Rome to Bari

The leg at a glance

• Pre-start rooftop drinks and dinner at the Mama Shelter in Rome
• Start by the Vatican before meandering across Rome past the Roman Forum and Colosseum
• Cycling along the Appian Way to the outskirts of Rome
• Undulating countryside to the coast before dinner in a local restaurant in Gaeta
• The wild and peaceful countryside of central and eastern Italy
• Quiet roads with outstanding views for the vast majority of the trip
• Night in the hilltop town of Potenza before descending into Puglia
• Celebration dinner in a square in Bari
• Inspiring conversations with like minded founders
• Endless camaraderie, eating, drinking and fun
• Return home with a smile on your face: exhausted, energised and inspired

The film

This film is from the Founders' Milan to Rome leg — a taste of what a Ride25 leg feels like on the road.

4:32Founders · Leg 4Milan to RomeWatch the film

Day by day

1. 01

   Thursday 1st October — Rome to Gaeta

   167 km · 1,926 m up · 1,941 m down

   An amazing day with the most varied scenery and cycling imaginable. After leaving Mama Shelter we have the official start at the Vatican, then cycle along the Tiber briefly before heading past the Roman Forum and Colosseum onto the Appian Way — the very first Roman road — and past the Catacombs. Small sections in the first km still have the original large cobbles and you will need to get off your bike to pass. We then climb through the Castelli Romani Park and the hilltop town of Marino, travel through quiet farmland and vineyards, climb to 650 m and drop to the coast. The last section is the coast road to Gaeta with a few short tunnels — lights essential. The hotel is close to a good beach and has a pool, and dinner is in a local restaurant.

   Overnight: Hotel Mirasole International, Gaeta

   Day 1 Strava Route →Day 1 digital “cloth” map →
2. 02

   Friday 2nd October — Gaeta to Avellino

   164 km · 1,497 m up · 1,152 m down

   We leave Gaeta and follow the coastline for the first 30 km before heading east, avoiding the congestion around greater Naples. Another day of outstanding views through the Taburno Camposauro National Park in the morning. Lunch is on a hillside at a family run agriturismo. The afternoon is a long steady climb with an ice cream stop in Montesarchio, finishing the climbing in the Partenio regional park before the descent into Avellino.

   Overnight: Viva! Hotel, Avellino

   Day 2 Strava Route →Day 2 digital “cloth” map →
3. 03

   Saturday 3rd October — Avellino to Potenza

   153 km · 3,069 m up · 2,599 m down

   A day to remember and probably the best cycling of all five legs so far. Incredibly quiet roads all day with truly outstanding rural views. This is the biggest day of climbing of all the trips so far, and also the most stunning and peaceful. Lunch is at a locally owned restaurant in the hills — in fact the only restaurant for miles. The afternoon continues with more empty roads until we reach Potenza.

   Overnight: Grande Albergo, Potenza

   Day 3 Strava Route →Day 3 digital “cloth” map →
4. 04

   Sunday 4th October — Potenza to Bari

   170 km · 1,704 m up · 2,519 m down

   More beautiful, quiet, undulating roads as we head east towards the coast through sparsely populated country with far reaching views. Lunch is at another agriturismo in the hills. A relatively gentle afternoon finishes along the coastline into Bari for a celebration dinner in a square in the old town by the harbour.

   Overnight: Mövenpick Hotel, Bari

   Day 4 Strava Route →Day 4 digital “cloth” map →

The maps

Where we stay

• 

  Mama Shelter Hotel, Rome — 4*, close to the Vatican with rooftop bar, pool and spa

  Pre-start

  Hotel website
• 

  Hotel Mirasole International, Gaeta — 4*, near the beach with outdoor pool and spa

  Night 1

  Hotel website
• 

  Viva! Hotel, Avellino — 4*, plus overflow at Hotel de la Ville

  Night 2

  Hotel website
• 

  Grande Albergo, Potenza — 4*, split with the 2* Hotel Tourist

  Night 3

  Hotel website
• 

  Mövenpick Hotel Bari — 4*

  Night 4

  Hotel website

The cost

• £2,700 per person for a twin room, or £3,300 for a single room (limited availability).
• As with all Ride25 trips this is not-for-profit: the price covers the direct costs of running the trip, and anything above that is donated to charity.
• £300 deposit due on booking, with the balance (£2,400 or £3,000) due in May 2026.
• Any payments made are donated to 1moreChild if you cancel for any reason.
• We aim to raise a minimum of £1,200 per person for 1moreChild and a minimum of £120,000 on this leg. Most riders invoice the trip through their company, but we are not giving tax advice.

Bikes: All tarmac with very short sections of compacted gravel. Road or gravel bikes recommended; no time trial bikes.

Practicalities

More questions? Read our FAQs for more answers.

What is it like?

The challenge is to find interesting, quiet cycling on good tarmac with great scenery and good quality hotels. There is always an element of compromise, but the route is almost all very enjoyable with only small compromises across the trip.

Versus Leg 4

As in previous years this is a challenge you will need to train for to maximise your enjoyment. We cover 163 km per full day, the same as Leg 4, and average 2,049 m of climbing per day versus 2,166 m on the three hilly days of Leg 4. Day 3 is where to focus your training. The peak elevation is 1,083 m towards the end of day three.

Traffic and scenery

The route is generally quiet, well surfaced roads with some busier sections, particularly on the first morning. The scenery is a stunning mix of countryside, hills and historic towns and villages.

Road surfaces

All tarmac with very short sections of compacted gravel. We recommend road or gravel bikes. Legs have been completed on hybrids, Bromptons and even a tandem. No time trial bikes allowed.

Pit stops and food

An organised lunch stop plus mid-morning and mid-afternoon stops, at the best places we can find on the route for coffee, cake and ice cream. The mechanics set up a service stop at each one.

Your safety

You are not forced to ride with a set group — we want riders to cycle with lots of different people every day. We do recommend you always cycle in groups rather than alone, and please wear a helmet.

Baggage

Your overnight bags and bike boxes are transported every day, so there is no need to carry much. Because of the size of the group there is no access to a day bag during the day, so carry anything you need — other than extra food and water, which is supplied at every stop.

How will I navigate?

The route is not signposted, so download each day's route and use a GPS bike computer (a Garmin or similar that syncs with Strava or takes GPX files) or an app such as Strava or RideWithGPS on your phone with a mount and a battery pack. If using a Garmin, follow the route as a “Course”, turn autocorrect off for each course and do not “navigate to start” when prompted. Ride25 provides a cloth map as a backup.

Do I need to train?

Yes. 654 km of cycling is a significant challenge for anyone, but it is achievable.

Support

You can call the support team for a lift at any point. There are 6 vehicles with first aid, plus a sweeper system to pick up anyone too far behind to finish before sunset. Bike mechanics travel with the trip to keep you rolling, though they are not there to change tubes when you puncture — please have your bike serviced beforehand. The trip is in no way a race. Breakfast is at 07.00 each day so you can leave early, and everyone is in a WhatsApp group for the ride.

Flights and bike boxes

You arrange your own travel to Rome and home from Bari with your bike. Add sports equipment to your flight booking (usually around £50) and check in as normal. Bike boxes can be bought, borrowed or rented. Be in Rome by Wednesday 30th September and leave Bari on or after 5th October. Aim to be ready for dinner with your bike built by 19.00 the night before we start; the briefing is over dinner.

Where do I stay in Rome?

The package includes all hotels and meals, including Rome the night before we start and Bari the night we arrive. There is a group dinner at the Mama Shelter at 19.00 the night before we ride, and we start from the hotel at 07.30 on 1st October. You can register and build your bikes the night before, and built bikes are stored in a meeting room.

What else do I need to do beforehand?

• Bike service — book one before you travel. You may need to book a few weeks in advance, but it will seriously reduce the chance of issues on the ride.
• Bike fit — if you haven't already, it is worth getting your bike fitted properly by a professional. It will help prevent injury.
• Wheels — make sure you have sturdy wheels and hard-wearing tyres.
• Pack inner tubes and even a spare tyre that fits your bike.
• Book an airport transfer to Rome.
• eSIM — only if your roaming doesn't cover Italy.
• Apply for your free UK GHIC card.
• Buy and pack an Apple AirTag or Android tracker for your bike box — very useful if there are issues with bike boxes.

What else do I need to bring?

• High-quality front and rear bike lights — there are tunnels on day 1.
• Hydration tablets such as Precision Fuel & Hydration — critical for multi-day long distances, particularly if it is hot.
• Two large water bottles for hydration drinks and water.
• Helmet.
• High-quality cycle shorts.
• A large saddle bag with two spare inner tubes, a puncture repair kit and tyre levers.
• A pump or gas canisters (an e-cycle pump is better for travel).
• Sun cream.
• A phone mount if navigating by phone, in case you lose your GPS at the airport.
• A portable battery charger and your GPS device.

What happens after Leg 5?

Founders Leg 6 is Bari to Thessaloniki, 15th to 19th September 2027: a 5 day ride from Bari to Brindisi, a ferry to Albania, along the Albanian coast and then on to Thessaloniki in Greece.

Riding, raising and inviting

Can I invite others?

The power of the ride is the quality of the group, so we would love you to bring like minded founders. Please think about who in your network would make a great addition, particularly if they sponsor.

Sponsorship

We have a number of packages and are open to offers. Sponsors stay in the best hotel where there is more than one and can bring guests who fit the profile. Riders pay for shirts and banners so all sponsorship money goes directly to charity. Contact Rob Hamilton at rh@ride25.com for more information.

Individual fundraising

Create your own sponsorship page using Givestar, or use the 2026 group page to raise money from your contacts. You can also donate directly to 1moreChild, including from overseas through the 1moreChild website.

What are we raising money for?

If you are new to Ride25, you are expected to donate, find a sponsor or fundraise. As in previous years all participants pay their own costs and all money raised goes straight to 1moreChild in the first instance. Once 1moreChild has hit its annual requirement the balance goes to Lyra in Africa. Sponsor a rider. See our fundraising and charities page.