Aida Cycle Route – A Boost for Local Economies and a Challenge for Inclusive Cycle Tourism

Aida is a grassroots project born from the desire to cycle across Northern Italy. It is a movement that guides cyclists for 900 km from Moncenisio to Trieste, from France to Istria.

AIDA Ovest Moncenisio crediti Daniele Rambaldo
Moncenisio, AIDA OVEST, crediti Daniele Rambaldo

Mission of Aida

The mission of AIDA is to help the regions it crosses generate a healthy economy through cycle tourism. To achieve this, the focus has been on enhancing existing routes, both cycling paths and low-traffic roads, encouraging municipalities to maintain and improve them. The project has also promoted the artistic and cultural heritage of the Po Valley, often overlooked or ignored, including UNESCO World Heritage sites like the Stupinigi Royal Villa, The Last Supper, and the Verona Arena, as well as beautiful villages.

The History of the Project

The project was initiated by FIAB in 2016 when regional representatives realized the lack of a long-distance route connecting all the cities in Northern Italy. After this realization, the idea for a project quickly took shape.

In the following two years, FIAB’s regional coordinations and local associations contributed to exploring and determining the best possible route, considering existing paths or projects under development with a focus on quality, safety, and accessibility.

The name AIDA (Alta Italia da attraversare) was adopted in 2017, and its trademark was registered. After several events and relay races, a crowdfunding campaign was launched in 2019. The goal was to have citizens and FIAB members “adopt” a kilometer of the AIDA route, with even Bikenomist (the company behind the Cycle Tourism Show) adopting the 61st km. With €40,000 raised in less than two months, signage was installed along the 930 km route in both directions.

AIDA Ovest Fontana 12 Mesi Torino, crediti Daniele Rambaldo
Fontana 12 Mesi Torino, AIDA Ovest, credits Daniele Rambaldo

AIDA’s community structure laid the foundation for a “bottom-up” cycling route.

After the pandemic slowdown, AIDA – from Milan to Turin – was the place where Mario Calabresi celebrated the reopening of regions, also passing through Nembro, heavily affected by COVID. That summer, the young people from Nembro continued their bike journey to Trieste.

AIDA Trieste
AIDA Trieste

AIDA Today

The exact number of cycle tourists on the Aida route is still difficult to track, as there are no suitable tools for counting and FIAB doesn’t have access to the passage databases in certain sections. Hopefully, in the future, it will be possible to monitor the entire route.

Tools Created for Aida Cyclists

To guide cyclists, an Aida app was launched in 2019. The app provides information on what to see, where to sleep, offline maps, and a feature to report issues (e.g., missing signage, construction, or road closures).

For the eastern part of the route, Ediciclo published a guide, Aida Est, covering the stretch from Verona to Trieste. This guide highlights a region of the Northeast that, once away from major routes, reveals hidden scenic and artistic treasures perfect for cycling. The 500 km route is safe and flat, ideal for all cyclists. The guide also details historical and cultural landmarks and includes variants like the former Treviso-Ostiglia railway. There are also useful suggestions for extending the trip beyond Verona or Trieste.

AIDA Ciclovia

Inclusive Cycling for Women: MIA WOMEN RIDE

In September 2021, in collaboration with Witoor and Cicliste per Caso, the first MIA WOMEN RIDE event was held from Milan to Verona. This was the first exclusively female cycle tourism event, a great success with 100 participants pedaling together and celebrated along the route like Giro athletes. The initiative was repeated in 2022 – 2023 – 2024 with growing participation and enthusiasm.

MIA WOMEN RIDE 2023
Crediti: MIA WOMEN RIDE 2023

MIA Women Ride is an opportunity to showcase female strength on a bicycle, allowing women to identify as cyclists, part of a community. For some, it will be their first experience, while for others, it’s confirmation of belonging to a group that loves to broaden its horizons. An adventure to awaken unexpected resources while discovering a passion.

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