Photo: cnrdmroglu / Pexels / Pexels LicenseBiker-Friendly Places to Stay in Italy
6 biker-friendly stays in Italy
B&B Mare Monti en Miniere
Mare Monti e Miniere is a B&B on the Via Trento in Iglesias, the old mining town of south-west Sardinia. The coast road west through Nebida, Masua and Buggerru runs above cliffs and past the old mine buildings, with the Pan di Zucchero rock offshore, and the hills inland are quiet and twisty. Carbonia is about 16 km away in a straight line and Cagliari about 51 km. The B&B puts bikes in a garage and can suggest routes.
Agriturismo Antica Torre
Antica Torre is a farm stay at Cangelasio, in the hills above Salsomaggiore Terme, in the Emilia west of Parma. The roads climb from the plain into the Apennines: the Passo della Cisa is about 38 km away in a straight line, and the Cerreto and the passes towards Liguria are within a day's ride. Parma is about 31 km away. As an agriturismo, it serves food from the farm. Ask about parking for the bikes.
Il Molino del Ponte
Il Molino del Ponte is on the Via Volterrana at Montespertoli, in the hills of Tuscany south-west of Florence, which is about 19 km away in a straight line. The roads here wind over hills of vineyards, olive groves and cypresses: San Gimignano is about 21 km away, Volterra about 34 km and Siena about 43 km, and the Chianti roads lie to the east. Route descriptions are on offer. Ask about secure parking for the bikes when you book.
Hotel L'Ulivo
Hotel L'Ulivo is at Sa Cruxi, near Girasole, on the east coast of Sardinia in the Ogliastra, about 3 km from Tortoli and the port of Arbatax. The SS125, the Orientale Sarda, runs north from here over the Genna Silana pass towards Dorgali, one of the great riding roads of the island, and the Gennargentu mountains lie inland. The beaches are close for a day off. Parking details are not on our listing, so ask the hotel.
Hotel Pop
Hotel Pop is on the Piazza Porto in Cala Gonone, the seaside village below Dorgali on the east coast of Sardinia. The road from Dorgali drops through a tunnel and down hairpins to the sea. Hotel Pop is run by a rider who guides group rides and shares route notes, and there is garage space. The SS125 Orientale Sarda over the Genna Silana pass and the inland roads towards Nuoro, about 26 km away in a straight line, are among the great rides of Sardinia.
Hotel Sa Contonera
Hotel Sa Contonera is on the Viale Arbatax, between Tortoli and the port of Arbatax, on the east coast of Sardinia. The red porphyry rocks of Arbatax are close by. From here the SS125 Orientale Sarda heads north over the Genna Silana pass towards Dorgali, and the roads inland climb into the Gennargentu, about 34 km away in a straight line. Ferries from mainland Italy dock at Arbatax. Bike parking is not on record; raise it when you book.
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Southern Italy offers a motorcycle experience entirely different from the north: the Cilento coast south of Salerno, the Pollino massif on the Calabria–Basilicata border, and the SS18 Autostrada del Sole coastal road all deliver riding with a raw character that the more developed north lacks. The region is less organised for biker tourism but the roads, the food, and the landscapes justify the additional planning effort.
Key Roads
The Cilento coastal road — the SP430 and SP562 south from Agropoli — traces a dramatic coastline of headlands, coves, and clifftop villages. The road is narrow in places, steep in others, but the Mediterranean views are exceptional and traffic is light outside August. The temples at Paestum, just north of the Cilento, make a culturally significant morning stop before the coastal roads begin.
The SS407 Basentana through Basilicata connects the Ionian coast to the hinterland towns. Matera — the ancient cave city, a UNESCO site — is the natural destination for riders in the region. The approach road through the ravine landscape is atmospheric. The town itself cannot be ridden through (pedestrian historic centre) but the surrounding roads are excellent.
The Pollino National Park roads in Calabria and Basilicata deliver mountain riding rarely found this far south. The park roads are quiet and the landscape — high plateau, deep river gorges — is dramatic.
When to Go
April to June and September to October. July and August in the south are extremely hot — temperature at sea level can exceed 40°C — and the coastal roads become congested. Spring and autumn deliver the south at its best: warm but not oppressive, empty roads, and the landscape at its most vivid after or before the summer dry.
Biker Facilities
Southern Italian accommodation is welcoming but less specifically biker-oriented than the north. Agriturismo properties throughout Basilicata and Calabria offer secure parking in farm settings at competitive prices. Salerno and Cosenza are the main urban bases. Fuel is readily available throughout.
Route guide
Chianti by Motorcycle: The Chiantigiana (SR222) from Florence to Siena
Route guide
Sardinia by Motorcycle: The SS125 Orientale Sarda from Dorgali to Arbatax
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