Technical Sheet
Start: Ponte S. Giovanni
Arrival: Ponte Pattoli
Distance: 22km (46km if returning by MTB)
Height Difference: 100 metres
Difficulty: easy
Surface: 70% dirt, 30% sealed
Places to visit in the area: Perugia, Tiber River Park, Educational Wood at Ponte Felcino
This a route in everyone’s reach starting from the outskirts of Perugia and going up the Tiber valley along dirt tracks on the river banks, through the beautiful natural scenery of the Tiber River Park (photo on left).
The trail is entirely over flat terrain and a train+bike option can be used as there are many stations along the way (although there is nothing to stop biking back the same way).
The start is at the parking area in front of the Lidl supermarket and the Racing Bike shop, about 1 km from Ponte San Giovanni. The trail goes left at the exit from the carpark, through the roundabout, then first left onto the dirt track down to the Tiber river banks. It follows the pretty, narrow track for a few kilometres, then turns right after 9,6kms onto the sealed road, over the bridge on the Tiber (be careful of the heavy traffic in this part).
It then turns right at the next roundabout , then right again after 10,2 kms onto unsealed road towards the VI Circoscrizione. Back in the Tiber River Park , it goes through the “bosco didattico” (educational wood) at Ponte Felcino, then back onto the track along the river to 11, 6kms, then turns left along the main road for a couple of kilometres (alternatively, from here bikers can return along the trail in the opposite direction if they wish to avoid sealed road).
Past Villa Pitignano, after 13,3kms, it turn rights and leaves the sealed road again going up the steps of an old acqueduct to cross over the Tiber. It continues for a few kilometres along the dirt road until it reaches Ponte Pattoli. From here, it goes towards the station, at 22kms. Instead of going to the stations, the fittest and most adventurous bikers can cross the bridge over the Tiber and continue along Route 4, which goes along the river from Ponte Pattoli to Umbertide ,where there is a train back.
Things not to miss
The historical centre in Perugia, one of the most beautiful artistic cities of Italy, 5 kms from Ponte San Giovanni,.
A must-see is piazza IV Novembre, with its Fountain and palazzo dei Priori.
Other important things to see are the Etruscan Gateway and Well and the Rocca Paolina, an imposing fortress built by the Pope in 1540. Religious monuments worth a visit are the abbey of San Pietro, the church of San Domenico, the San Franceso al Prato complex and the church of Sant’Ercolano.
Not far from the start of the trail is the Ipogeo dei Volumni, the largest and most important noble Etruscan tomb in the region.
Along the trail, don’t miss the Tiber River Park and the “Bosco Didattico” (educational wood)
at Ponte Felcino.
