This unique route takes you by bike from Switzerland to Italy, from the Alps to Milano, passing through Lake Como. From the “Sentiero Valtellina”, the bike path that crosses the Valtellina valley to Colico, offers a marvellous view of Lake Como and the surrounding mountains. Another emotion will be the boat that will take you to Bellagio, the pearl of the lake, where you can have a rest before reaching Lecco. From here you cycle along the river Adda, heading towards Vaprio D’Adda, on the border between the provinces of Milano and Bergamo. After leaving the Adda river, continue on the cycle path of the Martesana Canal. Along the way you spot old power plants, the first to supply electricity to the city of Milano. The genius of Leonardo da Vinci is said to have designed part of this channel. The landscape that accompanies you in Milano is a bit unexpected and characterized by farmhouses, magnificent villas, piers, old rural houses and villages, surrounded by landscaped gardens.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Individual arrival in Tirano (Sondrio) Valtellina
Take advantage of your free time to discover this location, not far from Switzerland, the end of line of the famous “Bernina Red Train”, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lose yourself in its streets to get to see the signs of history, such as the remains of the Sforza walls in the historic center, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Tirano (the only Basilica in this area) and the beautiful buildings in Art Nouveau style. Taste the delicacies of local food and wine: the imposing terraces not only offer a breathtaking view, but also restore all the taste of the territory in a glass of wine, to accompany the bresaola, a delicious and healthy salami, or a dish of pizzoccheri, typical tagliatelle of the Valtellina made with buckwheat. Overnight stay in Tirano.
Day 2: Tirano – Colico 76 km
Today you start cycling, and it’s an easy start, downhill along the Adda river. The Sentiero Valtellina will take you near the small village of Teglio, before reaching Sondrio, the capital of the province which bears the same name. The first stage by bike ends in Morbegno, which is home to a beautiful old town. Walk along its narrow streets, admiring the beautiful facades of ancient buildings with small wrought-iron balconies. Visit the Church of St. John the Baptist, a baroque collegiate church built in 1680. One of the architectural symbols of the city is the Ganda Bridge, the only stone bridge over the Adda river. The Bitto stream, on the other hand, gives its name to the homonymous DOP cheese used to prepare the typical dish of Valtellina, pizzoccheri. Overnight stay in Colico – Como Lake.
Day 3: Colico – Bellagio – Lecco 2 boats trips
Departure from Colico, where in the morning you will take the boat that will make you cross the lake to bring you to Bellagio, the pearl of Lake Como. Here you can stop for a meal or a drink while enjoying the beauty of the lake. In the late afternoon you will take again the boat to reach Lecco, the city where the writer Alessandro Manzoni set I promessi sposi. Protected by numerous peaks, including the famous Grigne and Resegone, Lecco in the historic center still offers the remains of the fortified village, like the bridge of Azzone Visconti. Also worth seeing is the Teatro della Società and the church of St. Nicholas, whose high bell tower indicates the direction of the port. Overnight stay in Lecco.
Day 4: Lecco – Trezzo sull’Adda 76 km
The beautiful bike path on which you will start cycling today, will run slightly downhill along the river Adda and you will admire first natural scenery and then the works of human ingenuity, such as the impressive hydroelectric power plants. You will also find the signs of Leonardo da Vinci’s genius in the locks or in the ferry designed by him. And you will also see the places that seem to have inspired him to paint La Gioconda.
On your last bike ride you will cycle along the famous Martesana cycle path, a navigation channel designed by Leonardo Da Vinci and completed in 1496. Among the various places of interest are the stately villas (Villa Melzi in Vaprio, Villa Aitelli in Inzago, Villa Serbelloni in Gorgonzola, just to name a few), numerous mills, churches and ancient factories. Gradually you will approach Milano where you will spend the night. We advise you to extend your visit to Milano to appreciate its vitality, beauty and artistic heritage. Overnight stay in Milano.
Day 5: Milano
Breakfast and end of the biketour.
You may ask for an extra night.
