Lido di Camaiore, Cinque Terre & Lucca, 7 Days

It starts at the Pratteln services near Basel, from where the group rides together through Switzerland and over Ticino. The first overnight stop waits near Erba, before the way continues south the following day.

After breakfast the way continues past Milan via Piacenza and Parma, through Emilia Romagna and the Ligurian Apennines to the base hotel in Lido di Camaiore. It is the longest stage of the week and the most winding of the outward run.

The stage leads to the Leaning Tower and cathedral of Pisa, over Monte Pisano to Lucca and on via Bagni di Lucca to the spa town of Montecatini Terme, before the return ride to the Versilia Coast. Winding country roads fill the whole afternoon.

Via Massa and Carrara, past the famous marble quarries cut into the hillsides, you reach the five villages of the Cinque Terre. At midday the group returns to the Versilia Coast via Aulla, Casola and La Spezia.

The motorway carries the group past Florence and on along the Strada del Chianti to two of the finest towns in southern Tuscany. In Volterra and Siena there is ample time to wander and explore at your own pace.

The first homeward stage leads via Genoa and Alessandria through the north Italian lowlands to the final overnight stop at Hotel Albavilla near Erba, before the way home continues the following morning.

The final day runs along the shore of Lake Maggiore and then continues through Switzerland back to Germany. That closes out seven days and around 2,200 kilometres between Basel and the Versilia Coast.