On a mountain bike holiday in Livigno with Martina & Flo
Fun, Flow, Family: with influencers ma_tina & flowdistl at the Paradise Lodge
With children and bikes in Livigno
Whenever former racer, passionate mountain bike influencer and photographer Martina Wunderle is out and about with her cycling partner Flo Distl, we’re sure to receive a post in the postbox. No sooner have the suitcases been unpacked and the bikes stowed away than these two likeable MTB influencers share their top first-hand tips with us. This time, their journey took them right to the north of Italy, right on the border with Switzerland: to Livigno in the Lombardy region. And right into the heart of the Italian Alps, as the village is situated at an altitude of around 1,800 meters. Here, you can enjoy an alpine mountain biking holiday in one of the highest permanently inhabited valleys in Europe.
But let’s hear from Martina herself as she tells us about her family cycling holiday in Italy …
Martina Wunderle’s tips for Livigno
Hi you two, and welcome back from Livigno! What surprised you most about the region? What did you particularly enjoy?
Livigno really delivered! The region is incredibly varied – from super-flowing lines to technical natural trails, you can find absolutely everything here. The scenery is an absolute dream!
This time you were out and about with your children. What makes Livigno so special for families on bikes? What were your highlights?
It’s all about the mix! The Carosello Bike Park, with its flow lines, is perfect for families and beginners, whilst the Mottolino Bike Park is great fun for those who prefer longer travel bikes, with its variety of lines. Our kids had a blast on the Jumpline – and we really got to let rip on the Enduroline 😎.
And of course, the Hotel Paradise Lodge! An amazing wellness oasis, a top-notch bike garage and the food is a dream – simply perfect after a long day on the bike!
Even though it’s hard to choose given the wide variety on offer, we’d still love to know: what were your top 3 cycling highlights in Livigno? Are you more of a Mottolino Bike Park sort of person, or a Carosello 3000 sort of person?
Definitely the Mottolino Bike Park! It’s simply the perfect choice for a cycling holiday with kids. My favourite ride was the cross-border MTB tour into Switzerland: Poschiavo, Costa, Alpe Mine, Val Mora. A dream!
Paradise Lodge Review
You were staying at the newly built Paradise Lodge, which offers a full range of services for mountain bikers – after all, the owner, Riccardo Canepari, is himself a passionate cyclist and head of the Livigno Mountain Bike School, whilst his wife Arianna used to be a cyclist on the national MTB team. So you were in good hands with these MTB experts. What did you particularly like about the new bike chalet in the mountains?
The food was top-notch, the wellness area was first-class, and the bike garage was absolutely perfect with everything your heart could desire – simply a superb bike hotel for an MTB holiday with children. The location alone – right next to the lifts to Carosello 3000, a stone’s throw from the Mottolino Bike Park and just under 10 minutes from the town centre – is brilliant.
To round things off, here’s a quick ‘Livigno bike rap’:
What’s an absolute must-try here? Pizza – you’re in Italy, after all!
Which ride is an absolute must? Poschiavo What were your bike & family highlights? Mottolino Bike Park – the kids love the jump lines, we love the nature trails!
Which three words would you use to describe the biking region?
Fun, flow, family!
Thank you so much, Martina & Flo – we’re already looking forward to our next mountain bike trip with you!
