CYCLING ROUTE SPOLETO - BEVAGNA

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CYCLING ROUTE SPOLETO - BEVAGNA

The track runs along small rivers in the Valle Umbria, also known as Valle Spoletana, skirting the Marroggia and Teverone rivers. The route, completely flat, should connect Spoleto to Assisi but the path reserved to cycles arrives up to Bevagna, then it continues along tiny low traffic country streets up to Santa Maria degli Angeli.

Supposing to come from old town of Spoleto, or from the train station is not easy to find the start of the route; therefore, starting from Piazza della Liberta', the shortest way up to San Nicolo' (the northern suburb where the path begin) is about 1,5 miles (2,5 km).

Before to start: by foot from Piazza Garibaldi passing underneath the three arches, and overtaking the little bridge turn to the right on Via Cacciatori delle Alpi up to the end; turn to the right on Via del Tiro a Segno and take the escalator to reach the highest part of the city, 1,299 ft (396 m). After a walking tour along the tiny streets of Spoleto passing to the Rocca Albornoziana, the Ponte delle Torri, the Cathedral of Santa Maria dell'Assunta, the Roman Theatre among wonderful high town's buildings, we descend through the Torre dell'olio and we end the tour reaching Piazza Garibaldi.  

Once on bike (map), from Piazza Garibaldi go straight, through the three arches, up to the traffic circle, take the third exit to Viale Trento e Trieste and go up to the police station, then turn to the left on Viale Guglielmo Marconi and follow this road for 0,8 mi (1,3 km) where there is a small traffic circle. Take the third exit on Via della Repubblica, then overtake a little bridge and take the first street on the right, in front of a cafe', and, skirting the torrent, go forward for 0,6 mi (950 m), pass underneath an overpass and take the gravel climb on the right, before new terminal "La Mattonella"(map). going back on Viale Guglielmo Marconi far 0,8 mi (1,3 km) from the police station there is a small traffic circle, take the third exit on Via della Repubblica, then over a little bridge take the first on the right, in front of a cafe', and go forward for 0,6 mi (950 m), pass underneath the overpass and take the little dirt climb on the right before the terminal La Mattonella. Go forward up to re-connect to the start point of Pontebari.

Here we go, from here to Bevagna is really easy, the route is flat and the only trouble could be the headwind, especially in the afternoon.
After 2,2 mi (3,5 km), the route turn on the left therefore ends with a guardrail. Just before, the signs invite to exit from the path and to take the main road. Therefore, once reached the crossroad, turn to the left, overtake the small bridge, turn to the right and proceed up to resume the cycling route, after about 0,3 mi (450 m).

After 1 mile (1,6 km) we can go out of the path to take a break: at the barrier, turn to the right taking the main road, that intersect the cycle path, and go forward, passing a traffic circle, up to a cross with traffic lights. The road, that we cross, is the ancient Roman Road Flaminia leading from Rome, through the Apennine Mountains, to Rimini on the north coast of the Adriatic Sea. On the hills in front, lightly on the left, the little castle of Campello Alto dominates the valley.

if you are a little bit trained, you can reach the village through an easy climb of about 4,5 miles (7,2 km) (map). Otherwise you cross the Flaminia Road and you turn to the left on the cycling route so, after 0,7 mi (1,1 km), you'll be to Fonti del Clitunno,

Roman sources, builded around the ancient Tempietto del Clitunno, famous for the trout fishing (map).

Going back on the cycle route, through a lane reserved to the cycles, after having rode for about 2,7 miles (4,4 km), along the Marroggia river, at the valley of hills wallpapered by the olive groves, you arrive to Borgo Trevi, the suburb underneath the wonderful ancient town of Trevi, that looks at the valley from the top of the hill.

This is the olive oil's home and, if you want taste a bruschetta with the new oil, seated out of a winehouse on the main square of trevi (Piazza Mazzini), you need to climb for about 3,4 miles (5,5 km) along Via Napoli and Via della Piaggia (map).

Taking again the cycle route, from Borgo Trevi to Bevagna the path skirts the Marroggia river that from here becomes Teverone river. After 3,1 miles, in the middle of cultivated lands (5,0 km), on the left there is a big riding stables and on the right a little bridge; at this point you can choose if to go forward or if to make a deviation turning on the right overtaking the bridge and turning on the left to reach Casevecchie. From here along a low traffic road you can reach Foligno, the biggest town in the Valle Umbra, famous for her several baroque buildings, and to be the place where was published the first edition of "Divina Commedia" in 1472 (map).
Going forward for 2,5 miles (4,0 km) the route pass under a bridge to end in a very small village, builded around a medieval tower, turn on the right passing a little bridge and then resume the path turning to the left. The cycling route still runs along the Teverone river surrounded by the vineyards where grow the grapes for the Sagrantino and Rosso di Montefalco wines. Just 2,3 miles (3,7 km) the cycling route ends. Look on the right the wonderful medieval walls of Bevagna and, going through the gates of this fantastic village, you will make a dive into the history.

the continuation of the route...

DETAILS

Start : Spoleto
End: Bevagna
Length : 17,1 mi (27,6 km)
Climb: -328,08 ft (-100 m)
Level: easy
Road surface: asphalt
Suggested bike : road, mtb, hybrid

WHEN

the best period to ride along the route goes from spring up to early summer and from late summer till early autumn when the temperatures are between 15 and 30 celsius degrees; in midsummer the temperatures grow up to 30 degrees, so is better to travel early in the morning. Take a look to the wind forecast, even though often runs from north east, daytime it changes and blows from south west, it may be pesky!!

ARRIVE

by car:
- from north (Milan, Bologna, Verona, Venice) take the A14 up to Cesena Nord exit, take E45 to Rome, exit at Collestrada and take SS75 up to Spoleto (map).
- from south take the A1 and exit at Orte, take E45 up to Terni, then the SS675 that becomes SS3 (Flaminia road) up to Spoleto (map).

by train:
from Rome last about 1 hour 45 minutes, from Florence about 2 hours, take a look to timetable.

by airplane:
the nearest airport is San Francesco d'Assisi Airport  it is connected to London and from April to October to Barcelona, Bruxelles, Munich, Dusseldorf, Cagliari and Trapani. Otherwise at about 160 km there is Fiumicino Airport connected to Spoleto by train via Roma Termini or Roma Tiburtina.

SLEEP

along the cycle route, like everywhere in Umbria you can find both cheap b&b (at about 60 euro for a double room) and luxury hotels with spa with competitive prices.
 

EAT

cured meats, truffles, spelt and lentils represent what you can eat here. A tipical menu starts with a cutting board of cured meats followed by a rich plate of strangozzi (a kind of pasta) with truffles or a spelt and lentils soup and ends with a typical mixed grill of roasted sausages and pork ribs.

EVENTS

- first two weeks of July, the Festival dei Due Mondi, annual summer music and opera festival;

- in November, Frantoi Aperti, visit the oil mills and taste the new olive oil in all Valle Umbra;

- in October, the Palio dei Terzieri, a medieval contest between the three "terzieri" (neighborhoods) of Trevi;

- third Saturday of June and third Sunday of September the Giostra della Quintana, a medieval chivalrous contest between the ten "rioni" (neighborhoods) of Foligno, a lot of events for two weeks before the race with open taverns with typical medieval food, medieval markets and the historic parade along the streets of the center town;

- last ten days of June, the Mercato delle Gaite, A market along the medieval streets of Bevagna shows of historical trades.

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