With the summer, I too took a rate of bike rides through the Mugello. Personally, I am very convinced that in this way you can better appreciate Mugello cycling heaven. It is with the bicycle that you have the best chance to appreciate the dazzling beauty of this territory.
Mugello is less famous than other areas of Tuscany this is beyond doubt. Just some time ago we received news that Mick Jagger is going to settle in the Bolgheri area. Now famous for the wines called Supertuscans such as Sassicaia and Ornellaia. Once in Italy people associated it to the poet Carducci and to his “tall and straightforward” cypresses.
Other off-limits areas for comparison are certainly the Crete Senesi and the Chianti. Besides you could well add the whole coastal part with the Tuscan archipelago. But after well weighing the places, Mugello can match well with the sacred monsters of Tuscany for natural beauty. Therefore less famous can also have a positive connotation. It also means that Mugello is probably even more genuine and less touched by mass tourism. For this reason, the Mugello cycling heaven can even better find a space with the public.
The area has the potential for a lush touristic development also thanks to its becoming “Mugello cycling heaven”. In particular, I believe that this wonderful valley can truly become a Mugello cycling heaven. When we talk about bikes I mean all the main types. From the road bike, to the mountain bike with all its variants up to the gravel bike etc.
Mugello has a high number of Apennine passes from 800 to 1000 meters. So you can create infinite routes with the road bike depending on your physical condition. In addition, there are countless forest paths that allow an extensive use of the Mountain Bike.
The same Via degli Dei that is becoming popular with hikers is actually a path well suited to mountain bike enthusiasts. Mugello encompasses the natural park of Giogo-Casaglia and partly that of the Casentino forests. In the lower part of the valley it is possible to use the provincial roads for pleasant excursions. These tours are well suited for discovering the wonderful Mugello countryside. In this case we are talking about pleasant paths suitable for all tastes and especially for families.
Furthermore, around Lake Bilancino there are several kilometers of cycling paths that flank its delicate shores. Further on in Borgo there are other paths for unforgettable cycling experiences. One of these favors a pleasant excursion into the surrounding countryside, touching farms and fields with breathtaking views. The other option is the one that leads to Vicchio along the Sieve river. We remind readers that Vicchio is the birthplace of immortal painters such as Giotto and Beato Angelico. It is possible to pass on the same bridge of the encounter of Giotto with his master Cimabue. According to legend Giotto was drawing some sheep on a stone with charcoal.
On the right bank of the Sieve just outside the town of Vicchio, the road climbs towards Monte Giovi. On the slopes of this mountain lies Barbiana, a small fraction of the municipality of Vicchio. Barbiana is famous for Don Lorenzo Milani’s educational and human revolutionary experience. We will talk about Barbiana in one of the next articles.