In 79 days, Tommaso Busoni and Artan Marku skated 2,700 kilometres from Portugal to Italy – celebrating commitment and companionship.

At a bar in Lisbon in sunny July, two childhood friends, Tommaso Busoni and Artan Marku, decided to embark on an adventure, skating from Portugal's capital along the coastline back to their hometown in Italy, Finale Ligure. The idea sprang from a curious wonder: what separates me in Lisbon from my hometown in Italy, Artan had thought, fascinated by the idea of travelling through coastal cities in three different countries. So, when Artan met Tommaso at that bar, he shared his idea. As in every iconic road trip opening sequence, Tommaso replied, "Can I join?"

Tommaso is an actor, and Artan is a stylist. They started skating together when they were nine years old. Tommaso moved to Lisbon first, and when Artan visited in 2022, he fell in love with the capital, too.

Preparation did not take long; once they had each acquired a longboard, a tent, a bag, and a camera to document their journey. "I think we mostly prepared mentally,” Tommaso says, and on 27 June, they rolled off.

They skated between 40 and 50 kilometres a day, sometimes 60. On occasion, they had to walk through forests when there were no roads, or if it was too dangerous to drive on them: "Our goal was to always be close to the coast. Close to the ocean. For safety, and so we couldn't get lost," Tommaso says.


During their nights in Portugal, they slept in tents, but from Spain onwards, they abandoned them and slept on the beach instead. Tommaso explains their decision: "We were spending a lot on the tent every day in camping, so we decided to eliminate it. And since it's summer, we could sleep on the beach with just a little blanket.” Artan adds, "It was wonderful because every night we saw stars. Shooting stars. It was magic."

Most of the trip, money was scarce, but necessity is the mother of invention, so they came up with an idea: buying a Polaroid camera and offering tourists pictures. Artan gestures: "Hey guys, we are doing this trip. You want a picture? If you have some coins, I'll give you a memory." Some days, if they were in a larger city like Valencia or Barcelona, they invested 10 euros in a hostel.

To begin with, the tourists were not tipping much, but once they told their story, support changed. Tommaso recalls: "Most of the time, people were like, no, no, I don't want anything from you. Because we're dirty, you know, all sweating. We seemed homeless," Artan cuts in: "Actually, we were homeless." Tommaso continues: "But people who gave us time to tell our story, helped us very much. People gave us 10 euros, sometimes 20.”

Temperatures

The money issue was one thing, temperatures sometimes passing 38 degrees was another, but one of the biggest challenges was the physical toll of being on a board for hours a day. The difference between being on a four-wheeled bike and a four-wheeled board, Tommaso explains, is that on a bike, you use both legs at the same time. Tommaso and Artan are both professional skateboarders, so they know how to change legs throughout a ride, but when you have cars passing at high speed close to you, you must be in control. So, you use your best leg, Tommaso says, while recalling the struggles: "A lot of times I wanted to give up, because I almost couldn't walk. And then you think, okay, I still have to do 2,000 kilometres." Artan nods and adds, "The first week was the worst. It's important to push, but at the same time, it's very important to feel your body, to hear your body, like, okay, I really need to rest now. My body is crying." Tommaso elaborates, "I remember the first day, I cried because I woke up after the first 40 kilometres. We were still in Setúbal, very close to Lisbon. And I called my mom, and I said, Mama, I don't know if I can do it physically. Mentally, I'm present. But physically, my legs are showing me that they're not trained enough. So, I was like, I don't know if I can do it."


Promise

Hearing this, I ask what made them, despite these challenges, keep going every single day. Supporting each other and honouring their commitment, they answer almost in unison. The fact they had told their friends and family was also a factor, Tommaso says: "It was like a promise to ourselves first, and then a promise to them. A promise that we had to keep. I could never have given up. I would have had remorse all my life. I was like, No, I have to do this. We have to do this."

Spending 24 hours a day for three months in these conditions put their friendship to the test, sometimes leading to days when they wouldn't talk, but essentially bringing them closer than they ever thought they could be. 79 days, 2,700 kilometres, one wrecked skateboard, and six pairs of worn-out shoes later, Tommaso and Artan were greeted by family, friends, and people from their village when they crossed the finish line in Finale Ligure on Friday, 12 September. On the last day, they broke their record, skating 94 kilometres for eight hours straight.

The two young men look tired and triumphant. I ask about their future. They both smile: "Yes, what we did is pretty cool… but what could be legendary?" Artan says, and Tommaso goes on to reveal that their dream is to skate around the globe. From Finale Ligure to Finale Ligure. But for now, they rest and enjoy the glory of their remarkable quest.