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Planning next years holiday with the wife, and this time I'm trying to fit in a spot of biking
Have flights booked to pisa but no accomodation as yet.
Plan is to visit the cinque terre, genoa, maybe a train trip up to Milan and general milling about eating pizza, drinking wine.
Originally I was planning to stay around sestri levante area but as finale is close (ish) and I'd get a chance to ride the ews tracks I'm wondering if it makes a nice base for holidaying as a couple? The better half isn't interested in bikes so it would be a quick blast in the mornings so location is key
Also, is it worth the risk taking my bike or are there good hire shops around?
Probably a good spot for you both... You have a shuttle day, mrs donkers has a beach day.. Stuff can be hired from freeride finale and they know all the good stuff. Go for it.
Ok, just what I need to hear 🙂
I guess the riding is as good as it looks?
Been a couple of times and it was great with my pregnant wife and couple of years later with my small daughter lots of places to visit along the coast using the train bus.Took my bike and did the odd day of uplift!
I hear there are some more new trails since I was there last!
I think we'll be using train as a lot of places (such as cinque terre) don't have car access?
I'd be a fool to be so close to finale and not get to ride there I think! 2&1/2 hrs from airport though, although I'm used to being chauffeur on holiday
lots riding in sestri levante with shuttle uplifts and also pro super enduro trails.
I guess the riding is as good as it looks?
Mostly, but its better if your riding !
When is important
I've been there a few times in a climber capacity as a PlanB when Aosta Alps mountaineering have been out of bounds due to weather. Great spot, it's kind of Italy's Blackpool, but in no way resembles Blackpool. Lovely place, beaches, nice promenade, old town, cheapish tented eateries on the proms. I've no direct experience, but reasonably confident that it would suit a family holiday, quite a crowded summer holiday spot tho (I think that is the only Blackpool analogy tbh, loads of Italians go there for summer hols).
When is important
It's July, plenty of sun!
Been to Finale a good few times – definitely would be a good shout for a family holiday. Loads of good places to eat & drink, stunning beach, you can get to some really cool, iconic Riviera towns like Portofino etc dead easily by the coastal train and it’s pretty cheap too.
Riding is immense – the reason the SuperEnduro series has finished there for the last 6 years and the EWS the last 2 is pretty apparent once you get out there. Amazing technical descending that gets better the faster you push it. Lots of GPS data and maps out there if you google Finale, SuperEnduro or EWS. Also worth searching for Finale Outdoor Resort – Riccardo Negro (local organiser of the SuperEnduro round there) heads up the resort initiative so can probably help more as well with other stuff to do.
Don't look at riding too much. A lot of the uplift will be closed and 36' is tres warm for pedaling
It would be early mornings or later afternoons so as not to impact on the sight seeing. 36 degrees would be hell like!
Don't look at riding too much. A lot of the uplift will be closed and 36' is tres warm for pedaling
I was looking at this place for nice ahem 'family' holiday and there are guide companies who run all year round offering uplifts.
Obviously a cost to this.
We were out there in October. Brilliant place.
The EWS trails are good but there's better... ask for Cacciatore, Kill Bill, Cavatapi, Madonna della Guardia, Isallo Extasy, Fast H, to name but a few. All good. 😀
Don't even think about pedalling up at that time of year. Uplift would be the only way.
I understand they do most of their trailbuilding in Summer though as it's too hot to ride, so it might not be such an ideal compromise as you're expecting.
I can becomend Ezefreeride for uplift/guiding. With their 4Motion T5, they can get it to the trailheads where some others will have you pedalling up sections of access tracks.
Ecky-Thump - Member... ask for Cacciatore, Kill Bill, Cavatapi, Madonna della Guardia, Isallo Extasy, Fast H, to name but a few. All good.
Bringing a tear to my eye with that list. I'm headed back in April.
The main shuttle trails are around Melognio so further out of the beach resort and in woods. July is fine if you are under cover.. It can be hotter in valley bottoms in the Alps than the Riviera dei Fiori, and temps rarely get over 30...
The shuttle companies dont shuttle in Jul/Aug as all the Germans are in the Alps..
All I can say is avoid August....its hell!!