My name is Mario Saccomano and I am a biologist specializing in nature conservation with a passion for traveling by bicycle. In the past years I have cycled along the main European cycle paths, always traveling in self-sufficiency, sometimes staying overnight in tents, more often hosted by families who manage farmhouses and bed & breakfasts.
When the Alpe Adria Cycle Path project started in 2008, I started this site, starting to promote this wonderful cycle path. Thanks to the many contacts, especially with foreign companies who asked me for information on CAAR, I discovered that there is the possibility of working on a bicycle.
Since 2011 I have been enrolled in the Register of Tour Guides recognized by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region and I currently work as a professional cycling guide on behalf of some international national tour operators specializing in cycle tourism. I am also a Nature & Walking Guide, an activity that implements my university studies in Biology.
In addition to prestigious national and foreign tour operators, I have collaborated with tourism promotion bodies in my region (Promoturismo FVG), Carinthia (Kärnten Werbung) and with some local administrations.
This activity allows me to travel the Alpe Adria Cycle Route many times during the year and thanks to this I try to keep this site as updated as possible. For some years they have been helping me in this enterprise, as well as my wife and my little Emily, many colleagues and friends have also been helping me.
Since 2002 I have been traveling mainly on a recumbent bicycle (a Dutch-made Challenge Wizard with which I have traveled more than 135,000 km - 84,000 miles), a perfect vehicle for long journeys thanks to its comfort and ability to carry luggage.
When I am not accompanying groups, I collaborate with private individuals and administrations for the design of new cycle paths, the verification of cycling routes and the mapping of new cycle infrastructures on the Open Street Map project.
If you want to ride with me, here you can find my contacts. Alternatively you can consult the section "Ride with us" where you can find the trips and excursions by bicycle that I organize.