People Are Asking

You’re right. There are hundreds of companies to choose from. However, you won’t find a more intimate, immersive, and cultural experience anywhere else. We are the experts on Italy, with tours to the most regions, local guides, and a deep understanding of the culture. We take the same approach when we move into new countries, like France, Spain, Germany, Austria, and many more.

This is also our 30th year of operations, and we’ve only expanded our knowledge as we grow.

Our guides are locals, many of them native to the regions they lead, and experts on their routes. This means that they can immerse you in your journey – introducing you to people, places, and flavors that many of the locals have never even experienced! Our guides consistently receive “10 out of 10” on guest evaluations. Without a doubt, they are the #1 reason our guests come back with us year after year.

It starts by answering a few questions.

• How long would you like to ride (i.e. how many days)?
• What time of year do you wish to travel?
• How much do you bike – both in terms of distance and terrain?
• Would you like to be challenged or do you prefer to travel at a relaxed pace?

Equipped with these answers you can start to narrow down which rides are best for you with our tour finder. Our expert Travel Consultants are also available to help you find the tour that matches you best! It’s important to make sure that your dream vacation is a match for one of our tours. Fill out our contact us form, or call our office any-time Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:30pm EST.

Easy: Terrain is flat to rolling hills and 20-30 average miles per day

Athletic Beginner: Terrain is rolling hills and 30-40 average miles per day

Intermediate: Terrain is hilly and 30-50 average miles per day

Advanced: Terrain is hilly to mountainous and 40-50 average miles per day

Absolutely! We can put you in touch with a reference who has done that tour.

Each tour includes all breakfasts, most dinners, and some lunches. Dinners are as much about conviviality as they are about fine cuisine. Menus are crafted to deliver that culinary experience that makes a Ciclismo Classico tour memorable on and off the bike. Dinners consist of several courses at fine restaurants and local trattorias, but at times we also opt for a less formal pizza night. We strive to serve what’s local and in season, and we are flexible when it comes to accommodating specific dietary needs.

We absolutely accommodate non-riders and, actually, we get this request quite a lot. Ideal tours for non-riders are those that include double-night stays at each hotel. This provides ample time for a non-rider to explore the town and area on their own.

Non-riders are equal members of the group, entitled to the same hotel, dining, and guide services as riders. Thus, the price for a non-rider is the same.

Yes! We have a partnership with Officine Mattio who provides us custom builds for our customers. We keep our bikes up-to-date, top-of-the-line, and upgrade them every few years. To see our current fleet you can visit our Bikes and Gear page.

We have high performance carbon road bikes and hybrids available on all tours. We can provide ebikes for a limited amount of our European tours. We strongly encourage tandem use and have a number of different models for our guests to choose from. We also have attachments and trailers for families which can be attached to our hybrid bikes only.

While our road and hybrid bikes are available on all tours, ebikes, tandems, and family trailers/ride alongs are limited availability and have an extra cost. Visit our Bikes and Gear page for more information.

Ciclismo’s 24-speed, custom-designed ultra-performance hybrid has a welded aluminum frame with straight handlebars. Our sloping design allows for superior fit and comfort, better clearance, high performance and responsiveness. Ultra-Performance hybrids are equipped with adjustable stems, 25mm tires, and easy-to-use grip shifters.

We have a limited number of Cannondale and Co-motion tandems available, so reserve yours early. Hybrid Tandems are equipped with easy-to-use grip shifters. They come with either a 24-speed drivetrain and 26 wheels, or a 27-speed drivetrain and 28 wheels.

If you are using one of our bikes, we fit you based on your height and seat height. We don’t ask you for your bike frame size because different manufactures calculate frame sizes differently. All bikes are all checked before and after your tour, and our mechanics are extremely knowledgeable and professional. To find out what measurements we ask for to ensure the best bike fit for you, please see the diagram below:

Measurement A: Seat height
Measurement B: Reach
Measurement C: Handlebar-to-wheel height

We do have a limited number of Trail-a-bikes for our family tours, but they can only be mounted to one of our hybrid bikes.

Our La Classica Ribelle road bikes come with front handlebar bags. On request, we can also mount a rear rack in most cases. Do keep in mind that our support van will be with you along the route, and you’ll have easy access to a backpack or other bag at any rest stops.

Whether to bring your own bike on tour is a personal decision. Some riders are determined to ride their own bikes. Of course knowing your own bike is a huge plus. However there are hassles inherent to shipping or bringing it as luggage on the plane (including a substantial cost). You may prefer instead to bring simply your pedals, shoes, and saddle – and leave the rest at home.

A good resource for shipping a bike overseas is www.luggagefree.com To ship domestically, try www.shipbikes.com.

The guides usually are very busy organizing the tour and working on the rented bikes. If they have time they can also give you a hand with your personal bike, but it depends on your arrival and when you meet them. We charge a $30 handling fee for the bike case on tour to be paid before the tour.

We offer a variety of sizes of our Giessegi-brand jerseys to ensure that you find the perfect fit! For more information on jersey sizing, please see the chart below:

In exceptional cases, we may permit a late arrival or early departure. However, we do not recommend these steps as alternatives to participating in the full tour. Several of our tours do have “mini” versions – use the Trip Finder or give us a call to find out more.

On all of our tours, we use charming, comfortable and unique three- and four-star inns and small hotels. Our accommodations consist primarily of 4-star luxury inns and small hotels.

Public transportation in Europe is excellent. Most of the time, there is no need to make reservation prior to your trip, unless you plan to be traveling on a highspeed train (Eurostar or TGV), or if you are traveling on an overnight train. Please check the train schedules in the country you are visiting to see what type of train connections are available. We recommend that you contact Rail Europe at 877-257-2887 or visit www.raileurope.com for travel in Europe. A good website for train schedules in Italy is www.trenitalia.com.

For weather information for every region of the world, visit Weather Underground. Here is the page for Italy.

Tips are greatly appreciated. We recommend 10% of the trip price per person, per guide team, which is then split evenly. Typically tips are given at the end of the trip to thank guides for their exceptional service and expertise.

Local enology is part of the cultural experience Ciclismo Classico wants to deliver. This fermented nectar has been part of human civilization for thousands of years and is still very much linked to the land and local cultures. We strive to offer the best wines that each production area can offer. On top of that, many of our guides are wine connoisseurs and some are trained sommeliers. The best way to guarantee that the wine experience on tour is unparalleled is to keep the cost of the wine separate. Also, not everybody likes to drink wine. For those reasons wine and other alcoholic beverages are not included in the cost of the tour. We suggest two options to deal with the wine and other alcoholic beverages we consume at dinner as a group:

• Join the Wine Kitty: On the first night of the tour your guides will collect a designated amount of money (depending on the length of tour and average wine price) to go into the “Wine Kitty.” During each group dinner guides will select wines that showcase the best production of the region, and in some cases the best local beers.
• Select and purchase wine and beer on your own each night: You will be responsible for keeping track of the bill and should be prepared to pay in cash each night for any beverages you drink.

Make sure you have enough spending money for coffee, snacks and lunch (Lunches on your own average €8-15). Depending on your style of travel, expect to spend from €15 to 30 additional per day.

Yes, the best way to get cash is at ATMs, which are widely available. You might have difficulty finding them in the countryside, but you can always ask your guides for help. Most ATMs limit withdrawals to €250 per day. The best place to get cash when you arrive is at the airport ATM. Don’t worry about shopping around for the best exchange rate. Exchange rates with credit card withdraws are very competitive. Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted cards and be sure to contact your bank before traveling abroad so they do not place a hold on your account for suspicious activity.

Credit cards are widely accepted, but still many establishments insist on CASH ONLY. The safest bet is to ask or look for the credit card sticker.

Some places will accept Travelers checks, most banks, but we recommend cash/credit cards because most hotels, restaurants, and shops will not accept Travelers checks. Travelers checks may be exchanged for cash (for a fee) at most banks. You’ll need your passport when you want to use a Travelers checks.

Many cell phones do work in Europe. In remote, rural areas, coverage can be spotty. Before traveling, be sure to check with your provider to make sure that your phone will work, and that your rate will be reasonable. Another option is to buy a cheap cell phone and pre-paid sim card at the airport upon arrival. It’s a good way to have a cell phone for emergency at a cost of €30-50.

Many hotels have wifi service, though speeds are not what we’re used to in North America. Most hotels will also have a “business center” or at least a PC with internet access for checking email.