MAP
From the mountains of Carnia to the Adriatic Sea, following the course of the Tagliamento: an itinerary of about 230 kilometers that crosses Friuli Venezia Giulia from north to south, among natural landscapes, historic villages, places of memory, and long gravel stretches.
The idea of the journey comes from Simone Masotti, author of the book On a Bicycle I Am Free. Traveling with Parkinson's, who has been living with Parkinson's for twenty years and considers the bicycle a fundamental tool for freedom and autonomy. To tell this experience, a video was made through the lens of Sergio Borroni, videomaker and cycle tourist, in collaboration with Gravel Experience FVG.
The group departed from the Passo della Mauria, near the sources of the Tagliamento, to reach Lignano Sabbiadoro, where the river meets the Adriatic Sea. The experience was carried out as part of the I AM FVG project, dedicated to the development of accessibility in the mountainous areas of Friuli Venezia Giulia. In this case, the mountain is told in its summer dimension: not only snow and winter sports, but also cycling tourism, nature, gravel, culture, and slow discovery of the territory.
A group, many ways to experience the journey
The journey involved cyclists with different experiences, means, and modes of travel. Along with Simone Masotti, there was also Riccardo Mazzetti, a member of the board of the Sports Association for the Disabled "Basket and more" ODV of Udine and creator of the Gravel Experience project, who tackled the route on a handbike. The group was accompanied by Sergio Borroni and the Gravel Experience FVG team.
Attention: the route is described not as an extreme sports challenge, but as a possible, adaptable, and meaningful travel experience. As can be seen very well in the video, the Tagliamento Cycle Path alternates sections on road, dirt, and long gravel segments, with moderate elevation changes and numerous points to stop and observe the landscape.
Naturally, as with any cycling itinerary, it is important to gather information before departing about the conditions of the route, the presence of any unpaved sections or areas affected by landslides, the weather, and the equipment most suitable for one's needs. The complete route of the Ciclovia is available in various formats on the TurismoFVG.it portal.
The Tagliamento Cycle Path in brief
The departure is at Passo della Mauria, at about 1,300 meters above sea level, near the sources of the Tagliamento. From here, the route follows the river south, entering the heart of Friuli Venezia Giulia.
Along the route you will encounter Tolmezzo, Venzone, Gemona, Lake Cornino, Pinzano, Spilimbergo, the Friulian plain, and finally Lignano Sabbiadoro, where the Tagliamento reaches the Adriatic Sea.
It is an itinerary that combines very different environments: woods, riverbeds, villages, countryside, historic villas, gravel sections, and embankments towards the sea. A journey that allows you to read the territory through the river, history, and landscape.
The video
The video by Sergio Borroni / GravelExperience tells the story of the Tagliamento Cycle Path as a great slow journey, accessible and rich in landscapes, where cycle tourism becomes a way to traverse the territory, learn about its history, and experience nature.
A project on making the mountains accessible also in the summer
This experience is part of the I AM FVG project, which works to improve the accessibility of the mountainous areas of Friuli Venezia Giulia. PromoTurismoFVG, with the technical support of CRIBA and various partners active in the area, is working to map, describe, and enhance accessible mountain areas both in winter and summer, through trails, outdoor activities, cycling tourism, culture, and natural landscapes.
The Tagliamento Cycle Path shows how the narrative of accessibility can go beyond the individual service, becoming a broader reflection on how people experience the territory, what information is needed to plan an experience, and how to build clearer, more inclusive, and aware tourism proposals.
Following the Tagliamento from its sources to the sea means crossing a powerful and fragile Friuli Venezia Giulia, wild and inhabited, marked by history and continuously transformed by water. A journey that tells the territory through the rhythm of the bicycle, the value of the group, and the freedom to choose one's own way to set off.
Discover the entire itinerary and the tracks on the TurismoFVG.it portal
