HOTEL VOLTA CANZO - Percorsi in bici da strada e MTB

Description: The tour we propose you in this page is the only one in which it’s foreseen the passage of the frontier with the near Switzerland. Even if the tour doesn’t present a too much exacting altimetric profile, the distance to cover is quite big, but your efforts sure will be widely repaid by the beauty of the landscapes you’ll be able to see, by the precision and the cleanness of Swiss towns and by the fascination of the two Lakes you’ll meet. In fact you’ll run along the charming shores of Lugano Lake, dipped among green mountains and you’ll be able to enjoy the beauties of Lario when you’ll pass through Como city and from Menaggio to Onno. In addition to this, the tour foresees an unforgettable crossing on the Lario by ferry (Click here to see the Lario Navigation official website) from Menaggio to Bellagio, in order then to go on our roads following the internal coast of the branch of Lecco of Lario. Surely the originality of the tour and the wonderful views that will accompany you through the journey, it doesn’t matter which season of the year you do it, will make this tour one of the most interesting among the proposed ones. Remember to carry with you your identity card.

Road book: At the beginning of the proposed tour you have to head for the Segrino Lake (southwards), and you have to go along the shores of it until his ending. When you reach the crossroads you have to continue on the main road that leads to Erba. When you'll arrive in the city it is necessary to proceed towards Como. We advise you to take “the old” road, that passes through the towns of Albavilla, Albese con Cassano (place of birth of Fabio Casartelli, the cyclist tragically famous for his death on the Tour of France ways), Tavernerio and Camnago Volta (where is situated Alexander Volta’s grave). In this way you will ride your bike without too many worries for the automotive traffic. Once you’arrive at the end of Via Valassina in Erba, it is necessary to turn on the right and take the main way of the city ( XXV Aprile street), crossing the Lambro river over the Bridge called “Malpensata” and crossing the railroads of the Milano - Asso Railroad. You have to go on as far as the ending of XXV April street and there you’ll find a roundabout, near the Monument to the Fallen in War. There it is necessary to turn on the left and to pass through the hamlet called “Crevenna” (through a only sense alternated) and following the indications for Albavilla. After the Castle of Pomerio, it is necessary to go on the main road until reaching two traffic lights, separates from a turn rightwards. The first traffic light, in proximity of a petrol station, has to be passed going on the main road, while at the second one it is necessary to turn on the left, following the indications for Albese, Tavernerio, Como. From this point it is necessary to keep follow the main road that, alternating plain and little climb will lead you to the hamlet of Tavernerio called Solzago, where the descent to the city of Como begins. There it is necessary to run along the evocative lake-front and to cover it completely. After the Sinigallia Stadium you’ll arrive to a roundabout where it is necessary to turn on the right, following the indications for Cernobbio, Argegno, Menaggio. After few hundreds metres an other roundabout marks the division point between the coastal road that, passing through Cernobbio, leads until the northern cape point of Lario (called “ La Regina”) and the road that leads to Switzerland. Our tour foresees that you turn on the left in Via Bellinzona, following the indication for Chiasso. After few kilometres you’ll reach the Chiasso customs and the homonymous town. Once you left the customs, it is necessary to pass through the centre of the town and to follow the indications to Balerna and Mendrisio (Via Maestri Comacini, Via degli Albrici, Via Alessandro Volta, Via S. Gottardo). From this point it is enough to follow always the main road that, in some points, crosses or runs along the Como-Chiasso motorway, passing through the built-up areas of Mendrisio, Capolago (the name descends from the locality in which this town lays: the extreme south cape point of Lugano Lake), Melano, Maroggia, Bissone and Melide (where you can find the Miniature of Switzerland). These two last localities are separated from and evocative bridge that crosses for the entire width the Lake and that will lead you from the east shore to the west one. When you’ll reach Lugano it is necessary to run along the grand Lugano lakefront until his end, to turn around the green Park of Ciani Villa and to keep following the coastal road that, once you leave the inhabited centre, continues until Porlezza, the north cape point of Lugano Lake. Here it is necessary to follow the indications to Menaggio. The road that will lead you to this beautiful coastal town is characterized by some little climb alternated to flattish parts, until the last kilometres, where it becomes a descent that will bring you shortly time on the shores of Lario. Once you meet the main coastal road called “ La Regina”, it is necessary to turn to the right and to go straight on for few hundreds meters towards Como, until you find the indication for the landing-stage. Here you have to take the ferry to Bellagio which, in a short time, will carry to you on the opposite shore of Lario. Once you reach Bellagio, it is necessary to run along the romantic lakefront, leaving the centre of the town and taking the short climb that flanks the bewitched Gardens of Villa Melzi (that we suggest you to visit, especially during spring time) until the crossroads where it is possible to take the road that goes towards Como and the one that goes towards Lecco. Here it is necessary to follow the indications for this last city, that will carry you to cover the first hairpin curves of Ghisallo climb, in order then to turn on the left at a roundabout and to take the coastal road that goes southwards. When you’ll reach Onno it is necessary to turn to the right and to face the famous climb called “Onno” (please see the page “Onno”). This climb is characterized by a constant slope of about 5%, by some hairpin curves and by splendid views on the Lake. This road will bring you to Valbrona and then it is necessary to keep going straight on the main road which, becoming a descent, meets the main Valassina Valley road in Asso. At the stop line it is necessary to turn on the left, following the indication for Canzo.

Alternative way back home could be the one that foresees that you face the climb called Ghisallo from Bellagio and then that you come down from Magreglio until Canzo, or the one that foresees that, once you reach Onno, instead of turning on the right and facing the Onno climb, you keep going straight on the coastal road until Lecco and there that you follow the indications to Erba and Canzo. The first possibility shortens the distance, but introduces some additional difficulties due to the climb, while the second one lengthens the turn, but is almost completely flattish.