I’m firmly of the opinion that Italy is one of the best countries in the world. They’ve got it all – the food, the wine, the women, the landscapes, the climate… and the places to ride bikes in. Places like Finale Ligure and Punta Ala are firmly cemented in people’s minds, but Livigno, the ski/ bike resort in the Northern Italian Alps, is firmly on its way up in the world. Have a look at what’s going on in Livigno below

Livigno (ITA), July 23rd 2013 – A visit to Italy’s top bike resort won’t make a second Danny MacAskill out of you. But it will show you how diverse and beautiful biking can be. Livigno is the ideal holiday location for everyone who loves spending time on two wheels. The quaint village in the Alta Valtellina region offers the perfect infrastructure for all kinds of biking, convenient and high quality accommodation, as well as family- and child-friendly activities. All of these services put together, will make your bike holiday an unforgettable experience.

Do you want to go biking? Livigno also wants you to jump on the saddle. Are you a recreational rider, beginner, advanced shredder, freerider, downhiller, e-biker, bikepark-lover, road biker, marathon-enthusiast or cross country fan? Whatever, you might be, Livigno is the right spot for you. The resort situated at 1816 meters a.s.l. right behind the Swiss-Italian border, has everything you need for a diversified and fulfilling bike holiday: countless touring options for beginners, advanced riders and pros, a top-maintained bikepark, 22 bike hotels and apartments, sport shops, bike rentals, bike schools, touring guides and of course thousands of kilometres of flowy trails in and around Livigno.

For many professional athletes Livigno is their first choice when it comes to season preparations: not only Marco Fontana and the Italian cross country national team are regular visitors, also the Australian national cycling team, the German national cycling team, handbiker, Paralympics athletes, or road bikers like the Russian RusVelo Team travel to this mountain village for altitude training. Do you prefer the more extreme side of biking? Well, freeride stars like Sam Reynolds, Sam Pilgrim and Yannick Granieri have been known to visit “little Tibet’s” bikeparks in preparation for their upcoming competitions.

Waking up in this picturesque resort, you are faced with a question: go to the bike parks for a downhill session, or head out onto Livigno’s surrounding trails for a solid shred? Only you can answer this question. On the one hand, Bikepark Mottolino offers exciting trails for riders of all ages and skill levels (www.livignobike.it/en/home.jsp?idrub=44800). On the other hand a tour around the Alta Rezia region’s stunning scenery is quite tempting. Under the following link you can find some amazing tour proposals: http://www.livignobike.it/en/home.jsp?idrub=52006

Are you coming to Livigno locked and loaded with bike equipment? For the more practical guests, Livigno’s special bike hotels and apartments include everything to ensure you and your equipment is safe and ready for the following day: repair shops and garages, washing stations and even detailed GPS-data available for download are all included. Families in particular will feel comfortable in Livigno. With such a wide range of hotels and apartments, offering convenient services the whole family will get a relaxing but fun retreat. Professional child care services will give parents a chance to break away and enjoy some alone time in the idyllic village. By no means however, will your children be bored! The bike skill center is guaranteed to keep the little shredders entertained all day, for only five Euros. Alternatively they will also find action loaded activities in the Oasi Club, together with their parents or in the Mini Club, a parent free zone. The opportunities in Livigno are endless for everybody’s circumstances. And if you should desire a day off from your bike, Livigno’s wellness centres and extensive tax-free shopping-offers are right on your doorstep.

You can find all the info about family opportunities here: http://www.livigno.eu/en/summer/summer-2013 or on:

http://www.livigno.eu/en/summer/summer-2013/kids-junior-family/bike-skill-centre-from-1998-to-2009

Information about Livigno’s bike schools can be found on: http://www.livignobike.it/en/home.jsp?idrub=44811

If you prefer taking a guided tour around Livigno’s trails, then trained guides are available and know exactly how to make your day an unforgettable experience. For long distance single tours you can rely on Livigno’s shuttle bus service to comfortably get you back to Livigno (Information: http://www.livignobike.it/en/home.jsp?idrub=45476)

Interested in watching the world’s best freeriders performing their ultimate tricks? Then you should come to Livigno for the first week of September. From September 2nd – 7th the legendary freeride contest, Fiat Nine Knights, will take place for the first time in Livigno as a summer event. 12 top international riders will perform their most breath-taking tricks over the huge castle for a whole week during the most creative photo competition. The scene’s best photographers are also on site in order to catch the moment. On September 7th the actual competition will take place in the form of a best-trick jam session. Seeing this first hand is highly recommended!

You can find further information about the Nine Knights competition here: http://www.nineknights.com/

It doesn’t matter if you are a recreational rider, downhill enthusiast, freerider or endurist, you will find endless reasons to explore Livigno and its surroundings on a bike ride!

You will find further information about Livigno’s infrastructure and bike services on: http://www.livignobike.it/en/home.jsp?idrub=70039

For accommodation in Livigno’s diverse bike hotels visit: http://www.livignobike.it/en/home.jsp?idrub=47808

Stay tuned about all Livigno activities on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LivignoFeelTheAlps