Cycling ‘revolution’ in Rome amid the pandemic

People riding their bicycles along the river Tiber in Rome. Though the city’s roads are not ideal for cyclists, things are changing. — AFP

With its historic seven hills, crazy traffic, cobbles and notoriously crumbling roads, Rome has never been the ideal city for cyclists – but with the pandemic, things are changing.

As elsewhere, streets emptied by Covid-19 restrictions have given cyclists room to breathe, but a new network of bike lanes and generous government subsidies to buy bicycles have also helped fuel the boom.