Mountain Bike tour in Spina Verde natural park

Can’t recommend this enough! Amazing guide and tour! I look forward to being back again soon for another ride!!

Awesome fun! Max met me at the Run & Bike store, got me kitted up, nice carbon MTB rental, off we went. Climbed up to the hills, roads painted with the pro-cyclist names for Tour of Lombardy on the following weekend- a bit of extra fun. Then into the Spina Verde park. As well as a great ride- and deliberately being out of my comfort zone in parts- Max was excellent in terms of advice on MTB technique .He knows these trails very well- just like the old guys we came across collecting chestnuts, which carpeted the trail floors.Many of the trails are old smugglers routes through the mountains- and he also gave me a tour through the World War 1 trenches and tunnels along the border. Fascinating stuff.Then an exhilarating ride downhill back into Como to finish. A great day out, certainly a highlight of my trip.

This was an unforgettable adventure! Before leaving for our trip, Max carefully checked my rented bike to ensure the bike was in proper working order: tire pressure and seat height were carefully reviewed and adjusted. Then we started off on our tour. Max first had me ride ahead and assessed my riding ability. Afterward, he moved ahead and set an appropriate pace for us to follow up the hill. He was patient and accommodating and allowed me to take frequent breaks as we made our way up the hill, which was 400 meters high. When we arrived at the top, we stopped for a panoramic view of Lake Como and the city of Como from a lookout point in Spina Verde National Park. For the next hour, we continued along forest trails that weaved their way through the National Park. Near the border with Switzerland, we stopped to explore Italian trenches dug during World War I, which was for me a pleasant surprise. Afterwards, we crossed the border into Switzerland and continued along challenging and enjoyable trails through the Swiss portion of the park. These trails do require some ability with a mountain bike and are not for novice riders. To my great surprise and enjoyment, we then came out into a clearing where we had a panoramic view of Swiss wine fields with the Alps in the distance. A truly spectacular sight! As a wine connoisseur, Max explained the different variations of grapes being grown and taught me the role American grapes play in the growth process of many different fine European wines. We then finished the tour by winding downhill through Southwestern Switzerland and Northern Italy back to our starting point, allowing us an opportunity to take in the panoramic views from the seat of our bikes. This tour exceeded my expectations and I would highly recommend this experience for anyone who wants to challenge themselves physically while enjoying the gorgeous views. Max is a superb and knowledgeable guide.