option 1: San Antonio- Orino or Brinzio;
option 2: San Michele - Caldè or San Michele - Arcumeggia:
From Motovarese KTM bike and KTM motorbike shop and rental (free pick up at Malpensa Airport) in Varese, take the direction to Laveno or pass by the north side of the lake, to Cittiglio. Then at the traffic lights, turn right, at the beginning of the climb to Vararo. The road has many bends and it’s quite narrow, so do be careful to cyclists and cars.
In Vararo you can stop at the "Capanna Gigliola " (following the signals) and eat the nice sliced meat there (called “tagliata”) or enjoy the lovely view. From there you can begin the ascent to the Cuvignone Pass, where the road becomes narrower and your driving needs to be more “aggressive”. Two curves before the Pass, you can turn right, on a unpaved trail to DX to see people launching with the hand-glider.
Be careful on the descent: the road is dirty and wet, but you can enjoy a beautiful landscape in the bits clear of trees. Then you meet a T-junction, from where you can take the OPTIONS 1 or 2: right to San Antonio and San Michele, left to Caldè.
We recommend the first option (turning right):
option 1 (if you’re tired): take the direction of San Antonio: there are good bends going down and a lovely view of the valley. When you meet the crossroad with the Cittiglio-Luino road (Map reference SS 394), if you want to go home you can turn right (towards Cittiglio); but we recommend turning left (towards Luino) and going uphill to Orino or to Brinzio.
If you choose Orino: there is beautiful valley where you can have a nice tour (passing through the villages of Orino / Cabiaglio / Brinzio / Varese) driving fast.
If you choose Brinzio: you go uphill on a road with many bends; Brinzio is famous for attracting bikers who are "speed junkies", so if you go there you may end up in a little race, but be careful to cyclists on Sunday mornings.
Option 2 (if you feel like going on): after 500m turn left towards San Michele: this is a narrow and winding road, which is a pleasure to ride.
San Michele is a very nice village, and it deserves a stop (you’ll have a big smile after such a fast climb!).
From San Michele, you can go to Arcumeggia, a pretty village known for its frescoes on the walls of the houses, made by famous modern Italian painters; you can eat delicious food at the "Tavern of the Artists."
From Arcumeggia descend on the Cittiglio-Vararo road: if you turn right you can go home from the Lake, if you go left you can return from Orino or Brinzio through the valley.
From San Michele, after the village, turn left towards Muceno trough an unpaved but easy road, suitable for enduro- tyres or road –tyres-with treads (but only if it’s dry). There is a lovely view of the lake, a picnic is recommended. The descent on Caldè is also unpaved, perfect to skid on its curves.
When you reach the “Lake Road”(map ref. SS 1), you can turn right to Luino or left to Laveno: We recommend turning left (towards Laveno) if you want to go back home, but not before stopping in the main square of the little village of Caldè, where you can have an icecream or a quick lunch.
Simply amazing is the Eremo of “Santa Caterina del Sasso” (a Monastery with its Church literally perched on a steep rock facing the water of Lake Maggiore; you walk to it from the car-park). There are also some curious early 20th century Furnaces, which are worth a visit. There are some little beaches where you can swim in the Lake and relax.
In the city centre of Laveno you can stop in front of the "bar Milan" and “show –off” your K-bike and meet other bikers. Afterwards you can go home following the direction to Cittiglio.
If you’ve decided to go towards Luino (turning right when you reach the “Lake Road“- map. Ref.SS 1; see above), you can pick one of the other routes on this website (but it’s time to go home if you have a race motard bike, not recommended for longer journeys)