Day 3: Vicenza to Verona – Cycle Touring in Europe

Sunday June 27, 2004, 69 km (43 miles) – Total so far: 214 km (133 miles)

We went into Vicenza for breakfast – what a great city. Today was a Sunday, so everywhere was busy with cyclists of the lycra-clad racing variety. The Veneto region probably has more racing cyclists per square kilometre than anywhere else on earth. We saw loads of riders in large groups, some in team colours flying around the city, some may have been local pros but others were club cyclists judging by their bellies! We dropped in on Soave for lunch, a very picturesque little town complete with a castle for the tourists. We had bruscettas for lunch accompanied by the local wine. A different wine was recommended for every item on the menu.

We cycled through acres of vineyards to Verona, then up a nasty hill to the campsite. It was well worth the climb though – this has to be one of the best campsites I’ve seen, what a setting. We have views of the whole city from the grounds of an old castle, they even sell beer!