Where to ride next: the “Via Degli Dei” (Path of the Gods) from Bologna-Florence

By Andrea Franchini

The Via Degli Dei (Path of the Gods) spans 130 kilometers (81 miles) and connects Bologna with Florence via an ancient Roman road that dates back to 187 BCE. More than 2000 years of foot traffic hasn’t managed to buff the intrigue out of this via, which gets its name from the peaks named after Roman gods that it passes by. Long enough to provide a challenge but short enough to do in a weekend, these days the Via Degli Dei attracts mountain bikers to navigate history in a decidedly modern way.

On June 2, Andrea Franchini of www.outofthelab.it swung a leg over his Ritchey Timberwolf and set off to complete the Via Degli Dei in three days.

This is a well-known trail from the center of Bologna to the center of Florence that hikers have historically completed in 4+ stages. Hikers ascend and descend the Apennine mountains for about 130 kilometers with about 3,500 meters (11,483’) of total elevation gain. The route’s charm lies in walking the ancient paths used by pilgrims, merchants, and legionaries. A section coincides with the “Via Flaminia Militare,” a transit route for Roman soldiers in 187 BC.

The route and the struggle are almost the same for mountain bike riders.

The journey starts from Bologna’s center and, after a few kilometers, enters pathways that often pass through isolated places, like the banks of the Reno (Bologna’s river), forests, small peaks, small villages with a continuous up-and-down rhythm.

The trail ends in the splendid and very crowded center of Florence, after descending from the hill of Fiesole.

The trail has been designed for hikers but it’s “feasible” by mountain bike. Having had previous experience riding hiking trails with a mtb, (several years ago, I, along with some the friends, crossed the Alps from Monviso to Similaun for the http://www.ginobike.it/?page_id=810 project), I knew what to expect.

I set off alone on my Timberwolf because certain experiments are better done solo before involving family and/or friends. The trail was "only" 130km long and divided into three stages, so it couldn't be too tiring or risky...

Just like any trip — short or long — it really starts in the head in the days prior to departure, with information gathering, gear preparation, and imagining the journey by looking at the route traced on the map.

My journey physically begins on June 2nd, by taking the 8:40 train from Milan to Bologna.

Aware of my personal limitation when I’m at a crossroads (when I usually choose the wrong direction), I feared losing too much time finding the right path once I arrived in Bologna (0km).

Instead, after about ten minutes, I was already on the Via Degli Dei heading toward Florence, because this route is wonderfully marked throughout its 130km, making the map or the navigation aids almost unnecessary.

I set off knowing that the weather would be variable, with storms expected each day.

I will avoid describing every single stage in detail, choosing instead to leave the pleasure of discovery for those who wish to embark on the same journey. I will only mention some highlights.

Already in the first kilometers, the terrain starts to become muddy along the Reno river, which will be a feature of the entire journey, especially on the second day. I transferred to the right bank of the Reno, where one of the most iconic sites of the Via, the Palazzo Rossi can be gazed upon before crossing the Vizzano bridge (14km).

The route continues enjoyably to Monzuno (37km), only to pile up all the climbing in the last kilometers with an exhausting ascent up Mount Venere (900 meters).

“See how nature (trees, flowers, grass) grows in silence, watch the stars, the moon, the sun move in silence. To touch the soul, we need silence.”

The second stage from Madonna dei Fornelli (48km) begins immediately with steep climbs before turning onto a rough and rugged path.

However, the wooded environment is remarkable, and despite some sections that required me to push the Timberwolf, it's fun to ride the singletrack — which flows at times and gets technical at others — up to the Passo della Futa (63km).

The cemetery for the 30,000 fallen German soldiers of the Second World War. It’s worth a visit — especially if it's raining because the fog rising from in between the tombstones has almost a haunting effect.

Next, from Passo della Futa to Sant’Agata (78km), the weather was brutal: 13km in 2.5 hours through the rain and struggle against the mud.

The descent was also challenging due to the slippery ground on some rocky drops.

Adding another hour to the already excessive time of this second stage, both bike and rider had to be cleaned of mud before entering the B&B.

Even the third stage began with a climb after a few kilometers and, due to fatigue and a creaky bike, some sections had to be done by carrying the bike up to the Monte Senario Abbey (108km).

The last 30 km or so continued with mostly flat and downhill terrain, then crossed magnificent meadows with Brunelleschi's dome in sight, and passed through the refined Fiesole, before quickly descending into Florence (km 130 +).

I embarked on this adventure with the Ritchey Timberwolf 27.5" with 2.35” tires and 150mm travel on the front. Along for the ride was a 16-liter saddlebag and a 22-liter backpack. I could’ve traveled lighter, as I ended up bringing back a lot of the food and clean clothes.

As a bike mechanic, I had multiple options to choose from, but I chose this frame, designed in 2015 (see the excellent review at https://www.mtbcult.it/test/test-ritchey-timberwolf), which combines trail and aggressive XC geometry, which was perhaps not fully understood at the time.

I got it thanks to my friend Ricky from Ritchey a few years ago, and I always use it with great satisfaction — even in bike parks — but I’ve never taken it on a journey before.

There's no need to describe the benefits of a Ritchey frame, but it's worth saying a few words on this frame in this journey.

There are indeed frames designed for travel that possess good offroad qualities, even when fully rigid, but I believe the Timberwolf was instrumental to my survival, especially during the treacherous and muddy second stage. I grabbed it by the frame multiple times to carefully lower it from rocky drops; I jumped back on it for flying over the manageable ones; I pedaled uphill, pushed it through muddy trenches, and sent it downhill on gravel roads, which is probably why she’s getting dirtier and creaking more — thirsty for oil.

In the end, both me and my bike arrived — dirty and unpresentable, but happy — in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence.

On the train back to Milan, my bike and I gave way to four bulky e-bikes struggling to get on board and secure themselves to the supports.

We managed to find a small space left vacant by the e-monsters and we listened to boring stories about drained batteries in eco mode.

Thanks for reading,

— Andrea

Trip tips: The route can be completed at a faster pace in two stages (for example, Bologna – Passo della Futa: 63km/ +2,000 meters of climbing (39 miles and 6562'); Passo della Futa-Firenze: 58km/+1,300 meters of climbing (36 miles and 4265'), but only if it's very, very dry.