How to get to the Giro

[Puffin100]

I'll be in Italy until May 5 and want to see the opening time trial in Naples. Anyone know how I go about that? Do I need tickets? Where do I get info?

 

[The Hitch]

No tickets needed. But depends where you want to see it. if its in the city as they fly by at 60k/h then just get a ticket to that city and you can see some of the city at the same point.

If its in the mountains with the tifosi to feel the real passion of the race and give a push to your favorite riders, its more complicated but also more satisfying. Youll need to get a train to the nearest city or village then probably rent a bike or car and get to the mountain and have to walk up some of it if your by car.

I guess you could try to find out on some internet hitchhike sites or even some activity ones like couchsurfing, if there are any people going who might take you along.

 

[dsut4392]

Do you mean the opening stage which starts and ends in Napoli on 4 May (156km road stage), or the TTT the following day on the nearby island of Ischia?

The official Giro website has the best maps of the stages I have seen - click on the tab "list of the stages" for links to each stage:

http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2013/en/index.shtml

If you're only in Italy until 5 May, you probably won't be able to make the TTT unless you have a late flight out of Napoli (or very late flight out of Rome: Napoli - Rome Ciampino airport is about 3 hours drive, probably 3.5 hours to Fiumicino airport). I'm guessing the team buses and organiser's vehicles will fill a ferry or two off the island after the stage finish. From memory, the ferry ride from Ischia takes over an hour, then it's half an hour or so drive to the airport assuming town isn't gridlocked (as it can be near the port). If driving, trust a paper map over your satnav - at least in 2008 both TOMTOM and ROUTE66 had dodgy data including roads that went over cliff edges and along (literal) goat tracks. On the other hand, if you can extend your trip Ischia is very pretty; stay at a hotel on the South side of the island with thermal baths and a private beach at the bottom of the cliff.

You could probably catch some of the pre-departure fun of the opening stage which looks like it's leaving from the main square in Napoli, then hang out for a few hours doing touristy things (eat some pizza Napolitana) before catching a bus to the stage finish.

Driving in Napoli is not for the faint-hearted, and unless you're totally nuts you DON'T want to ride a bike in the city. In terms of craziness of the traffic it ranks up there with anywhere I've been, which includes Bangkok, New Delhi and Saigon. Picture a road with three marked lanes, but 6 cars driving on it side by side. Then picture 5 of these roads leading into a roundabout. You also need to be prepared to pay a gratuity to someone to watch your car for you while it's parked, to make sure it doesn't get damaged or stolen. And there are some streets that it's not possible to drive into without ignoring "One Way" or "No Entry" signs, even though you can see cars in there. And don't expect your satnav to be correct in town either! On the positive side, there was lots of beeping and waving arms out the window, but I didn't encounter any road rage.

 

[SafeBet]

Driving in Napoli is not for the faint-hearted, and unless you're totally nuts you DON'T want to ride a bike in the city. In terms of craziness of the traffic it ranks up there with anywhere I've been, which includes Bangkok, New Delhi and Saigon. Picture a road with three marked lanes, but 6 cars driving on it side by side. Then picture 5 of these roads leading into a roundabout. You also need to be prepared to pay a gratuity to someone to watch your car for you while it's parked, to make sure it doesn't get damaged or stolen. And there are some streets that it's not possible to drive into without ignoring "One Way" or "No Entry" signs, even though you can see cars in there. And don't expect your satnav to be correct in town either! On the positive side, there was lots of beeping and waving arms out the window, but I didn't encounter any road rage.

Agreed. I'm italian and I'd never drive in Naples unless I'm forced to.

Best thing to do is get there by train (4-5 hours from Milan, 1 hour from Rome), walk around and enjoy the city, have a real pizza in Via dei Tribunali (Di Matteo is the one I suggest) and wait for the cyclist at the finishing line where you will feel the excitment of the fans.

 

[Puffin100]

Thanks for your responses, folks. I'll actually be completing two weeks in Italy and flying home from Naples on the 5th, so the opening time trial is the only one available to me. We won't be driving but taking the train (actually from Pozzuoli that morning). We'll be sure to check out Di Matteo while we're at it!

 

[SafeBet]

Thanks for your responses, folks. I'll actually be completing two weeks in Italy and flying home from Naples on the 5th, so the opening time trial is the only one available to me. We won't be driving but taking the train (actually from Pozzuoli that morning). We'll be sure to check out Di Matteo while we're at it!

Nice You can even get a pizza on the go at Di Matteo but watch out for mozzarella all over your clothes if you eat it while walking