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Top-notch active tours for small groups of friends
Il Trenino Rosso, an activity near Bormio, Italy
Cortina - The heart of the Dolomites
Cortina d'Ampezzo, long famous for its hiking and climbing, became world famous by hosting the 1956 Winter Olympics.
Today, wonderful road cycling and mountain biking make Cortina a "must go" destination for active sports enthusiasts.
Picture yourself riding, hiking, and mountain biking among the Dolomites' shear rock faces!
Bormio - Big Giro d'Italia Passes
The Mortirolo, Gavia, & Stelvio–These famous Giro passes challenge you with their long climbs and fast descents!
Bormio's picturesque alpine setting is perfect for tackling these passes, and its quiet old town center provides a true "Italian" experience!
Less famous, Bormio's hiking and MTB are equally world class!
Bellagio - Lakes and Mountains
There's nothing like the water, sky, and mountains of Lago di Como!
Popular with Italians for their summer vacations, countless boats of all varieties dot the deep blue water.
After cycling and hiking among the lakeside villas and gardens, we "get out on the water," with a ferry ride back to our hotel!
Massa/Carrara - The Italian Riviera
Wonderful biking and hiking around the Apli Apuane marble quarries of Michelangelo fame!
Appearing snow-capped in summer, due to the bright-white marble, we hike and bike trails and roads built over 2000 years!
With a scant 5 Km between alpi and mare–and the beach–our apres sport is a nap in the sun, and a dip in the Mediterranean!
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Lake & Alps Ramble

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Lake Como Sun & Fun, plus Bormio's Mortirolo, Gavia, & Stelvio!
(See also our Giro Big Pass Challenge)
 
Executive Summary:

Enjoy 12 days of great cycling, sight seeing, wining, dining, sun, and fun along the Lake Como shoreline in Bellagio and among the Italian Alps in Bormio. A perfect mid-summer vacation for avid cyclists eager to try Italy's wonderful cycling without overdoing it–but with longer loops for the stronger riders!
How tough is it?
Overall: 3-4 out of 5 – Go short or long and enjoy the scenery!
Mileage: 38 to 80 miles – You can always ride less if you want!
Climbing: Bellagio is rolling, Bormio has classic sustained climbs!
("Bonus" or "bail-out" options are always available!)
Activities: 10 of 10 – The lake, gardens, museums, & hot springs!
Madonna di Chisallo near Bellagio, Italy
On the grounds of the Madonna di Ghisallo church and museum overlooking Lake Como.
With our Lake and Alps Ramble we combine the two famous Italian cycling areas of Bellagio and Bormio into a single tour, where both parts compliment each other very well.
Bellagio's proximity to Malpensa Airport, with its low elevation and warmer, more stable weather, provide a nice, somewhat low-key "warm-up" for the high mountains, longer loops, and bigger passes we'll be riding around Bormio.
Our Bellagio "Warm-up"
Bellagio is world famous for its tip-of-the-peninsula location at the center of the three branches of beautiful Lake Como. An enormously popular summer resort for Italians seeking relief from the summer heat in the Po valley (Milano, etc.), Bellagio has it all!
Who can resist being out on the water on a perfect summer day? And if that isn't enough, check out the lush gardens, enormous villas, the narrow streets with fantastic shopping, and of course, lakeside restaurants and bars serving up all sorts of wonderful Italian delights!
There are plenty of great views of the Italian Alps from the Bellagio lakefront, and of course, Bellagio and 'Lago di Como' are home to each fall's Giro di Lombardia, so there are plenty of beautiful roads for riding!
What's more, the mountains that rise from the lakeshore are crisscrossed with hiking trails–the views, stupendous!
Should some post-riding exploring be in order, the Madonna di Ghisallo church and bike museum is a short drive from Bellagio, and the incredible Melzi gardens are within walking distance of our hotel.
The Bottom Line–Bellagio is only a short distance from Malpensa-Milano Airport, so your immersion into the Italian culture, the Italian Lake region, and your Italian cycling vacation begins right after you land!
On and Up to Bormio!
Passo Mortirolo near Bormio, Italy
Posing on top of Passo Mortirolo for the obligitory photo. It's still early in the day, and we have a nice descent and some rolling terrain before our next climb: Passo Gavia from Ponte di Legno!
Following our warm-up rides in Bellagio, we'll continue our cycling adventure with a week in Bormio. From our 4-star Bormio hotel we'll ride three of the most famous and most challenging Giro d'Italia passes—the Mortirolo, Gavia, and Stelvio—among others, while savoring the clear mountain air and enjoying sumptuous dinners featuring tasty local cuisine and Valtellina wines.
Bormio is perfect for a week long cycling adventure, and not only for the spectacular glacier capped mountains soaring upward on both sides of the valleys through which our roads pass, but also for its picturesque quiet charm, with a thriving old town seemingly from a forgotten age. Few if any ski-towns in the Italian Alps approach Bormio's historic character coupled with its anything-but-tame flare.
Plenty of cozy restaurants are tucked into quaint corners, while modern shops line the old-town pedestrian only main street. An evening tradition, not to be missed, is the passeggiata, a social walk during the hour before dinner, while the stores are still open, so one can window shop and have l'aperitivo!
Hot spring baths are a special Bormio treat—one included with your tour—and there are three of them: Bagni Vecchi (the old baths, ~536 AD), Bagni Nuovi (the new baths, ~1836), and Bormio Terme, the modern baths (~1913).
Our 12 Day Bellagio/Bormio Itinerary*:
    *Changable, of course, for weather and other factors!
Day 1:
Plan to arrive at Milan's Malpensa Airport (MXP) and meet our shuttle for the transfer to our Bellagio hotel. Typically, our shuttle departs MXP at ~6:30 PM which facilitates a large number of inbound flight options.
At our hotel, you'll have the chance to freshen up, then we'll help assemble your bike. Later, it's time to walk around and explore Bellagio–with its many small side streets and interesting shops. And we'll find a nice lake side bar to enjoy an aperitivo before dinner.
Day 2:
We'll start our tour riding around the peninsula, which is the classic Bellagio ride, and we'll find no shortage of 'locals' while riding these great roads!
About 50 miles combining lake side 'sali scendi' (rolling terrain), with some climbs toward the interior of the peninsula, followed by fast descents back to the lake shore.
Of course, there are several "landmarks" of Giro di Lombardia fame: Il Civiglio above Como, the Madanno del Ghisallo, and the Muro di Sormano!
Note: The weather can be fickle in the Lake Region and Italian Alps, and our rides are better without rain, so depending on the forecast, our schedule might change.
Day 3:
Sighignola (1314m), "The Balcony of Italy," has a spectacular view down upon the Lake and city of Lugano, Switzerland (273m), and is the perfect destination for today's ride.
We'll take the ferry from Bellagio to Menaggio, ride south along the lakeshore to Argegno, then turn inland to begin our climb. Several small villages line our route, and the we'll pass through pastures, meadows, and forests as we ascend.
Following a snack at the summit, we'll descend into Switzerland toward Lake Lugano, passing through the city itself, as we return to Menaggio.
Day 4:
We'll head for Lecco along the lakeshore, cutting through the Lecco itself, as we climb into Valsassina—almost literally, the "valley of little rocks."
Circling the famous local hiking and rock climbing mountains of the Grignetta and Grignone, we'll ascend toward the town of Esino Lario while enjoying some beautiful views of Lake Como from nearly 1000m above the water.
A fast and fun descent from Esino Lario brings us back to the short of Lake Como near Varenna, from which we'll take the ferry back to Bellagio.
Day 5:
Transfer to Bormio: Today we'll pack our bags, and after breakfast we'll pack the van and shuttle to our hotel in Bormio. The drive is about 2 hours, so we'll have plenty of time to explore Bormio after we arrive.
Should we have lost a day of riding to bad weather, we will try to provide a ride/shuttle alternative on our way to Bormio.
One option might be to ride north along the Lake Como shoreline to Colico, then to head into Valchiavenna and climb Passo del Maloja (1815m), on our way to Saint Moritz.
Day 6:
On this tour, it's all about riding the long rides and big Giro passes, so plan on an early start!
We'll tackle the Stelvio Pass Loop and conquer Passo Umbrail and the infamous east side of the Stelvio Pass with its 40 switchbacks, while pedaling only 63 miles with 10,300'+ of climbing! Bonus miles and climbing are available if you want them, as it's only another 300m climbing to the Stelvio from the west!
Afterwards, enjoy a nap and a snack before we continue exploring Bormio before dinner.
Day 7:
Today is either an off-day or a short "recovery" ride. In either case, it needs to be an easier day as we have a big one tomorrow when we do the big double passes: Mortirolo and Gavia!
After our ride, some relaxation and lunch is in order, then we'll introduce some of the local grappe (Italian plural of grappa) in one of the local bars. At dinner, sample the local specialties – hearty pasta, cheese, and meat dishes perfect to fuel long hours of mountain work, cold days of winter, or cycling two huge Giro passes!
Day 8:
After yesterday's easy or rest day, we're back in the saddle for our second big loop ride, and will face the dual challenge of Passo Mortirolo and Passo Gavia. This loop is ~10 miles longer than the Stelvio Loop, but climbs the same 10000+'.
We'll plan on a 7 AM breakfast and being in the saddle by 8:30 AM, as this ride is of the longest duration, and we want to minimize the chance of an afternoon rain dampening our spirits!
We'll feast on something special tonight, and toast our challenging and beautiful ride!
Day 9:
We'll either take the day off, or I'll take you on a short hike to a mountain rifugio (hut) near the Forni glacier–largest in the Italian Alps, although it has retreated substantially in 200 years.
Lunch at rifugio La Branca is special a treat with the best Pizzoccheri (local pasta dish) that I've ever tasted. After lunch, we have a few trail options leading back to our van, should anyone wish some bonus miles.
Back in Bormio, there will be plenty of time for sightseeing, relaxing, or shopping before dinner.
Day 10:
We've saved our longest ride, with the biggest altitude gain on a single climb, for today as we tackle the Bernina Loop.
Desceding from Bormio to Tirano, we'll enter Switzerland and climb 1865m to Forcella di Livigno (Stelvio east side was 1843m). After the descent into Livigno, we'll climb passes Eira and Foscagno before descending to Bormio. Bonus miles: add the Passo Bernina out-and-back.
A nice walk about town before our sumptuous dinner is a great way to loosen up our tired legs!
Day 11:
An optional off day, but I often ride out-and-back ride up to Passo Gavia–we haven't climbed it from the Bormio side (we did it from Ponte di Legno)–and the descent from Rifugio Bonetta (after a quick snack) is well worth repeating!
But there's more, as this afternoon we'll enjoy a few hours relaxating in the famous natural hot springs baths of Bagni Vecchi, that date from Roman times! After the baths, it's time to mettere le gambe sotto il tavolo (to put our legs under the table) and enjoy our dinner together.
Day 12:
We'll have time for a somewhat more leisurely breakfast this morning, as we don't have to be on our bikes by 8 or 8:30 AM. Rather, we can relax a bit before loading up the van for our 9 AM departure for Milan's Malpensa Airport (MXP).
For our guests staying with us for a second weeks' adventure, you'll have the chance for a walk around Bormio, or perhaps even a short hike, before we shuttle to our next wonderful Italian location!
 
Book Lake & Alps Ramble
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Lake & Alps Ramble: 
 
 
 
July 8 to July 19, 2015: 
(12 Days & 11 Nights, Wednesday to Sunday)
 
 
 
Tour price: 
3150 €
$ 3624.39
  (Exchange Rate 1.15060 $/€)
Your Lake & Alps Ramble Tour Includes:
  • 12 days in Italy, Wednesday to Sunday
  • 11 Nights, 3 or 4-Star Hotels, double-occupancy1
    (Single Room supplement available)
    (Double Room used as Single Room supplement available)
  • Free Shuttle from Malpensa Airport(MXP) to Bellagio2a
    (Alternate shuttle times available as supplement)
  • Free Shuttle from Bormio to Malpensa Airport(MXP)2b
    (Alternate shuttle times available as supplement)
  • 12 day guided tour; cycling, sightseeing, dining, & fun!3
  • Support vehicle for all group rides
  • 12 days assistant guide(s)4
  • All local transportation/transfers/ferries
  • Buffet Breakfast in our hotel each morning
  • Lunch/Snack on the road/trail each noon5
  • Dinner, including wine, each night6
  • Visit to Madonna del Ghisallo (cycling museum, Bellagio)
  • Visit to Bagni Vecchi (Roman hot spring baths, Bormio)
What's Not Included:7
  • Roundtrip Airfare to our gateway airports
  • Health/Medical/Travel Insurance and expenses
    (Travel Insurance is highly recommended)
  • Optional activities of interest
    (e.g. dining out, Bagni Nuovi, lift tickets, The Red Train, etc.)
  • Items of a personal nature
    (e.g. souvenirs, happy hour, telephone, laundry, etc.)
Some Details & Fine Print:

Note: This September edition of our Lake & Alps Ramble Tour has no minimum number of guests.

1 The double-occupancy pricing is intended for two guests wishing to tour and room together. Guests touring singly will pay the single supplement, should a suitable, unmatched guest not be available.

2a Our free shuttle will be available to pick-up guests at Milan's Malpensa airport (MXP) between ~2:00 and 2:30 PM on the arrival Wednesday for the ~1:30 drive to our hotel in Bellagio. Guests needing a shuttle outside this timeframe can add a shuttle supplement–Contact us for additional information.

2b Our free shuttle will depart our hotel in Bormio at 9:00 AM on the departure Sunday for the ~3:00 drive to Malpensa Airport (MXP). Guests needing a shuttle outside this timeframe can add a shuttle supplement–Contact us for additional information.

3 Ajax will be your full-time lead guide. Please note that depending on the size and style of our group, riding speeds, stops for snacks, photos, etc., there will be times when guides and support vehicle(s) are not readily available.

4 The total number of guides will depend on the total number of tour guests, at an approximate ratio of 1 to 4/5.

5 Lunch/Snacks on the road/trail will often consist of 15€/day "pocket money," providing the flexibility to eat when and what you want (Divergence from this budget is each client's personal responsibility).

6 Wine and other beverages at dinner are provided based on "reasonable" consumption (375 ml average). Additional beverages must be paid individually and can be charged to your room, so that you can pay these charges at checkout.

7 Our tours are as inclusive as is possible, and our guests typically don't need to spend any money beyond our tour price, unless they choose to do so. Unfortunately, sometimes our guests make mistakes or are the victims of bad luck, and need to fix their bikes or themselves, which always costs money.

Lake & Alps Ramble: 
 
 
 
September 13 to September 24, 2015: 
(12 Days & 11 Nights, Sunday to Thursday)
 
 
 
Tour price: 
3150 €
$ 3624.39
  (Exchange Rate 1.15060 $/€)
Your Lake & Alps Ramble Tour Includes:
  • 12 days in Italy, Sunday to Thursday
  • 11 Nights, 3 or 4-Star Hotels, double-occupancy1
    (Single Room supplement available)
    (Double Room used as Single Room supplement available)
  • Free Shuttle from Malpensa Airport(MXP) to Bellagio2a
    (Alternate shuttle times available as supplement)
  • Free Shuttle from Bormio to Malpensa Airport(MXP)2b
    (Alternate shuttle times available as supplement)
  • 12 day guided tour; cycling, sightseeing, dining, & fun!3
  • Support vehicle for all group rides
  • 12 days assistant guide(s)4
  • All local transportation/transfers/ferries
  • Buffet Breakfast in our hotel each morning
  • Lunch/Snack on the road/trail each noon5
  • Dinner, including wine, each night6
  • Visit to Madonna del Ghisallo (cycling museum, Bellagio)
  • Visit to Bagni Vecchi (Roman hot spring baths, Bormio)
What's Not Included:7
  • Roundtrip Airfare to our gateway airports
  • Health/Medical/Travel Insurance and expenses
    (Travel Insurance is highly recommended)
  • Optional activities of interest
    (e.g. dining out, Bagni Nuovi, lift tickets, The Red Train, etc.)
  • Items of a personal nature
    (e.g. souvenirs, happy hour, telephone, laundry, etc.)
Some Details & Fine Print:

Note: This September edition of our Lake & Alps Ramble Tour has no minimum number of guests.

1 The double-occupancy pricing is intended for two guests wishing to tour and room together. Guests touring singly will pay the single supplement, should a suitable, unmatched guest not be available.

2a Our free shuttle will be available to pick-up guests at Milan's Malpensa airport (MXP) between ~2:00 and 2:30 PM on the arrival Sunday for the ~1:30 drive to our hotel in Bellagio. Guests needing a shuttle outside this timeframe can add a shuttle supplement–Contact us for additional information.

2b Our free shuttle will depart our hotel in Bormio at 9:00 AM on the departure Thursday for the ~3:00 drive to Malpensa Airport (MXP). Guests needing a shuttle outside this timeframe can add a shuttle supplement–Contact us for additional information.

3 Ajax will be your full-time lead guide. Please note that depending on the size and style of our group, riding speeds, stops for snacks, photos, etc., there will be times when guides and support vehicle(s) are not readily available.

4 The total number of guides will depend on the total number of tour guests, at an approximate ratio of 1 to 4/5.

5 Lunch/Snacks on the road/trail will often consist of 15€/day "pocket money," providing the flexibility to eat when and what you want (Divergence from this budget is each client's personal responsibility).

6 Wine and other beverages at dinner are provided based on "reasonable" consumption (375 ml average). Additional beverages must be paid individually and can be charged to your room, so that you can pay these charges at checkout.

7 Our tours are as inclusive as is possible, and our guests typically don't need to spend any money beyond our tour price, unless they choose to do so. Unfortunately, sometimes our guests make mistakes or are the victims of bad luck, and need to fix their bikes or themselves, which always costs money.
Bellagio, Italy Forecast
Tuesday

68°F / 20°C
54°F / 12°C
Wednesday

64°F / 18°C
47°F / 8°C
Thursday

65°F / 18°C
48°F / 9°C
Tuesday

67°F / 19°C
53°F / 12°C
Wednesday

63°F / 17°C
46°F / 8°C
Powered by WeatherAPI.com
Bormio, Italy Forecast
Tuesday

51°F / 10°C
37°F / 3°C
Wednesday

43°F / 6°C
34°F / 1°C
Thursday

40°F / 4°C
32°F / 0°C
Tuesday

50°F / 10°C
37°F / 3°C
Wednesday

44°F / 7°C
34°F / 1°C
Powered by WeatherAPI.com
Bellagio Bike Rides
Bellagio provides access to an almost unlimited number of bike rides, as many secondary roads climb away from Lake Como to small towns in the surrounding hills.
The lakeside roads are typically of rolling terrain making for very pleasant sight seeing as we ride. Famous for its lush gardens, we'll have to chance to enjoy their beautiful flowers and manicured scrubs along the way.
Climbing away from the lake, we'll enjoy some inspiring views of Lake Como, and several quiet–almost car free–roads.
Small map of the North Loop road bike ride, Bellagio Italy
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North Loop:
Ridden clockwise and starting with a ferry ride to Menaggio, we'll ride easy rolling lakeside roads through many small villages!
This route has a special bonus in that every time a tunnel appears, we head right (toward the lake) and take the old road which hugs the lake shore cliffs–the tunnels are built to handle the traffic, but most often the old roads remain ride able–and are very enjoyable!
Small map of the Ghisallo - Sormano Loop road bike ride, Bellagio Italy
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Ghisallo - Sormano Loop:
This is the "Must-Do" road bike ride from Bellagio, as it incorporates two classic climbs from the Giro di Lombardia–The Madonna di Ghisallo and the Muro di Sormano (1.7km @ 17%)!
Beautiful lake views abound on this ride, and the two descents are well worth the effort spent climbing.
A less steep alternative to the Muro provides a welcome option.
Small map of the Hills above Bellano road bike ride, Bellagio Italy
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Hills above Bellano:
A great low-key sight seeing ride with a bit of climbing that takes us through several small hillside villages overlooking Lake Como.
It's always fun to climb up from Lake Como to visit these tiny towns–it's almost like entering a time-machine–as having little modern development they are quaint, picturesque, and we'll find little or no traffic once we leave the "lungo lago" (lake side road)! Plus, there's a fun descent back to the lake.
Small map of the The Bellagio Peninsula road bike ride, Bellagio Italy
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The Bellagio Peninsula:
This is the classic ride, and you'll find no shortage of 'locals' riding the roads! About 50 miles of lake side 'sali scendi' riding with plenty of opportunities to extend the distance–and a few to shorten it.
There's a bit of a climb out of Como toward Lecco, or we can tackle il Civiglio of Giro di Lombardia fame.
I like to stop in Como for a quick caffe (espresso) before tackling the climb.
Small map of the Passo San Marco road bike ride, Bellagio Italy
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Passo San Marco:
This is the hardcore ride–although most of the others can be put in this category with the options available. Here we take the ferry to Varenna then head north to Colico, then east to Morbegno, and finally south (and up) to the pass!
A quick snack at the pass is a great idea before the fast descent from Passo San Marco toward the second climb of the day (over a smaller pass)!
Bormio Bike Rides
Bormio is home to three of the most famous road cycling passes from Italy's Giro d'Italia bike race: Passo Gavia (2621m), Passo Mortirolo (1852m) and Passo Stelvio (2758m).
While we won't attempt these passes as part of 100+ mile race pace rides, they are challenging goals for most avid cyclists.
Manageable for most amateur cyclists, we'll tackle these passes as part of epic loops or out-and-back.
Small map of the Stelvio Pass Loop road bike ride, Bormio Italy
100 Km, 3177 meters
62 miles, 10452 feet
Stelvio Pass Loop:
Climbing Passo Stelvio (2758m) from both sides in one day is daunting but manageable on this epic loop ride which adds stunning mountain scenery to these tough climbs.
We depart Bormio (1225m), head up Passo Stelvio, then over Passo Umbrail (2503m) for a fast descent into Switzerland.
We continue our rolling descent and re-enter Italy, stop briefly for lunch near Prato allo Stelvio, then face our final climb of the day–Passo Stelvio's 48 switchback east side!
Small map of the Mortirolo/Gavia Loop road bike ride, Bormio Italy
103 Km, 3203 meters
64 miles, 10537 feet
Mortirolo/Gavia Loop:
EPIC, EPIC, EPIC! This ride is a challenge, as facing both Passo Mortirolo (1852m) and Passo Gavia (2621m) on the same ride is major commitment!
Our warm-up out of Bormio is a fast, rolling descent to Mazzo, where we'll begin the Mortirolo. A short (annoying) 200m climb midway gives our climbing legs their first test.
After lunch in Ponte di Legno we head up the Gavia, then enjoy my favorite descent back to Bormio–it is truly a "must do descent!"
Small map of the Bernina Loop road bike ride, Bormio Italy
118 Km, 2814 meters
73 miles, 9258 feet
Bernina Loop:
This ride shows you one reason why Italy is so great for cycling–in that most Italian climbs are around 7% pitch, but in Switzerland, 10 - 15% might well be the norm.
Truthfully, this is a great ride, but every time I've done it the temperature has soared over 100, and I've cooked on the climb out of Tirano!
This summer, we'll choose a cooler day for this ride.
Small map of the Stelvio Pass Out And Back road bike ride, Bormio Italy
43 Km, 1533 meters
26 miles, 5043 feet
Stelvio Pass Out And Back:
An out-and-back alternative to the Stelvio Pass Loop, this ride remains a challenge with more than 5000' of climbing over 13 miles (7.1% average) to Passo Stelvio (2758m).
Of course, you also get 13 miles of fast and enjoyable descending back to Bormio after you finish your climb.
Several short and sometimes damp tunnels about midway up provide an interesting break from the beautiful scenery.
Small map of the Gavia Pass Out And Back road bike ride, Bormio Italy
53 Km, 1397 meters
32 miles, 4596 feet
Gavia Pass Out And Back:
A less strenuous but still challenging Passo Gavia (2621m) option is ridden as an out-and-back from our hotel. Without the extra miles and 2 pass commitment of the loop ride, this ride is within range of most amateur cyclists, or can be used as an "off-day" ride by stronger riders.
On top of the pass, we'll have the traditional photo opportunity, plus a snack in Rifugio Bonetta, which has lots of photos from historic Giro d'Italia Passo Gavia climbs!
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