Ride Director Comments

We have a space open for female to share a room with another female. PLEASE NOTE the requirement for shared lodging in Parma (3 nights) described below (rooms will be within 2- and 3-bedroom apartments with shared bathrooms), as well as notes about dietary restrictions.

Ride Description

Overview: Emilia-Romagna extends from the Apennine Mountains in the west, down into the Po River Valley to the east. The region is known for its medieval cities, rich gastronomy and fast cars, the home of brands such as Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini and Ducati, giving it the nickname of Motor Valley. The capital of the region, Bologna, is a vibrant city with an 11th-century university, multiple towers (many of them leaning) and arched porticos lining the streets and squares. This tour will provide access to culinary delights in the heart of the slow food movement, emphasizing traditional and artisanal products such as prosciutto di Parma, balsamic vinegar, and parmesan cheese (not to mention the “original” ba-lone-y, mortadella). The car enthusiast will have the opportunity to tour factories and museums dedicated to luxury and fast cars. In addition, Luciano Pavarotti, the world-renowned tenor, was born and raised in Modena where he deeply influenced the region's musical heritage.

This is a new tour for BAC with other rides in Emilia-Romagna more focused in the eastern and coastal portion of the region. All routes will be scouted the week before the tour starts. The ride will begin in Bologna and end in Piacenza, generally following the course of the Po River. Because the destination towns are in the valley, the rides are mainly flat, although there will be options to head west into the hills. 

Itinerary and Highlights: See below for preliminary itinerary (subject to change).

Day 0 Sat 5/15: Arrive at the hotel in Bologna. Rental bikes will be delivered and there will be a meeting and happy hour. Participants may want to arrive in Bologna a day or two early to take in the sights there.

Day 1 Sun 5/16: Ride to the Ducati Museum; hilly option.

Day 2 Mon 5/17: Ride to Modena; stop at Lamborghini Museum. Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena. 

Day 3 Tue 5/18: Two ride options to the Ferrari Museum in Maranello and the Pavarotti House. Maserati Museum option.

Day 4 Wed 5/19: Ride to Reggio Emilia with stop at Balsamico Village.

Day 5 Thu 5/20: Two ride options: castles, tractor museum, and cheese.

Day 6 Fri 5/21: Ride to Parma, food tour.

Day 7 Sat 5/22: Ride around Parma, another food tour.

Day 8 Sun 5/23: Multiple ride options.

Day 9 Mon 5/24: Ride to Salsamaggiore.

Days 10-11 Tue/Wed 5/25-26: Multiple ride options, castles, spa day.

Day 12 Thu 5/27: Ride to Piacenza.

Day 13 Fri 5/28: Ride to Cremona, Violin Museum (Stradivarius).

Day 14 Fri 5/29: Tour ends.

Ride Rating: The ride rating of this tour is 1B, with 13 ride days, 5 of which are mandatory. The mandatory ride days have an average distance of 39 miles and 900 feet elevation The longest mandatory cycling day is 48 miles and 350 ft elevation. The mandatory cycling day with the most feet of climb is 48 miles and 1,800 ft elevation gain, a 2B ride. Optional hilly rides range up to a 3B. Riding is mainly on roadways, some of which are narrow and generally quiet country roads. There are limited areas with separate bike lanes or paths. There will be some traffic to contend with going in and out of towns. There also may be short sections on hard packed gravel or dirt. All routes have been planned with RideWithGPS, following designated international routes and regional and local routes.

Health and Safety: Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to ride. Should someone's health become compromised and the group’s health and safety placed in jeopardy, a plan will be developed by the ride leader(s) and communicated to all individuals. The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness as a means to ensure the tour can continue as planned.

Weather: In May, Emilia-Romagna experiences mild to warm spring weather, making it an excellent time to visit before the heat and crowds of summer. Temperatures generally range from comfortable daytime highs around 21°C–23°C (70°F–74°F) to cooler, pleasant evenings around 11°C–13°C (52°F–56°F). Rain showers can be frequent but are often brief and late in the day, leaving plenty of sunny spells during riding hours, with likelihood of rain decreasing later in the month.

Lodging, Meals, & Happy/Social Hour: The tour cost includes 14 nights of accommodations in 4- and 5-star hotels, including breakfast, 6-7 happy hours with a glass of wine/beer or soft drink and 4-5 group dinners with one drink per person. In Parma, the hotel houses the Michelin-starred La Forchetta Restaurant, where we will have a fine dining experience. We use the Preferences in your Profile to try and accommodate any special medical and dietary needs, so make sure those are updated - please indicate if there is any type of food you will NOT eat. Very few hotels allow a group to order off the menu, and some insist on serving only one main dish, with accommodations only for vegetarians and allergies. Vegan meals may be difficult to obtain.

Restaurants are available within walking distance from each hotel. Lunches and daytime snacks will be on your own, with the exception of days where we have special events/tours and food is provided. There are many options to choose from along the routes, although keep in mind the riposo (midday break) period from roughly 2:30 PM or 3:00 PM until 7:00 PM or 7:30 PM.

At one location (in Parma) we will be staying at a former palace converted to a hotel, adjacent to the main square (Piazza Duomo. In this hotel, the majority of the rooms will be within 2- and 3-bedroom apartments with shared bathrooms. We will work with participants to match up groups of friends and compatible people to the extent possible. Here is the list of hotels:

• Bologna: (4-star): https://www.savhotel.com/aemilia/en/ 

• Modena (4-star): https://www.milanopalacehotel.it/en/ 

• Reggio Emilia (4-star): www.hotelposta.re.it/en/

• Parma (4-star historic residence): www.palazzodallarosaprati.it/

• Salsamaggiore (5-star): www.chgroup.eu/en/grand-hotel-salsomaggiore

• Piacenza (4-star): https://grandealbergoroma.it/en/home-english/ 

Salsamaggiore Terme (our 5th stop) is a premier, historic spa town, renowned for its highly saline, mineral-rich thermal waters. The Grand Hotel Salsamaggiore is a luxurious 5-star art nouveau-style hotel, which formerly hosted the Miss Italy pageant and welcomes guests like Sophia Loren, with a 1,800m² wellness area with a year-round 38°C thermal pool, Finnish sauna, Kneipp path, Turkish bath, sensory showers, salt room, and various treatment rooms. Guests can visit the spa each day for 90 minutes free of charge and book spa treatments. The hotels in Modena and Piacenza also have wellness areas/spas.

Logistics: The tour starts in Bologna,Italy at the Savhotel Amelia and ends in Piacenza, Italy at the Grand Alvergo Roma. Although there is a small, regional airport in Bologna, most opt to arrive by high-speed train (e.g., from Rome or Milan). At the end of the tour, a regional train can be taken either to Milan or back to Bologna from Piacenza (to connect with the high-speed train to Rome or elsewhere).  A variety of transportation methods are available to/from the train stations and the hotels (e.g., Uber, taxi, bus, private shuttle). Participants should arrive at the hotel in Bologna by 3PM on May 15th. People renting bikes may need to arrive earlier. The meeting/happy hour that day will likely start at 6PM. 

We will be riding mostly on paved surfaces, with some gravel and cobblestones. Road bikes are recommended (with any tire size), although hybrid bikes would be acceptable. E-bikes are also allowed. A maximum of 2 tandems can be accommodated by the van. If you plan to bring a tandem, please notify the ride leader when you apply for the ride. Also, if we have a large number of bike boxes, there may be an additional fee for transportation.

Bike rentals will be available, and we intend to arrange a group discount with a reputable rental company, but all participants are responsible for and must pay separately for their bike rentals. Participants are responsible for understanding what they are renting and the cancellation and damage/loss policies and are expected to deal directly with the rental company if there is a problem with their rental. Rental bikes will be delivered to our first location and picked up at the completion of the tour. The Ride Leaders will send additional information to those participants who are interested in renting bikes.

Cue sheets, maps, GPS files: RwGPS tcx files will be provided; hard copy maps and cue sheets will be provided only upon request. However, because of the complexity of routes, navigation devices are mandatory and it is up to the rider to know how to use his or her device before the trip begins.

Cost & Administration: Cost estimate is $3,900 per person. Cost includes double occupancy for 14 nights; 14 breakfasts; 5 group dinners; at least 6 happy hours with drinks and snacks; daily route review, maps, cue sheets and sightseeing information; and luggage transfer on 5 days, as well as at least 3 special tours/excursions (e.g., food tours, museums). Gratuities for group dinners and tour guides are included, but tips for hotel staff are not. The initial deposit is $1,500, due within 7 days of being accepted on the ride, with the second payment of $1,300 due September 1, 2026 and the final payment of $1,100 due February 1, 2027. The cost is estimated based on $1.25 per Euro. Depending on currency exchange rates (which have been rising), as well as possible hotel rate or tax increases, there may be an adjustment in the amount of the final payment.

Singles & Solos Policy: Singles and solos are welcome. A “single” is a member who signs up by himself or herself and wishes to share a room with another participant. A “solo” is a member who signs up by himself or herself and does not wish to share a room. It is recommended that singles who want a roommate try to find their own. The Ride Leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride. A maximum of 3 solos will be accepted on this tour as hotel rooms are limited in some locations.

The solo supplement payment of ($1,700), is due by (September 1, 2026) and can be paid by Zelle or check. To pay using Zelle:

• In your bank's website, add Bicycle Adventure Club as a new recipient, with email address treasurer@bicycleadventureclub.org

• Initiate a payment

• In the Message block, enter the name of your ride.

If you have questions, contact Nancy Bohnett nbohnett@bicycleadventureclub.org. Checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check and mailed to: Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193.

EU EUROPEAN TRAVEL INFORMATION AND AUTHORIZATION SYSTEM (ETIAS): ETIAS is currently listed to start in late 2026, following completion of the Entry/Exit System (EES), an automated IT system for registering non-EU nationals which began to be rolled out in late 2025. The ETIAS process will require short-term travelers to apply online, pay a small fee and then wait up to 96 hours for applications to be approved. The authorization is good for a three-year period or until the traveler’s passport expires – whichever comes first. In 2025, the UK implemented an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) for all travel to the UK, including layovers (good for 2 years). For all of these programs, airlines will be required to notify passengers of requirements in enough time in advance of their flights to complete the process. BAC will continue to update members as things change.

Cancellation Policy: The BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled because the number of participants registered is less than the minimum established for the tour. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the canceling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.

Ride Participant Responsibility: Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and cleanup. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you might have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions.

Insurance Statement: BAC maintains two insurance policies: a) United States, and b) Foreign (all other countries). Both the U.S. and Foreign policies are considered secondary policies to your personal medical insurance policy. They are subject to a $1000 deductible and may not cover all expenses related to an accident. Copies of the current policies are located under the “Docs” tab on the BAC website.

Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. While touring in the U.S, the BAC insurance includes coverage for injuries due to accidents during the bike trip. Members’ personal insurance will need to cover medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected illness (i.e. treatment for unexpected illnesses, including Covid, are not covered).

While touring internationally, i.e., outside of the U.S., BAC maintains Foreign accident insurance to assist with expenses related to accidents, medical emergencies (including sudden and unexpected sickness), and repatriation. Insurance will apply door-to-door for treatment and travel for a maximum of 90 days overall. Coverage extends to a limited period spanning the published BAC trip dates, allowing for side trips occurring before and after the BAC ride; the limitation period is 7 days before or after the published BAC trip dates. The policy covers the cost of treatment for Covid and other unexpected illnesses, but not quarantine.

Sign-up: To register for this ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting you to go back to the BAC site to digitally accept the terms of the Release of Liability (ROL), and pay the Tour Deposit and the non-refundable BAC Ride Registration Fee by credit card. There is a $150.00 international ride fee. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. BAC members with questions may contact the Ride Director by "clicking" the name at the top of this Ride Description.