Biking

The area is a paradise for people who enjoy cycling and breaking a sweat while being close to nature. The roads are used by everyone, from mature fitness enthusiasts to professional cyclists, and increasingly by tourists on e-bikes. With few exceptions, there are no dedicated bike paths in the area, but fortunately, motorists are quite considerate, perhaps because they are accustomed to sharing the roads with cyclists. On the smaller mountain roads, don't expect to see many cars or cyclists. You can almost have them all to yourself.

The Italian fitness enthusiasts, primarily coming from the coast, mostly stick to the road along the river up to Buggio or Castelvittorio, where they turn around and head back, typically with a stop at the café in Pigna. It's understandable why they choose that route because, contrary to what some people who only drive the route by car believe, it's not a smooth downhill ride towards the coast — it's actually the opposite. Fortunately, it's more varied. Sometimes you are at the same level as the river, and sometimes you're 10-15 meters above it. If you take the trip on a mountain or gravel bike, it is recommended to cross the river in Dolceacqua and follow the bike route to the coast. Part of that stretch is not suitable for road bikes with narrow tires. You can view the route on Google Maps.

The trip from Pigna to the coast and back is manageable for most people, depending on the pace they set. If you want a real challenge, you can cycle to Castelvittorio and continue towards Bajardo. The first few kilometers above Castelvittorio are so demanding that even well-trained cyclists may feel inclined to dismount and walk. But once you've tackled them (perhaps with a bit of pushing the bike), the rest of the trip is a breeze. Then you can choose a different route back home. The 13-kilometer descent from Bajardo (900 meters above sea level) via Apricale to Isolabona (106 meters above sea level) is mostly downhill. And that's just one of the many possibilities the area's (mountain) roads offer.

Riding along the coastal highway is not enjoyable, but following the coast on the bike route, which runs on a former railway track from Ospedaletti (where you can rent bikes) to Imperia, can be a pleasure. The route 35-40 km, appropriately named Parco costiero del Ponente Ligure, is something to be proud of. If you're cycling all the way from Pigna, in Camporosso, you can ride down to the coast along the left side of the river and then follow the coast all the way to Bordighera, passing through the promenade. From there, you'll need to go on the highway for about 4 kilometers to reach Ospedaletti.

And since we're talking about the coast and Camporosso, a nice pedestrian and cycling bridge has been built over the river, the Nervia, and from there, you can cycle along the coast in Ventimiglia.