ALBERGO DEL SOLE - VALCUVIA - LAVENO

ALBERGO DEL SOLE - VALCUVIA - LAVENO

41km - 2,5 hours - difficult

A ring connecting the Valtravaglia valley, Lake Maggiore and the Valcuvia district.

A rather difficult route, mainly due to its length (about 41 km), with no really harsh climbs, rewarded by beautiful scenery throughout the way (and especially along the second part of the ring).

We won't have to pedal long for our first thrills: the majestic Lake Maggiore, just a few meters in front of us, crowned in snow-capped mountain-tops, strikes us with an acute sense of the grandeur of nature. We take the SP69 road to Luino, keeping the lake to our left: this road can be full of traffic, especially in summer weekends, so do be careful. The advantage is certainly the beautiful landscape and the easy, flat, relaxing route we have chosen.
Just before Luino we can decide to take a detour to visit the old town center of Germignaga, with flower-pots at every balcony and small, picturesque alleyways.

We then access the pedestrian and cycling lane which runs alongside a stream called Margorabbia, and slowly let ourselves be enveloped by the soft murmuring sounds of its pristine waters, home to many species of waterfowl. The cycling lane continues on along cultivated fields, all the way to the Valcuvia valley. We must take a main road (with care!), the SS394, to cross the valley, skirting the villages of Cassano Valcuvia, Rancio Valcuvia and Cavona, until we reach the streetlight in the center of Cuveglio.

Having reached Cuveglio, with its lovely Medieval tower to our left, we can leave the SS394 road, taking secondary paths and avoiding traffic, perhaps stopping here and there to take pictures of these lovely rural villages.
The narrow lanes of Vergobbio will test our muscles, but the climb is short and the next section flat, with a beautiful view over the Campo dei Fiori massif to our left. Here, we find ourselves at the front step of  Villa Porta Bozzolo in Casalzuigno, a true jewel belonging to the Italian National Trust (FAI), absolutely a must-see.

We cross the picturesque burgh of Casalzuigno, with its elegant alleys, still echoing of a rich artistic past captured in the shapes of ornate fountains, decorated balconies, courtyards and buildings in the ancient Lombard style, and arrive to Brenta. In just a few minutes, we will be cycling on a section of the SS394 road in the direction of Laveno Mombello.

For a few kilometers, we must pedal on a rather busy road, taking extra care, but letting our gaze rest at times on the mountaintops to our right. The most distinctive group is called "Pizzoni di Laveno", much frequented by the area's hikers. Once we have reached Laveno we can recognize the "Sasso del Ferro", another major peak, perfectly visible from the lake.

Laveno is a lively town, bustling around the cafés of the town center and the activity around the port, always full of visitors on sunny days. In Laveno you should stop by the Tourism Board Provincial Office to collect information on the area and on the various activities available to you during your stay.

Leaving Laveno Mombello, we take the SP69 road in the direction of Luino and soon find the by-now familiar waters of Lake Maggiore to our left. This road will quickly take us (paying careful attention in the section running, for about 1.5 km, under a tunnel) to the area around Castelveccana, with the quaint hamlet of Caldé. The imposing fortress above seems to play with the landscape, hiding and revealing it at will.

A few relaxing downhill kilometers and a few curves and we will soon find ourselves back in Porto Valtravaglia, with its wide, well-tended lakeside promenade. Here we will find the Albergo del Sole, which marks our destination.