Emilia-Romagna by e-bike: Dream tours in Italian
Text: Christian Bonk
For German tourists, Emilia-Romagna is something like the epitome of an Italian holiday on the Adriatic. Endless hours of sunshine, endless, albeit heavily frequented beaches and balmy summer nights where the day never seems to end on the promenades of the holiday resorts. The hinterland, on the other hand, is a sleepy paradise for cyclists.
When we arrive at the Gambrinus bike hotel in the centre of Riccione, which specialises in cyclists, we have four tempting-sounding tours of around 50 to 60 kilometres ahead of us in cloudless late summer weather. As soon as we arrive at the hotel, we are surrounded by the flair of active cycling. The hotel lobby is not only adorned with jerseys worn by cycling icons such as Marco Pantani and Maurizio Fondriest, but also in the corridors, on the walls of the mezzanine floors, corridors and in the dining room, countless cycling insignia remind us why around 90 per cent of guests keep coming back: At the Gambrinus, run by charismatic third-generation hotel manager Grazia Nicoletti and her brother Luca, literally everything revolves around the passion for biking - including a bike workshop and an afternoon pasta buffet to replenish carbohydrate stores.
Dreamlike paths in the hills
After a restful night at Gambrinus, we meet our guide Patrick, who will accompany us through Emilia-Romagna for the next few days. On the agenda today are the picturesque villages of Saludecio, Mondaino and Montegridolfo. We leave Riccione for the hinterland and find ourselves in idyllic seclusion after just a few kilometres. We are surrounded by sunflower fields, vineyards and the cypress and pine trees typical of this region. I am well equipped with my Bergamont touring e-bike, as we are mostly travelling on regional roads, which we share with cars that rarely whizz past. I decide to mainly switch on the Eco mode - which gives me a range of around 80 kilometres - because hotel manager Grazia had already pointed out that we can hardly expect any significant charging infrastructure on our tours. That's why my pannier contains plenty of water and a charger so that I can ask for a socket in a bar centre in the event of a battery emergency.
We take our first exploratory break in Saludecio after around 20 kilometres with 350 metres of pleasant ascent. It is a picturesque, sleepy village with pretty house facades that bear witness to a lively and long history. In the centre, we marvel at the remains of the medieval castle and the imposing Porta Marina entrance gate, which leads us through the town walls into the alleyways of the small town. Here we enjoy the tranquillity of Italian country life with a cappuccino until we get back on our bikes for the next stage to the town of Mondaino. Once again, the route takes us over gentle hills and peaceful valleys, alternating between fields, small wooded areas and meadows, the temperature has levelled off at thirty degrees and we cycle on under a deep blue Adriatic sky. After a good hour, we reach Mondaino, whose charming townscape takes us back to the Middle Ages.
A culinary highlight of our tour also awaits us here: we are guests at the Formaggio Pecorino die Fossa cheese dairy, which has been located in the Mulino della Porta di Sotto for generations. In the days of the Malatesta fortress of Mondaino, the medieval mill was an important building block for the self-sufficient supply of the fortress. In the 18th century, it was used as a salt mill and was owned by the Rothschild banking family for many years. Twenty years ago, the Chiaretti brothers Emanuele and Michele bought it to produce the traditional Fossa cheese. We enjoy four delicious varieties of this speciality, which is now exported to many countries, and set off on the last section of the stage, which takes us back towards the coast via Montegridolfo. In the end, we have covered 58 kilometres and climbed around 850 metres in altitude.
A magnificent castle and a view of the Bay of Rimini
On day two, we leave the slowly awakening Riccione early in the morning in the direction of Misano Adriatico. We are travelling on the weekend on which the legendary MotoGP race is held in Misano. As we pass the Motodrom, it looks like the first free practice session is about to begin. We can hear the two-wheeled racing cars doing their laps and are glad that our route initially takes us along the tranquil Conca river valley into the lush nature of the hinterland. A short time later, we are already in the Marche region, climbing just under 200 metres in altitude on dirt tracks towards Gradara with its magnificent castle, one of the region's most important landmarks.
The Castello di Gradara, which towers over the sleepy village, and the well-preserved medieval village below the castle are surrounded by a mighty wall with battlements that protected the lords of the castle and the inhabitants of the village from aggressors. Built in 1150 by the noble De Griffo family, the fortress was repeatedly the scene of conquests over the centuries, even if it was considered impregnable for a time. From the Donjon Tower, which is over 30 metres high, we can gaze across to the Adriatic coast and enjoy the view over the evergreen hills of the Marche region.
After a snack and the obligatory cappuccino, we continue on our way, cycling over the cypress and pine-covered hills of the coastal hinterland and reach the provincial capital of Pesaro. The lively harbour town welcomes us with a variety of historic buildings as well as cafés, bars and restaurants. We find the atmosphere less touristy than in the holiday resorts of Emilia-Romagna, although Pesaro is also one of the most popular holiday destinations on the Italian Adriatic coast.
After a short break in Patrick's favourite café, we have an energy-sapping climb up the Via Panoramica, which leads through the Parco Regionale Monte San Bartolo. We arrive at the highest vantage point at around 400 metres above sea level and enjoy the view over the Bay of Rimini, which often makes up for the metres of climbing we have just done. The next 25 kilometres or so run along the Via Panoramica and offer us a gently undulating, dreamlike backdrop. Wide views over the coast and into the hinterland alternate constantly - we can't get enough of this spectacle for the eyes. The last few kilometres back to the coast descend in steep hairpin bends. From there, we make our way home to Riccione and then have a total of 66 kilometres (with around 800 metres of ascent) in our legs.
Demanding ascent to the Montefiore Conca fortress
Today Patrick takes us into the Conca river valley, where we follow the meandering course of the river on gravel paths through the typical flora of the Emilia-Romagna hinterland. After about an hour and a half of very relaxed cycling, we leave the riverbank and tackle the first gentle uphill section of the day before enjoying an espresso in Morciano and once again the view over the marvellous landscape to the coast. However, the caffeine boost now has to take full effect, as we are faced with a rather challenging ascent. In around 90 strenuous minutes, we climb the hill on which the impressive Montefiore is located, one of the many medieval villages that characterise the region. It is surrounded by a massive wall,
in the centre of which the Montefiore Conca fortress rises majestically from afar. From Montefiore Conca, we take a rapid descent through a dense forest until we finally reach the seaside resort of Cattolica and head back to our hotel on the now familiar route. Today we have covered a total of 50 kilometres and 550 metres in altitude.
Up and down through the wine valley
The final tour, covering 54 kilometres and 700 metres in altitude, takes us into the local wine valley, which we cross on gentle ascents and descents. In Trarivi, another medieval village in a fantastic location, we visit a miniature open-air museum that commemorates the fallen from the two world wars. We continue our ascent and reach the picturesque village of Montescudo, where the Fortifications, the town tower and a medieval ice house are reminders of the lively history of the town, which the Malatestas massively fortified as an important outpost and security post in the 14th century. From here, we cycle downhill for a while and pass the villages of San Savino and Coriano until we finally reach San Clemente, which is known locally as the "town of wine". From here, our gaze wanders over fields and vineyards, whose vines mainly bear plump Sangiovese grapes; however, Trebbiano and Rebola are also among the grape varieties cultivated here, and even Riesling is grown here and there. A stylish wine tasting awaits us at the Enio Ottaviani winery with hearty pinsas. Perfectly fortified and energised, we climb into the saddles to cycle the last stage of our tour via Cattolica back to Riccione.
Information and tips for cycling through Emilia-Romagna
The tour area
The Emilia-Romagna region extends in northern Italy between the Apennines and the Po Valley. It borders Lombardy and Veneto to the north, Marche and Tuscany to the south and Liguria to the west, as well as Piedmont in a few sections. Emilia-Romagna is primarily known for its tourist centres of Rimini, Riccione, Ravenna, Cattolica and Misano Adriatico. But the inland cities of Bologna and Parma are also worth a visit. We explored the hilly hinterland directly bordering the coastal region by bike. In addition to the lush Mediterranean nature, we discovered beautiful little towns with impressive castles and fortifications on fortified hills. We were amazed by the tranquillity and peace that prevail just a few kilometres from the coast.
GPS data
The GPS data for the four tour suggestions in Emilia-Romagna are available here for free download or in the MYBIKE Collection on komoot
Arrival and departure
The easiest way to reach Emilia-Romagna by car is via the Brenner Pass and then via the Italian A14 motorway, which leads directly to the Adriatic Sea from Bologna. Alternatively, Bologna and Rimini airports can be reached from many German airports. Rimini also has a large railway station with good international connections, which also makes it easy to travel by train. If you opt for the motorway, you will have to budget 11 euros each way for the Brenner Pass and the Austrian motorway toll sticker (9.90 euros for ten days). A toll is also payable on Italy's motorways. Up to Riccione, the starting point of our tours, the toll is just under 40 euros each way.
Overnight stay
We were in the Hotel Gambrinus an absolute recommendation for every cycling traveller. The hotel is charmingly run by third-generation siblings Grazia and Luca Nicoletti and offers cycling enthusiasts a well thought-out all-inclusive package with a workshop, jersey washing service and an afternoon pasta buffet to replenish energy reserves after the tour. The hotel is located in the second row behind the beach promenade and offers an authentic Italian evening menu, drinks included. Lovingly decorated with jerseys from world-class professional cyclists.
Food and drink
Emilia-Romagna offers all the delicacies that are typical of Italian culinary delights. Classics such as Parma ham, cannelloni, tagliatelle, Bolognese-style pasta sauce and balsamic vinegar come from here - as well as freshly caught fish and seafood from the Adriatic. A well-chilled Trebbiano or, in the evening, a strong Sangiovese is recommended to accompany your meal. If you stroll through the lively pedestrianised area in Riccione in the evening, you will find plenty of restaurants in all price ranges. In addition to the ubiquitous pizza and pasta offerings, gourmets will also find the right place to dine, for example to enjoy fish or meat dishes.
E-bike service
The hilly routes in Emilia-Romagna are quite a battery guzzler. However, electrification through e-bike charging stations is still in its infancy in the region. Even in the holiday resorts by the sea, charging points are still in short supply. It is therefore definitely advisable to take a charger with you on your tours. The friendly people in the hinterland are always willing to charge a bike battery at a normal socket over a cappuccino or pasta at lunchtime.
MYBIKE TIPS
Formaggio Pecorino di Fossa cheese dairy in Mondaino: The pit cheese, which matures for months in the old vaults of the former salt mill, is offered in different variations. Those who book their visit in advance can experience a presentation of the cheese-making process and a tasting of the tasty pit cheese. The cheese dairy shop offers other delicacies from the Chiaretti family's own production.
Enio Ottaviani Winery: Here, too, it is advisable to book in advance, for example to experience a wine tasting accompanied by delicious specialities. The family of winegrowers cultivates 12 hectares of vineyards and has built up an excellent reputation for Chardonnays, fruity Bombino Biancos and naturally aromatic Sangiovese. The modern winery forms a great contrast to the gentle vineyard hills in the centre of which it is located.
Maps
The Emilia-Romagna - Bologna road map 1:150,000 from Freytag and Berndt is recommended for rough orientation. The Emilia-Romagna Tourist Board supports tour planning with maps. emiliaromagnaturismo.it/en/sport/cycling
Info & useful links
Italian National Tourist Board ENIT, www.italia.it/en/emilia-romagna
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