{"id":6491,"date":"2025-07-31T12:29:18","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T11:29:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/en-eu\/?p=6257"},"modified":"2025-07-31T15:01:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T14:01:27","slug":"capo-nord-calling-three-italian-journeys-to-the-top-of-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/gb\/capo-nord-calling-three-italian-journeys-to-the-top-of-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"Capo Nord Calling: Three Italian journeys to the top of the world"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Three journeys, one destination. Gianni Avvantaggiato, Gianluca Carletta and Fabrizio Sangiorgi share their experiences and tips for making the most of this epic adventure<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By James Gill<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The North Cape is a popular riding destination for any motorcyclist who\u2019s up for a bit of a challenge. Located at the northernmost tip of Norway, on the island of Mager\u00f8ya, its dreamy landscape of sharp cliffs and the dancing of the aurora borealis is at once beautiful and potentially treacherous if the weather turns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But why do Italians in particular feel such a pull to the Arctic? The reasons are many, but the emotion is clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGoing to Nordkapp by bike is something undertaken by many but not by everyone,\u201d said Gianni Avvantaggiato, a 68-year-old H.O.G.\u00ae<\/sup> member from Bari. \u201cFor bikers, Nordkapp is like visiting the Pope in Rome for Catholics, or Mecca for Muslims. It\u2019s a pilgrimage \u2013 for the mind, the body and the machine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For others, the decision came during the Covid-19 pandemic. \u201cSeeing my Harley\u00ae<\/sup> parked in the garage through lockdown gave me sadness and melancholy,\u201d said Gianluca Carletta from San Cataldo in Sicily. \u201cI started watching videos about Nordkapp and realised it\u2019s not impossible. It\u2019s just time and money.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fabrizio \u2013 known to his friends as \u201cBeer\u201d \u2013 had another reason. \u201cEvery six years,\u201d he said, \u201cmy wife and I are pulled back to the north like magnets. I don\u2019t know why. But this time, it was different. It was our first time doing it on a Harley.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All three journeys were long and winding yet unforgettable. Here is the combined recommendations of the three intrepid Italians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Route highlights<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u00d8resund Bridge: from one world to another<\/strong>
After crossing Germany and Denmark, you come to one of the ride\u2019s first jaw-dropping moments: the \u00d8resund Bridge, which links Copenhagen to Malm\u00f6, Sweden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beer described it as \u201cthe crossing into another dimension. It\u2019s not just a bridge – it\u2019s a portal. You\u2019re gliding into Scandinavia, and suddenly, everything feels different.\u201d This is where the scenery starts to shift. The cities grow quieter. The light changes. The north begins to whisper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hoga Kusten: Sweden\u2019s high coast magic<\/strong>
As the journey continues north through Sweden, the roads become quieter and more meditative. Somewhere above Stockholm, the landscape begins to stretch into vastness. All three riders made a stop near Kramfors in the Hoga Kusten region \u2013 a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its dramatic coastlines, rocky outcrops and pine-covered hills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one of those places where you feel very small in the best possible way,\u201d said Kate, Beer\u2019s wife and co-pilot. \u201cIt was also the first time we splurged on one of the Scandinavian campsite cabins \u2013 worth every krone when the temperature dropped.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Claus Village, Rovaniemi: kitsch meets charm<\/strong>
You might not expect a biker pilgrimage to involve Santa Claus, but here we are. Rovaniemi, Finland \u2013 right on the Arctic Circle \u2013 is home to the bizarre and oddly wonderful Santa Claus Village.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s kitschy, sure,\u201d laughed Gianluca, \u201cbut it\u2019s also a kind of landmark. You cross the Arctic Circle there. It marks a real moment in the journey.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beer agreed. \u201cI\u2019ve got photos of my Harley in front of Santa\u2019s post office. That\u2019s not something I ever thought I\u2019d say. But it\u2019s a fun stop, and a good place to catch your breath.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The reindeer zone: dreamlike creatures on the move<\/strong>
As soon as you get past Rovaniemi, the forests begin to clear \u2013 and suddenly, they\u2019re everywhere. Reindeer. \u201cThey\u2019re like dreamlike creatures,\u201d said Gianni. \u201cThey appear out of nowhere, then vanish, leaving just the sound of your engine and the breath in your helmet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All three accounts mentioned the need to stay alert. \u201cWe kept two fingers permanently on the brake,\u201d said Beer. \u201cThey\u2019re not exactly shy, and they don\u2019t look before crossing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, seeing them wandering the road is part of the magic. You\u2019re definitely not in southern Europe anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Arctic E6: riding the edge of the world<\/strong>
From Karigasniemi in Finland to Honningsv\u00e5g in Norway, the road becomes something else. The E6 skirts the Arctic Ocean, hugging cliffs, cutting through hills, and occasionally plunging into silence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe E6 is the most beautiful road I\u2019ve ever ridden,\u201d said Gianluca. \u201cIt\u2019s cold. It\u2019s windy. But every turn makes you want to stop and stare. It feels like you\u2019re riding through a dream.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gianni called it \u201ca path traced through thoughts and dreams that disappear into the immensity of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mager\u00f8ya tunnel: entering another dimension<\/strong>
Near the end of the E6, you hit the Nordkapp Tunnel; seven kilometres long, under the sea, connecting the mainland to Mager\u00f8ya Island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Gianluca, this was a moment he won\u2019t forget. \u201cYou ride through this long, dark tunnel \u2013 and when you emerge, it\u2019s like coming into another dimension,\u201d he said. \u201cThe light is different. The wind is colder. You know you\u2019re close.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a real sense of entering sacred ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lofoten detour: for those with time to spare<\/strong>
Beer and Kate made one brilliant addition to their route: a loop through the Lofoten Islands on their way south. \u201cThe roads are amazing \u2013 curves and views and tunnels and sea,\u201d said Beer. \u201cEven in the rain, it was worth every drop.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They stayed in a tiny port town called Svolv\u00e6r, complete with a local pub and an unforgettable fish soup. \u201cThat soup saved my life,\u201d Kate joked. \u201cAlso, I found a decent IPA on tap. That alone was a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What to pack \u2013 from king crab to moka pots<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Riding to Nordkapp is no Sunday spin. It\u2019s a test of endurance, patience and practicality \u2013 but it\u2019s also about joy and comfort along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All three riders gave us their top packing tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Technical clothing is king.<\/strong>
\u201cIt\u2019s not about layering sweaters,\u201d says Gianni. \u201cYou need lightweight but warm gear. Also, proper rain protection and three pairs of gloves \u2013 for hot, wet and freezing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Cash is dead.<\/strong>
\u201cScandinavia is 99 per cent card,\u201d said Beer. \u201cEven the toilet at one petrol station only took tap-to-pay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Bring a moka. Seriously.<\/strong>
Nicolas, Gianni\u2019s travel buddy, brought a camping stove and moka pot from Bari. \u201cItalians can survive rain, reindeer and cold,\u201d said Gianni. \u201cBut bad coffee? Never.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Book ahead in summer.<\/strong>
\u201cSome campsites do fill up,\u201d said Kate. \u201cWe used Booking.com and had good luck. Also \u2013 those wooden cabins? A godsend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Respect the bike.<\/strong>
 Beer\u2019s new Harley FLHX weighed 100kg more than his previous motorcycle. He found out the hard way on a gravel road. \u201cWe fell over. No real harm done, but I learned fast: ride the bike you have, not the one you\u2019re used to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the light won\u2019t go out<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s one thing that\u2019s impossible to understand until you\u2019re there: the midnight sun. \u201cThe light never ends,\u201d said Gianni. \u201cYou sleep badly, you eat at the wrong times, you lose all sense of schedule. But the sun keeps you going \u2013 it\u2019s like a dream that refuses to fade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe light of the Arctic night streaming through the windows of the red cabins with grass-covered roofs, and the rainbow appearing after yet another day of rain. Just you and your motorcycle… You listen to its voice, the engine running smooth under the drumsticks of Tullio de Piscopo. A bowl of fish soup in a fishing village, a plate of reindeer meat the next day, and whale a little later \u2013 these are not just flavours, but experiences woven into moments of mental stillness, as if each bite carried the stories of these lands, stories that take root in your dreams.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Nordkapp, riders arrive at all hours of day or night. Gianluca got there at 6.30pm in the rain. Gianni made it at 10.30am in the morning, but waited until midnight for his moment under the famous globe. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t just a photo,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was the moment the journey became real. That I had done it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The way back<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A little secret about Nordkapp trips: the return is often longer than the way there. Gianluca, for example, deliberately extended the journey home. \u201cWe didn\u2019t want to go the fast way,\u201d he said. \u201cWe went through Troms\u00f8, Sweden, Finland, the Baltics, Poland, Germany, Austria, and back through Bolzano and Livorno.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In total? 13,157km, 14 countries, 31 days. \u201cThe legendary Dyna\u00ae never gave up,\u201d he said. \u201cNot even in 600km of rain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beer and Kate clocked up 9,750 km and only stopped when Kate sprained her ankle in Herzogenaurach. \u201cOff the bike!\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Nordkapp matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Every rider who reached Nordkapp agreed on one thing: it changes you. \u201cIt\u2019s not the road. Not even the place,\u201d said Gianluca. \u201cIt\u2019s what you learn along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Beer, it was a test of the new Harley. \u201cShe passed with flying colours,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd so did we.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And for Gianni? \u201cWhen I stood under the globe at 71\u00b010’21, I realised I wasn\u2019t chasing a destination. I was chasing a feeling. And I found it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, if you\u2019re thinking about it \u2013 do it. Pack the rain gear, pack the moka and take your patience. Bring the courage and ride north. It won\u2019t be easy, but we promise, it will be unforgettable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Three journeys, one destination. Gianni Avvantaggiato, Gianluca Carletta and Fabrizio Sangiorgi share their experiences and tips for making the most of this epic adventure<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":6125,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[10],"class_list":["post-6491","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-riding"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6491","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6491"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6491\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6504,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6491\/revisions\/6504"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6491"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6491"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}