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Abruzzo

Slow Cycling in Abruzzo

"This east-coast region is home to some of Italy’s wildest landscapes"

Kiki Deere, The Telegraph

When to go

May - Oct

Price from

£3,205

Duration

5 nights

Activity level

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Untamed Abruzzo | Classic Journey

A peaceful wilderness, far away from Italy's tourist trail, Abruzzo is a cyclist's dream. We journey through two dramatic and contrasting national parks: Maiella and Grand Sasso, discovering high mountains and medieval villages.

Gran Sasso is often described as a mini Tibet with layered foothills and forested valleys. Cycling and hiking through Maiella offers a contrasting landscape: a massif with deep cut gorges and enormous valleys with only bears and birds of prey for company. Far away from Italy's crowds and cities, this is a place to soak in the silence.

Rocca Calascio castle in Abruzzo, seen by Slow Cyclists on a journey through Italy.

Journey Highlights

  • Discover Italy's extraordinary mountain region with our expert and passionate guides
  • Admire the ancient architecture of Abruzzo's medieval villages, a labyrinth of cobbled alleyways, churches and towers
  • Glimpse Apennine brown bears, wolves and mountainous birds of prey
  • Enjoy Italy's finest mountain food and regional wines, sampled in local homes, straight from farm to table
  • Meet local artisans living off the land, cheesemakers, beekeepers, and farmers
  • Cycle and walk through some of Italy's most dramatic yet peaceful landscapes
A Slow Cyclist picnic table with a white table cloth, and wine glasses set in the shade of the trees with the Abruzzo mountains behind.
Santo Stefano village in Abruzzo, Italy

Itinerary

Here's what you can expect from our cycling holiday in Italy's mountainous and remote National Parks of Abruzzo: Gran Sasso and Maiella.
Transfer 1 hour from Pescara or 2.5 hours from Rome, Walking 6 kms

Your driver will meet you at the airport and take you to the delightful village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio where you will stay two nights at the stylish and sympathetically restored Sextantio Albergo Diffuso. You will meet your guiding team and embark on a lovely afternoon walk to a village with sweeping views followed by a local dinner.

Cycling 48 kms

The day starts with a hearty breakfast followed by a magnificent cycle loop up to the high Campo Imperatore plateau. We will stop for a picnic lunch along the way in a village that was once one of the capitals of transhumance in Abruzzo. Descending along tracks, we arrive back in the beautiful village of Santo Stefano for our second night with dinner at sunset.

Cycling 30 kms

Today we enjoy a wonderfully varied cycle down from the Gran Sasso mountains, partly following ancient transhumance trails, through villages and into a valley with Roman ruins, farmland, meadows, lakes and ancient forests, ending with a medieval frescoed chapel. We take a one hour transfer at the end of the day to the Maiella National Park where we settle into our base for the next three nights, the beautifully converted Case Catalano, in a gloriously remote spot under starry night skies.

Cycling 20 kms, Walking 3.5 kms

We start the day by jumping on our bikes for a cycle through undulating countryside and up to the spectacular Santo Spirito hermitage, a church cut into the rocks. After lunch in a local restaurant with sweeping views we leave our bikes to walk back to Case Catalano. Dinner is in a nearby osteria.

Cycling 50 kms

We have a magnificent day’s cycling in the wide and spectacular Orta Valley, heading out on the western Massif slopes, pausing to meet local cheese and honey makers, stopping for a picnic lunch near the beautiful hamlet of Roccacaramanico and then cycling back on a wooded track below the eastern Morrone mountain and passing across the Orta gorge at Salle. The day is perfect for enjoying the flora and fauna of these protected mountains.

Transfer 2.5 hours

After breakfast it’s a 2.5 hour transfer back to Rome. If you wish to extend your trip to the Abruzzo coast we can help with arrangements.

Dates & Availability

If you would prefer to travel to Abruzzo in a private group, enquire now for availability.

Go private

What's Included?

It’s rare in small group travel, but at The Slow Cyclist we include everything from the moment you land in Abruzzo. We are often told by our guests how great it is to forget about their wallet and focus on the experience.

  • electric bikes icon

    Electric Bikes

    A premium electric mountain bike, best suited to the terrain.

  • guides icon

    Guides & Hosts

    A dedicated Slow Cyclist host to look after you along the way and two local guides with passions and interests that bring Abruzzo to life.

  • transfers icon

    Transfers

    Airport transfers on arrival and departure, and you never need to carry any bags as your luggage is transported ahead each day.

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    Accommodation, Food & Drinks

    Intimate Italian guest houses, delicious locally sourced and home-cooked food and all drinks and snacks.

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    Activities

    All cultural visits and activities, from meeting cheese and honey makers to sampling local wines and oils. And as ever with The Slow Cyclist, plenty of surprises too.

A village in Abruzzo at dusk seen on a Slow Cyclist journey in Italy.
Slow Cyclists Riding Through The Abruzzo Hills

Walking and Cycling in Abruzzo

We believe that Abruzzo offers up some of the best cycling in Italy. We ride up to 55 kms a day on e-bike on a mix of quiet tarmac roads, gravel roads and meadows and paths. Although there are steep sections, this journey is suitable for most levels of cyclist and our guides will help you to hone your skills. Occasionally we hop off the bikes to walk in Gran Sasso and Maiella, where you'll be treated to magnificent panoramic views.

A Slow Cyclist guide on an e-bike in the mountains of Abruzzo, Italy.

Guiding & Support

Our attention to detail sets us apart. On your Abruzzo cycling holiday, you will be accompanied by a Slow Cyclist host. In addition, you will be looked after by two of our local guides throughout. Your bags will be driven ahead each day and a support vehicle will be on hand (although never too close) in case you need a lift.

A Slow Cyclist traditional guesthouse with traditional stone walls and wooden beams, in Abruzzo, Italy.

Accommodation

We avoid big, soulless hotels, preferring intimate guest houses. On your journey through Abruzzo you will stay in a charming medieval village with traditional rooms and a historic house nestled in the mountains. To help you get a good night’s sleep we provide luxury pillows in addition to those provided by the guest houses.

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How to book

There are two ways to travel with us. You can either travel on a set-date Scheduled Journey or put together your own private party.
Make new friends

Scheduled Journeys

A wonderful opportunity to explore a fascinating part of the world, meet like-minded travellers and make new friends in a group of Slow Cyclists assembled by us.

Scheduled Journeys
Travel with friends

Private Journeys

If you’d like to explore Italy’s majestic Abruzzo on a cycling journey with friends or family, please do get in touch.

Private Journeys

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