We met them through social media and immediately felt a total harmony on the importance of imparting to children the joy of pedaling, of crossing and exploring the world in a sustainable way, but also to offer you, our readers, useful, clear, and reliable information on places and routes you might find yourself on.

So, after a couple of nice chats, we decided to introduce them: they are Cristina, Alessandro, Axel, Erran and Ethan, like us, enthusiasts of cycling and outdoor life. In this interview, they told us about the birth of their project and how they manage daily travel and cycling holidays with the family with passion, fun and serenity.

Cycling family: the art of traveling with children

How did the Family on Bike project start?

The familyonbike project started from a great passion for cycling, we always used it in our daily travels and those who know us had doubted that we would continue after the birth of our children. In the sports store we have in Grado, I often heard talk of the latest generation bikes, challenging climbs, and miles that could be traveled and I as a mom was wondering why we couldn't talk about the bike as a means of transport or entertainment for the whole family. So I proposed to Alessandro to share on social media our adventures to inspire others to start cycling but with a different spirit, not competition but pure fun. The project then expanded when leaving for some trips we didn't find what we had been described in guides or on the web, if you are only adults the difficulties are more manageable but with three children, if you don't find the refreshment or the route is more difficult than you expect, the day can turn into a nightmare.

Where does your passion for biking and bike trips come from? 

It's easy for us to love cycling because Grado is a small island where we only move by bike. We are surrounded by wonderful bike paths and the boys become independent early on. In winter we are less than 8,000 inhabitants but at the beginning of the summer season we reach 50,000 daily visitors, so also children learn very early to cycle in chaotic traffic. We always tried to involve our children in our outings, everyone told us that with the birth of the first child we would have hung the bike on the wall while in reality only the timings changed. The real winners are us adults who at every outing see the world with the eyes of those who still have a lot to discover. For our children, overcoming their limits is always a great achievement and for us, all 5 of us reaching the goal is a huge satisfaction. We have always loved to travel, we just changed the means and rhythms.

The secret to getting children and teenagers passionate too?

Involving our children was not simple, mobile phones and sofas are a strong distraction. Over time we understood that wanting to do everything as we adults want leads nowhere if not to argue, you have to find a middle ground and we did it by bringing the mobile phone on our side. They can watch videos during car trips but once they arrive at the destination they must download the gpx maps, check the route, take photos and videos. We stop near playgrounds or water courses where the youngest can have fun. Even the preparation moment is very important for them, they help dad check the bikes and load them on the bike rack, water bottles and puncture kits must never be missing like a last check of the weather forecast. Especially for teenagers, working closely with their father makes them particularly happy.

The bike trip that excited you the most and why?

The bike trip that excited us the most is always the last one we do because it leaves us wanting to start again. In February we cycled along the cycle path that connects Assisi to Spoleto, a strong tramontana and low temperatures made life difficult for us but the people we met along the way warmed our hearts. Places with a strong charm whether you are a believer or not.

Your base is in the beautiful city of Grado, do you have any route departing from here or nearby that you would recommend to families with children?

Grado offers many bike routes but there are two absolutely to do. The first starts from the center and pedaling along the final stretch of the Alpe Adria cycle path, which connects Grado to Salzburg, crosses the lagoon and after only 10km you arrive in Aquileia, a UNESCO heritage site. You pass the ruins of the old Roman port and come right under the basilica where you can admire unique mosaics in the world. For those who are trained, you can continue for another 12km and arrive at the star-shaped city of Palmanova, also a Unesco heritage. The second route is immersed in nature, you pedal on cycle paths or country roads. It starts from the center of Grado and after 11km you arrive at the natural reserve of Valle Cavanata, you continue along a bank where the gaze can get lost along the Italian, Slovenian and Croatian coast. Along country roads you arrive on the island of Cona where you can admire the beautiful white Camargue horses in the wild.

What should never be missing when traveling with the family?

If you are traveling with the family in your backpack, you should never be without water, often there are no fountains, and something to eat. The most important thing is to have a lot of patience and adaptability, it can happen that someone doesn't feel like pedaling, that they fight or that they can't reach the predetermined destination. We set off with the idea that anyway it will be an experience that will make everyone grow and you will discover that your children have many things to say and tell. Don't worry if they don't show great enthusiasm at the time, let's not forget that they're always struggling, maybe after a few days they'll throw an unexpected sentence at you.

The next trip?

For us now the summer season begins and we can't make big trips, we have planned some outings in northern Italy such as Lake Caldonazzo and Caorle. We aim to start in September, before school starts, and we would like to go to Copenhagen but we haven't decided yet, for us the important thing is to start then we'll see.

And you, have you already decided where to cycle with your children? Remember that if you want to travel in total serenity and safety, on Cyclando you can find dozens of organized bike trips for families. Discover them all now!