Riding Italy in February
 

Advance vacation planning. I am going skiing in the Dolomites in February 2013 (Val di Sole area). It's a trip I've done several times before and am looking forward to getting back to the slopes (and food and wine and espresso and grappa) for the first time in three years.

I'd like to head over a few days early and do some riding on Thursday & Friday, then spend Saturday (or Friday night) travelling up to the slopes. I've spent time in Florence, Rome, Milan & Venice prior to previous ski trips so I know how to work the trains & buses to get me to the ski area.

So, my question is: where would you go? I would need to rent a road bike, be able to do 80-100km rides both days, have a nice place to relax, eat and taste wine at night, and do not want to rent a car. I know this can be done in Florence (http://www.florencebybike.it/index.php?lang=en), but weather in February there could either be beautiful and 55F or cold & damp. I would appreciate any other ideas and suggestions.

Grazie e ciao!

Bumping my own post.

I hope to be booking flights using frequent flier miles in the next week or so.

Thanks!

I'm kinda partial to Rome, and can't recommend topbikerental.com enough. Great folk that rent pretty good equipment.

Thanks for the link in Florence.