From Milan to Mugello
Join the 2027 MotoGP Italy Motorbike Tour
MCNews.com.au and Travelrite International have joined forces to present the inaugural MotoGP Italy Motorbike Tour, a 16-night escorted Italian motorcycle adventure combining memorable roads, iconic destinations, Italian motorcycle culture and a MotoGP weekend at Mugello.
Scheduled to begin in Milan on 22 May 2027, the journey takes riders from the fashion capital to Lake Garda, Bologna and the Ducati Factory and Museum before crossing the Apennines to Mugello. From there, the tour continues to the Adriatic coast, San Marino, Tavullia and the heart of Tuscany.
More than 1700 kilometres of scheduled riding is complemented by carefully selected accommodation, motorcycle hire, luggage transport, route planning, daily briefings and the support of an experienced escorted-tour operator.
Two Australian family businesses join forces
The partnership brings together two independent, Australian-based family businesses with considerable experience in their respective fields.
MCNews.com.au has been at the forefront of Australian motorcycle publishing since 1999, delivering motorcycle news, reviews, racing coverage, interviews and features to Australian riders for more than a quarter of a century.
Travelrite International has been operated by the Walliss family from Melbourne since 1984. During that time, the business has developed considerable expertise in creating and operating distinctive escorted group tours built around particular interests, events and destinations.
Travelrite now offers more than 100 tours annually, encompassing subjects as varied as music, gardening, art, food, wine, rail travel, classic cars and major sporting events.
The MotoGP Italy Motorbike Tour represents Travelrite’s first serious move into the motorcycle touring space, an initiative driven partly by the motorcycle enthusiasts within its own team.
Combining Travelrite’s experience in accommodation, transport, tour planning and group logistics with MCNews.com.au’s motorcycle knowledge and long-established connection with Australian riders made the partnership a natural fit.
Much more than a race weekend
Attending MotoGP at Mugello is already a bucket-list experience for many motorcycle enthusiasts, but this tour is designed to offer considerably more than an airport transfer, a hotel room and a race ticket.
It is a proper Italian motorcycle journey, with carefully planned riding days connecting some of the country’s most celebrated landscapes, cities, motorcycle landmarks and food-producing regions.
The tour begins with two nights in Milan, giving guests time to settle in, meet their fellow travellers and explore the city before collecting their motorcycles.
Once the bikes are collected, the opening ride leads towards the mountains via Bergamo and onward to the western shore of Lake Garda.
Two nights beside the lake provide time to enjoy its towns and ferries, head out for some additional riding or simply settle into the more relaxed Italian rhythm before the journey continues south.
Lake Garda to Ducati country
From Lake Garda, the route turns towards Mantua and into Emilia-Romagna, a region responsible for some of Italy’s greatest contributions to motorcycling, motoring and cuisine.
The group spends two nights in Bologna, with the itinerary including a visit to the Ducati Factory and Museum as well as guided sightseeing through the historic city.
For motorcyclists, the Ducati visit provides an opportunity to see how one of Italy’s most famous brands produces its motorcycles and to explore the machinery, personalities and racing achievements that have shaped its history.
Bologna also gives guests a chance to experience the food and architecture of one of Italy’s most appealing cities before the motorcycles are pointed towards the Apennines.
Across the Apennines to Mugello
The ride from Bologna to the Mugello region is relatively short in distance, but it passes through the twisting roads and mountain scenery for which this part of Italy is renowned.
Three nights are spent in the Mugello area, placing the group close to the circuit as the surrounding Tuscan hills begin filling with race fans.
Grandstand admission is included for both Saturday’s MotoGP Sprint program and Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Mugello is widely regarded as one of the most spectacular venues on the MotoGP calendar. The circuit rises and falls through the Tuscan countryside, while the sound of MotoGP machinery reverberating through the surrounding hills helps create an atmosphere unlike almost anywhere else in motorcycle racing.
The official date of the 2027 Italian MotoGP is yet to be confirmed, so the race-related elements of the itinerary remain subject to final calendar confirmation.
From Mugello to the Adriatic
Once the racing concludes, the tour leaves Mugello and heads east across the Apennines towards Cesenatico on the Adriatic coast.
A two-night stay in Cesenatico includes a day ride to the tiny Republic of San Marino, where guided sightseeing explores the medieval old town, narrow streets and elevated views across the surrounding countryside.
The next major riding day heads south towards Tavullia, the hometown of Valentino Rossi and a place that remains deeply connected to the nine-time World Champion and his enormous Italian following.
From Tavullia, the route turns inland and crosses central Italy into Tuscany, eventually reaching the hilltop town of Cortona for a two-night stay.
The roads and landscapes of Tuscany
The planned Tuscan riding loop from Cortona promises to be one of the itinerary’s standout days.
The route winds through the Val d’Orcia, passing vineyards, olive groves and medieval towns including Montepulciano and Pienza.
It continues through Bagno Vignoni and Bagni San Filippo before returning via Castiglione del Lago, combining some of Tuscany’s most recognisable scenery with the pleasure of experiencing it from a motorcycle.
The following riding day links more of the region’s celebrated destinations, including San Gimignano and Volterra, on the way to the historic spa town of Montecatini Terme.
A rest day in Montecatini gives travellers the option of enjoying the town’s thermal spa experiences, heading out for another ride through the surrounding countryside or visiting destinations such as Pisa or Lucca.
One final Italian ride
The final riding day is also the tour’s longest, covering approximately 370 kilometres from Montecatini Terme back to Milan.
The route passes through the Parma region and includes a visit to a Parmigiano Reggiano producer, complete with a factory tour, tasting and relaxed lunch.
The motorcycles are then returned in Milan before a farewell dinner brings the shared journey to a close.
After more than two weeks travelling together through Italy, it should be an appropriate opportunity to reflect on the roads, motorcycles, racing, food and experiences shared along the way.
Choose the motorcycle that suits you
Travelrite offers four motorcycle categories, allowing participants to select a machine appropriate to their experience, preferences and budget. Individual models remain subject to availability.
Category 1 motorcycles
- Moto Morini X-Cape 650 or X-Cape 700
- BMW G 310 GS
- BMW G 310 R
Category 2 motorcycles
- Ducati Scrambler 800
- Ducati Hypermotard 698
Category 3 motorcycles
- Ducati Multistrada V2
- BMW F 900 GS
- BMW F 900 XR
- Moto Guzzi V85 TT
Category 4 motorcycles
- Ducati Multistrada V4
- Ducati Streetfighter V2
- BMW R 1300 GS
The lighter Category 1 machines provide an accessible and economical option, while the middleweight adventure and sports-touring motorcycles in Category 3 should suit riders wanting additional comfort, performance and luggage-carrying ability over the longer days.
Category 4 provides the premium option for experienced riders who want the performance, technology and touring ability of machines such as the Ducati Multistrada V4 and BMW R 1300 GS.
Travellers sharing a motorcycle can nominate one another as rider and pillion, while those wanting to ride throughout the journey can book their own machine.
The support to make it enjoyable
Planning a multi-week motorcycle journey through Italy independently requires considerable work. There are motorcycles, accommodation, routes, race tickets, luggage, parking, tolls and day-to-day logistics to organise before the riding even begins.
The Travelrite package is structured to take care of many of those less glamorous elements while still allowing guests to experience the country from the saddle.
Published tour inclusions comprise:
- 16 nights of accommodation in selected hotels
- Daily breakfasts
- Welcome and farewell dinners
- Motorcycle hire during the riding portion of the tour
- Saturday Sprint and Sunday Race Day grandstand admission at Mugello
- A Ducati Factory and Museum visit
- Guided sightseeing in Milan, Bologna and San Marino
- A Parmigiano Reggiano producer visit and tasting
- Planned routes incorporating scenic roads and notable Italian destinations
- Professional tour leaders
- A support vehicle for luggage transport and assistance
- GPX route files and daily ride briefings
- Secure motorcycle parking at overnight stops
The luggage support is a particularly valuable inclusion. Riders can enjoy the roads without carrying the bulk of their belongings on the motorcycle, while assistance remains available should something go wrong along the way.
Daily briefings and supplied GPX files should also help participants understand each day’s route and destination without turning the experience into a rigid nose-to-tail procession.
MotoGP Italy Motorbike Tour pricing
16 nights from $9,995 per person twin share
The advertised starting price of $9,995 per person applies when two travellers share a twin room and one Category 1 motorcycle.
For riders wanting their own motorcycle throughout the tour, Category 1 pricing begins at $11,595 per person twin share.
- Category 1: $11,595 with your own motorcycle, or $9,995 when sharing a motorcycle
- Category 2: $12,595 with your own motorcycle, or $10,550 when sharing a motorcycle
- Category 3: $13,295 with your own motorcycle, or $10,895 when sharing a motorcycle
- Category 4: $13,950 with your own motorcycle, or $11,295 when sharing a motorcycle
Single-room pricing with an individual motorcycle begins at $15,495 in Category 1 and extends to $17,650 in Category 4.
Return international flights, arrival and departure transfers, petrol, road tolls, travel insurance, passport and visa costs, drinks and meals not identified in the itinerary are not included in the published tour price.
Ride Italy with MCNews and Travelrite
Italy possesses an almost unfair combination of beautiful roads, dramatic landscapes, distinctive regional food and an extraordinary concentration of motorcycle history.
This inaugural MCNews.com.au and Travelrite International tour brings many of those elements together in a single supported journey.
It takes riders from Milan to Lake Garda, into Ducati’s home territory, across the Apennines, through Mugello during MotoGP weekend and onward to the Adriatic, San Marino, Tavullia and Tuscany.
For Australian riders who have always wanted to explore Italy by motorcycle but would prefer to leave the accommodation, luggage, motorcycle hire, parking, route planning and race-weekend logistics to somebody else, this could be the opportunity.
View the complete MotoGP Italy Motorbike Tour itinerary, motorcycle options and pricing
Travelrite International enquiries: 1800 630 343
Travelrite International Pty Ltd is the tour organiser and is responsible for bookings, payments and delivery of the tour. The tour is scheduled to begin on 22 May 2027. The official date of the 2027 Italian MotoGP is yet to be confirmed. Tour dates, itinerary, motorcycle models, race tickets and associated arrangements remain subject to confirmation, availability and Travelrite International’s booking conditions.
