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Food & Culture

Ride Eatalia

Why you should go there: Dolce Vita! The northern Apennin Mountains south of Parma offer an awesome combination of trail joy and culinary delights! While Parma and Reggio nell’ Emilia are world famous for Parma Ham and Parmesan Cheese only few people know there are lots of brilliant trails close by… The region is home to some of the largest Italian food manufacurers (Barilla, Mutti, Galbani,…) and is proud of its culinary heritage and specialities. There are several trail areas in the foothills of the Apennin which makes the region an ideal destination for a “Ride Eatalia” trip. Stay in Parma for a big choice of bars and restaurants or find a B&B close to the mountains if you prefer a quiet surrounding and being closer to the trails.

Who is it for: This is an ideal region for bikers who want to spend a few days exploring a lesser known region which allows combination of excellent food and great trails. There is a big variety of trails that should have something for everyone.

Who should avoid it: Absolute beginners might find the trails a little over their heads. The trail areas are a little scattered and require some driving from the larger cities, some might find this tedious.

Trails

The region has several trail areas with different character. You can find trails from fast & flowy on forest soil to steep & rocky. Most of the trails are hand-built and of excellent quality. “Grey earth” – a grippy mix between sand and rock is a typical feature and offers cool ridge riding and photo spots. The locals are friendly and happy to help with advice. The lower trail areas allow year-round riding, there might be some snow for a few weeks in the higher regions though. 

Trails can be accessed by pedalling on quiet mountain roads which aren’t too steep. These roads can also be used for shuttling if you like. Some places provide shuttle services at affordable rates.

Flowy trails of intermediate difficulty can be found at Monte Fuso and Calestano. The “red” trails there are just amazing!

Advanced riders looking for steeper and technical trails should consider the Monteduro area and the black trails around Calestano (Vigolone zone).

Book a great shuttle day at Calestano to maximise DH time! Monteduro is also a fun shuttle zone but has lesser trails and a longer push to the trail head than Calestano.

 

Monte Fuso

Monteduro

Monteduro

Kicking Dust

Trail Break

Early Morning Shuttle

Canossa Trail

Top Trails & Tours

Local services

 

Guides & Shuttles

 

Bike Shops

  • Madness Bikeshop: Shop closer the trail areas (Monte Fuso)
  • Several shops in Parma

Bikeparks

Food & Drinks

Parma Ham and Parmesan Cheese are the most famous classics and are available almost everywhere as starters.

Parma offers a huge choice of restaurants and take-aways for all tastes and pockets. The dining choice in the small villages can be very limited, keep this in mind when booking your place. However, there is always a bar for coffee and snacks close-by…

 

 

Top Restaurants

01

Antica Trattoria della Bettola: Bar/Trattoria directly at the shuttle/parking for Monteduro. Very friendly people, perfect for a pre-ride coffee and mid-ride lunch. Tasty home-made food, on the slightly expensive side. $$

02

Ristorante Cocchi: Beautiful, classy dining room, traditional regional food. $$

03

Rosa Croce: Stylish restaurant. Excellent pasta. $$

Overnight

Stay in Parma for a big choice of bars and restaurants or find a B&B close to the mountains if you prefer a quiet surrounding and being closer to the trails.

Camping

There are some basic camper parking spots and a few campsites in the area:

  • Monte Fuso: Campsite in the wildlife center Monte Fuso close to the trails.
  • Camping Arizona: Campsite with bungalows, pool and more a few km west of Parma.

More than Biking

Mutti Tomatoes

Spend a day exploring the countryside, its food-makers, their direct sales and outlet stores. (Not only tomatoes…)

Parma

Visit Parma. Shopping, Culture, History.

Canossa Castle

Historic site in beautiful landscape.

Disclaimer

The content of this website is just an opinion of a few individuals. It is not based on scientific research and some facts may have changed since the last visit. Feel free to leave a comment with suggestions for anything we have covered on this website.

You might be riding on shared trails! Yield to other trail users and animals! Control your speed, leave no traces and don’t shortcut corners! Thank you!

Last on-site research: 2022

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