Lakes of northern italy
bike tours

At LNI BT, our goal is to help you to make your cycling experience easy, smooth and adventurous in the Italian and Swiss Lake District through offering of guided and self guided cycling experiences, women's cycling camps, private tours and info for rides on your own.

The Lake District offers pleasant cycling terrains for everyone, from road cyclists wanting a flat and leisurely ride to the intermediete or advanced road cyclists in search of more challenging cycling adventures. It has a network of rides ready to blow your mind.
The Lakes are best enjoyed from April through to June and from mid-August through to October, but here the climate makes it possible to go cycling almost all year round.

We are located on the border between Southern Switzerland and Northern Italy at the foot of the Alps. It's a perfect location for a cycling holiday due to a huge number of roads suitable for cyclists and a climate that’s mild most of the year round.
The four most important lakes are Lake Maggiore, Lake Lugano, Lake Varese and Lake Como. Between and around there are several minor lakes such as Lake Orta, West of Maggiore, Lake Monate and Lake Comabbio, South Varese, and Lake Ganna, Lake Ghirla and Lake Brinzio midway between Varese and Lugano.

We love to give you the opportunity to experience the valleys in many aspects, the pictoresque villages, the lakes, mountains and the hidden roads along the way. Thanks to the vastness and diversity of territory, you will easily ride along the shore of the lakes and the banks, or you will toil to climb the valleys of our territory. Lago Maggiore, Lugano and Como have steep shores which are studded with pastel villages and villas with beautiful gardens.

It's a playground for cyclists.
We love to ride by bike for fun without forgetting to enjoy what the Northern Italian Lakes have to offer: narrow climbs, fast downhills, ancient villas, parks, churches and hermitages which were built from Sixteenth Century to the Nineteenth Century, exibitions, history, art, culture.
Not only biking here during your cycling holiday.

Lakeside roads can be a little bit crowded in summer, but escape is easy. There are numerous accessible back roads for tranquil rides and climbs (100+) that take you away from the shoreline and deliver a double opportunity of views and seclusion.

You’ve probably never heard of them, but there’s some massive and excellent climbs in the area.
We've compiled a list of the toughest 10 climbs around, hoping that one day you will have the opportunity to climb up and down them.

While hill climbs are a highlight, we also design gentle, flat routes for leisurely rides with no significant hills.
Don't be fooled by the challenging terrain. We offer experiences bypassing both busy roads and big hills and medium sized hills too.

• How is car traffic around the lakes? Are there any quiet roads? Are the cyclists respected on the road?

The Lakes are lovely, but the main roads and a few lakeside routes suffer from traffic. There's barely anyone up the side valleys.
90% of the traffic is on the main roads, once you turn off you can go hours without encountering another vehicle.

We think the key to it, if you're going to come here cycling is just ride in the side valley or up passes away from the lakes. And then you get to see even more stuff. Some of the hidden gems are off the beaten track and less well-known ones as well.
Only a few minutes out of the front door and you can be at the foot of 5-10 kilometres climbs.
It's gorgeous up the hills, we'd totally recommend it. The roads are quieter.

You'll encounter road cyclists of all skill levels, from amateurs to those who appear pro.
Though drivers are accustomed to cyclists and they are generally patient with cyclists. It's crucial to ride single file (not side by side), particularly when cars are present, to maintain good relations.

• Is it going to rain?

Always a tricky one! We keep an eye on the forecast, but sometimes the weather here can be unpredictable. We'll give you the best advice we can, but always be prepared for a bit of everything.

• What cycling apparel or accessories should I bring?

Bib shorts, short sleeve jersey, a rain jacket, socks, gloves, helmet and one or two water bottles. However, depending on the period you come here (Spring or Autumn), we recommend for you to bring some extra warm clothes like arm warmers, leg warmers, bib tights, long sleeve jersey.

• What're the most rewarding areas?

For the most rewarding cycling experiences, head North of Varese, around Lake Lugano, around the upper Lake Maggiore and areas straddling the Italian-Swiss border. While a few stretches of the lakeside roads can be busy in summer, you'll find numerous easily accessible climbs and back roads that offer stunning views away from the shoreline.