Cycling Tuscany, Italy

arrival

Welcome to Tuscany’s capital – city of Florence. After arrival at Florence Airport, the Adventure Roads team will transfer you to our dinner and briefing venue in the heart of Tuscany. After welcome drinks, a tour overview and briefing are in order, where our intrepid tour leaders will fill you in with all the details. The abundant welcome dinner will get your taste buds on high alert for the following week. 

We strongly suggest early arrival to Florence. As a European Renaissance capital and a wealthy city, it's filled with wonders, from ancient and medieval architecture, museums, and fine dining worth exploring at least for a few days.

distance 40 km (30 mi) / ascent 600 m (2000 ft)

The biggest small city of Tuscany and a synonym for Tuscan architecture is today’s destination, the graceful Siena. Siena was one of the most important cities in medieval Europe and its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also famous for its cuisine, art, museum, medieval cityscape, and the Palio, a horse race held twice a year in Piazza del Campo square. The route will take us over typical Tuscan rolling hills countryside, dotted with green vineyards and with views of colorful medieval towns like Monteriggioni.

distance 65 km (40 mi) / ascent 1600 m (5200 ft)

After getting accustomed to your bikes the day before, we have a long but marvelous riding day ahead of us. Riding the Strade Bianche (white gravel roads) we will be a part of the picture postcard scenery, riding between the vineyards and olive orchards. Don’t let the many hills ahead of us give you a fright, since e-bikes can make them flat or challenging, depending on your assistance setting.

Today’s highlight is the small town of Volterra, one of the most popular and visited medieval towns of Tuscany. A place of long history, since its being continuously inhabited for almost 3000 years.

distance 40 km (25 mi) / ascent 900 m (3000 ft)

Tuscany is more than just medieval history and dazzling countryside. For some, its main allure is its cuisine, and more importantly wine. The wine center of Tuscany is situated in the hilly region of Chianti which is the home of the red wine of the same name. Our visit to the Chianti region won’t be complete without tasting its exquisite top-quality wine

Today’s route winds between numerous vineyards and wine-tasting rooms, where we’ll try to whisk and sip a few authentic wines and other delicacies.

distance 60 km (37 mi) / ascent 700 m (2300 ft)

To reach the southern part of Tuscany, we’ll employ our shuttle and get straight to the point. Less visited, but still authentic and tranquil villages of Montepulciano and Cortona will delight you with their charm. Montepulciano, the route start, is a Renaissance hilltop town, the center of the wine-producing region of the wine of the same name. The route will also take us along the shores of largest lake in Tuscany and the fourth largest in Italy, Lake Trasimeno.

distance 40 km (25 mi) - ascent 1100 m (3600 ft)

Experience Elba Island on two wheels. The island of Elba is the largest in the Tuscan Archipelago and a popular holiday destination for cyclists. It was a famous banquet place for Napoleon Bonaparte and it's also home to one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Portoferraio Fortress.

The shuttle will bring us to the port in Piombino, where we will embark on an hour-long ferry crossing. What awaits us on Elba is the spectacularly charismatic Portoferraio town, views of turquoise Mediterranean beaches, and a relaxing route over the ridge of the island with 360 degrees stunning views.

distance 30 km (19 mi) / ascent 500 m (1600 ft)

A seemingly easy day will be full of cultural delights, photo stops, and fine architecture as we’re heading to the Renaissance world capital, Florence. To give you a head start, the shuttle will take us to the Chianti region from where we’ll descend slowly to the city of Florence and cross probably the most famous bridge in Italy, Ponte Vecchio (The Old Bridge).

Florence was the center of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of that era, putting Florence in a position of enormous influence in Italy, Europe, and beyond. Florence City Centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site full of spectacular basilicas, churches, monuments, and art galleries, such as the iconic basilica of Santa Maria Novella, Uffizi and Accademia museums, and the peculiar Fontana del Porcellino.

Our final group dinner will take place in the crown jewel of the Tuscan towns, our neighboring town of San Gimignano, a town of medieval towers, authentic ambiance, finger-licking meats, and artisanal gelato.

departure

Departure day to Florence airport with complimentary shuttle. We recommend an extended visit to Italy and the glorious surrounding area, like Florence, Bologna, Rome or Naples, and the Amalfi Coast, where you can expand and reaffirm your memories of Italy and have a different style of your vacation.