Flew Alitalia from DC Dulles to Malpensa. Alitalia doesn't accept bikes in cardboard boxes, so I put them in nylon body bags obtained from a local surplus store. Bikes went both ways with no damage.

Alitalia says they don't accept paper boxes as they fall apart if they get wet. Some of our friends on another flight took their bikes in cardboard boxes, but wrapped them in shrinkwrap plastic and they were accepted. As always, it depends on the ticket agent you check in with. There is a "left luggage" (Deposito Bagiglio) room at Malpensa where we stored the bags. Oversize bags or bikes are 3 Euro a day. We put all three bags into one, so only charged for one bag.

We rode out of the airport due west to the Vizzola Ticino exit and from there we picked up the bike path along the Ticino and the canal heading south. Then got on a few smaller roads into Pavia. TRAIN from there to Pisa.

Biked to Lucca, where we rented a villa for a week, then TRAIN to Cinque Terre. Stayed in Levanto, which is relatively tourist free compared to the five towns in Cinque Terre, but it's easy to get to any of the Cinque Terre towns by TRAIN or boat or even walking.

Then TRAIN back to Milan. Took the express bus from Milan Centrale station to Malpensa. The bus will take your bike in the cargo hold. One hour ride and it's 4.5 Euros. There is a great hotel only a mile from the airport, the Villa Malpensa Hotel. Four stars, but very convenient and they have great food.

Biking out of the airport is not very difficult and you only have to go about a half mile before you take the exit onto a quiet road. Biking along the traffic free path south is a nice start to a bike trip in a foreign country. There are towns along the way to stop at and eat. There is also an east-west canal path that takes you into central Milan if you wish.

The biking around Lucca insn't great due to congestion. From Florence to Lucca to Pisa it's pretty urban and heavily traveled. Riding up in the hills surrounding Lucca is nice, but you have to fight traffic to get there. Southern Tuscany and Umbria are much nicer in my opinion. Less traffic and small towns scattered about in a more rural setting.

Bikes on TRAINs in ITALY is always exciting. The TRAIN stops for one to two minutes. The bicycle car is either at the front or rear, but nobody knows 'till the TRAIN reaches the platform. So you park in the middle of the platform and wait for your TRAIN to determine which end you dash for. After you get to the bike car, you lift your bike up and into the TRAIN so it's a good idea to remove your panniers first.

About half the time, the TRAIN that's supposed to have a bike car doesn't or the doors don't work, so you have to fight your bike into a regular car which doesn't really have room for bikes. Then you get to wheel your bike thru several cars to get to the bike car with inoperative doors or have passengers stumble over your bike for the duration of your trip. Be patient, flexible and keep smiling and you'll get there. Even if it has to be the next TRAIN because the conductor wouldn't let you put your bike on his TRAIN. One final comment. Be sure to have your ticket validated in the little yellow machine before you board the TRAIN.