Some days you don’t plan anything extraordinary. You go out, start the bike, and let the road decide what the day is worth. March 15 was one of those days. The sky wasn’t promising much — low grey clouds, wind on the Lombard shore of Maggiore, choppy water as if the lake had something to say. I started the Royal Enfield and left.
Eighty-eight kilometres. Less than two hours in the saddle. And yet, when I got back, my head was as full as it gets after a three-day trip.
You don’t always have to go far.
The Route
Bodio Lomnago → Ispra → Laveno → Caldè → Porto Valtravaglia → Luino → Valcuvia → Cuvio → Orino → Lake Varese → Bodio Lomnago
A loop that embraces the Lombard side of Maggiore, follows the shore north to Luino, then turns inland through the Valcuvia — a valley many riders skip, and which is worth the whole trip on its own.
Stop 1 — Ispra and the Lower Shore
From Bodio Lomnago you drop toward the lake through Ispra. The coastal road starts talking to the water immediately — sometimes you hear it before you see it, in the way the wind changes when you pass the reeds. In March, traffic is almost non-existent. The shore is still in its winter state: ferries docked, bars with chairs stacked, the odd fisherman. There’s something honest about these shores out of season — they’re there for themselves, not for show.
Stop 2 — Laveno, the Ferry I Didn’t Take
Laveno is where the shore comes alive. There’s the ferry crossing to Intra on the Piedmont side. That morning I watched it leave without boarding. I saved it for another time — that feeling of having something unfinished on the map is one of the things that brings me back.
From Laveno northward the road narrows and starts to climb gently. The lake appears and disappears between stone walls and gardens perched over the water.
Stop 3 — Caldè: Cobblestones and Silence
Caldè is the moment I stopped. Not because I had to — because I wanted to.
It’s a small village on the shore, with a little square by the lake paved in uneven cobblestones. The Royal Enfield parked there, the lake in front, the mountains on the far shore wrapped in cloud — it was one of those scenes you don’t want to disturb with too much movement. I stood there for a few minutes, helmet in hand, just looking.
Caldè isn’t in any guidebook. It’s one of those places that only exist for those who pass through slowly.
Stop 4 — Porto Valtravaglia and Luino
From Caldè to Porto Valtravaglia the road keeps narrowing and widening in unpredictable ways — one of my favourite riding rhythms, the kind where you can never stop watching. Porto Valtravaglia has a small harbour that looked suspended that day: grey water, flat reflections, a few moored boats and nobody around.
Luino is the northernmost point of the route. Bigger, busier — but useful for a stop, a coffee, and for reconnecting with the pace of the world before abandoning it again by turning inland.
Stop 5 — The Valcuvia: the Other Side of the Ride
The Valcuvia is the section that separates this route from a simple “lake ride.” From Luino you climb toward Cuvio and Orino through a narrow valley, dense with woodland and the odd abandoned farmhouse. The altitude rises to 418 metres — nothing demanding, but enough to feel the air change and the landscape transform.
This is where the bike stops being a means of transport and becomes a conversation between you and the road. Long curves, clean tarmac, very little traffic. I slowed down further. There was no reason to do otherwise.
From Orino you descend toward Lake Varese, and from there close the loop back to Bodio Lomnago.
Practical Information
| Total distance | 88 km (55 miles) |
| Riding time | 1h 50min (stops not included) |
| Min / max altitude | 213m / 418m (700ft / 1,371ft) |
| Difficulty | Easy — suitable for any bike |
| Best season | Year-round (shores stay snow-free) |
| Fuel | Petrol stations in Laveno and Luino |
| Recommended stop | Caldè — lakeside square |
Download the GPX track:
⬇ Download the GPX track — Lago Maggiore, March 15th 2026
A Final Note
This is not a route to rush. There’s nothing to reach, no record to break, no summit to tick off a list. It’s a ride that earns its worth in the middle — the grey March water, the cobblestones of Caldè, the quiet Valcuvia, Lake Varese on the way home.
Eighty-eight kilometres. Less than two hours.
Sometimes that’s exactly the right measure.
Have you ridden this route? Do you have a favourite spot on the shores of Maggiore that nobody talks about? Write to me in the comments — I love discovering places that aren’t in any guidebook.