Italian Oscar of cycling tourism, Tuscany wins

CESENA - On the occasion of World Bicycle Day, which is celebrated on June 3rd, Cesena is awarded the Italian Oscar of cycle tourism. The award, now in its eighth edition, is given to the 'green ways' of the Italian regions that have distinguished themselves for their attention to slow tourism. The aim of the award ceremony is to stimulate administrations to enhance their routes and promote investments in cycling tourism. For the territories and, in particular, the small villages, cycling is in fact a tourism with high added value and sustainable impact and green roads offer the opportunity to visit a region helping to support the local heritage. The awards are given to cycle routes that demonstrate excellence criteria and the highest score according to the various parameters under consideration, including design, construction, promotion, equipment, signage, green services and more.
On the first step of the podium Tuscany with the Puccini Cycle and pedestrian, the first cycle path set to music: between Lucca and Versilia a signage allows you to access, via QR code, a musical accompaniment during the ride and to listen to the symphonies of the composer, whose centenary of death will be celebrated in 2024. It extends for 58 km from Lucca to Torre del Lago, a flat route suitable for everyone, equipped with bike rental services, assistance and charging points for e-bikes, fountains, refreshment points, guides. The second place went to the Sicily region with Sicily Divide, a 457 km cycle route from Trapani to Catania to be covered on secondary and rural roads but also former railways, dirt roads on the banks of rivers and canals. Third place to Veneto with the Treviso-Ostiglia, green cycle route obtained from the recovery of a former railway of the Thirties: 70 km of easy travel along a wooded strip that crosses fields, country villages, naturalistic oases, waterways and Venetian villas, in the provinces of Treviso, Padua and Vicenza, from Sile to Po.
The press and communication prize was also awarded to Emilia-Romagna for the Food Valley Cycle Route and a special mention by Legambiente to the Abruzzo region for the Abruzzo Way. For the first time, a foreign destination is also awarded: the Italian Green Road Award 2023 goes to the island of Gran Canaria, Spain.
The ceremony of proclamation of the Oscar cycle routes for 2023 is scheduled this evening in Cesena, winner last year of the Oscar with the Grand Tour of the Valle del Savio and capital of Cycling Tourism for 2023. The city of Romagna has confirmed the award ceremony to give a sign of restart and an example of sustainable tourism and respectful of the territory. (ANSA).