Volturara Irpina by ebike: the legend of the Piana del Dragone

A day in the saddle of a pedal-assisted bike among wine, water and legends, passing through some of the most beautiful villages in Irpinia and enjoying the wonderful flat nature of Volturara Irpina, a land of legends.

This route is a loop tour that starts and finishes at the e-bike rental point in Chiusano San Domenico, which, thanks to its privileged location, is the ideal place to set out to explore one of the most fascinating areas of Irpinia.

However, if you prefer to start from the ebike rental point located at the Ciclostazione Avellino (Contrada San Lorenzo 18, Atripalda). add the AB/BA route (16.5 km) to this track to reach the bike rental point in Chiusano San Domenico.

This is a route that presents no particular difficulty and can therefore be tackled with all available types of rental e-bike: city, trekking and full suspension e-MTB.

This trail can be lengthened or shortened as desired. Therefore, feel free to contact us to let us know your time and/or fitness needs: we will be happy to customise this path so that it perfectly suits your requirements.

Let's start!

After refilling your water bottle at the Fontana Vecchia in Chiusano San Domenico, from which clear water always gushes out fresh, it is time to hit the road!

Follow the directions on the GPS track we have provided and, whenever you arrive at a point of interest, learn more about the places by reading the tips we have prepared for you: we hope you will find them interesting and that they will help you to fully enjoy your ebike excursion along the roads of Irpinia!

After about 2 km of road, you will have to turn onto State Road 400. Although it is classified as a state road, and therefore a fast road, it is in fact a road with low traffic intensity, since it is now replaced by other, more convenient roads. In any case, we advise you to be careful and pedal in the comfortable space between the continuous line that delimits the roadway (it is very wide), because some of the few vehicles that pass along it may proceed at high speed.

The road continues with a very slight incline for 5 km, you will be able to overcome the most challenging stretch of the whole day in a short time. Once you enter the junction for Castelvetere sul Calore, you will only pedal your electric bike along roads with non-existent traffic, so you can relax, enjoy the scenery, and stop to take photographs whenever you want.

Once in Castelvetere, visit the historic centre, better known as 'La Ripa'. 

Leaving the village, the road continues slightly uphill towards Montemarano, the village famous for the high quality of its Aglianico wine, for the Tarantella Montemaranese and for its Carnival. After visiting the historic centre of Montemarano, turn back to the beginning of the village and take the road to Volturara and the Piana del Dragone.

Here begins a long and beautiful descent, partly wooded and therefore sheltered from the scorching sun: enjoy the road, keeping your hands firmly on the ebike's brakes. For about 13 kilometres you can hardly pedal at all. Towards the end of the descent, take care only to turn left and follow the signs for Volturara Irpina.

At the end of the descent you will have arrived in the town of Volturara Irpinia: welcome to the Piana del Dragone. Being a plateau of about 1,110 hectares, it is a popular place for cyclists in the province of Avellino. Riding an ebike and cycling here is a real pleasure. The absence of slopes, zero traffic and the beauty of the landscape will leave you breathless.

Before visiting the town of Volturara Irpina, don't forget to visit the Bocca del Dragone, a very important place from a naturalistic point of view, being the nerve centre of the most important hydrographic basin in the central south, and to learn more about the legend connected to this evocative place with the sheet we have prepared for you. There is no shortage of picnic tables and picnic areas near the Bocca del Dragone, so if you want to plan a longer stopover, this might be the right place. 

This place changes profoundly depending on the seasons: if in summer it is full of pastures and cultivated gardens, in winter - when rainfall and water quantity are conspicuous - it could literally be flooded. If you find yourself visiting it during the flooding phase, you can literally cross this kind of lake, using a walkway bordered on either side by a wooden fence.

Leaving Volturara Irpina, you will find yourself pushing the pedals of your ebike along the so-called Ofantina Vecchia. After 3 km, you will reach 'Malepasso'. The name of this place dates back to the time of the Briganti, to denote its dangerousness and the real possibility of encountering some of them. 

From here on, you will be immersed in lush nature, surrounded by mountains so close that you will feel as if you could touch them. The marvellous descent will give you a stupendous panorama, with Atripalda, Avellino and Mercogliano below you, with Montevergine and the Partenio Regional Park right in front of you. There is a quarry along the descent, so watch out for heavy vehicles entering and leaving the quarry that may be driving along the hairpin bends.

After the last few pedal strokes, it will not be at all difficult to reach the ebike rental point in Chiusano San Domenico. Here you will find our staff ready to welcome you back and to collect your impressions and suggestions on the experience you will have had riding your pedal-assisted bike.

Please, 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-assisted bikes, we can reach you quickly and accurately in the event of difficulties. 

For information on routes and rental, for assistance during ebike rental you can call us on the phone (Mon 4:30 pm-8:00 pm / Tue-Sat 9:30 am -1:30 pm, 16:30 pm - 8:00 pm) or write to us on Whatsapp 24 hours a day. The number to contact is always the same, whether you want to talk by voice or exchange messages on Whatsapp. Just add the number +39.(0)825.31.139 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.