“We experienced this project, step by step, and it was interesting to see up close all the work involved and above all the enthusiasm conveyed. I thank the organizers, the Environment Department, and the Parks for the synergy created. I would like to emphasize how the “Bam on the road” project highlighted the most authentic and fascinating features of our region. Calabria proved to be an ideal stage for adventure cycle tourism that combines nature, culture, and traditions in a slow, sustainable, and emotion-filled travel experience. The success of this initiative shows that Calabria has everything it takes to emerge on the global cycle tourism scene, offering unique and diverse experiences, all within a territory that knows how to surprise and win over visitors. Our region confirms itself as an excellent destination, able to combine adventure, sustainability and culture, gastronomy and traditions, and to leave an indelible mark on the hearts of those who visit.” This was stated by the Regional Councillor for Tourism and Environment, Giovanni Calabrese at the conclusion of the Bam BAM! – Bicycle Adventure Meeting: Calabria Edition project.
Over 400 kilometers ridden by the international collective Enough Cycling, among the main promoters of adventure cycle tourism, together with more than 150 participants. Three parks crossed along Calabria’s lush green ridge, overlooking the Ionian Sea, celebrated and photographed in Soverato, up to the Tyrrhenian, which hosted the final stage at the port of Bagnara.
An innovative route, the result of collaboration between BAM! – Bicycle Adventure Meeting, Sognare Insieme Viaggi (technical organizer), Ciclovia dei Parchi, Regione Calabria, and numerous local bodies and associations.
BAM! On the Road Calabria Edition was a unique event of its kind, which brought new creative stimuli and international visibility to Calabria’s cycle tourism, a sector experiencing strong global growth. A special experience, not only for the unprecedented synergy between BAM! and a southern reality, but also for the ability to combine outdoor, slow, and sustainable tourism with the flavors, traditions, and uniqueness of the Calabrian landscape.
During the journey, the pedal-powered creators of the Enough collective, Alessandro Ponti, Jacopo Lahibi, Fiorenza Baratti, and Manuel Truccolo, met local communities, gathering stories and testimonies, and at each stage, they tasted the food and wine excellences of the area, also accompanied by the charm of millennia of history.
With the conclusion of this pilot edition, the focus is on the next big event: the European BAM! gathering from June 6-8, in the extraordinary setting of Villa Contarini, in the Padua area, where several thousand attendees are expected. On that occasion, Calabria will be featured with an exceptional showcase, strengthened by the recent success. And on the horizon, the second Calabrian edition is already planned for May 2026.
“There is an unexpected Calabria to see, touch, feel, and tell about. And to return to, spreading the message of an exceptional region, capable of providing unique and very different experiences, yet all held together by a sense of hospitality that has no rivals. We will take with us indelible images, which are already arousing great interest in our community,” highlights Jacopo Lahibi of Enough Cycling.
“This pilot edition comes to an end, which we faced with a spirit of adventure, just like the type of offer these itineraries outline. Thanks to the full support of bodies, institutions, project partners, associations, and local communities, we have seen that by acting concretely, results come, while at the same time being able to test the target audience live, understanding their needs and expectations, to be able to replicate the experience even more effectively, enriching the offer,” comments Angela Donato, owner of Sognare Insieme Viaggi.
The tour represents a successful example of synergy between local bodies and stakeholders. BAM! On the road Calabria Edition is in fact promoted by Sognare Insieme Viaggi and is developed together with BAM! and Enough Cycling, with the technical support of the Ciclovia dei Parchi della Calabria and Regione Calabria – Department of Tourism and Environment and Department of Agriculture, and Calabria Straordinaria, and the patronage of the Pollino National Park, the Sila National Park, the Serre Regional Nature Park, the Aspromonte National Park, the Marine Parks of Calabria, Arsac and GAL Sila. The event is part of the “Le Montagne del Sole” project, funded by the Ministry of Tourism under the Mountain Call, with GAL Serre Calabresi as lead partner and partners Sognare Insieme, Trekking Stilaro Experience, Guide delle Serre, SharryLand, Riviera e Borghi degli Angeli and the Italian Sommelier Association.