Practical guide to the bike journey

General alerts

• Maremma sheepdogs: Common on the Apennine pastures from the Casentino to the Sibillini to Navelli. Stay calm and avoid direct eye contact. Better to dismount and use the bike as a shield toward the dog, then move away calmly without approaching the flock. · Source
• Marsican brown bear: An Apennine population estimated at 30-40 individuals across Abruzzo, Molise and upper Lazio. The Gran Sasso-Laga Park serves as a transit area. Do not leave food or rubbish outside the tent, make noise in the first and last hours of the day. · Source
• Ticks in the Apennines: Present from the Casentino to the Colli Euganei to the Sibillini, especially in tall grass at the edges of woods and trails. Long trousers even in summer, check your body after wooded stages. · Source
• Bikes on regional trains: Rules change from region to region. Free and unrestricted in Marche and Abruzzo, chargeable with a supplement in Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Lazio. Always check the regional service charter before counting on the train. · Source
• Hunting season: Dates vary from region to region. Roughly late September to January in Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio and Abruzzo. Selective wild boar hunting often stays active longer. In wooded stretches in autumn and winter, wear visible colours. · Source
• Recurring landslides in the Ligurian-Emilian Apennines: The SP586 in Val d'Aveto stays cut on the Emilia-Romagna side since November 2025, near the Boschi dam. By August 2026 six million euros were still needed to reopen it, not allocated. The SS45 in Val Trebbia remains passable with spot checks. Check the Anas and Provincia di Piacenza websites in the days before you pass through. Checked September 2026. · Source
• Post-2016 earthquake reconstruction: The historic centres of Camerino, Arquata del Tronto and Amatrice enter their construction phase in 2026, but remain largely off limits. In Camerino, work on the cathedral square is at 50 percent, restoration at 20 percent. Services stay in the outskirts. Always check official local sources in the days before you pass through. Checked September 2026. · Source
• Cycle routes still at project stage: The urban stretch of the Po in Turin stays closed until 3 February 2027, and the Ciclovia Tirrenica beyond Framura remains unfinished. The Levane-Incisa Valdarno stretch of the Arno Cycle Route is under construction, completion date still to be confirmed. Check the updated status before counting on a continuous protected path. Checked September 2026. · Source
• Ora wind in the Adige valley: It typically blows from the south in the morning and swings north in the afternoon, between Bolzano and Trento. Starting early helps to have it at your back, or at least less against you. · Source
• Trento-Bassano rail suspensions: The line had a total suspension between Trento and Borgo Valsugana Centro from 22 February to 8 December 2025, for electrification. Lots 2 and 3, another 50 km, are still at the feasibility study stage: further interruptions are likely in coming years. Replacement buses generally don't take bikes: check before you count on the train as plan B. Checked September 2026. · Source