Two RiDE motorcycle tours of Italy - mainland or islands
It seems a shame to limit a motorcycle touring trip to Italy to just one area, though cramming the whole country into one trip is a challenge. It’s too large to do in a single week, but with a fortnight off work, you can take in all the amazing riding this fascinating country has to offer. We have not one but two complete 12-day tours. We’ve structured them both to start from Borgo San Dalmazzo, so they’re easy to do if you freight the bike to Nice.
The mainland tour loops south as far as Potenza, before swinging out to the fabulous Gargano Pensinsular - the spur of Italy’s boot. From there is heads north, through the Dolomites, taking in all the big-name passes as well as the lakes. With only two half-day stints of motorway in the entire 12-day trip, it’s a stunning 3000-mile epic of a tour.
Not that the islands tour is any less majestic. It follows the same route as the mainland tour for the first four days, but carries on south from Potenza to Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica. After 2600 incredible miles, this motorcycle tour reaches Bastia in Corsica, from where an overnight ferry will get you and your bike to Toulon, Genoa - both a half-day ride from Nice - or direct to Nice, if you wish to ship your motorcycle back. Though from Nice, it’s a pleasant ride back up the Route Napoleon…
Tour 1: Mainland tour of Italy
Day 1: Borgo San Dalmazzo to Levanto. 240 miles. 8.5 hours
Day one map, Day one GPX file
Day 2: Levanto to Monte Argentario. 250 miles. 7.5 hours
Day two map, Day two GPX file
Day 3: Monte Argentario to Isernia. 255 miles. 8 hours
Day three map , Day three GPX file
Day 4: Isernia to Potenza. 250 miles 8.5 hours
Day four map, Day four GPX file
Day 5: Potenza to Peschici. 230 miles. 7 hours
Day five map, Day five GPX file
Day 6: Peschici to Chieti: 250 miles. 8 hours
Day six map, Day six GPX file
Day 7: Chieti to Citta di Castello. 250 miles. 8 hours
Day seven map, Day seven GPX file
Day 8: Citta di Castello to Riva del Garda. 275 miles. 7.5 hours
Day eight map, Day eight GPX file
Day 9: Riva del Garda to Tolmezzo. 225 miles. 7 hours
Day nine map, Day nine GPX file
Day 10: Tolmezzo to Vipiteno. 235 miles 7.5 hours
Day ten map, Day ten GPX file
Day 11: Vipiteno to Lecco. 240 miles. 8 hours
Day eleven map, Day eleven, GPX file
Day 12: Lecco to Borgo San Dalmazzo. 230 miles. 6.5 hours
Day twelve map, Day twelve GPX file
Tour 2: Islands tour of Italy
Day 1: Borgo San Dalmazzo to Levanto. 240 miles. 8.5 hours
Day one map, Day one GPX file
Day 2: Levanto to Monte Argentario. 250 miles. 7.5 hours
Day two map, Day two GPX file
Day 3: Monte Argentario to Isernia. 255 miles. 8 hours
Day three map, Day three GPX file
Day 4: Isernia to Potenza. 250 miles. 8.5 hours
Day four map, Gay four GPX file
Day 5: Potenza to Cosenza. 225 miles. 7 hours
Day five map, Gay five GPX file
Day 6: Cosenza to Taormina (Sicily). 205 miles. 6.5 hours
Day six map, Day six GPX file
Day 7: Taormina to Palermo. 200 miles. 5.5 hours. Overnight ferry to Cagliari (Sardinia)
Day seven map, Day seven GPX file
Day 8: Cagliari to Alghero. 230 miles. 7.5 hours
Day eight map, Day eight GPX file
Day 9: Alghero to Tortoli. 210 miles. 6 hours.
Day nine map, Day nine GPX file
Day 10: Tortoli to Bonifacio (Corsica). 200 miles. 6 hours.
Day ten map, Day ten GPX file
Day 11: Bonifacio to Porto. 180 miles. 5.5 hours.
Day eleven map, Day elelven GPX file
Day 12: Porto to Bastia. 185 miles. 5.5 hours. Overnight ferry to Genoa, Toulon or Nice
Day twelve map, Day twelve GPX file
Please note: This page contains the route files for The RiDE Guide to motorcycle touring in Italy which came free with RiDE magazine in July 2015. These website page are not regularly updated, so please check all critical information before you travel. All route files are in .gpx format. Garmin and BMW users can download the main file, which contains all the routes and our recommended hotels as separate waypoints. TomTom users can download the individual routes and use the Tyre software to convert them. For many routes we also have Google Map links. However, as Google Maps will not plot routes over seasonally closed high Alpine passes (such as Stelvio) when they’re shut, these may not work for every route all year round.