Guide Ride Series: Marcello Bonini

Where would our guides take you, if they could take you anywhere in the world?

The Coronavirus pandemic has grounded our guides at home for almost a year. Yet their passion and desire to taste, travel, and teach is unstoppable. Our guides – with an average 15 years of off-the-map travel experience – have compiled a book entitled Pedaled Passion: Ciclismo Guides Favorite Rides where they share with you their favorite world destinations.

This blog series highlights excerpts from the text where you can read your favorite guide recount their favorite ride. So join us on this most memorable journey. And if you feel compelled, we ask that you donate to our fundraiser, to get us through the winter, so we can make our next ride with you our favorite.

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In the Heart of Umbria

Mileage: 80 km (50 mi) Elevation: 1100 m (3600 ft)

This ride is the classic seventh day adventure of Ciclismo Classico’s original Bike Across Italy tour. It takes place in the heart of Umbria, the greenest region of Italy, crossing the Umbrian Valley from one Apennine ridge to another. The distance is 80 km (50 mi) with an elevation gain of approximately 1100 m (3600 ft).

We depart from Spello, a small hill town nestled quietly on the side of Mount Subasio, the highest point in Umbria. Spello is known for its medieval architecture, its artistic ceramics, for the production of excellent olive oil, and is also the scene of an incredible artistic event: the Corpus Domini flower show. The “Infiorate di Spello” (the name of the show) is a demonstration of faith which takes place every year on the ninth Sunday after Easter. On that night, almost a thousand people work incessantly to create carpets and pictures made of flowers along the town’s narrow streets. Floral creations cover town roads throughout the historical centre in preparation for the passage of the Blessed Sacrament carried in procession by the bishop on Sunday morning. The result is a unique, one mile-long path of beautiful floral creations with an explosion of colors and scents.

Assisi (the birthplace of St. Francis) is home to the Franciscan religious order founded in the village in 1208. This city lies just a few kilometers away from Spello and is considered the true spiritual center of the Italian people.

Riding Along the Plains

The ride begins with a short descent and winds along the plains on small country roads that lead to the village of Cannara, to then reach the town of Bevagna. Between these two villages you can stop in a unique and original cellar, a magical place not to be missed: the Castelbuono estate. This amazing cantina is housed inside a real architectural work of art. It is all the fruit of the brilliant imagination of Arnaldo Pomodoro, the most important modern Italian sculptor in the country. He modeled his estate in the shape of a turtle-shell: like a gigantic copper tortoise dozing in the sun amidst the Umbrian hills.

If you are not in a hurry and want to dive into the past, Bevagna is worth a stop. It is easy to understand the stratification of the different historical periods just by walking through the alleys. The Roman period is still evident in the amphitheater and in the public baths while if you want to see a real medieval craft you can take a trip to the workshop of Francesco the paper maker, who will show you how paper was produced in 1200.

After Bevagna we tackle the first ascent of the day: a 5 km (3 mi) climb with an average gradient of 5% to reach the walled hamlet of Montefalco, dominating the plain as far as the eye can see. Montefalco gives its name to the production area of one of the most interesting Italian red wines: the powerful Sagrantino, obtained from an ancient native varietal and recently celebrated among the most important wines in the world. The town is a good place to have lunch, as it offers numerous different options ranging from a simple food-store sandwich to a luxury restaurant. My favorite place is the Ristorante l’Alchimista that serves heavenly potato dumplings in a Sagrantino wine sauce. Despite the small size, the square of Montefalco is also a good place for shopping. In addition to wine and olive oil, it is possible to buy the famous Montefalco fabrics: tablecloths, towels and curtains worked with original and unique high quality decorative motifs.

Snack and Treats

If instead we prefer to continue pedaling, we can grab a tasty snack at the Bottega di Gigetto di Bastardo, the next town along the way. This high-end deli makes the tastiest sandwiches in the area. Right after Bastardo we start the most challenging and spectacular part of the ride: it begins with a 7.5 km (4.5 mi) gentle climb to Giano dell’Umbria, among oak tree forests, olive groves and remote hamlets, followed by another hill of about 4 km (2.5 mi) to Viepri. The approach to Todi takes place on an undulating road that circumnavigates the town and the last short ascent towards the city walls allows a 360° view of the beautiful countryside surrounding it.

The last kilometer leading to the town’s main square is challenging, but the effort will find immediate relief at the Pianigani ice cream parlor a few meters from Palazzo dei Consoli. Todi – considered in 1991 “the world’s best place to live” by the University of Kentucky – embraces about 2,500 inhabitants within the walls of the historic center and 15,000 scattered throughout the vast municipal area made up mostly of countryside. The buildings in the historic center testify to the long history of human settlement on this hill. Initially founded by the Umbrians in the 7th century BC, Todi was absorbed into the Roman Empire, becoming a free municipality around the year 1000 and by the 15th century took the shape we see today.

Accommodation can be found at the Fonte Cesia hotel, a few steps from the center or at the Bramante hotel located just outside the walls but immersed in a beautiful natural setting. Dinner can be celebrated at the Umbria Restaurant, where we find ragu, lamb alla scottadito and other traditional dishes. More casual with a beautiful terrace is the pizzeria Le Scalette, where we can enjoy all kinds of pizzas with great views of the western side of the city.

When to Go

The best time to ride in Umbria is during the month of May, when the clear sky brings out the depth of color of the flowers covering the hills. You can also visit towards the end of June, when Bevagna hosts the ‘Mercato delle Gaite”, a spectacular medieval festival not to be missed. September is when the grape-harvesting season begins, creating an atmosphere of joyful countryside excitement around Montefalco and Todi.

Spello can be reached by train from Rome in about two hours, while the connections with northern Italy are more difficult and require numerous line changes.

Practical Information

START: Spello
END: Todi
DISTANCE: 80 km (50 mi)
ELEVATION GAIN: 1100 m (3600 ft)
TERRAIN: flat, rolling hills with three main
climbs to Montefalco, Giano dell’Umbria and
Todi.
DIFFICULTY: Intermediate
BEST TIME TO GO: May, end of June, September
BIKE SHOPS: Mondo due Ruote, Spello
PLACES TO STAY: Hotel Palazzo Bocci or Hotel
La Bastiglia in Spello, Hotel Bramante or
Hotel Fonte Cesia in Todi
PLACES TO EAT: Ristorante l’Alchimista in
Montefalco or La Bottega di Giannino in
Bastardo (lunch), Ristorante Umbria and
Pizzeria Le Scalette in Todi (dinner).
CC TOUR: Bike Across Italy, day 7 Spello to
Todi
HOW TO GET THERE: from Roma, connect by
train in 2 hr.