The Bologna
Trail
5-11 April 2027
Gravel roads, mountain bends
and the flavours of northern Italy.
The Bologna Trail is a seven-day guided motorcycle tour from Milan into the Apennines and back, combining light off-road riding, beautiful mountain roads and a planned visit to the Ducati factory and museum in Bologna. Designed for riders who love to take adventure bikes off the tarmac, it brings the riding, food and personal approach of an All Routes Italy tour onto gravel.
We leave Milan behind and head into a landscape of wooded hills, vineyards and small stone villages. Gravel roads carry us through the countryside, linked by winding tarmac that deserves just as much attention. We work east towards Bologna, spend two nights in its surrounding hills, then return through a different stretch of the Apennines.
There is time for coffee in village squares, handmade pasta at lunch and a proper dinner with local wine. We stay in characterful hotels and country properties, with two riding guides, a medic and a support vehicle carrying our luggage.
Trip at a Glance
Start / Finish: Milan
Dates: Monday 5 - Sunday 11 April 2027
Duration: 7 days / 6 nights / 5 riding days
Total distance: approximately 1,000 km
Group size: 8 - 10 people
Daily riding: Around 200 km p/d, 4–6 hours in the saddle
Moderate difficulty; previous unpaved riding experience required
Terrain: A mixture of tarmac and light unpaved roads
Accommodation: Characterful 3–4-star hotels and country properties
All dinners included (with wine allocation), plus last night dinner party
Crew: Two riding guides, with a medic in the support vehicle
Premium rental bikes available, or join on your own bike at a reduced rate
Support vehicle carries your luggage for the entire tour
Arrival: Scheduled group pickups from Milano Centrale
Photography: Professional photo reportage during the tour
Tour Highlights
Gravel roads through wooded hills, farmland and the quieter reaches of the Apennines.
Winding tarmac chosen for the riding and scenery between the unpaved sections.
A planned visit to the Ducati factory and museum at Borgo Panigale.
Two nights in the Bologna countryside, with an afternoon riding its excellent surrounding hills.
Small villages, country hotels and time to enjoy each stop.
Emilia’s food: handmade pasta, local cured meats, Parmigiano Reggiano and regional wines.
A different corridor for the return journey, exploring the western hills before heading back to Milan.
A small guided group, supported by two riding leaders, a medic and a luggage vehicle.
Who This Tour is For
This tour is for riders who already enjoy riding on gravel and want to explore Italy on a suitable adventure motorcycle, with good accommodation, food and support along the way.
You should be comfortable handling your chosen bike on unpaved surfaces and spending several consecutive days riding mountain roads. Experience with the size and weight of the motorcycle you will use is important.
While help is always available, this is a touring experience rather than a training course. It is not suitable as your first introduction to unpaved riding.
Riding Difficulty & Terrain
The intended terrain is light adventure riding: gravel roads and rural mountain connections, interspersed with scenic tarmac. Hard enduro and highly technical trails are outside the brief.
Light terrain still requires attention on a large motorcycle. Loose surfaces, uneven ground, gradients and tight turns may feature, and weather can change the difficulty considerably.
We ride together with one leader at the front and another at the rear. The pace allows for the terrain, the group and regular stops. Routes may be adjusted where weather or ground conditions make a planned section unsuitable.
Tour Plan
Day 1 (05/4)
‘The Prologue’
Scheduled group pickups from Milano Centrale bring everyone to our hotel outside the city. The afternoon is for settling in, meeting the team and preparing for the riding ahead. We check equipment, complete the motorcycle handover arrangements and talk through the week over our first dinner together.
Day 2 (06/04)
‘Into the Hills’
We begin on rural roads south of Milan, settling into the bikes before the landscape starts to rise. The day moves between winding lanes and our first unpaved sections, with wooded slopes, open views and villages where we stop for coffee. There is time for lunch along the way, then more riding through the hills before reaching the Salsomaggiore area. Dinner introduces the flavours of Emilia: local cured meats, handmade pasta and a glass of regional wine.
Day 3 (07/04)
‘Across the Apennines’
Today we work east through the hills, moving between valleys on a mixture of gravel and tarmac. The scenery opens and closes around us: woodland, cultivated slopes and stone villages gathered above the road. The paved sections bring their own enjoyment, with bends that follow the contours of the land and occasional clear views across the countryside. Coffee and lunch give us time to stop and enjoy where we are. By late afternoon we reach our country base near Bologna, where we stay for two nights.
Day 4 (08/04)
‘Ducati and the Bologna Hills’
Our planned morning visit takes us to Borgo Panigale, home of the Ducati factory and museum. It is a chance to explore the motorcycles, engineering and racing history behind the name. Energised by the full immersion into Italian motorcycle culture, we head into Bologna for lunch and a walk beneath its porticoes. Then we return to the hills. The roads here climb and turn through vineyards and farmland, with sweeping bends giving way to tighter climbs and views across the valleys. The afternoon riding is a substantial part of the day, with time for a coffee stop before returning to our countryside hotel.
Day 5 (09/04)
‘West Through the Mountains’
We leave our Bologna base and turn west through another part of the Apennines. Gravel connections take us into the countryside, while the tarmac links offer a succession of climbs, descents and bends. We pass through small settlements and stop along the way for coffee, photographs and lunch. As we move towards the Parma hills, tortelli d’erbetta and local cured meats are among the dishes to look out for. The evening brings another characterful hotel and dinner together.
Day 6 (10/04)
‘The Western Hills’
Our final riding day follows a different corridor towards Milan, keeping us in the hills before the countryside gradually opens onto the plain. There is more gravel, more winding tarmac and time for our usual coffee and lunch stops. We return to the Milan area in the afternoon, complete the motorcycle returns and meet for our final dinner together.
Day 7 (11/04)
‘Returning Home’
Breakfast and departure. We will provide the practical departure information in advance so you can plan your onward journey.
What is included:
6 nights in characterful 3–4-star accommodation, with breakfast, sharing a twin or double room
6 dinners with a wine allocation, including our final-night celebratory dinner
5 days’ motorcycle rental, when selecting a rental-bike package
Third-party and VIP rental-bike cover included, subject to the rental agreement.
Digital tour itinerary and GPX tracks
Tyres suitable for the planned unpaved riding on rental motorcycles
Two English/Italian speaking riding guides accompanying the group, one at the front and one at the rear
A medic as part of the support crew
Ducati factory and museum ticket
Roadside assistance and medic
Support vehicle and luggage transport — one bag per rider; the vehicle travels via paved roads
Arrival/departure group transfers (Milano Centrale)
Professional photography reportage throughout the tour
Applicable taxes
What is not included:
Flights
Fuel
Lunches
Motorcycle gear
Tolls and parking
Additional alcohol beyond dinner allocation
Tips and gratuities
Personal travel insurance, including motorcycle riding on legal unpaved roads
Services not expressly listed as included
Pricing Options
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Moto Guzzi Guzzi V7
Aprilia Tuareg 660
BMW F750/800GS
Yamaha Ténéré
Ducati Scrambler 800
Security deposit €1500
VIP insurance included: damage excess €500, theft excess €1000
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Ducati Desert X
Ducati Multistrada 950 V2
Honda Africa Twin
Guzzi V85 TT
Guzzi V100
BMW F850/900GS
Security deposit €2000
VIP insurance included: damage excess €700, theft excess €1100
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Moto Guzzi Stelvio
BMW R1250GS / R
Triumph Tiger 1200
KTM 1290s ADV
Ducati Scrambler 1100
Security deposit €2500
VIP insurance included: damage excess €800, theft excess €1250
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BMW R1300 GS /
Ducati Multistrada 1150 V4
Security deposit €2500
VIP insurance included: damage excess €700, theft excess €1100
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BMW R1300GS Adventure
Security deposit €3000
VIP insurance included: damage excess €1250, theft excess €1500
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You can select any of these extras on the Rider Form you will receive after completing the booking.
Single room supplement €90 p/d
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Start/finish: Milan (centrale station)
Minor itinerary changes possible due to road conditions, weather, or hotel availability.
The first day will be dedicated to arrival, registration and welcome dinner.
Please check our Milano Centrale pickup times before booking your travel. Hotel check-in is from 3pm.
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Refundable deposit to secure your tour place is €1000 (cancellation admin fee is €150).
The remaining balance is due 60 days prior to the tour start date.
Motorcycle security deposit will be paid directly to the rental.
If you have any questions get in touch here, or send us a message on WhatsApp.
FAQs
Can I bring my own motorcycle?
Yes. You can join on your own suitable adventure motorcycle or rent through our local rental partner. All brands are welcome. Your motorcycle must be road legal, properly maintained and fitted with tyres suitable for the planned unpaved riding. We will discuss bike suitability with you before confirming your place. The own-bike and rental options are shown in the published prices.
Which rental motorcycles are available?
We can arrange suitable adventure motorcycles from our rental partner’s available fleet. You can check all the available models here.
How much unpaved riding is there?
The tour is designed around a mixture of unpaved roads and enjoyable tarmac, with gravel forming a meaningful part of the riding week. The balance varies each day, from 20% to 60% of the total day milage. Conditions may require changes during the tour. The Ducati visit day is expected to include more paved riding.
Do I need previous off-road experience?
Yes. You should already be comfortable riding unpaved roads on a motorcycle of a similar size and weight to the one you will use. You do not need hard-enduro experience, but this is not a beginner course. If you are unsure whether your experience is suitable, tell us about your riding and we can advise before you book.
Can I ride independently?
This tour is ridden as a guided group throughout. One leader rides at the front and another at the rear, helping us maintain contact and manage the unpaved sections together. There is no independent-riding option on this trip.
What support travels with the group?
Two riding guides accompany the motorcycles, one of them an FMI (Italian motorcycle federation) off-road instructor. A medic forms part of the support crew. The support vehicle carries luggage and travels via paved roads, meeting us at planned points. It cannot follow every unpaved section, so the riding guides remain with the group throughout those sections.
What insurance do I need?
All riders must have personal travel insurance covering motorcycle riding in Italy, including riding on legal unpaved roads, together with appropriate emergency medical treatment and repatriation cover. We will provide a description of the riding so you can confirm suitability with your insurer. Rental motorcycles come with third-party insurance and also additional VIP insurance limiting your excess to the minimum allowed by the insurers. You can check the details in the bike classes above. If you bring your own motorcycle, your policy must cover its use on the tour.
Can I take additional rental-bike cover?
VIP cover is already included in the rental-bike packages. The remaining damage and theft excesses are listed under each bike class. You may arrange your own separate excess-reimbursement cover if you wish, subject to the terms of that policy.
How do I get to the starting hotel?
We arrange scheduled group pickups from Milano Centrale railway station at different times on the arrival day. You make your own way from the airport to Milano Centrale. We will send the meeting point and pickup times in advance; please check these before booking your travel.
What accommodation should I expect?
We favour smaller hotels and country properties with character, good hospitality and a setting that suits the journey. The planned accommodation is in the 3–4-star range. Specific properties may vary, while maintaining the standard and character described. The standard tour price includes a shared double room, but a private double room can be booked with a surcharge of €90 p/d.
What happens if it rains?
The route will be adjusted where necessary for weather and ground conditions. A gravel road that rides comfortably when dry may become unsuitable after rain, particularly for a group on larger motorcycles. Where required, we will use a suitable alternative to keep the day enjoyable and manageable. Bring waterproof riding equipment and layers for cooler conditions in the hills.
Will there be photographs of the trip?
Yes. Professional photo reportage is part of the tour, capturing the riding, landscapes, stops and time together throughout the week.
Guide Bio
This tour is curated and led by Fabio Affuso, founder of All Routes Italy, who has been riding in Italy since he was a teenager, and will share his knowledge and very best tips with you.
Find out more on our About Page.
