You can find this route on the BikeSquare app with code A03
Irpinia is an area full of contradictions, but if you love quality wine and pedalling in total tranquillity on an ebike, perhaps a rented one, on traffic-free roads to discover small extraordinary villages with an agricultural vocation, you cannot help but love it.
We are in the province of Avellino, and it will take just a few pedal cycles to grasp the first contradiction. The metropolitan hustle and bustle of nearby Naples (the airport and station are less than 50 km from Avellino, very convenient and quick to reach) and Salerno is just around the corner, yet you are immediately struck by the peace and serenity that pervades these places.
The second great contradiction, on the other hand, you will begin to smell it - but it would be more correct to say 'taste it' - on arriving in Lapio, starting with tasting the Fiano di Avellino, one of the incredible wines produced in this territory which, more unique than rare, can boast no less than 3 Denominazioni di Origine Controllata Garantita (Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin).
Although the low mileage and the not-impossible altimetry could allow this Grand Tour to be completed in a single day (there are continuous ups and downs and a few challenging climbs), we recommend that you consider splitting the trip into two stages, so that you can enjoy the winery visits, a stop at an agritourism and a few chats with the inhabitants of the villages you pass through without the anxiety of time running out.
At the end of the tour - the third contradiction - it will be natural for you, as it is for those who live and for anyone who passes through these parts, to ask yourself: how is it that such an exceptional territory is still so little known in terms of tourism?
This route is a loop tour that starts and finishes at the e-bike rental point in Chiusano San Domenico.
However, if you prefer to start from the e-bike hire point located at the Avellino Cycle Station (Contrada San Lorenzo 18, Atripalda), add the AB/BA route (16.5 km) to this track to reach Chiusano San Domenico in comfort
The Grand Tour dei Vini Irpini is an itinerary that does not present any particular difficulties and can therefore be tackled with all types of e-bike available for hire: city, trekking and full suspension e-MTB.
This route lends itself well to being lengthened or shortened as required. So, feel free to contact us to let us know your time and/or fitness requirements: we will be happy to customise this track to perfectly suit your needs.
And now... let's go!
After refilling your water bottles with spring water from the Fontana Vecchia (a few hundred metres from the Chiusano San Domenico ebike rental point), ride back for a very short distance and, at the roundabout, follow the road to the right in the direction of Lapio. From now on, as far as Lapio, the road will always be downhill, but you will not get bored. Magnificent panoramas will keep you company and there will be no lack of views to photograph. On your right you will have the majesty of Monte Tuoro to keep you company, with the villages of Luogosano, Gesualdo and Fontanarosa in the distance. To your left, on the other hand, you can admire the Partenio Park, with Montevergine and other inhabited places. You will soon find yourself immersed in olive groves and long stretches of vineyards.
When you arrive in Lapio, take a tour of the village. In this area, thanks to the peculiarities of the soil and the specific environmental conditions, some of the best Fiano di Avellino wines of the entire province are produced. If you feel like tasting some of them, you will be spoilt for choice. Along your way you will encounter many wineries of this prized Fiano DOCG wine.
Follow the GPS track and continue your descent. The houses give way to vegetation and the road becomes winding in places, so be careful. After a couple of good kilometres, immediately after a bend, an imposing iron bridge towers above the road. Stop your ebike: you have arrived at Ponte Principe di Lapio. This bridge, built to allow trains to cross the River Calore, is a jewel of modern architecture. Learn more about its history in the fact sheet and don't forget to take a few photos before setting off again.
Once the wheels of your rented ebike have crossed the bridge under which the Calore River flows (not a bad view here, is it?), a wild ascent of about 2 km will begin. Some magnificent vineyards serve as a prelude to the entrance to the village of Taurasi, famous for the DOCG wine of the same name. An elegant wine that takes time to produce (minimum 2 years of barrel ageing, according to the production discipline) and time to appreciate and enjoy. Even in Taurasi, there is no shortage of wine cellars to visit and opportunities for tasting.
After having explored the production sites of Fiano di Avellino (Lapio) and Taurasi, all that remains is to reach Tufo, the production village of Greco di Tufo on your ebike.
From Taurasi to Calore (hamlet of Mirabella Eclano) the effort for you and your e-bike will be decidedly limited. The road continues almost always downhill and the pedal strokes required by your ebike will be few and far between. When you arrive in Calore, take a few minutes to walk around the small lake and to look at the bridge on which the road you have just travelled rests.
From here to the junction for Ventinticano, pay attention! You will be cycling for about 1.5 km on the Via Appia, an often busy road, also used by heavy vehicles. Although the road is uphill, in a few minutes, after turning right at the fork for Venticano, you will be back on a low-traffic road.
After passing the village of Venticano, you will be faced with the most challenging climb. 6 km of real climbing awaits you, with some stretches that exceed 10% gradient, so be sure to arrive here with your ebike's battery still charged. This road, after passing through the village of Pietradefusi, will lead you into the historic centre of Montefusco.
The town, located at the top of a hill, was an important political centre until 1816, when the role of provincial capital was taken from it by the city of Avellino. As well as enjoying breathtaking views, excellent Fiano di Avellino and splendid Greco di Tufo wines are produced here, thanks to its proximity to Tufo. The historic prison (for information on opening hours, ask at the Proloco) and the Monastery of Sant'Egidio (on the slopes of the town), where Padre Pio stayed during his novitiate, are of great importance.
Leaving the old town centre, you will come across a beautiful fountain where you can take a break after the strenuous climb and where you can refill your water bottles, before taking to the road again and leading your e-bike downhill towards Tufo.
When you arrive in Tufo you will have covered 40 km by now since you picked up your rented ebike in Chiusano San Domenico. When you stop at the beautiful fountain in the centre of the village square, you cannot help but agree with us: we are not exaggerating at all if we say that for at least 80% of the way here you have cycled through vineyards!
This is where the famous Greco di Tufo is produced, a DOCG white wine that has an ancient history and had the distinction of being the first wine that was able to bring Irpinian oenology into the national and international limelight. Many small and large farms produce wines of the highest quality. Ask for advice in the village or set out on your own to discover the cellars where you can taste some: you will be pleasantly surprised.
After Tufo, the loop begins to bend towards Chiusano San Domenico, where the Grand Tour of Irpinia wines by ebike will end. Not before, however, having passed through Pratola Serra and tackled the last long climb of the day. Conserve some battery power because you still have 10 km left almost entirely uphill! Just outside the town of Pratola Serra, TAKE GREAT CARE: THERE IS A VERY DANGEROUS CROSS-ROAD TO BE CROSSED!
You will pass through the small villages of San Michele di Pratola and San Fele, before arriving at the entrance to Montefalcione and, without crossing the village, finally joining the provincial road that will lead you to Chiusano. Since, in order to avoid busy roads, the itinerary includes passing on minor roads, keep an eye on your GPS track and navigator so as not to miss turning at the right crossroads.
We are waiting for you at the ebike rental point in Chiusano San Domenico, ready to welcome you back and to collect your impressions and suggestions on the experience you will have had riding your pedal-assisted bike.
Remember that we are at your complete disposal before, during and after your excursions on the rented ebikes. Thanks to the GPS trackers on all our pedal-assist bikes, we can reach you quickly and accurately in the event of difficulties.
For information on routes and rental, and for assistance during ebike rental, you can call us by phone (Mon 16:30-20:00 / Tue-Sat 9:30-13:30, 16:30-20:00) or text us on Whatsapp 24 hours a day. The contact number is always the same, whether you want to talk by voice or exchange messages on Whatsapp. Just add the number 0825.31.139 to your address book to chat with us.
If you just want to think about having fun, relax and let one of our guides accompany you. We will be happy to reveal hidden corners, breathtaking views and share the road with you.
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