Italy
With the Dolomites in the northeast, the Alps to the northwest and the Apennine Mountains all the way down the middle of the country, there is plenty of trail riding to be found throughout Italy. It boasts classic singletrack surrounded by amazing scenery and the recently developed BikeParks are utilising the singletrack rather than constructing downhill only resorts. Lake Garda is regarded by many as one of the best spots in the world, with its technical singletrack in outstanding countryside.
While
you could come to Italy and ride your bike pretty much anywhere, if you
are looking for BikeParks and uplifts then you should be looking to the
north of the country. If XC is your game then the lower Apennine Mountains are perfect, with many of the peaks just over the 1000m mark. Elsewhere in Italy there are waymarked trails, looked after by Club Alpino Italiano (cai.it) the national organization. Guides are a must in these areas as there are no local detailed maps.
View GravityInc - MTB Resorts, Italy in a larger map
ITALY MOUNTAIN BIKE CONDITIONS
Some areas
have good year round riding conditions such as the San Remo/Argentina
valley and Lake Garda, making them excellent winter or early season
options. The trail and ground conditions are also reasonably varied throughout
Italy.
Most of the mountain bike terrain in Italy is rocky terrain and again, as in all mountainous regions the weather can change quickly. The wet weather can make the trails a little 'tougher'.
1) Bardonecchia
During history... Bardonecchia has always been strategically important. Today, the town itself is quite small, but very well equipped for tourism.
2) Cimone
Monte Cimone is situated in the heart of the Appinino Modenese on the Emilia Romagna and Tuscany border. There are 2 towns based on the side of Cimone that are linked to the network of MTB trails via the ski lifts.
3) Lake Garda
Lake Garda is voted by many in the know as the world's best riding.
4) Livigno
Home of the 2005 World Championships and at an altitude of 1815 m Livigno is known as Little Tibet. The town is spread out, but easy to get around on foot or bike. It is an old Alpine village set amongst the spectacular and wild mountains of the Stelvio National Park in the Italian Alps. It is also now home to the Swatch BikePark.
5) Pila
Pila is a must visit, small, resort above the town of Aosta. Although a busy ski resort during winter, it is very quiet during the summer.
6) Prato Nevoso
Prato Nevoso is a small resort above the Mediterranean coast, close to both Finale Ligure and San Remo, meaning this is a great place to base yourself and travel to the other riding areas.
7) San Remo
San Remo lies on the western Ligurian coast, and is known as, The Pearl of the Riviera of the Flowers. It is the main export of flowers that are cultivated on the hills in the botanical gardens.
8) Sauze d'Oulx
Sauze d'Oulx is a resort located in the Piemonte region of the Italian Alps. Sauze d'Oulx itself is quite a small resort, but it has a large number of bars and restaurants.
9) Val di Fassa
Base yourself in Canazei, a well established and popular ski resort in the Dolomites, just northwest of Marmolada, the highest point in the Dolomites at 3343 m.
10) Val di Sole
Until recently, Val di Sole was mainly a cross-country mountain bike resort... with the 2008 World Mountain Bike Championships being held here, this has all changed.