Alps Deluxe & French Riviera

After a short ferry ride across the lake we soon reach Lugano in Switzerland, where we start the amazing ride through the Alps. We'll be climbing mountain roads to cross the San Bernrdino Pass and Splugenpass. Beautiful scenery of snowy peaks follows us all the way to St. Moritz, to finally settle in picturesque Pontresina.

Passing Livigno we ride great twisties across the challenging Stelvio Pass with its 87 switchbacks. Stelvio is the highest pass in Italy and the highest pass in the Eastern Alps. A ride towards Bolzano provides a touch of beautiful green scene, taking us to the Italian Dolomites. On the way to Arabba, where we spend the night, you can ride Sella and Gardena Pass.

Exhilarating mountain roads lead in all directions. You can ride all the way to Lago di Garda or even to Venice and have a cappuccino on the Piazza San Marco. It's really all about riding as you will have a hard time finding better motorcycle roads anywhere in Europe.

Later on we skirt over Timmelsjoch Pass, also called the "secret passage" for not being used as much as other easier passes. You can also stop to visit the "ice cave" in Pass Museum. Dropping from the summit we head to the attractive village of Lech, nestled in a high valley, to rest in a cozy atmosphere and enjoy a fine dinner.

Crossing Klausen Pass, snaking down from Sustenpass, we pass numerous waterfalls and climb up Grimsel Pass where we spend the night. It's a great hub from which we explore nearby attractions or ride excellent Alpine roads.

Furka, Gotthard, Novena...just to name a few famous passes waiting for us in the morning! Spectacular Swiss roads hanging on mountain slopes deliver an unforgettable experience. Afterwards we decent into Valais Canton and head to Chamonix!

You can experience one of the highest cable cars in the world, which takes you to the top station of the Aiguilles du Midi, the closest point you can get to Mont Blanc without climbing. Or ride up to Great St. Bernard Pass, connecting Switzerland to the Aosta Valley in Italy, also famous for St. Bernard dogs. Those with a climbing spirit can explore the Aiguille du Midi tunnel. After the day spent inhaling fresh mountain air, there's time for some typical Savoyard food and French aperitif. Santé!

Massive rock, mountain pastures and snow covered landscapes envelop the view! Riding along Val d'Isere valley we arrive at the historical little French village of Briançon, entering through one of its several drawbridges. Walking along narrow cobble streets surrounded by old UNESCO-listed fortifications and old painted buildings makes it a nice conclusion to the day.

The scenery will be changing as we ride through remote valleys and quaint Old Provencal villages. Salty sea air and pine forests are a refreshing change when we meet glowing Nice.

Whether an art lover, a shopping addict, night clubber or just fond of a glamorous lifestyle, Nice is quite the place to enjoy it all. As a symbol of Mediterranean art of living together with its surroundings provide various opportunities for cultural discoveries, as well as dynamic adventures or total relax. Walk the promenade along the "Bay of the Angels", explore numerous museums, have ice cream in Old Nice, enjoying the amazing panorama from the Chateau. Nice is also a convenient gateway to nearby Monaco and glamorous Cannes - taking the train is best to enjoy the amazing views while riding.

The centre of the perfume industry since the 18th century, Grasse can awake all your senses. The route continues through the Provence, scattered with vineyards and lavender fields all the way to charming Aix-en-Provence. Staying overnight in the center of town will reveal all the hustle and bustle of the capital of the Provence.

The fast scenic Route Napoléon takes us across mountains to Castellane and continues all the way to Embrun. It's all about scenery, sitting beneath the mountains of the Hautes Alpes and the northern edge of the Alpes de Haute Provence, overlooking the blue Serre-Ponçon Lake - a perfect stop for the day!

The amazing sand-colored, eroded cliffs above the pass, known as the Casse Deserte, really look like driving through a desert! Snaking through the hilly roads gets us back to Italy, riding through Val Susa and passing the alpine village of Sestriere and Olympic Pinerolo. It's been said that no one should leave Pinerolo without sampling a slice of Galup panettone, the city's almond topped version of the national Christmas cake. We continue the ride, passing Torino to arrive in the afternoon once again in Milan.

Depending on the time of your flight back home, you may have time to stroll downtown Milan and walk on the roof of the famous Milan cathedral, which took nearly six centuries to complete, and is the largest in the Italian state territory.