Ride south out of Bologna and within ten minutes the city's suburbs give way to something surprising: a range of low hills made of gypsum, a soft, crystalline rock that dissolves in water and forms caves, sinkholes and strange, shiny outcrops. These are the Gessi Bolognesi, a protected regional park between the Savena and Idice valleys, and in 2023 they became part of the UNESCO site for the evaporitic karst and caves of the northern Apennines.
The gypsum glitters in the sun, especially the large mirror-like crystals called selenite, and the hills are riddled with caves. The most famous, the Grotta della Spipola, can be visited on guided tours, and the Buco dei Vinchi and other sinkholes dot the landscape. Prehistoric people used the caves, and the gypsum itself was quarried for centuries; the stone was used in Bologna's buildings. The park also includes the calanchi, badlands of eroded clay, around the Abbadessa area, which look almost lunar in the late afternoon light.
The riding starts immediately. The roads up the Savena valley toward Pianoro and Loiano, and the climbs along the ridges toward Monte Calderaro and San Lazzaro, are full of bends and give views back over the plain toward Bologna. The famous SS65 Futa road, the old route from Bologna to Florence over the Apennines, begins its climb here, and is a classic for motorcyclists, with a long sequence of curves up to the Futa pass. On weekends it is very popular, with bikes everywhere and the occasional police check.
Pianoro, Rastignano and San Lazzaro all have fuel and bars, and Bologna is minutes away. The city's food culture is legendary: tagliatelle with ragù, tortellini in broth, mortadella, and the wines of the Colli Bolognesi, such as Pignoletto. If you are passing through, Bologna's porticoes and towers, especially the leaning pair, deserve an evening walk. Spring and autumn are perfect for riding; summer on the plain is hot and humid, while the hills are a little cooler.