Italian Revolutions

Emma Lewis heads to Umbria for scenic cycling, cultural stimulation and culinary delights

- Emma Lewis

My flickering head torch finally gives up the ghost – right in the middle of a 2km-long disused railway tunnel as I try to navigate my way through the gravelly darkness without falling off my mountain bike. I give a shout as the rest of the group threatens to disappear off and leave me in the pitch black, and Italian tour leader Nicola stops and goes behind me to help light my way. Luckily the group leaders have bigger, high-powered lights!

A couple of minutes later, we see a circle of daylight looming ahead of us. Soon we’re back in the baking Italian early summer heat, heading steadily downhill towards the town of Castel San Felice for lunch at the nearby Agriturismo Zafferano e Dintorni (a cycling-friendly rural smallholding where you can stay, and the owners cook using local produce; zafferanoedintorni.it). It’s the finish point for today’s 20km cycle taster of the 55km route to Norcia that’s known as one of the most beautiful cycle routes in Italy.

E-BIKE TOUR