For all things bikes

The beauty of some ancient cities is that their streets are just too narrow to accommodate too many vehicles, which in turn means that everybody cycles.

Ferrara is one of those cities, in the region of Emilia-Romagna of northern Italy. Preserving its original cobble streets and lanes from its Roman-Byzantine heritage, vehicles are not the residents' preferred choice of transport, nor the tourists' one for that matter. Since most parts of the historical centre are fully closed to motorists, touring around the centre is done by either foot or bicycle. A lot of families can be seen cycling together joyfully in Ferrara's heart, visiting each landmark ride after ride.

Indeed, cycling around the historical centre, of which Renaissance monuments culminate, is a genuine delight - and a safe one. Ferrara is known to be one of the most, if not the most, bicycle-oriented city of Italy. With bicycle-friendly flat streets and just a few main busy arteries, it is a real haven for cyclists and without a doubt the fastest way to move around. Feeling safe is not an issue; the culture of cycling is such that motorists' respect towards it is very strong. Trucks, for example, hone at cyclists to warn them they will be soon passing past them and cars always let cyclists pass before them in narrow roads, instead of racing them.

Spending some time in Ferrara is a bit like living back in time: everyone uses a medium which existed long before cars as the only and fastest means of transport, one that was also considered very classy to ride, and with it residents travel in between old buildings of great historical value. In fact, Ferrara was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its monuments' cultural significance.

The predominance of cyclists in Ferrara creates a really friendly atmosphere for the city; families, couples and single individuals enjoy Ferrara's picturesque sites while enjoying their cycling adventures. Worth noting is that the countryside around the city is equally bicycle-friendly. So if you are looking for a healthy holiday enveloped in beauty and history; Ferrara is really a great place to spend your next...

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