Departure: North Cape (Norway)

Arrival: Reggio Calabria (Italy)

Countries travelled through: Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria and Italy.

Nature parks travelled through: 22

Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park, Puez-Odle Nature Park, Sciliar-Catinaccio Nature Park, Monte Corno Nature Park, Adamello Brenta Nature Park, Monte Baldo Local Nature Park, Mincio Regional Park, Po Delta Regional Park, Casentinesi Forests, Monte Falterona and Campigna National Park, Maremma Nature Park, Monti Lucretili Regional Nature Park, Circeo National Park, Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, Monti Aurunci Regional Park, Roccamonfina-Foce Garigliano Regional Park, Monti Picentini Regional Park, Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, Lucanian Apennines Val d’Agri-Lagonegrese National Park, Pollino National Park, Sila National Park, Serre Regional Nature Park, Aspromonte-Geopark National Park.

Main cities visited: Tornio (Finland); Haparanda, Malmö (Sweden); Copenhagen (Denmark); Rostock, Berlin, Dresden (Germany); Prague (Czech Republic); Linz, Salzburg and Lienz (Austria); Bolzano, Mantua, Ferrara, Florence, Rome, Naples, Reggio Calabria (Italy).

Simona Pergola | Bike Travel Specialist and cycle tour guide, she designs bespoke trips in central and southern Italy, supporting travellers and operators in creating sustainable, authentic cycle tourism experiences that support local economies. She is actively involved in the Via Silente project, developing travel packages, promotional activities and liaising with accommodation providers and local operators. With over twenty years’ experience in the tourism sector, she specialises in cycle tourism, itinerary planning and the promotion of local areas through slow travel.

Between 2014 and 2020, she cycled across three continents and 35 countries as part of the BeCycling.net project, producing photographic reports and editorial content dedicated to local cultures, landscapes and communities.

From 2020 to 2022, she cycled across Italy along cycle routes and independent itineraries, helping to promote inland areas and lesser-known routes. Since 2024, she has also been working as a freelance editor with Komoot.

Simona Ridolfi | Born in Vallo della Lucania, she remains deeply attached to her roots and lives in the heart of Cilento. She teaches Chemistry and Biology at a school specialising in languages and classical studies, but outside school her true passion is slow travel. A cycle traveller for many years, she has explored Europe and various parts of the world, developing her own unique way of experiencing travel on two wheels. This passion gave rise to the Via Silente, a circular route that crosses the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. More than just an itinerary, it is a project designed to raise awareness of and protect the area, promoting nature conservation and sustainable tourism. From the very beginning, she has led and co-ordinated the association behind the project, with the aim of forging a genuine connection between travellers and the Cilento region.

Francesco Vigliotti, reporter | An Italian freelance naturalist, photojournalist and documentary filmmaker deeply committed to climate and social issues. He has documented the impact of climate change in Madagascar and has collaborated with leading national and international organisations, including the Pollino National Park, the Sila National Park, the Lucanian Apennines Val d’Agri Lagonegrese National Park, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Legambiente, the Ciclovia dei Parchi della Calabria, Ediciclo Editore and the International Italo-Latin American Organisation. He is co-author of the travelling exhibition and the photographic catalogue produced to mark the 30th anniversary of the Pollino National Park in 2023. His photographs have been published in cycle tourism guides, such as La Ciclovia dei Parchi della Calabria (2023), Anello dei Parchi lucani in bicicletta and Ring cycle route of Lucanian Parks (Ediciclo, 2024 and 2025), as well as in publications including National Geographic, Natural Style, Dove, Corriere dello Sport and BC Magazine.

Palmarosa Fuccella, project manager & creative director | A communications designer and copywriter, she has developed place branding, marketing and tourism development projects for numerous Italian public bodies. A lecturer at the University of Basilicata, she has numerous publications to her name. Outdoor destination specialist, she edited the book Itinerari nei paesaggi d’autore for APT Basilicata and authored the Communication Plan for the Ciclovia dei Parchi della Calabria, along with its official guide (2023); she is particularly responsible for the web platform and regional marketing initiatives for this project. He conceived the cycle tourism route through the Lucanian Parks, publishing the guides L’Anello dei Parchi lucani in bicicletta and Ring cycle route of Lucanian Parks (Ediciclo, 2024 and 2025). She designed the Ciclovia Meridiana (2nd prize – Oscar Cicloturismo 2025) and the Cammino dei Cinti for the Lucanian Apennines National Park, and conceived “Bike link Sud”, an integrated promotional platform for cycle routes in southern Italy. www.palmarosa.it

Maria Livia Di Leo, social media | Content creator, has gained solid experience over the years in the development and management of web and social media content, as well as in team coordination. She has collaborated with cooperatives and institutional organisations, handling the drafting and publication of original content for websites and social media channels, whilst overseeing copywriting, SEO optimisation and editorial management. Among her most significant experiences is the coordination of digital communications for the Ciclovia dei Parchi della Calabria (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube). She has also contributed to the drafting and implementation of web content for parconazionalepollino.it and appenninolucanoexperience.it, handling copywriting, information architecture and SEOoptimisation. She authored the texts for Arpa Basilicata’s toolkit ‘Io sono un filo d’erba’ (STES, 2025).

Slow Italy S.r.l., organisation | A Basilicata-based company led by Michele Cappiello, it is a leader in promoting slow and eco-friendly tourism and in showcasing the inland areas of Southern Italy. As a tour operator specialising in active holidays, its philosophy is to guide travellers in discovering some of the most beautiful places in Southern Italy through itineraries that bring them into contact with nature, culture and tradition.

It guarantees expertise and professionalism, the result of over 20 years’ experience in outdoor activities. It offers a wide range of options: cultural tours, walking and cycling excursions, a bike hire service — through the Ferula Bike Shop, which has over 250 bikes of all types — food and wine tours, cookery courses and tours to discover one’s roots.

Project partners:

Lucanian Apennines National Park – Val d’Agri Lagonegrese

Via A. Manzoni 1, 85052 Marsico Nuovo (PZ)

Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park

Palazzo Mainenti, Via F. Palumbo 18, 84078 Vallo della Lucania (SA)

Pollino National Park

Monumental Complex of Santa Maria della Consolazione, 85048 Rotonda (PZ)

Aspromonte National Park – Geopark

Via Aurora No. 1, Gambarie, 89057 Santo Stefano in Aspromonte (RC)

Media partner:

Bikeitalia

Organisation and services

Slow Italy S.r.l. | Vico III Cappelluti, 19 - 75100 Matera

Project manager and creative director

Palmarosa Fuccella

Project creator

Palmarosa Fuccella, Simona Pergola, Simona Ridolfi

Content creator, copywriting, print

Maria Livia Di Leo, Palmarosa Fuccella

Reporting and multimedia production

Francesco Vigliotti

Organisational management

Michele Cappiello