Gratis gids 10 verborgen natuurplekken in Europa. Meld je aan voor onze nieuwsbrief en ontvang inspirerende reistips en routes voor je volgende groene reis.
Cycling Around Lake Trasimeno: A Loop Around the Lake and the Surrounding Area
Lake Trasimeno in Umbria is a beautiful area to explore by bike. Here are a few tips about the route I cycled and alternative routes in the area that connect the lake with the surrounding villages and the city of Perugia.
Bike Path Around Lake Trasimeno
A bike path has been built all the way around Lake Trasimeno. The route is about 58 kilometers long. I cycled a large part of the route and thought it was really worth it. In one spot—near Oasi Borghetto—the path wasn’t quite finished yet, but you can still get past it on foot.
Of course, you can decide for yourself where to start. You can hike the trail or bike it on an e-bike, gravel bike, or mountain bike. It winds along unpaved roads, connected by short stretches of regular roads. Here and there, the trail is a bit narrow, and—especially in the summer when it’s busier—you might have trouble passing oncoming traffic. I was there in May and hardly saw anyone.
In the towns of Borghetto, Passignano sul Trasimeno, Torricella, San Feliciano, and Sant’Arcangelo, as well as along a short stretch of the Via Romea and through the Lacaioli area, the route winds its way along roads with varying surfaces.
The route is well marked with brown signs.
Cycling from Perugia to Lake Trasimeno
The trail officially starts in Perugia and winds through the city’s green spaces. The route then continues toward Trasimeno along paved roads, interspersed with unpaved roads with little traffic. Here and there, you’ll encounter crossings on busy roads and short, somewhat winding stretches, especially as you leave Perugia. Between San Savino and San Feliciano, the route rejoins the Trasimeno bike path. View the route here.
Grande Anello del Trasimeno: a long cycling loop around Lake Trasimeno
This is a somewhat longer loop around Lake Trasimeno. The Grande Anello is 71 kilometers long in total and manageable for someone in average physical condition. It’s a great option for a day trip. This route is also well marked with signs along the road.
The route starts in Castiglione del Lago, near the former airport, which is now a Nature reserve. You’ll pass through villages, the countryside, and picturesque stretches of coastline. You can stop at the various villages for coffee, lunch, and, of course, to rest at a spot with a panoramic view.
The landscape is varied, and the history of the villages differs, even though they are clearly connected to one another in this region of stunning natural beauty and rich history.
Between Castiglione del Lago and Tuoro, from the promontory on which the ancient fortress stands all the way to the northern shore—surrounded by tall, wooded hills—you’ll pass through a restored area of great natural and ecological value. You will then pass through Borghetto and follow a stretch along the shores of the lake.
From there, you’ll continue cycling toward Lido di Tuoro and Passignano, where the beautiful bike path alternates with short stretches on a mixed-use route through the villages. From Passignano to Torricella, you’ll keep going, cycling through the Magione area.
Here you’ll find a beautiful area between the lake and the low hills, dotted with olive trees and centuries-old farmhouses. You’ll come to the small, well-equipped beach at Albaia before reaching Monte del Lago and, shortly thereafter, Castello di Zocco. Then you’ll return to the provincial road.
San Feliciano, an old fishing village, is well worth a stop, and from there you continue on toward Oasi la Valle (a nature center managed by Legambiente, where you can admire the lake’s ecosystem in all its facets).
At the next intersection, follow the signs for Castiglione del Lago-Chiusi. As you drive along the scenic provincial road, you’ll pass through Sant’Arcangelo, with the forests of Montebuono and Marzolana on your left and the beautiful lake landscape on your right, where the islands blend seamlessly between water and sky.
When you reach the intersection for Casalini, you can either continue straight on to Castiglione del Lago or take a slight detour past Casalini, Macchie, and Sanfatucchio. These are small, traditionally agricultural villages situated on low ridges.
No matter which route you take, cycling around Lake Trasimeno is a blend of water, wildlife, countryside, and people. It’s definitely worth it.
Bike Rental at Lake Trasimeno
We rented the bikes from Marinelli Ferrettini in Castiglione del Lago. They have gravel bikes, mountain bikes, and e-mountain bikes.
With a passion for travel and photography and over 30 years of experience in the travel industry, I love to share my special nature travel tips. Travel is wonderful and important, you meet new people and cultures and it opens your view of the world.
Cycling or taking public transportation along the Romantic Road: a road trip through Bavaria without a car Cycling or taking public transportation along the Romantic Road sounds like a contradiction: after all, the word “Strasse” practically screams “car.” Yet this is...
Hiking across smoking volcanoes: an organized hiking tour of the Aeolian Islands On Vulcano, you know you’ve arrived before you even set foot on shore. The sulfur already hangs over the harbor. A smell that hovers somewhere between a match and a boiled egg—and one you...
Cycling the Lake Route: 227 kilometers through Switzerland at a leisurely pace The first thing you hear isn’t traffic, but a cowbell. You’re standing in Vevey, on the shores of Lake Geneva; you’ve just dropped off your suitcase at the baggage counter, and for the next...
Peloponnese Hiking Tour
A really beautiful six-day hike from Bologna to Florence. Communication with NatureTravelLab and the local agent was excellent. The information packet was waiting for us at the hotel in Bologna, and the app with the route worked great. Luggage transport was well organized every day, and our bags were waiting for us each time we arrived at our new room! We covered more than 1,400 meters of elevation gain, but unfortunately didn’t always get the views we’d hoped for due to cloud cover and some drizzle. Most days had great hiking weather. It was wonderful to walk into Florence on foot and stay there an extra day.
We experienced the Walk of the Gods as a great adventure. Our start in Bologna didn’t go quite as planned because our app wasn’t working yet and we couldn’t find a single sign for Via degli Dei in the square. Fortunately, we were quickly able to join two young hikers from Florence who were also doing the hike. After a wonderful night’s stay at the beautiful Rio Verde agritourism farm, Day 2 went much better with the help of the hiking app. Along the way, we enjoyed stunning views, met some great fellow hikers, and sampled delicious local dishes. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t always on our side, and we had a day of heavy rain, which made the trail very slippery and required us to be careful. It’s a real treat when, on the last day, you can already see Florence in the distance and walk into this beautiful city a few hours later. Thank you so much for your quick and friendly responses to all our questions.
We enjoyed the trip. We also made some changes to our itinerary, and the email correspondence went very smoothly. We started in Mantera; the next day, our first and only hike was a really beautiful one. The taxi picked us up right on time. Unfortunately, the second day’s route was almost the same when we cycled to Ostuni. The bikes were well-maintained, including panniers and helmets (these were simply included). You could even bring your own water bottle!!! We found the route very scenic and varied. There were charming little villages where we could stop for lunch or coffee. The app worked great. All the hotels ranged from good to excellent, though we didn’t think the hotel in Leuca was worthy of 4 stars. We followed your advice for the two nights we stayed there. We found Leuca a bit underwhelming for a two-day stay. We would have preferred to stay in Gallipoli or Lecce for two days. We took this trip in April and were very lucky with the weather. It’s still a quiet time of year, but we didn’t mind that. We definitely recommend it!!!
Thanks to a great tip from Nature Travel Lab, we had a wonderful week in Italy. Fattoria di Maiano, just outside Florence, was a beautiful and peaceful place. And the suggested road trips were a great guide for exploring the region. We’ll definitely check here for tips for our next vacation, too. Highly recommended!
We spent a divine week in Italy: we walked the Path of the Gods, from Bologna to Florence—about 135 km spread over 6 days of hiking. Challenging distances and climbs, amazing views, nature, and a warm welcome every time we arrived at the agriturismo or albergo/hotel. All of this was perfectly organized by the Italian company Slow Active Tours, entirely in line with Nature Travel Lab’s itinerary proposal: upon arrival in Bologna, an information packet was waiting for us, complete with a hiking map, a booklet, and passports for the stamps. And the hiking app was very practical for along the way! Our luggage was transported every day and was always waiting for us when we arrived at the next location. Communication was smooth and clear. In short, highly recommended, well worth it, and well-organized.
In September, I walked the Cammino Materano. Communicating with Madelon about the booking was a pleasure. To be honest, I was quite nervous because it was my first time doing a multi-day hike—alone and in a region I wasn’t familiar with—but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The hike to Matera was beautiful, and I was able to complete it without any trouble thanks to the clear on-site signage and the routing and advice provided by the GPS app. The rest of the organization was top-notch as well. My luggage always arrived on time at the right destination, and the hotels and B&Bs were of high quality. In addition, the organizers were easy to reach via WhatsApp if I had any questions. Highly recommended!
Slovenia was absolutely amazing. A beautiful country, friendly people, lovely hiking trails, and truly top-notch hotels. The staff at the local organization were also very easy to reach and helpful. The hiking was manageable. As Dutch people, we’re not used to high altitudes, of course, so it was pretty tough at times. But it was also a lot of fun.
We had a wonderful trip. Everything was well organized. Due to an unfortunate fall, I ended up traveling with my luggage for a day, but that was handled well, too. We really liked all the accommodations. Only the Hotel Hebe in St. Piero a Sieve was a little less impressive, but it was still okay.
Looks fantastic! I'm definitely going to book a trip with this company... they're committed to sustainability and personalized advice. Definitely worth it.
Madelon and her team are true experts. Thanks to their years of experience and passion for travel, they manage to surprise us time and time again.
Beautiful hikes, the most picturesque spots—it’s a real treat.
I highly recommend them!
Nature Travel Lab provided us with very helpful and honest assistance!
If you’re looking for travel itineraries, the most beautiful hikes, and destinations, you can find it all here. You’ll find endless inspiration for your next trip. Beautiful cities are interspersed with nature. You’ll find everything you need to know about practical matters. Plus, there are plenty of tips for sustainable travel. That way, you’ll get the most out of your trip.
45
Get inspired
Are you looking for the most beautiful hiking and biking routes? Or do you want information about traveling by train or advice for the most beautiful road trips through nature. Get inspired for your next trip in green; ideas for planning your own trip or opting for an organized trip.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Voorkeuren
De technische opslag of toegang is noodzakelijk voor het legitieme doel voorkeuren op te slaan die niet door de abonnee of gebruiker zijn aangevraagd.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.De technische opslag of toegang die uitsluitend wordt gebruikt voor anonieme statistische doeleinden. Zonder dagvaarding, vrijwillige naleving door je Internet Dienst Provider, of aanvullende gegevens van een derde partij, kan informatie die alleen voor dit doel wordt opgeslagen of opgehaald gewoonlijk niet worden gebruikt om je te identificeren.
Marketing
De technische opslag of toegang is nodig om gebruikersprofielen op te stellen voor het verzenden van reclame, of om de gebruiker op een site of over verschillende sites te volgen voor soortgelijke marketingdoeleinden.
