Cycling solo to Rome: Philine’s ride through 10 countries
With five weeks off and her Cross Lite fully packed, Santos Rider Philine set off from Utrecht to explore the long road south. What followed was a solo adventure up and over the Alps, straight into the heart of Italy. She had support at the edges of the trip: her father joined her on his Cross Lite for the first days on the road. Her brother came to pick her up in Rome. In between, she faced rain, long climbs and quiet days, but also enjoyed open cafés, warm visits and scenic landscapes.
In this personal account, she shares her experience from the first kilometres to her arrival at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.
Philine Hols
Santos Cross Lite
Getting ready for my Italian adventure
Compared to my first big ride, getting ready felt surprisingly easy. I already had most of the gear, and just made a few strategic swaps. Cooking gear stayed home. I still haven’t mastered the art of one-person camp meals, and didn’t plan to start now. Instead, I packed cutlery, a plate, and aimed for easy meals like sandwiches and salads, next to visiting restaurants.
With that extra space, I allowed myself a couple of new luxuries: a Helinox Zero chair (at 31, I’m over sitting on a rubber mat) and a lightweight tripod for some creative photo experiments.
Route planning was simple, I downloaded Paul Benjaminse’s route to Rome and loaded the GPX files onto my Garmin Edge 530. I love the peace of mind that comes with following a well-planned track, especially when being on a solo trip.
With my dad on the first stretch
My dad joined me for the first two days, shielding me from strong headwinds and distracting me from a lot of rain. Somewhere in Limburg, day two, perfect tarmac, and all of a sudden I felt I had my first flat tire. I managed to fix it on my own, under my dad’s watchful eye, and I was really hoping it’d be the only one for this trip.
From Aachen, I continued on my own. I followed the scenic Vennbahn into Belgium, a former railway line turned into a smooth, low-gradient bike path through forests and fields full of cows. Luxembourg welcomed me with vineyards along the Mosel and the first signs of climbing as the hills began to rise around me.
Those first few days were all about getting back into the rhythm, letting my legs, butt and mind adjust, getting to know the route and how to estimate daily distance and elevation, and figuring out where to stop each night. Evenings were mostly spent planning my route for the next day and updating my Polarsteps blog.
France: rain, ghost towns and protein bars
Northern France tested my mood. Days of rain wore me down, and my hopes for fresh croissants and pain au chocolat were crushed by reality. Most villages felt deserted, with more storks than people living in them. No boulangerie, no supermarket, no open cafes to be found on the route when most needed. I survived two days on protein bars alone, and learned the valuable lesson to always bring enough (different) snacks.
But just like that, everything changed. The Alsace region was stunning. I rode alongside the Canal de la Marne au Rhin, passed vineyards and charming villages with actual open cafes! The sun came out, the thermometer passed 30°C, and I finally pitched my tent. As a bonus two friends surprised me with a visit at the campsite. My mood lifted instantly.
Into the Alps: tackling wind, rain and over 50 hairpins
Crossing into Switzerland through Basel, I hit another lesson: always bring extra water with you. I ran out of water on a scorching day and there were no supermarkets nor restaurants along the way for over 50 kilometres. In the end I had to knock on a stranger’s door to get a refill, and luckily he was kind and helpful.
Basel was a big city and, like the rest of Switzerland, very expensive. So I moved my rest day across the border to Waldshut-Tiengen in Germany, where I could also tackle my first, very needed, laundry session of the trip. As I cycled east, the Alps slowly rose in the distance, a sight that gave me both awe and nerves.
The big climb came after a night in Chur, with a belly full of Swiss fondue. In the morning the weather changed from its forecast, which turned out less than ideal: grey clouds, strong winds, and rain. The Splügen Pass was calling. The climb, around 700 meters, was manageable, but the wind at the summit (2,115 m) was something else. I was literally blown away.
The descent was intense. Dense fog gave way to pouring rain, and wind strong enough that I had to work to go downhill. I had to stop halfway to warm up my hands just to brake properly. Still, 50 hairpin bends, dramatic mountain views, and a warm shower waiting in Chiavenna made it all worth it!
Sunshine, pasta and lazy afternoons
Italy greeted me with more rain, puddles, flooded paths, and beautiful views of Lake Como. A short ferry ride took me across the lake toward Lecco, and since I was ahead of my schedule, I decided to be kind to myself and take it easier from here on. I made detours to touristic places such as Lucca, Pisa, Volterra, and Siena, then parked myself in Montepulciano for a few days. Without panniers, my bike felt featherlight, which helped, because Komoot's “scenic route” packed nearly 1,000 meters of climbing into a 33 km loop.
This stretch of the trip felt like a real holiday: shorter cycling days, long lunches, sightseeing, reading a book at a picturesque agriturismo and all the gelato and pasta I could eat. Just as I’d hoped for.
Arriving in Rome
After two beachy days in Santa Marinella, where I added a few extra shades to my cyclist’s tan, I rode the final stretch into Rome. It took me 27 cycling days, through 10 countries, to proudly arrive at the St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.
My brother, who had driven by car from the Netherlands, met me there to pick me up (turning this drive into a road trip of his own). We spent two culinary days in Rome before driving back to Utrecht. A journey that still took us two days by car, having a break near the Gotthard Pass. Such beautiful surroundings and I caught myself thinking: maybe one day I’ll cross this one too, by bike.
Trip statistics
Total cycling days: 27
Total kilometres: 2,378 km
Total altimeters: 19,828 meters
