Safe routes in to central Lugano & Milan

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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arewethereyet
Posts: 5
Joined: 1 Dec 2013, 9:57pm

Safe routes in to central Lugano & Milan

Post by arewethereyet »

Hi. Looking to those with experience of riding in to Milan especially... Doing a 4 ride 'jaunt' from Thonon-les-Bains to Milan for a cancer charity and I'm helping with the logistics around trying to get a quiet route. It'll be in September, so we're hoping to bulk of summer Alpine & Italian Lakes traffic will have gone, but route planning is as difficult as ever as we've 60 cyclist of differing abilities riding in smaller groups, and on road bikes.

The last day, from Lugano to Milan, looks especially hard to find a pleasant route in.

Few questions please!:

Any suggestions for quiet routes in to Lugano from the SW?
Is the road along the north side of the lake to Menaggio bike friendly?

Once out of Bellagio and over Madonna di Ghisallo (where we'll stop at the cycling church of course!), I can get as far as Briosco on decent roads/paths I think... Bellagio - Magreglio - Lake side path on EAST side of Lago del Selgrino - Puslano - Bosisio Parini - then join the small road which runs alongside the major SS36 all the way to Molino Nouvo and just south. Here, it branches off as a dedicated cyclo path (asphalt) before returning to (quiet looking) roads in to Briosco. Briosco to Monza, I'm struggling to see a decent route. From Vimodrone there is a asphalt cyclo path which heads west alongside a river before heading more South West. It's all either segregated or traffic calmed small roads in to central Milan. Is there a better way from the Madonna di Ghisallo to Milan? Can you recommend quiet roads in the missing section I have above (Briosco to Vimodrone more or less).

Any help is appreciated to help us make this the best trip possible!

Kind regards

David
Vorpal
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Re: Safe routes in to central Lugano & Milan

Post by Vorpal »

In September, the traffic should be okay around the lakes. Some routes may still be busy on weekends.

Although I've cycled into Milan before, I haven't done the specific route that you are asking about.

http://www.piste-ciclabili.com/ has good cycling routes on it, though some areas are incomplete, as they depend upon contributions from users. Also, they have a forum, so if you don't find answers here, someone there might be able to help.

A couple of users on here have better knowledge of the area and can probably help.

Good luck :D
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
whoof
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Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 2:13pm

Re: Safe routes in to central Lugano & Milan

Post by whoof »

I've ridden in the other direction; Annecy, Albertville, Bourg St Maurice over the Col de Petit St Bernard to Aosta then to Milan (Malpensa airport). This was in mid-June and various guide books had said that the Petit St Bernard would be busy with traffic. It wasn't I only saw a handful of cars for the whole ascent/descent. I haven't ridden in Milan but have in other Italian cities and it's 'interesting'.

Italian maps are not great. We somehow got trapped in a village which the map said had a road into and out of but in reality the out road just went to a cemetery and stopped. Luckily it was a Sunday and the local club run showed us the way to a cycle path besides a river.

In French hotels bikes are very welcome and they will find a garage, cellar to put them in many will let you put your bike in your room. This is not always the case in Italy best check first. Many routes are also used by motorcyclists and hotels put out signs saying Motard these will usually have some form of garage and also be happy to accommodate cyclists.
http://relais-motards.com/fr/moto-prepa ... lac-majeur
serbring
Posts: 327
Joined: 6 Feb 2011, 11:14pm

Re: Safe routes in to central Lugano & Milan

Post by serbring »

I'm not from that area, but a really popular route for bikers from Milan to Ghisallo is the following:

http://www.bicimilano.it/percor5.htm

Check the table below "tabella del percorso". It is not a cycling path, but many bikers cycle along that route, so I suppose it is quite nice and calm
arewethereyet
Posts: 5
Joined: 1 Dec 2013, 9:57pm

Re: Safe routes in to central Lugano & Milan

Post by arewethereyet »

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Have spent a good few evenings planning /studying with the help of Google Street view. Obviously I'll keep an eye out for further replies! Thanks, David
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