The sun rises over Mottolino with the feeling of something new in the air - the fragrance of long summer days - and the village seems to bloom along with the bright colour of the snowdrops on the green meadows. The mountain peaks, however, are still covered in snow as if to remind us just how amazing the season that’s just ended was. And who could blame them!
There are so many bikes out and about in the village now, with families, youngsters and couples all in the saddle. Indeed, the passion for two wheels finds fertile ground at this time of year thanks to the many activities - both new and revised - Livigno offers fans of this sport. Mountain bike, enduro, down-hill, cross country, road bike, flow country… Visitors are truly spoiled for choice, especially as these are just a few of the many weekly activities they can do on their two-wheeled friends.
Bike Skill Center is one of Livigno’s landmarks for lovers of the biking world. The expert instructors and guides there are ready to both advise and accompany visitors, without neglecting the little ones of course, who’ll have enormous fun setting out on their first adventures on mountain bikes or perfecting their technique with the games and weekly excursions organised especially for them.
The time has come to get to the point - so turn off your phones, radios, TVs, because I'm about to hand you the key to a biker's paradise: Bike Pass. This is a sort of summer ski pass and allows visitors to access all the ski lifts: Mottolino, Carosello 3000, and Sitas, equipped with MTB transport of course. All very exciting, I know, but there are still many other things I simply must tell you about.
It’s no secret that Mottolino is the fun mountain par excellence, and not only when covered in snow. The Downhill Bike Park, one of the largest in Europe, is open from 8th June to 29th September and offers fun for everyone, beginners and experts alike given there are 14 trails split into 3 different levels of difficulty. Guests can entertain themselves in the jump area dedicated specifically to sequential jumps in clay, and also in the north shore area of the forest which features some amazing hanging bridges in wood. Experienced riders? Hold on tight and enjoy a slopestyle line here, four drops that’ll force you to challenge your ability, plus a huge inflatable structure for learning new adrenalin-fuelled air turns/revolutions.
The Carosello 3000 Mountain Park and Sitas Mountain Area, open from 15th June to 22nd and 15th September 2019, respectively, feature a bike area and trails stretching out over 50 kilometres, suited to all levels, offering an unequalled flow trail experience. The panorama along the Roller Coaster will leave you speechless, and you’ll experience high speed in the H-Dream (Hutr) which will literally launch you at a speed of up to 70 km/h. You can go hiking on the Coast to Coast and will need skill and technique to tackle the Blueberry Line.
Don't forget that there’s something new this year, too. The Bomb Trail is 2.7km in length with a 407m difference in height. Built primarily by hand, it makes the most of the structure of the mountains, having you cover rocky and paved stretches to enjoy a riding experience that takes mother nature by the hand whilst you pedal through the area.
If the wide range of choices means you don’t know which trail to start with, try the Tutti Frutti Epic Tour. This will give you a specific order in which to cover the various Flow Trail paths, leading you along 45km of trails covering the most evocative locations in stunning Livigno in a single day.
How about heading back down into the valley? This doesn’t mean you have to stop pedalling, though. Many shops rent out e-bikes, i.e. bikes with assisted pedalling, so everyone can join in the fun. In addition to the many organised excursions, you can cycle along paths which have been marked out and are suitable for all levels, without the risk of having to walk and push your bikes, given the many conveniently placed recharging points located throughout the area. Stress free and relaxing.
It’s now time to head back to your hotel. The Bike Hotels & Bike Apartments are the perfect choice for a biking holiday. Indeed, these hotels and apartments offer tailored services such as equipped workshops, laundries, supervised storage areas where you can leave your equipment and also specific ‘corners’ providing information about paths and routes. Relying on a Bike Tutor is always a good idea as they’ll be able to advise you by suggesting the best routes for your adventure - either with a guide or on your own.
Remember the key to bikers’ paradise I mentioned earlier? Well, you can take advantage of the Bike Pass Free promotion by staying in these facilities from 8th to 21st June or 14th to 29th September (for at least 3 nights in a hotel or 7 in an apartment). This means that for the entire duration of your stay you’ll be able to enjoy free access to the Mottolino, Carosello 3000 and Sitas ski lifts, the bike park and the trails and flow-trails which have been drawn up and mapped out specially.
The day is nearing its end and the sun sets on Carosello 3000, which is lit by a pink light with warm orange shades that charms tourists and never ceases to amaze the inhabitants of Livigno. Tomorrow is a new day and yet another in which Little Tibet will awaken ready to help you relax, have fun and embrace all your passions.
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