Marken is a hidden gem - an unknown paradise of sea, mountains and history, perfectly accessible by bike. The Gola della Rossa e Frasassi Natural Park located in its center is the perfect starting point for long mountain bike tours. Welcome to the green heart of Marche, Basecamp523. The young company based in Fabriano, half an hour's drive from Ancona, was founded in 2021 and offers a wide range of bike tours to discover the Italian region. “I lived in Berlin for several years and then rediscovered my region through the eyes of a tourist. The desire to return to the simple values of life drove me to settle in Fabriano and found Basecamp 523,” comments Marco Trivelli, founder of Basecamp 523. The company's name is a reference to the high-mountain base camps used by extreme mountaineers in combination with the exact altitude of the family home of the founders Marco and Silvia in Fabriano.
The tours offered average 40 kilometers per day and are suitable for all levels. They are judged on three main criteria: adrenaline, adventure and immersion in nature. One of these main excursions is a visit to the ghost town of San Cristoforo, which looks like a setting for a spaghetti western. With 980 meters of vertical drop in one day, there are two variants: Adrenaline (for experienced riders) and Avventura for all levels.
For those who prefer long rides on an e-bike or a gravel bike, the road from Fabriano to Ancona is worth the journey. The route is 150 km long and passes through Genga, Montecarotto, San Marcello and Offagna. Accompanied by an MTB guide, you cross several nature parks and finally reach the Adriatic Sea. The variety of landscapes is unique on the old continent. “Each of our routes can be personalized with excursions and post-bike activities such as spelunking/caving, yoga, Pilates, trekking, rock climbing, canoeing, slacklining and of course swimming,” says Marco. Especially on the week-long tour, each stage offers the opportunity to meet a local craftsman such as a beekeeper, winemaker or papermaker. In addition, each participant is a protagonist and can learn how to win royal jelly or make a sheet of paper.
For experienced bikers, Basecamp 523 offers a special three-day tour "Il grande anello dei Sibillini" in the National Park "dei Monti Sibillini", a tour of 120 km and more than 4.000 meters of altitude that explores the beauty of the Monti Sibillini National Park. This area was badly affected by an earthquake in 2016 and traveling in this area gives a special impression. You drive on remote mountains up to 2500m above sea level.
The tour operator offers unique experiences that go far beyond cycling. Basecamp 523 also organizes "ecocamps" for cyclists in the Natural Park of the Gola della rossa e Frasassi, a park with many plant and animal species. The tents are fixed in the trees for overnight stays. A unique experience to rediscover the beauty of nature. Nomadic and ecological is the journey that you can experience here in the Marche. Marco and his team organize a camp in the wilderness where they take care of all the amenities, from the compostable toilet to the shower and when they move on with their camp, no human traces are left behind. “All of this happens while we move in a sustainable way. The trip therefore has a positive impact on the participants, who are inspired by the experiences, as well as on the local community, which receives an economic and social opportunity, and on our planet, since it promotes activities that share our values,” comments Marco Trivelli. The project aims to support rural areas.
Basecamp 523's philosophy is to organize trips in small groups of 4 to a maximum of 15 people. The bikes (Bianchi e-mtb and Gravel Cinelli) can be rented on site. Equipment and tools are available both in Fabriano and in the "Ecocamp" (in the nature park) to repair your own bike and charge the batteries of the E-MTB. Fabriano is also ideally located to extend your holiday in a cultural or relaxing way, being only two and a half hours drive from Florence and less than an hour from the Adriatic Sea. Fabriano is easily reached by public transport, Ancona Airport is just 30 minutes' drive away and trains run direct to Rome.
Details on the Basecamp 523 can be found here.
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