosi – Via Di Roma, 140 - Ravenna - We recommend flying into Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ) - Take Marconi, that connects the Bologna airport and train station. The trip is 7 minutes long and it runs every 7 minutes. (one-way ticket: about €7.50) - You can also take a taxi from Bologna Airport to the train station (about €25) - There are frequent direct train connections between Bologna and Ravenna. The trip is about 1-hour long and costs €7.35. The hotel is located about 1 km (0.6 miles) from the train station. You can walk 10 minutes or take a 5-minute taxi to the hotel for about € 5/10 - Private transfer: Bologna airport – hotel in Ravenna: € 155 (1-6 pax) Ending point: Hotel Il Guercino Via Luigi Serra, 7 - Bologna - You can fly out from Bologna Marconi Airport - To get from Hotel Guercino to Bologna Airport, use a taxi (25min) or bus (ask for directions at hotel front desk) Private airport transfers also available: please inquire for rates and reservation Long-term Parking options in Ravenna and Bologna: please see rates below and inquire for reservation instructions - If you choose to drive to starting point in Ravenna and leave your car parked there, a parking lot costs €13 per day. You can return from ending point in Bologna by train (with one connection in Faenza) or by private transfer (please inquire for rates) - If you choose to drive to Bologna and leave your car parked there (taking a train to tour starting point in Ravenna, with one connection in Faenza) a private, secure parking lot costs €12 per day. Final arrival and departure instructions along with other detailed pre-travel documents, will be e-mailed prior to your travel, with information specific to your departure (including the actual hotels used on your tour dates, which may vary from the hotels listed above.) * the hotels and prices listed above are for reference only and are subject to change (based on availability and seasonality) |
| Total Distance | 194-272 km (120-169 miles), with choices for more |
| Daily Distance | 40-70 km (25-46 miles) with optional rest days. Difficulty description: Choices of easy rides on the flat or serious hill rides for those with energy to burn. Also a dream trip for those who want to alternate easy rides with more challenging rides. |
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| Notes | |
| Terms | Terms & Conditions |
| Dates | Prices | Single Supplement | |||
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| Dates | This tour is available from March 1 to October 31 Starts every Tuesday. Other start days available by request (extra fee applies). Please note that starting on certain days of the week will make some visits (such as museums or tastings) impossible. * 2023 price, per person, based on double occupancy; minimum 2 participants per departure. Solo traveler departures are also available (only one person on the departure), with a supplemental fee of €415. This fee also includes the cost of the single / double room supplement Group Discounts available for 4 or more participants booking together on the same departure! Please inquire for details through our contact form below. ________________________________________ 2023 Confirmed Departures: High-Season surcharge (May-June, September and early October): a €100 per person surcharge is applied on high-season departures. If joining an existing, confirmed departure date, the fee may be waived - please inquire. ________________________________________ Bike Rental options: We offer quality bikes in different styles, all great options for this bike tour. Our bikes are maintained and delivered in optimal working condition. The prices below are per bike for the duration of the tour, including delivery to starting point in Ravenna and collection from ending point in Bologna. Bike rental rates Aluminum hybrid: €105 Premium Titanium road or hybrid: €140 E-bike (hybrid with straight handlebar): €210 Tandem: €245 (priced per bike, for 2 cyclists) Tag-along or kid trailer: €70 For detailed specs and photos of our bikes, see our website - Bike Rentals Italy. ________________________________________ Additional useful information: • Do you have any questions about how our bike tours work? Check out our FAQs page! • Curious about the difference between our Casual and Classic self-guided tours? Check out our introduction blog on Casual Self-Guided Tours. • We offer various tools for navigation - this page details what it's like to navigate on our self-guided tours. • If the self-guided formula isn't right for you, check out this blog introducing the differences between Guided and Self-Guided Tours. |
Prices | €725 per person * | Single Supplement | €130 fee (in single room), or €170 fee (in double room for single use) |
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