Cyclotourism Oscars 2025. Here are the most beautiful cycle routes in Italy. Liguria triumphs

A few days before World Bicycle Day, the tenth edition of the Green Road Award – the Oscar of Cycling Tourism has been won by the Liguria Region for the Cycling Riviera cycle and pedestrian path. Second place goes to Basilicata for the Ciclovia Meridiana and third place to Puglia for the Ciclonica. The three cycle paths were selected from almost 30 applications sent by various Italian regions and autonomous provinces. The announcement of the three winning regions will be held this evening, May 30, in Trieste, in Friuli Venezia Giulia, winner of the first prize last year with the Ciclovia Pedemontana.

Cycling Riviera, between the flowers of Sanremo and the sea

The Cycling Riviera is a 33-kilometer cycle/pedestrian path from Ospedaletti to Imperia, created by redeveloping a portion of the coastal route of the old, disused Genoa-Ventimiglia railway. The first inauguration of the Cycling Riviera - known as the Ciclovia Parco Costiero Riviera dei Fiori - dates back to 2009 with the first stretch Sanremo-San Lorenzo. The cycle path has been expanded several times in both directions (towards Ospedaletti and towards Imperia), up to the last 9-kilometer stretch inaugurated last April, from San Lorenzo al Mare to the former Imperia Porto Maurizio station, also crossing the entire territory of the city.

Completely flat, with a compact surface and a wide average width that makes it accessible to both expert and inexperienced cyclists and pedestrians, the Cycling Riviera passes through the tourist resorts of Sanremo, Arma di Taggia, Riva Ligure, Santo Stefano al Mare, Cipressa, Costarainera, San Lorenzo al Mare. It is an infrastructure designed for sustainable transport, also much appreciated by residents for daily travel. Along the entire route, there are refreshment points, bike rental, automated toilets as well as clear signage. The Cycling Riviera is part of the larger project of the Tirrenica Cycle Route (one of the ten itineraries included by MIT and MIBACT in the National System of Tourist Cycle Routes). "A textbook cycle route, generous and inclusive". This is the reason why the jury of the Oscar del Cicloturismo awarded the Cycling Riviera, which also highlights the effective intermodality guaranteed by the railway line and the stations along the entire route.

Meridiana Cycle Route, a ring on the Lucanian Apennines

The 295-kilometer “eight” route of the Ciclovia Meridiana starts from Potenza and crosses the Appennino Lucano Val d'Agri-Lagonegrese National Park. It takes its name from the philosophical thought of Franco Cassano and the concept of “living in the south”, as a return to slowness, far from the frenetic pace of the metropolis. The cycle path follows the route of the Via Herculia (ancient Roman road) and passes through 22 towns and villages as well as protected oases, archaeological sites, places of historical importance within the Appennino Lucano Park, an area rich in examples of biodiversity and a natural communication route downstream of the Agri river.

For better use, the Ciclovia Meridiana was designed to be divided into two smaller loops, one to the north of 152 kilometers and one to the south of 146 kilometers. The main itinerary also includes 97 kilometers of intersection routes and two thematic routes such as the 18.4-kilometer Val d'Agri river park loop and the 28.8-kilometer Via dell'Acqua for mountain bikes. Along the route there are fountains to refill water bottles and, through a "service card" currently being defined, cycle tourists will be able to locate assistance points, charging stations for e-bikes, accommodation and places to eat where they can discover the best dishes from the region's rich food and wine offerings. The jury awarded its "potential that fits into the strong regional commitment to promoting slow tourism. The vocation to be the link between the Cilento Park cycle path and the Pollino and Sila park cycle path reinforces the value of the 'meridian' role of the Basilicata Region".

Ciclonica, by bike in the Ionian Salento

The Ciclonica is a 350-kilometer ring route that starts and ends in Lecce and passes through ten municipalities in Salento. Thanks to the possibility of dividing the route into five smaller sub-rings, the Ciclonica offers the opportunity to live a unique cycling experience, between the sea, parks, nature reserves and inland villages, even along shorter routes. Born and developed in 2024 with the Green Community project - which involves the municipalities of Alliste, Avetrana, Galatone, Gallipoli, Manduria, Nardò, Porto Cesareo, Racale, Taviano and Ugento - and financed with funds from the PNRR, the Ciclonica connects, in fact, the network of paths, secondary and rural roads, points of interest and bike-friendly structures present in the area while its travel is made easy and intuitive by the indications provided by the app, including assistance points and fountains where you can refill your water bottles.

The route, almost entirely flat and 75% on low-traffic asphalt roads, makes the Ciclonica perfect for all types of cyclists, including families with children. “The Jury intended to reward a cycle path born 'from the bottom' thanks to the work of a community made up of territorial associations, municipalities, protected areas of the Ionian Salento”, we read in the motivation. Added to this is “an increasingly mature offer in terms of services, starting with the app that connects all the routes and experiences”.

Special mentions

In addition to the three aforementioned cycle routes, this evening three other cycle routes will receive special mentions, three in Italy and one destination beyond the border. The Sustainable Intermodality Logistics Association mentioned the Gran Tour of Lazio. It is a circular cycle route of over 1000 kilometers that starts from Rome, crosses the five provinces of the region and returns to the Capital, connecting the main cycle routes and historical paths already existing in Lazio (Via Francigena of the north and south, Eurovelo5, Eurovelo 7, the path of San Benedetto, the path of S. Filippo Neri, the Way of Francis, the cycle route of the lakes and the cycle route of the woods, the route of the future Tyrrhenian Cycle Route). The tour is divided into 18 stages or thematic itineraries, connected at the beginning and end by a train station.

Legambiente mentioned the Ciclovia del Sole (Eurovelo 7) in its Lombardy section. Completely flat and easy to travel, the Ciclovia del Sole in Lombardy crosses the province of Mantua from the border with Veneto to that with Emilia Romagna and winds mainly in the territories of the Mincio Park for about 100 kilometers. The route was born from the redevelopment and connection of sections of existing cycle paths, giving life to an itinerary that, in various points, overlooks the Mincio, Po and Secchia rivers and the lakes of Mantua.

The BAR to BAR cycle route, “from Barbaresco to Barolo”, received a special mention in the “Press and communication” category. It is a 124-kilometer circular route divided into seven stages starting and finishing in Alba. It winds along low-traffic roads, dirt roads, woods and country paths, touching iconic places in the wine-growing landscapes of the Langhe-Roero and Monferrato hills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Between villages and vineyards, history and nature, unique landscapes and unusual views, the BAR to BAR allows you to choose between a short and a longer route, designed for trekking and off-road mountain biking (including pedal-assisted) that can be traveled in both directions.

As for foreign destinations, this year's award goes to Slovenia, which boasts beautiful roads, with perfect surfaces and unique landscapes.

Oscar Night and the Bike Forum

On the occasion of the final event in the Julian capital, the Oscar del Cicloturismo has also organized a Bike Forum for this morning to illustrate to local tourism operators the advantages and opportunities of holidays on two wheels. According to the Report “Viaggiare con la bici 2025” by Isnart-Unioncamere, in 2024 there were 89 million presences (+54% on 2023), for an economic impact of almost 9.8 billion euros. Cycle tourism is today one of the main trends of the “new demand” for tourism in our country and represents more than 10% of the total number of tourists in Italy.