From Alpine Peaks to Italian Piazzas - A Week of Climbs, Camaraderie and an Amazing Story
- Chris null
- Jun 3, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 12, 2025
Crossing Into Italy and the Bustle of Milan
I set off from the campsite in Lugano and weaved through the final Swiss town, Mendrisio, before crossing the border into Italy. There was one final climb before a long descent, followed by an easy ride toward central Milan. As I approached the city, the roads straightened and grew busier with every kilometre.
Eventually, I reached the stunning Duomo at the heart of Milan. It was chaotic and crowded, but I managed to find a bar table with a cathedral view and settled in for a massive pint—a whopping €18! Way over budget, but after the ride, totally worth it. From there, I escaped Milan's madness along a canal path that slowly transformed from urban sprawl to peaceful farmland. I found a tiny patch beside a farmer's field, with cool offshoot of the canal to dunk my head into after another hot day.
Heat, Hard Paths, and a Welcome Chat
I set off early to beat the heat, rejoining the canal path. This region of Italy is dominated by open fields and raised paths with almost no shade. I was also following the Via Francigena pilgrimage route, which became too rocky for my loaded bike. I diverted onto the road instead.
Just as I started feeling the grind, I stopped at a bar and met an Irish couple walking the pilgrimage route. We chatted over cold Cokes about their journey from Canterbury to Rome and my ride so far. It was a real mood booster.
After some time in Piacenza, I found a hidden spot behind an abandoned house to pitch the tent. While settling in, another long-distance cyclist named Justus appeared. He's been on the road for 10 months, covering a loop from Berlin through Portugal, Morocco, Senegal, and back. He pitched next to me, and we shared stories well into the night.
Storms, Fireflies, and a New Cycling Partner
A 5 a.m. thunderstorm had me scrambling to throw my outer tent on, as I was only sleeping under the mesh. Justus and I waited out the rain until 11 a.m., then rode together about 30 km before stopping for lunch.
I accepted Justus' offer to ride with him toward Bologna, and it was great having company for a full day. We shared stories, picked up ridiculously cheap fruit and veg, and found a campsite for the night. Justus built a fire to cook dinner, and we stayed up late chatting under a sky full of fireflies.
Arrival in Bologna and Unexpected Hospitality
We rolled out of Modena and steadily made our way to Bologna, where Justus was meeting friends he met in his time in Africa. One of them, Antonio, kindly offered for us both to stay at his apartment. Antonio, also a cycle tourer, knew exactly what we needed: showers and laundry.
We spent the evening with Antonio and his housemates, Paulina and Simone, cooking a delicious dinner and sharing stories. Yet another unexpected but heartwarming connection on the road.
A Side Quest and a Swift 40K
Antonio and Davide, his cycle touring friend, were giving a talk about their West Africa trip and invited Justus and me to join them. We rode out of Bologna without our bags, covering 40 km at record speed.
The talk was in Italian, so I didn’t catch much, but the students seemed engaged. Afterwards, we visited Davide’s place for Café Tuba, a drink they fell in love with in Africa. I mentioned my next destination was Florence, and they suggested a scenic route over the Apennines instead of the busy EuroVelo route.
That night, we had dinner together and explored Bologna by bike, cruising under its unique covered walkways and ending with beers on the steps of the main piazza. A memorable night in a truly special city.
Into the Apennines
After another rare luxury—a second consecutive shower—I left Bologna heading for Montese. The first 10 km were flat and gave me more time to admire Bologna, but soon the hills hit hard.
I ended up doing nearly as much climbing as I did over the Alps! By 2 p.m., I reached Tolé, 20 km north of Montese, and took a long lunch. Then it was on to Salto di Montese, where Davide had arranged for me to stay with Alain’s parents, who host touring cyclists through the Warm Showers network.
They greeted me warmly with water, juice, and beer, and we chatted in their garden overlooking the hills. After a shower, I joined the others for pizza and Davide and Antonio's evening presentation. The Montese community was incredibly welcoming and engaged. I ended the night under the stars with Alain’s family.
Rolling Down, Then Climbing Again
I woke at 7 a.m. and had breakfast with Alain’s parents. Lu, Alain’s father, and I talked at length about local history and politics — I could have stayed chatting all morning! But I hit the road by 10.
After a short uphill to Montese, I had a massive, winding descent that gave my brakes a real workout. A reservoir appeared below, where I took a break and a refreshing dip.
The climb resumed after that, taking me to the summit at Poggio di Celso at 1164m, where I camped. The last two days were my second and third biggest climbing days of the trip — and the views down toward Pistoia and Florence were the perfect reward.
This post I an update as well as an appreciation post to Justus, Davide, Antonio, Alain, Lu & Marina and the many other wonderful people I met in Bologna and Montese!
Davide's project is called I to Eye and raises money for CBM, check out the links below!
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