Skip to main content

Designing for Giants

It’s no easy feat to climb six breathtaking giants in the Italian Alps in just four days. If anyone can put the itinerary together, it’s Trip Designer, cyclist, artist and world traveler, Jessica Singerman. Her favorite place she’s been? The Italian Alps. And we can see why. Follow along to see how Jess designed our latest cycling experience, Giants of the Giro, and join us this summer for a truly epic trip. Are you up for the challenge?

Meet Jessica Singerman, Trek Travel Trip Designer

Ride the classic climbs of the Giro on our Legendary Giro Italy bike tour
 
 

How did you put this trip together? Tell us about your design process.

On Day 1, the ride up Torre di Fraele is a more gentle climb, although still challenging. It’s the perfect way to acclimate after traveling to the region and it gives people a chance to get used to their new bikes.

Over the course of the next two days, we climb Stelvio, Mortirolo, and Gavia, some of the most challenging climbs in the world. Stelvio’s iconic hairpin turns have inspired cyclists, skiers, mountaineers, and even artists and poets since the mid-19th century. Passo Stelvio is the highest mountain pass in the Giro d’Italia, and during the Giants of the Giro, we will climb it not once, but twice. We will climb the side from Bormio, veer off through Switzerland just before the summit, and then ride up the 48 hairpins from Prato allo Stelvio before descending back into Bormio.

 
 
Trek Travel Classic Climbs of the Dolomites Cycling Tour
 
 

Passo Stelvio is the highest mountain pass in the Giro d’Italia, and during the Giants of the Giro, we will climb it not once, but twice.

 
 
On Day 3, we ride both Mortirolo and Gavia. Lance Armstrong famously said that Mortirolo was the “hardest climb” he had ever ridden, and Gavia brings to mind Andy Hampsten’s grueling 1988 Giro stage win in a blizzard. The stage ended in Bormio, our base for this trip. The reason we ride these two passes on the third day is so that people can make the decision of whether to ride Mortirolo and Gavia, or to stick to Gavia instead. Mortirolo is incredibly steep, so after the two previous days of riding, people will have a good idea of whether to ride it or not.

On the last day, the Bormio 2000 climb is for those guests who want to tick off one last climb before the end of the trip! It’s a short but challenging ride.

What about the Italian Alps is so special?

The landscape is visually stunning, the people are friendly, the riding is second to none, and the food is super tasty. It’s a bicultural region, having been fought over by Austria and Italy, so there’s a lot of history and multiple languages spoken. The region has something for everyone.

 
 
[trek-fullwidth-img src=”https://s45708.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/iStock_84228665_XLARGE_1600x670_Dolomites.jpg”]
 
 

What is the “magic moment” of this trip? Is it a specific climb, the gratification of hard work, or maybe the view from the top?

The views from the top of Stelvio are unreal. Looking down and seeing the switchbacks rise up from the valley to the summit is incredibly rewarding and visually breathtaking. Because of the way the road is built, you can stop periodically along the ride from either side of the pass and see the hairpin turns stacked on top of one another.

Another amazing part of the riding here is simply how long the climbs are. There aren’t many places where we can climb for hours. I love the mental part of climbing like this. Watching your breath, finding your cadence; getting into a rhythm is so satisfying. In the midst of this effort we remind ourselves to look around us, and the breadth of the Alpine landscape is stunning. Riding here is a truly spiritual experience.

There aren’t many places where we can climb for hours. I love the mental part of climbing like this. Watching your breath, finding your cadence; getting into a rhythm is so satisfying.

 
 

Learn more about our Giants of the Giro bike tour.

 
 


 
 

It’s no wonder how the majestic Italian Alps have inspired Jessica in many of her paintings. Below she shares with us three pieces, all sparking creativity from the giants.

“During the making of these, the Italian Alps landscape was absolutely one of my inspirations.”

 
Oil Paintings inspired by the Italian Dolomites by Jessica Singerman
 

Top left: The Things I Can’t Reach 1, oil and acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 inches, 2014
Right: Sweeping Green Blue Air, oil on canvas, 30 x 30 inches, 2014
Bottom left: How to Keep Warm, oil and acrylic on canvas, 40 x 30 inches, 2016

You can learn more about Jessica’s work on her website.

Il Gallo Nero

The Black Rooster marks some of the greatest wines in the world.

It is easy to see why Tuscany remains one of our most popular trips. I moved to Italy some 12 years ago to immerse myself in this magic, and have determined that cycling through this region is the ideal way to learn about the place.

On a bike, we leave other tourists behind and get to experience places as they have remained for thousands of years. The epicenter of Tuscany – flanked by Florence to the North and Siena to the South – for its wine, wild boar, small, winding roads and forested hilltops. In the center of Chianti is the ideal, 9th century one-strip hilltop wonder of cobblestones enotecas and cafés known as Radda in Chianti. Ride up to the entrance of Radda in the morning and you’ll find Fabrizio Ferrucci, owner of Bar Dante making panini for the hungry denizens who flock to his café for local treats. Fabrizio will assure you that while Radda is not perfect, it is pretty close.

Visit Tuscany on a Trek Travel bike trip

Radda is so ideal, in fact, that the two warring city-countries of Florence and Siena have fought over it for centuries. Legend has it that late in the 12th century, these two archenemies finally decided to end their bloody land-feud peaceably. By parliamentary agreement, at the first crow of their respective roosters on the appointed day, one knight from Florence, and one knight from Siena would depart on horseback down the road the connects the two cities. At the precise point the two knights meet on their journey, the line would be drawn to divide the Province of Florence from the Province of Siena.

While Siena chose to fatten and spoil a fine, plump rooster, the Florentines were far more devious. They selected a lean, black rooster and locked it in a windowless dungeon without food or water. When the date arrived, the rooster’s hyper-sensitive retinas led him to crow his heart out, giving the Florentine knight a dramatic head start. He reached all the way to Fonterutoli, a territory of Castellina, before he met the Sienese knight. And so they established the border at Castellina, a mere 19 kilometers from Siena’s walled city.

To this day, the internationally recognized symbol of Chianti is a silhouette of Il Gallo Nero, The Black Rooster. It marks some of the greatest wines in the world, and cyclists wear the jersey with pride. Next time you find yourself in Radda, ask Fabrizio about his story. He just may fill you in on some more history of this remarkable area that we are fortunate to ride our bikes through. The rest of the learning comes from the air flowing in your face while you spin down the winding roads, the same roads the two knights thundered down all those years ago.

By Jacob Young, a guide for Trek Travel

Visit Tuscany on a Trek Travel bike trip

Experience a Trip to Tuscany for yourself»

Behind the Scenes: Puglia

Residing in Ragusa, Italy, veteran guide Gabe Del Rossi knows the ins and outs of Italy like only a true local ever could. He has been known to serenade guests as they climb through the Dolomites or impresses them with his knowledge of four languages. Below Gabe has shared a behind the scenes look at a day in the life of a Trek Travel guide in Southern Italy.

The bus stops in Bari, but I don’t understand where I am. The light of the rising sun prevents me from spotting the train station. “È lì,” the bus drier tells me. “Right there. You’re on the other side of it.” I couldn’t recognize where I was because I was on the other side of the thing I knew.

A new point of view in a familiar place. My day began by taking a bus from Sicily, through Calabria and into Puglia — all beautiful areas, but the night ride is something unique. As my friend Fabio would later say, “You cross southern Italy by bus and you expect nothing to happen? Anything could happen!” This is not the Fabio that belongs on a romance novel cover. He is from Monopoli, Puglia and studies medicine. He helps his father with their taxi business, and he helps his friends get out of trouble. Friends like me.

Anything can happen, that’s why we travel to southern Italy. PugliaIt’s a far cry from the Piedmont palazzos and the Tuscan villas. But that is part of its allure. I drag my bags into the station looking for the train headed for Martina Franca. There is no sign. There is no conductor at 7:00 in the morning. I have to make an educated guess: small town, small train, small track. Maybe a track at the end of the station? The back of the station? The back where the bus dropped me off. I double check the big yellow time tables that are on the walls and, sure enough, my guess pays off. I’m on my two-and-a-half-hour train ride to Martina Franca – about 70 kms away.

I pass out. The rocking of the train helps me catch up on the sleep that I couldn’t get on the bus. At around 9:30 I get a text from Sonja, my colleague who was kind enough to pick me up from the station: “I’m here.“

I drop my bags in the back of the van and we head for breakfast. Sonja is a light-framed, two-handed cappuccino drinker. We head straight for the bar and get three cappuccinos and one café macchiato, for the two of us. We wash that down with a few mezzatonda: a pastry popular in Puglia’s Murgia filled with cream and blackberry jam. That will do it. I’ve had my coffee and pastry fix. Let’s get to the bikes.

The ride to our base is simple. About ten minutes away from Martina Franca in a couple of trulli: those characteristic cone-topped houses. Puglia TrulloHistorically they were a means of tax evasion. Now they house Sonja, myself, and our other colleague Diane who has been working on all kinds of trip details such as written instructions and .gpx files. She’s happy to see me.

There is something uncommonly romantic about tuning bikes in the front yard of a trullo pugliese. Between each prep, I look around me and appreciate my surroundings at every wretch stroke. I live in southern Italy, and there is something familiar about this part of the world. It is a very comfortable place where the people and environment make you feel at home.

At lunch we go for a ride. The rolling countryside is alive with the feel of spring. The orange blossoms are blooming and at the top of every small ride sits another trullo. We stop for some simple focaccia for lunch: ham and local caciocavallo cheese, or broccoli and local mushrooms. We keep it light since we still have a few kilometers until we get back to our trullo. And then it’s showers, time to organize the trailer, upload the routes to the Garmins and a few other tasks before the day is done.

The afternoon sun presses down. Puglia SunsetIt is usually warmer in the afternoon around here. The morning will often bring rain and the late-day sunlight just makes the rest of the day humid. But not in our trullo, where the temperatures stay cool throughout the day and night. So cool in fact that we have to turn on the heat in the evening. A strage fact for Riccardo (the owner of the trullo) since most people don’t ever ask for heat in Puglia.

It’s six o’clock and just a few hours before dinner. This is also the time that Diane shows her true colors, namely “crimson” , “brink red” and randomly “rosé.” From her stash of red wine Diane pulls out a negroamaro, and a primitive. Naturally, it would be a sin to be this far into the soul of Puglia and not know its wines. And six o’clock is a great time to get to know them well. We chat and relax as night falls upon us, nibbling at sundried tomato paste, tarralli, and local cappocollo from just down the road in Martina Franca. Sonja whips together a fantastic salad with local veggies she had gotten earlier in the day and there is our evening: three bottles of wine, salad, and fresh meats and cheeses.

By now the sun has long disappeared and the moon and stars sitting clear in the night sky tell us tomorrow will have spectacular weather. I shuffle into my bedroom and begin to organize my clothes. Day one begins and I’ll be unloading ten bikes by myself. I’ll need to make sure I have a clean pair of clothes on when Diane arrives with our guests. Sonja is on picnic duty and judging by her salad tonight I think our group will be blown away by her magic. In this region of southern Italy, it is the element of surprise that is so appealing. “Anything can happen.” Yes it can, and it does. There is no pushing or stress. Everything works out as it should, whether it is an impromptu bike ride, another slice of focaccia (thank you, grazie!), a surprise three-bottle night, or a four coffee morning. No one is held to conventional standards here. Just enjoy.

Ok. Shirts folded. Pants ready. Now all I have to do is organize my route guide and make sure my phone and GPS are recharged for the morning. Done.

Time to set the alarm for 7:00. Before you know it, 7 will be here…..

Culinary Delight

A great meal is about more than the food on your plate. A perfect atmosphere makes any meal taste richer, effortless company makes it more fulfilling, and the right beverage helps it go down easily. A wave of nostalgia always sweeps over us as we sit down to our first meal at home. We crave the flavors and the environments of far away places. Though Healdsburg and Tuscany may top our list, we know that our next vacation will bring new tastes to savor, new friends to laugh with, and new landscapes to adore.

Healdsburg, CA by Meagan Coates

I sat down at my desk after returning from a weeklong bike trip in California’s wine country with a request to write a piece on my favorite North American restaurant and I have found it nearly impossible to pick a clear winner. Napa and Sonoma biking trips with Trek Travel

My first inclination is Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg—an obvious choice as they receive so many nods in the culinary world with their fresh, local and seasonal food that is perfectly paired with a supremely local wine list and formal but non-stuffy service. Diners enjoy fresh caught fish, local duck and an array of farm-fresh vegetables in a hip and beautiful dining room with expansive ceilings and large windows.

Our Trek Travel groups even have the unique opportunity to dine in the intimate wine library off the hotel lobby after spending a day on the bike and an afternoon at the pool or spa on property. We cap it off with decadent desserts like the chocolate tart with pear sauce or the variety of fresh sorbets served in an old-fashioned soda jerk style container.

california-wine-country-weekend-02-1600x670However, I would be remiss not to mention other Healdsburg haunts like my new favorite—The Shed—located just off the square behind Hotel Healdsburg. Area farmers showcase their handmade products and provide the makings of super hydrating “shrub” drinks at the fermentation bar. I sampled the strawberry, carrot and kumquat but ultimately loved the blood orange best.

Or, just steps away are other amazing restaurants such as Willi’s Seafood, Ravenous, Bistro Ralph, Barndiva and countless others. Savor a craft cocktail at h2’s Spoon Bar (like the cucumber martini!) or just stroll around Healdsburg and you are sure to find something that suits even the most discerning palates. After visiting restaurants in every corner of the world, Healdsburg is definitely the best kept secret for foodie’s looking to travel in North America.

Tuscany, Italy by Kari Kruckow

But close your eyes and take a 6,000-mile journey across the Atlantic. Rolling green hills lined with cypress trees, sun kissed vines, slow food and delicious wines…oh and Roberto. Welcome to Tuscany!

Last week I was able to cycle through this beautiful region and experience its culture. The way Trek Travel invites you to be a local for 6 days on a Trek Bike is amazing. Cycling was the biggest highlight for me on this trip, but food was not far from the top.


Tuscany
I encourage you to grab a little something to munch on…I promise you will get hungry as I tell you about my favorite lunch spot on this trip: da Roberto, Taverna in Montisi.

Roberto made us all feel at home as soon as we rolled in on our bikes. He is a countryside cuciniere (cook), whose only claim is to feed himself and guests honestly. Roberto is a true joy and lives to feed people at his table. His mantra is to wake up every morning happy and build a space of peace, balance and harmony to offer to people that dine at his Taverna, which ties perfectly to the experience that you have cycling through Tuscany.

Aside from the comfort and ambiance, the food prepared was as honest, delicious, and as inspiring as the hilltops that overlook the Tuscan valley. The three-course meal was not a surprise on this Trek Travel trip, being as every meal and break on the bike offered plenty of fuel for the calories burned that day.

Tuscany LuxuryRoberto started off the lunch with a unique bean and carrot salad. It goes without saying, but the beans sourced from a local farmer, the carrots grown in his garden behind the restaurant. Food aside, one of the best “accents” to the menu was Roberto’s story behind each dish, his amicability is contagious with every guest that comes into his “home.” Next was the homemade pasta with a true Italian Ragu sauce, to coin a phrase, “mama, mia!” The lunch ended with three dessert options, my favorite was the panna cotta with berries. It provided just enough guilt and enough fulfillment to encourage the balance of the gorgeous ride that afternoon.

Roberto is proud of his food by identifying flavors by gathering fresh, local ingredients, protecting the value of biodiversity, and visiting farms for fresh cheeses and to certify the quality of his meal.

Roberto’s lunch experience was enriching on all levels and what made for a perfect afternoon was the short bike ride to a beautiful accommodation, which felt like an estate and offered a very relaxing evening.

What can I say, Tuscany is tasteful in so many ways. And it is certainly my favorite culinary delight in Europe.

Private

If a date is marked as Private, it is reserved for a private group.

Looking to travel with a small group or looking for a custom date?
Call our trip consultants at 866-464-8735

What is the Difference?

Ultimate Luxury:

Savor some of the most spectacular, 5-star properties in the world. Exuding luxury and elegance, these one-of-a-kind accommodations offer the chance to rejuvenate at award-winning spas, dine at Michelin-starred restaurants, and more.

Luxury:

Enjoy luxurious accommodations handpicked for a refined experience. From signature spa treatments to delicious local cuisine, you’ll be more than provided for; you’ll be pampered.

Explorer

These handpicked hotels provide relaxation and fun in a casual and comfortable environment. Delicious cuisine and great service mix perfectly for a memorable stay.

Combined

On select cycling vacations, you’ll stay at a mix of hotel levels, from Explorer to Luxury to Ultimate Luxury. Rest assured, no matter which level of hotel you’re at, our trip designers carefully select every accommodation.

Activity Level

Level 1:

Road: 1-3 hours of riding. Up to 25 mi (40 km). Up to 1,000 ft (300 m).

Gravel: 1-3 hours of riding. Up to 20 mi (35 km). Up to 1,000 ft (300 m).

Level 2:

Road: 2-4 hours of riding. 20-35 mi (35-60 km). Up to 2,500 ft (750 m).

Gravel: 2-4 hours of riding. 15-30 mi (25-45 km). Up to 2,000 ft (300 m).

Level 3:

Road: 3-5 hours of riding. 25-55 mi (40-85 km). Up to 4,500 ft (1,500 m).

Gravel: 3-5 hours of riding. 20-40 mi (35-60 km). Up to 3,000 ft (900 m).

Level 4:

Road: 4+ hours of riding. 40-70 mi (60-110 km). Up to 8,000 ft (2,400 m).

Gravel: 3-5 hours of riding. 30-50 mi (45-80 km). Up to 4,000 ft (1,200 m).

What are your trip styles?

Classic - Reserve:

Savor the finer things as you relax in luxurious 5-star accommodations and wine, dine, and ride in some of the most unforgettable destinations around the world.

Classic - Signature:

Explore beautiful destinations by bike, enjoy extra inclusions, savor delicious local cuisine, and enjoy the perfect mix of accommodations.

Classic - Discovor:

Enjoy a casual cycling vacation with fantastic routes and comfortable accommodations.

Ride Camp:

Train like the pros in some of their favorite riding destinations.

Pro Race:

See the pros in action at the biggest cycling events of the year.

Cross Country:

Tackle an epic adventure that takes you point-to-point across mountains, countryside, and more.

Self-Guided

Enjoy a bike tour on your schedule with just your chosen travel companions.

Single Occupancy

Sometimes it’s more convenient and comfortable to have your own room while on vacation. We understand and that’s why we offer a Single Occupancy option. The additional price guarantees a private room all to yourself