Italy 2025 – Ep 5

Tuscany Twists, Bagnoregio Bliss & Cassino Crashes: Three Days of Italian Moto Mayhem

Dates covered: 22.07.25 to 24.07.25

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Day 13 – 22.07.25 Volterra to Bagnoregio

Off the Tourist Track and Into the Heart of Tuscany

After dodging the selfie-stick crowds and overpriced gelato stands yesterday, today felt like we finally cracked the real Italy code. No queues, no tour buses, no €10 espressos—just proper Tuscan charm and twisty roads that make your throttle hand twitch with joy.

We left Volterra behind and aimed our two-wheeled steeds south, clocking in 276 km of pure riding pleasure. And let me tell ya—this was no ordinary ride. It was a full-blown Tuscany architecture overdose. You know that feeling when you’ve scrolled through Pinterest too long and everything starts looking like a rustic wedding venue? Yeah, that. Except real. And on a bike.

We stumbled upon these little mountain villages that were so cute I nearly dropped the bike gawking. Picture this: old stone houses all done up, flowers everywhere like a florist exploded, and not a single souvenir shop in sight. Locals only. Just how we like it.

Traffic? Non-existent. Tourists? Nope. Roads? Twisty heaven. Weather? Well, that depends. Up in the mountains, it was a lovely 23–25°C. Felt like riding through an air-conditioned postcard. But the minute we rolled out of the hills… BAM! 34°C and no mercy. Not exactly ideal when you’re wrapped up like a Kevlar burrito. So yeah, a few villages got skipped. Heat stroke just isn’t on the bucket list.

We landed in Bagnoregio around arvo time and scored a little apartment all to ourselves. The owner was a legend—moved his car just so we could park the bike in the shade. That’s the kind of bike respect we love to see. For 80 euros a night, we’re laughing.

After cooling down (read: lying like roadkill on the bed for an hour), we kicked off our sightseeing at 6:30 pm. First stop: Civita di Bagnoregio, a village so old it makes your nan look like a toddler. Over 2,500 years of history, mate. The Etruscans started this joint before the Romans were even a glint in Jupiter’s eye. Nowadays, the whole thing’s perched on a dying rock—literally. Landslides have been nibbling away at the cliffs like a fat kid with fairy bread. But she’s hanging on, and thank the moto gods for that, because it’s bloody beautiful.

Evening light, barely any tourists, and a quiet atmosphere made it feel like we had the whole ancient town to ourselves. We grabbed some top-notch food up there—proper Italian fare that made us consider proposing to the chef.

On the way back, we dropped into the ice cream shop run by our apartment host. Turns out he doesn’t just know how to park cars—he makes killer gelato. The man’s a magician with a scoop.

Staggered back to the apartment by 10:30 pm, sweaty and puffed from all the uphill walking. Might be time to admit that endless moto riding and zero cardio is not exactly training for a mountain goat lifestyle. Oh well. Worth it.

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Day 14 – 23.07.25 Bagnoregio

Civita Chill, Photo Fiddles and Future Fantasies

Today was what the Aussies like to call a “bugger-all” day. And it was glorious.

Woke up in beautiful Bagnoregio, opened the curtains, and saw sunshine without the kind of heat that makes you question your life choices. Decided it was a perfect day to do… not much.

The trip’s dragging on a bit now. What started as a “quick jaunt through Italy” is starting to look suspiciously like an epic pilgrimage. But no dramas—we’ve got time. Just not much cash left. Classic motorbike holiday equation: Time + Fuel = Broke But Happy.

Back in Germany, the forecast’s wetter than a beer garden in a thunderstorm. So we ain’t exactly in a rush. Italy, for all its chaos, knows how to put on a good show. Sunshine, warm breezes, a fridge with cold beer… we’re not moving fast.

Used the downtime to plot the next leg and threw Monte Cassino into the mix. It’s a bit outta the way—an extra 500 km or so—but hey, we’re on a roll. Plus, it’s one of those historic WW2 spots with a story to tell.

The original abbey was completely bombed by the Allies, and then—because Italians don’t muck about—they rebuilt the whole thing in under a decade. Fair effort.

Between a bit of blogging, a bank run (because, apparently, Italy still loves cash), and general lazing about, it was a relaxed one. Our legs thanked us after yesterday’s Civita hill climb, and our brains appreciated not having to dodge tourist buses for a change.

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Day 15 – 24.07.25 Bagnoregio to Cassino

Turquoise Lakes & Twisty Triumphs

Alarm went off at 6 am. We went off at 7:15 am. By the time we hit the road, it was fresh, cool, and all-round bloody lovely. That lasted until about lunch. Then the sun came out swinging like it was auditioning for Hell’s sauna. By 1 pm it was 35°C, and the inside of my helmet smelled like bad decisions and last night’s pasta.

Still, despite cooking slowly in our gear, today’s 376 km ride was a cracker.

First up: Amelia. Looked like a top little town, very Italian with its old-world charm, narrow alleys, and that “we were here before the Romans” vibe. Sadly, we had to pass it up. Walking around in full moto kit when it’s 35 degrees? Nah mate. Not unless the town comes with a cold plunge pool and a team of people fanning you with pizza menus.

Highlight number two: Lago del Salto. Never heard of it before, but what a stunner. Man-made lake, sure—but you wouldn’t know it. Turquoise water so clear it made us wanna strip off and dive in. Surrounded by big ol’ mountains, and barely a soul in sight. Bet it’s rammed on the weekend, but today it was ours. Well, ours and a few sun-baked goats.

Now, let’s talk route planning. Early in the trip, we got conned by our navigation app into taking some goat tracks that barely qualified as roads. Great if you’re doing a Paris-Dakar rally, not so great if you just want to get to the next village without dislocating your spine.

Lesson learned. These days I’m doing the smart thing—checking the roads on Mapillary or StreetView before we commit. That’s turned the whole ride into a much smoother operation. No more sketchy gravel tracks disguised as “scenic routes.”

Rolled into Cassino around 4 pm, totally knackered. The sun had cooked us, the bike needed a rest, and honestly, so did we. Decided to post up here for two nights. Tomorrow we’ll check out Monte Cassino and dive into the history side of things. But tonight? It’s shower, dinner, and bed. In that order. No detours.

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Wrap-Up Thoughts from the Saddle:

Three days, nearly 900 km, a billion calories burned (mostly walking uphill, sweating like a meat pie in a sauna), and our love for Italy continues to grow—along with our helmet tan lines.

This stretch—from Volterra through the Tuscan backroads, the ancient beauty of Bagnoregio, and down to the war-scarred hills of Cassino—has been a ripper. Fewer tourists, better roads, and ice cream that makes you want to weep tears of joy.

Stay tuned. We’re heading somewhere, chasing history, sunshine, and maybe—just maybe—a beach without too many umbrellas. And hopefully, not another 35-degree gear day.

Catch ya on the next twisty one, ya legends. 🏍️🇮🇹🍦

#dustysocks