GABICCE. From Brazil to the Adriatic. From Belo Horizonte to Gabicce Monte. The entrepreneurial story of Cecilia Mendes is enriched with a new chapter. On Sunday morning, at 11am, the Via Panoramica Bike Bar opens, a place dedicated to bicycle lovers, located on the ground floor of the historic Eden Rock venue (in the past a cult disco but for some years only used for weddings or other events), with lots of outdoor space and a spectacular sea view. A strategic position: right at the beginning (or at the end depending on your perspective) of the splendid tour of the panoramic road that connects Gabicce to Pesaro and which on Sunday mornings is closed to cars and motorbikes to leave space only for cyclists.
From Brazil to university in Rimini
The 44-year-old Brazilian came to Italy, to Rimini, to attend the degree course in Tourism Economics, in 2000, and after graduation she started working in the sector. When she understood the potential linked to cycling tourism she started her own business and today she is the owner of a tour operator that organizes bicycle-related trips in Italy (Tuscany, Puglia, Emilia-Romagna, Dolomites, Stelvio, Garda…) , of a shop that sells and rents bicycles in Gabicce Monte (launched in 2019) and a few days ago of a bar dedicated to cyclists.
«My first dream»
«The bike bar was my first dream», explains Mendes. «I like the world of cycling and I like being around people. Cycling, in particular cycle tourism, is travel, discovery, freedom. When I read the happiness in the eyes of those who have just finished a bike ride, my heart fills. Today, with the advent of electric bicycles, many people can take beautiful routes that they never even dreamed of doing before. But the bar’s invitation is aimed at all lovers of sport and outdoor activities.”
In 2023 alone, over a thousand cyclists pedaled thanks to Via Panoramica which today has seven collaborators including guides, mechanics, bars and administration. The Bike Bar will be open every day in the summer season from 8.30am to 7.00pm. In the low season, opening days and hours will be reduced. Inside, in addition to drinks, breakfasts and snacks (from cutting boards to wine tastings, from energy bars to artisanal biscuits), there is the possibility of having basic assistance for the bicycle such as the use of tools or a room air in case of puncture. And to make sure you don’t miss anything, there are also stools with footrest pedals (and related crowns and chains) and chairs with armrests in the shape of racing handlebars…
