Recommended Riding Level:  Strong C* and above.  Please commit to riding 1,000 miles before 6/14/24 to be prepared for this tour.

Average Mileage/Day:  40

Terrain: Rolling

Description:  Fly into the Marco Polo Airport in Venice.  The Venice historic centre is completely pedestrian; it is not allowed to ride bikes, not even carrying them by hand.  We have allowed time for sightseeing in Venice.  From our hotel in Mestre, we will have an optional ride to Treviso.  Leaving Venice, we continue on to Vicenza passing through Padua.  Then onto Verona for two days in the land Romeo & Juliet.  Leaving the romance of Verona, we continue onto Mantua with its lake scenery.  Reggio Emillia will be our next stop for 3 nights.  Optional day rides to Parma and Maranello.  Did someone say cheese tasting and ogling Ferraris?  Then we ride to Bologna for its rich architecture.  Obviously, during the whole trip we will be living the “Eat to Ride, Ride to Eat” dream.

We’ll take transportation from Bologna to Florence to avoid 88 miles and 6,000 feet of climbing arriving in Florence on Thursday, June 27th. On Saturday, June 29th, for the first time in its history, the Tour de France will start in Florence. On June 29th, we’d get up at the crack of dawn, have breakfast, bike about 20-25 miles (the first stage is hilly), get a good viewing spot, and cheer like crazy when the Tour rides past. When the road reopens, we coast back into Florence.  Besides the Tour de France, there is time in our schedule for sightseeing in Florence or an optional day trip to Pisa.  On July 1st, we return to Venice for our flights home on July 2nd.   

Date	Hotel		Miles	Feet
Fri June 14		Fly to Marco Polo Airport, Venice
Sat June 15	Best Western Tritone	Sightsee in Venice
Sun June 16	Best Western Tritone	Ride round trip to Treviso or sightsee in Venice	60	1400
Mon Jun 17	Best Western Tritone	Sightsee in Venice
Tue June 18	Hotel Villa Michelangelo	Ride from Mestre to Vincenza passing through Padua	46.4	1411
Wed June 19	Hotel Marco Polo Verona	Ride from Vincenza to Verona	36.2	1517
Thu June 20	Hotel Marco Polo Verona	Sightsee in Verona and or ride to lake towns
Fri June 21	Hotel Casa Poli Mantova	Ride from Verona to Mantua.	26	441
Sat June 22	Albergo delle Notarie - 4 Stelle	Ride from Mantua to Reggio Emillia	39.9	977
Sun June 23	Albergo delle Notarie - 4 Stelle	Round trip day trip from Reggio Emillia to Maranello for Ferrari car museum	41.3	941
Mon June 24	Albergo delle Notarie - 4 Stelle	Round trip day trip from Reggio Emillia  to Parma for cheese tasting	35.6	782
Tues June 25	Royal Hotel Carlton	Ride from Reggio Emillia to Bologna	50.1	1166
Wed June 26	Royal Hotel Carlton	Sightsee in Bologna
Thu June 27	Hotel Unicorno	Transport (TBD) from Bologna to Florence
Fri June 28	Hotel Unicorno	Sightsee in Florence and scout out TDF start route.
Sat June 29	Hotel Unicorno	TDF starts at Piazzale Michelangelo	Approx 40 - 50  on the TDF course	HILLY
Sun June 30	Hotel Unicorno	Ride to Pisa (one-way) and return via train	57.3	1478
Mon July 1	TBD - Venice	Transport (TBD) from Florence to Venice
Tue July 2		Fly home from Marco Polo Airport, Venice

Estimated Cost of Tour:  $3,000 Per Person Double Occupancy Includes:

• Lodging 17 nights at 3- and 4-star hotels including breakfast
• SAG Wagon
• PreTrip Dinner
• At least 2 Group Dinners in Italy
• Bike Box Storage

The inclusion of train fares is to be determined.

Any funds remaining at the conclusion of the tour will be returned to tour participants.

Does Not Include:

• Airfare to and from Venice
• Bike Rental

Deposit Required:  $1,000 once you are confirmed for the trip due within 10 days of confirmation.

Make your checks payable to Barbara Klein.  Mail to 173 Skyline Lake Dr, Ringwood NJ 07456

Bikes:  We are planning to bring our bikes.  Bike rentals are expensive and good bikes are hard to come especially during a major tour like the Tour de France.

Singles Wanting Roommates:  If you are a single and want a roommate, the ride leaders will try to help you find/assign a roommate.  This tour is strictly double occupancy.

Cancellation Policy:  Trip Insurance is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.  Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recovered. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional costs as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time less a cancellation fee of $300. If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a participant that is sharing a room cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the cancelling roommate may also be liable for the supplement for a private room of the roommate remaining on the tour. 

Full Payment Due By:  April 1, 2024

Tour Leaders :

Barbara Klein [email protected]

Bob DeMair [email protected]

Email Registration Opens Sunday, 02/04/24 to 02/06/24 at 8 PM

Email RSVP to Bob DeMair at [email protected]