Due to the pandemic, now more than ever, we are rethinking the way we consume, we live and travel. 2021 seems another challenging year for tourism – there’s hope but also a lot of concerns. Without a doubt sustainable tourism it’s a good alternative to approach travelling, where greener, healthier and innovative ways of exploring are the priority.
If you didn’t know, Abruzzo –The City Next Door– has some incredible alternatives when it comes to sustainable tourism. Perfect spots to practise Forest Bathing, stunning natural scenarios for experiencing slow tourism or discovering the astonishing Gran Sasso by horse are just a few of them.
How travelling looks in 2021
Picture provided by @bikelife.it
As a confirmation of the “travel sustainable” trend, the last INSART report (Istituto Nazionale Ricerche Turistiche) shows that 30% of tourists in Italy choose “sports” as the main reason or motivation to go on holidays, a figure we believe will only go up in the next few years. What does that mean? Now more than ever travellers are looking for outdoor places, connecting with nature and practicing a more active type of tourism.
New travelling trend: let's hop on a bike
The last “hot trend” is cycling tourism, an energetic (and healthy!) activity that fits Abruzzo perfectly. Wonder why? The region has the longest cycling track in Italy (once finished) and it’s called “Bike To Coast” starting from Martinsicuro and finishing in San Salvo, this project is part of the “Ciclovia Adriatica” which connects many Italian regions by bike including Molise and Puglia.
Bikelife was founded in Abruzzo in 2013 by Claudio Di Dionisio, an exciting project where tourists can plan different types of bike tours around the region. On their website (available both in English and Italian), you can choose what type of destination you are looking for, if you want to do it in a group or by yourself, for just one day or even a whole week! The options are endless and they can adapt to your needs, level of experience or just as simple as what type of scenery you are looking for.
Let's have a "Bike Life" in Italy
Punta Aderci Natural Reserve by bike
This project is definitely an incredible opportunity to discover the Italian region in a sustainable and exciting way “Naturally, Abruzzo is a sustainable destination that’s why it has the title of The Greenest Region of Europe, nearly one-third of its territory are nature reserves, national parks and wildlife preserves. The only thing needed to turn the region into a total sustainable destination it’s a new hospitality culture” explains Anna from Bikelife.
How can I plan my cycling tour?
As exciting as it sounds, planning a new trip (especially a new type of experience) can turn into a stressful situation. So you might ask yourself, how can I plan a bike tour and how does the logistics work?
Our friends from Bikelife explained in detail how it works: “We offer certified and qualified services with a staff made up of passionate and profound connoisseurs of the area. In addition, we offer the possibility of renting top-of-the-range bikes”. They add: “Assistance and luggage transport services are offered. GPS tracks and insurances with our travel packages are included as well, which place us at the forefront of the cycling tourism field”. For extra security, there’s also “Bike Help” points stations across the whole territory.
Can be a cycling tour a family activity?
Doesn’t matter your age or if you want to do it by yourself or with a family, Bikelife offers diversified tours based on the degree of difficulty and it can also be divided into weekends and routes, which makes it easier to meet the needs of families and level of experience.
There are some interesting “theme” tours options such as:
2.- E-Bike Weekend Tour into the most beautiful villages in Italy
3.- Abruzzo Historic Secret Places Tour
One of the main goals of this type of tours it’s to discover unknown areas, national parks and promote small villages, towns and historical attractions, something that helps the local economy and sustainable growth of the region.
Wellness and travelling in the same place
One of the most exciting things about connecting with nature or choosing a more sustainable way of travelling is the different benefits that come with it. You can reduce your negative impact on the planet and nature, and take care of yourself at the same time. Connecting with nature and staying away from big and contaminated areas it’s a wonderful way to improve your health and “give back” something to our bodies.
If you are interested in planning a bike tour around Abruzzo in the near future, our friends of Bikelife share exclusively with us a 10% promo code on any of their tours. You can use it only one time directly on their website! Hope you see you soon around Abruzzo, ideally on a bike 🙂
