The Pilgrim route from Aosta to Pavia Italy by bike: self guided cycling tour from Aosta to Pavia

Retracing by bike one of the routes followed by ancient pilgrims to Rome in search of traces of a past so distant yet still alive for those who know how to look: this is what awaits those who choose this journey full of surprises and landscapes as varied and changeable as ever: it ranges from the superb circle of the Alps surrounding Aosta, an elegant and noble city rich in Roman ruins, to the hills and moraine lakes of the Ivrea area with its Serra, a unique phenomenon in Italy, from the rice fields of Vercelli populated by birds, to the gentle plains of Lomellina where Vigevano stands with its splendid square, from the river environment of the Ticino Park unmissable for those who love nature, until reaching, dulcis in fundo, Pavia, with its Certosa immersed in the greenery of Lombardy.
The tour is part of the Eurovelo 5 route, the great trans-European network consisting of 45,000 km of cycle paths and the BicItalia 3 route, the Italian cycle network that crosses all the regions.

1st day Individual arrival in Aosta

2nd day Aosta – Chatillon/Saint Vincent approx. 35 Km
Today we will cycle up and down the first part of the Aosta Valley, along the Dora river and initially on a cycle path, with the mountains at our side. Take some time to visit the Fenis castle, one of the most beautiful in the region, before crossing the river and reaching St. Vincent and its famous casino.

3rd day Chatillon/Saint Vincent – ​​Pont S. Martin approx. 30 Km
Still on a slightly undulating path, we will cross the river a couple of times, reaching the last part of the Aosta Valley. Along the way we will stop to visit the castles of Arnad and Donnas, and the spectacular fortress of Bard, which alone is worth the trip; we will pass on the road traveled by the ancient Romans up to Pont St. Martin where one of the bridges built by the engineers of the time still stands.

4th day Pont S. Martin – Ivrea – Viverone Lake approx. 51 Km
Today we leave the Aosta Valley and enter Piedmont. The road is easy and we begin to see the plain and the moraine hills of Ivrea in the background. We stop in Ivrea, the city where the computer was born, to admire its narrow streets in the center and visit the castle, before reaching Viverone Lake where we will spend the night.

5th day Lago di Viverone – Vercelli approx. 55 Km
We are in the plain and the road is flat. We pass through the rice fields, typical of this area of ​​the region, from May to August they seem like hundreds of lakes, full of birds of all kinds but especially herons. The panorama is varied by the presence of the Bosco della Partecipanza, the last remnant of the ancient enormous forest that covered the entire area since Roman times, and by the Lucedio Abbey. Vercelli is a town famous for its silver craftsmanship but don't forget to visit the church of S. Andrea, one of the best preserved Romanesque monuments in Italy.

6th day Vercelli – Vigevano approx. 40 Km
Still on the plain and it will be until the end of the trip. Today we leave Piedmont and enter Lombardy. We pedal in Lomellina, a fertile plain with rice fields. Along the road we encounter the area where the Battle of Palestro took place in the second war of independence on May 31, 1859 between the Austrians and the Piedmontese. Our destination is Vigevano, its Sforza Castle and the famous and elegant Piazza Ducale which dates back to 1492.

7th day Vigevano – Pavia approx. 43 Km
Today we cycle along the Ticino river and its natural park, one of the best preserved in Italy; clean waters and shady trees accompany us to a “boat” bridge. Before arriving in Pavia we encounter the Certosa, which is worth a stop to admire the church and the monastery. The city of Pavia awaits us with its famous covered bridge and its historic center.

8th day Pavia. End of the trip after breakfast

It's also available a 9-day version (only in June, July and August) : you can add a night in Aosta, reach the San Bernardo pass and cycle back to Aosta:

1st day Individual arrival and overnight stay in Aosta.

2nd day Aosta - Colle del San Bernardo - Aosta approx. 40 Km
Transfer in the morning by private vehicle (people and bikes) to Colle del San Bernardo at approx. 2400 m, where you can visit the museum of the Hospice of San Bernardo, then you can enjoy the spectacular descent by bike to Aosta (obviously mostly on quiet roads), overnight stay in Aosta.

Travel type  Self guided

Departures  minimum 2 people; every Saturday from April 12th to October 4th; other dates of your choice for a minimum of 4 people

Duration  8 days/7 nights

Difficulty level  medium/easy

The route has some ups and downs in the stretch from Aosta to Lake Viverone, while it is completely flat in the second part from Ivrea onwards.

Total km   approx. 254

Type of bike  Trekking bike

Luggage transport  yes

Information meeting/briefing in the first hotel   no

Tour price per person  €995.--

The price includes

Overnight stays in ***/**** hotels with breakfast
 Luggage transport from hotel to hotel (1 luggage per person)

GPS tracks
24-hour medical/baggage insurance
Emergency telephone support  
Registration fee

The price does not include

The journey to reach the starting points and back

Lunches and dinners

Visits and entrances

The tips

Personal extras

Everything not specified under "the price includes"

On request

Tour cancellation insurance: 5% of the trip cost 
 Additional nights in Aosta and Pavia (bookable in each town along the route)
Estimates for guided tour

To book, fill out and send the registration form; pay 25% of the participation fee; pay the balance approximately one month before departure.