www.rideandseek.com

On stage 2 of Caesar we leave Como for the stunning limestone peaks of the Dolomites. Descend down to Venice and the Adriatic coast. Then head over the Apennines into before riding through on our way to the Eternal City of .

COMO TO ROME caesar Epic Adventure stage 2 OUR ROUTE | FULL CAESAR TOUR – LONDON TO ROME www.rideandseek.com UNITED TOTAL KINDOM DISTANCE: LONDON POLAND 3740km | 2025mi Canterbury Ypres BELGIUM Artres ELEVATION: Sedan | 127,706ft

38,925m Chalons-en-Champagne

DURATION: Troyes 33 AUSTRIA Days Alise Saint Reine 32 Nights Beaune Salins Les Bains Autun Airolo Arabba Montreux Sierre Belluno Teglio COMO Treviso UK FRANCE Venice Ferrara BELGIUM SWITZERLAND Bagno Di Romagno

Cortona ITALY Sovana

Campagnano di Rome ROME

SPAIN OUR ROUTE | STAGE 2 – COMO TO ROME www.rideandseek.com

TOTAL AUSTRIA DISTANCE: SWITZERLAND 1453km | 908mi Arabba Bormio Bolzano

Belluno Teglio ELEVATION: SLOVENIA

| 66,913ft COMO Treviso CROATIA 20,395m Venice DURATION: ITALY 17 Days Ferrara 16 Nights

Ravenna

FRANCE Bagno Di Romagno ITALY REGIONS: , Trentino, Cortona Veneto, Emilia , Tuscany, Lazio

Sovana

Campagnano di Rome

ROME OVERVIEW – COMO TO ROME, ITALY www.rideandseek.com

From Como we head east through the picturesque regions of Lombardy and Veneto before turning north towards the mighty Dolomites. Bolzano serves as our HIGHLIGHTS springboard into this stunning mountain range where we will take in a number of • Take on the mighty Stelvio Pass, Europe’s 2nd highest paved road. the classic Sella Ronda passes. We then descend towards the Serenissima, the most serene, Venice, before island hopping to Chioggia and into Emilia Romagna • Visit the iceman Otzi in the lovely town of Bolzano. whose fine cuisine and historic towns beckon. • Marvel at the limestone peaks of the Dolomites. From here we enjoy some respite from the hills as we follow the Adriatic Coast before heading inland to the Via Amelia and crossing the just as • Descend down to city of Venice, a spectacular place to have a rest day. Caesar did uttering those fateful words as he descended on Rome – ‘The die is • Savour the produce of Italy’s finest culinary region, Emilia Romagna. cast’. We take in the principality of San Marino before crossing the Appenines into Tuscany. From here we ride south through the playground of the Roman • Cross the Rubicon, just as Caesar did 2000 years ago. Emperors around Lago di Bracciano on our way to the Eternal city, Rome, our final destination of the Caesar Epic Adventure. • Ride up to the world’s oldest principality, San Marino. • Take in the delights of picture postcard Tuscany in Val d’Orcia.

• Discover the Etruscan wonders in the Sovana region.

• Cycle triumphantly into Rome along the River. DAY BY DAY www.rideandseek.com

EXPEDITION NOTES DAY 1 - COMO WARM UP As we descend through Italy we will tell of Caesar’s life post the . This period of history changed For those of you starting the tour in Como our first the course of Rome forever. After Caesar’s success at Alesia the Gallic Wars were effectively over and port of call will be lunch and an opportunity to run Roman control of was not seriously challenged again until the second century AD. Caesar was a hero in you through the dynamics of the tour and answer Rome but should he be viewed as one? According to ancient sources Caesar defeated three million . any queries you might have. From here we’ll either Supposedly, one million died while another million were enslaved. On top of this the Romans destroyed over help you build your own bike or get you fitted on 800 cities and eradicated 300 tribes. These numbers are suspect, ancient commanders exaggerate their to one of ours before heading out on a warm up conquests for propaganda purposes, but if true could this be labelled genocide? ride. There are a few warm up options, from riding up to the Madonna di Ghisallo, the patron saint of cyclists, to spinning around Lake Como. As a gateway, Como provides us with a lovely start to our second stage.

DAY 2 - COMO TO TEGLIO

TOTAL DISTANCE: ELEVATION: | 5581ft 124km | 78mi 1701m

After our relaxing lakeside sejour we leave Como and head north towards the spectacular region. For the first part of the ride we skirt alongside the western edge of Lake Como which is the quieter side in terms of traffic. When we reach the top of the lake we head into the Tellina valley towards the town of Teglio where we will spend the night. The first part of the ride is relatively tranquil but the accumulated elevation gain and the climb at the end of the day reminds us that we are heading into the hills. DAY BY DAY www.rideandseek.com

EXPEDITION NOTES DAY 4 - BORMIO TO BOLZANO The (formed 59 BCE) was an unofficial political alliance known as an Amitica between three prominent Roman politicians (triumvirs) TOTAL which included , the Great and . DISTANCE: ELEVATION: All politically powerful men, their alliance in effect gave them complete control | 6709ft of Rome. The First Triumvirate lasted till 53 BCE when Crassus was killed 130km | 81mi in Parthia. Caesar and Pompey remained strained allies but after Caesar’s 2045m successes in Gaul, and with political intrgue turning Pompey away from Caesar, cracks were showing very soon after Crassus’ death. Let the climbing begin! Today we take on one of the most iconic climbs in cycling – Passo dello Stelvio. At 2757 metres it is the second highest paved in the and a regular feature in the Giro d’Italia. Whilst we stay in Italy throughout we actually get to within 200 metres of the Swiss border at the pass. DAY 3 - TEGLIO TO BORMIO After lunch we stay on the Adige valley floor and avoid the surrounding elevation. We cycle on a combination of pristine bike paths and farm roads as we meander TOTAL our way through the abundant apple orchards for which the Val Venosta is so ELEVATION: well known. Our destination is the region’s capital Bolzano, home to the Iceman DISTANCE: Ötzi, who lived some 5000 years ago. | 3701ft 51km | 32mi 1128m

With a big week of climbing ahead, today allows us to warm our legs with a shorter ride. Our destination today is Bormio which sits at the foot of behemoth, Passo dello Stelvio. Bormio has thrived since Roman times due to its thermal springs and position as the last town before the great passes of the Alps. We will enjoy this respite, as travellers have done for 1000’s of years, before our climbing test tomorrow. DAY BY DAY www.rideandseek.com

EXPEDITION NOTES DAY 5 - BOLZANO TO ARABBA Pompey ‘the Great’, without Caesar, may have been Rome’s greatest general. However, he is always destined to play second fiddle to Caesar. Pompey was an TOTAL exceptional commander. He ended uprisings in Spain, took credit for defeating DISTANCE: ELEVATION: the forces of Spartacus, rid Rome of the Pirate menace. He invaded Pontus in | 9026ft Asia Minor and ended the long worn Mithridatic wars, took control of Syria and 78km | 48mi captured Jerusalem. He made a political alliance with Julius Caesar and even 2751m married his daughter but eventually he would fight Caesar in what would be known as the Great Roman Civil War. What today’s ride lacks in distance it more than makes up for in elevation gain. Leaving the lovely town of Bolzano we continue to ride east into an area that feels more Germanic than Italian. The elevation profile might not look too daunting but the y-axis reveals all. Today is a spectacular riding day as we stay away from the major trunk roads and immerse ourselves in the splendour of the Dolomites. We finish our ride climbing up Passo Pardoi to Arabba where our Alpine chalet awaits.

DAY 6 - ARABBA TO BELLUNO

TOTAL DISTANCE: ELEVATION: | 7644ft 105km | 65mi 2330m

Finally a day which is more about descending than ascending (this is relative!), albeit with plenty of climbing in the first half of the ride as we continue to meander our way through the stunning limestone peaks of this famed mountain range. Leaving Arabba we head south towards the Bellunese Dolomiti National Park and ride from the South to the more Italian region of Veneto. Today we experience the Dolomites in all their splendour with sweeping views and great cycling roads. Our destination is a converted Bishop’s residence on the outskirts of Belluno that dates back to 1675. DAY BY DAY www.rideandseek.com

EXPEDITION NOTES DAY 7 - BELLUNO TO TREVISO Caesar the hero. Pompey, Caesar’s former ally had now openly turned against him joining with a Senate who feared Caesar’s popularity and power with the army. The Senate demanded Caesar give up his army TOTAL knowing that Caesar hoped to be consul again post Gaul and therefore had to return to Rome to run for the DISTANCE: ELEVATION: consulship. Caesar knew if he did this they would arrest him. In December 50 BCE Caesar wrote to the | 4222ft Senate that he would give up his army if Pompey would give up his. The Senate heard the letter with fury 105km | 65mi and demanded that Caesar disband his army at once or be declared an enemy of the people… 1287m

The Dolomites have been scaled and today is an opportunity to give your weary legs a break, at least that is after a series of climbs outside of Belluno have been conquered. Our elevation profile shows a series of climbs in the first 35km before we ride down into the . Also known as the Pianura Padana this area spans from Turin to Venice and is both the industrial heart and breadbasket of Italy. The traffic will increase as we come out of the mountains but this is an area where cycling is part of the cultural fabric.

DAY 8 - TREVISO TO VENICE

TOTAL DISTANCE: ELEVATION: | 686ft 73km | 45mi 209m

Our destination is ‘La Serinissima’, otherwise known as Venice, an amazing place to enjoy a well-deserved rest day. As we ride out of Treviso our legs will thank us as today’s riding is all flat, a welcome respite emphasised by an elevation profile that maxes out at 18 metres. We skirt north, avoiding the worst of the traffic to ride onto the Venice Lido, our host for the next 2 nights. DAY BY DAY www.rideandseek.com

EXPEDITION NOTES DAY 9 - VENICE REST DAY An interlude from both the Roman Civil Wars and This is a great place to have a rest day after the exertions of the last week. Our hotel is situated on the our epic bicycle adventure. Venice is possibly Venice Lido which plays host to the glamorous film festival and is far enough away from the hustle and bustle our greatest resting point on any of our tours to provide a relaxing stay, yet a mere vaporetto (water taxi) ride to St Mark’s Square. The challenge will be (although some would argue for St Petersburg on finding the time to get your washing done when there is so much to explore. the Napoleon tour). Venice came into existence as Rome fell in the 5th century AD. As the Goths descended on Rome local people across Italy fled DAY 10 - VENICE TO FERRARA looking for safety. The Venetian lagoons offered We leave Venice with the help of a couple of short ferry this and it was around 450 A.D. that large numbers TOTAL trips as we ride along the island sandbars that serve to of people decided to settle permanently in the ELEVATION: protect this beautiful city. In doing so we avoid the tourist lagoon. Further incursions by invaders such as DISTANCE: 1289ft hoardes and get a chance to explore a part of the world that Atilla the Hun only reinforced the need for this | | 124km 77mi 393m few people know about. Our destination on the mainland is remote existence. For 1400 years Venice survived in Chioggia which with its own network of canals is worth a isolation, thriving due to the 3km of shallow waters visit in itself. The riding today is pretty much flat as we head which protect it from the mainland. to UNESCO listed Ferrara, one of the Emilia-Romagna’s loveliest fortified towns. DAY BY DAY www.rideandseek.com

DAY 11 - FERRARA TO RAVENNA

TOTAL DISTANCE: ELEVATION: | 636ft 92km | 57mi 194m

Today we ride back towards the across the Po Delta (also UNESCO listed). The Po Delta of the Po River valley has been settled for millennia. From the 14th to the 16th centuries, the ruling Este family carried out extensive land reclamation and building projects and the original form of the Renaissance landscape of the Po River Delta is still recognisable today. We ride across this terrain heading to Ravenna, another exceptional historic city, previously capital of the Western and renowned for its Christian mosaics.

DAY 12 - RAVENNA TO BAGNO DI ROMAGNA

TOTAL DISTANCE: ELEVATION: | 7812ft 147km | 91mi EXPEDITION NOTES 2381m The Rubicon River marked the boundary between the of Cisalpine A great day’s riding as we explore the stunning region of Emilia Romagna and Gaul to the north-east and Italy proper. To cross this with an army was to declare search for the source of the Rubicon. The first part of the day is flat as we war. In 49 BCE Caesar led a single legion, Legio XIII Gemina, south over the ride parallel to the Adriatic coast in an area where lived and Rubicon from to Italy to make his way to Rome. In doing so he continues to be revered. Our climbing begins when we head up towards the deliberately broke the law and made armed conflict inevitable. depicts lovely village of Verucchio where we will have lunch. From here we descend into Caesar as undecided as he approached the river and attributes the crossing to a the sixth country of our tour – San Marino – and give you the chance for some supernatural apparition. According to Suetonius, Caesar uttered the famous phrase ‘’ (‘the die has been cast’). The phrase ‘’ has optional extra climbing up to the top of this enchanting Republic. From here we survived to refer to any individual or group committing itself irrevocably to a risky or head west towards the Apennines and enjoy the associated undulations along revolutionary course of action. the way. Our lodge for the night is in the lovely spa town of Bagno di Romagna. DAY BY DAY www.rideandseek.com

EXPEDITION NOTES The Great Roman Civil Wars ranged from Spain to Greece, Egypt and further on to Africa. After a quick visit to Rome, Caesar marched to Spain, defeated Pompey’s generals to leave no man behind him, then went after the great man himself. The final battle took place in Pharsalus, Greece, where Caesar outnumbered as usual defeated Pompey. Some believe this victory took him to the pinnacle of power, effectively ending the . Pompey fled to Egypt where his head was taken and delivered to Caesar. Caesar mourned this insult to the greatness of his former ally and son-in-law, and put to death his assassins and their Egyptian co-conspirators. The war dragged on but Caesar defeated all comers by 45 BCE.

DAY 13 - BAGNO DI ROMAGNA TO CORTONA DAY 14 - CORTONA TO SOVANA

TOTAL TOTAL DISTANCE: ELEVATION: DISTANCE: ELEVATION: | 6496ft | 6854ft 131km | 81mi 117km | 73mi 1980m 2089m

Our ride today starts with one of the great Giro d’Italia climbs as we ride over the We leave the Crete Senese and head towards the Val d’Orcia. Famed for its Mendrioli pass from Emilia Romagna into Tuscany. It’s a tough start to the day wines and scene of too many movies to mention, this part of Tuscany is stunning. but the descent into Tuscany makes it worth it. Once in Tuscany we initially follow Our ride takes us through the land of the famed ‘strade bianche’ (white gravel the River, which provides a bit of topographical respite, before heading roads) and the home of Brunello before meandering into the more rugged charms south towards an area known as the Crete Senesi. The final part of the day really of Southern Tuscany. Our destination is the originally Etruscan town of Sovana gives you a sense of what they mean when they call it picture postcard Tuscany. which has inexplicably avoided the pitfalls of mass tourism. Our destination is a spa hotel in the town of Rapallano Terme that is famed for its hot springs as the name attests. A great end to another long day on the bike. DAY BY DAY www.rideandseek.com

EXPEDITION NOTES DAY 15 - SOVANA TO CAMPAGNANO Caesar famously became romantically involved with the Egyptian queen, , having met her in his chase of Pompey. Caesar was now master of TOTAL Rome and made himself consul and dictator. He used his power to carry out DISTANCE: ELEVATION: much-needed reform, relieving debt, enlarging the Senate, building the Forum | 5846ft Iulium and revising the calendar. Dictatorship was always regarded a temporary 127km | 79mi position but in 44 BC, Caesar took it for life. His success and ambition alienated 1782m strongly republican senators. This morning we roll into Lazio and towards 3 volcanic crater lakes, Bolsena, Vico and Bracciano, best known in Roman times for Emperor’s villas and excessive parties. The upheaval of the terrain due to the volcanic activity, or according to myth Heracles hitting the earth with his club, makes for a lovely rolling last full day in the saddle. Our destination has been welcoming travellers since 1463 and has an excavated section of the Via Cassia in the back garden. We are now on the doorstep of Rome.

DAY 16 - CAMPAGNANO TO ROME

TOTAL DISTANCE: ELEVATION: | 1827ft | 49km 30mi 557m

From the tranquillity of the Antica Posta dei Chigi we embark towards the Eternal City of Rome. Initially we follow the signs for the Via Flaminia before skirting the verdant Parco Veio. Given our proximity to Rome the roads are relatively quiet for the first 20km before we have to negotiate a couple of busy intersections. We will regroup just before one of the busier intersections of the day and ride into Rome together. Shortly after the regroup we join the Rome bike path that will take us along the Tevere River into the heart of the city. There are a number of minor obstacles along the route but in essence it provides a serene passage to our final hotel in the Trastevere. DAY BY DAY www.rideandseek.com

EXPEDITION NOTES Envy and concern over Caesar’s increasing power led to angst among a number of politicians who saw in him an aspiring king. History had shown the Romans had no desire for monarchical rule. Legend had it that by the time Caesar came to power it had been five centuries since they’d last allowed a king to rule them.

A group of Senators led by Casssius and Brutus assassinated Caesar on the Ides (15th) of March 44 BC. This sparked the final round of civial wars that ended the Republic and brought about the elevation of Caesar’s great nephew and designated heir Octavian, as , the first emperor.

DAY 17 - ROME, DEPARTURE DAY Our odyssey is complete! After a leisurely breakfast in the lovely setting of the historic Donna Camilla hotel our tour comes to a close. We invite you to extend your stay here as it is a fantastic base from which to explore Rome and is also well positioned to get to the two international airports. www.rideandseek.com

WANT MORE INFORMATION? Go to our website at: https://rideandseek.com/tour/caesar-london-to-rome/ to find out more information, a recommended reading lists, testimonials and much more.

Alternatively, contact us on [email protected] or +61 (0) 2 8007 3161