Italy by Bike 2016: Rome to Assisi

Saturday, April 23, 2016 
Pre-ride day in Fiumicino 

Here we are back in Italy to participate in another bike tour!  This time, we'll be spending 10 fun-packed days riding around the Umbria region, which is northwest of Rome.  We arrived in Rome Friday afternoon and took a shuttle to our hotel in Fiumicino - the Hotel Tiber, which is right on the bank of the Tiber River.  After we got settled into our room, we took a stroll around the area.  The fishing boats pull right up to the bank of the town with their catches and sell their fish items right on the walkway.  Talk about fresh fish!  That explains why there are so many seafood restaurants in town.  This morning we took a van ride to Monefiescone to pick up our rental bikes. We determined renting bikes here in Italy would be easier and more cost effective than traveling with our own bikes.  I ended up with a very nice (and light) Time bike.  Art got a Whistle - a brand neither of us have ever heard of.  He is now known as "the Whistler."  Tomorrow, we start riding!  Rain is in the forecast, but I don't care - I brought my rain gear, and Italy is a great place to get rained on.

Hotel Tiber

Fishermen selling their catches of the day at the Tiber River

My Catch of the Day

"Welcome to Italy!" First cappuccino of the trip.