Tuscany Bike Classic |
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Exquisite bike routes.
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Our hotel in Panzano
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We bike on beautiful, quiet roads
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Van support is always welcome
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The medieval skyline of Siena
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A toast to Vino Nobile!
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Elegant & formidable Montepulciano
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Sample the local produce at lunch
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Pienza & its pecorino cheese
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Tuscany Bike Classic Itinerary
TOUR AT A GLANCE -
Duration: 7 Days/6 Nights
Departing from: Florence, Sunday 9:30 a.m., Day 1
Tour finishes: Chiusi train station on Friday, Day 7
Price: €2,000 per person based on double occupancy and minimum of 6 people. Single supplement €200.
Click on the Currency Converter to see the price in your local currency.
Ride through the hills and valleys of Chianti and the Crete Senesi, past ancient hilltop towns, stone farmhouses, lone cypresses and lush vineyards. At the end of the day celebrate with an excellent meal and a fine glass of wine. Combine the captivating landscapes of Tuscany with the exhilaration and freedom of biking.
Trip design: We designed this trip to highlight the wonderful fusion of Tuscany’s natural beauty with its rich culture and centuries of history. During the trip you will stay in a variety of accommodations: an 18th century country villa, a modern hotel in the beautiful Gothic city of Siena, a small family-run hotel in a quiet medieval walled village, and in an elegant renovated cloister in the Renaissance town of Pienza. The trip is also suited for people who really like to bike. Tuscany is hilly and therefore the riding is challenging but also extremely rewarding, as each hill provides a view more beautiful than the last. We have developed optional extensions for each day of riding that enables keen riders to get as much mileage as they want, while less experienced riders have the reassurance of our support van which is available to assist when needed. Of course, the van also moves your luggage.
We love Tuscany so much that our Italian office is located here in Chianti, so there isn’t a side road or café that we don’t know about. Biking is one of our passions, so it is no accident that we are located in some of the best biking country in the world. Why not join us and let us show you around?
Day 1 - Sunday: Meet your guides at 9:30 in front of the Hotel Ritz, along the Arno river in Florence. You will have a bike fitting and safety talk before leaving directly from Florence on your bikes. We know the city well, so have a great way to get out of town and into the Chianti hills while avoiding the city traffic. Our destination is the village of Panzano in Chianti, where we stay at the hotel Relais Fattoria Valle, a beautiful 18th-century Tuscan manor house. Once home to a noble Florentine family, it has been restored and transformed into a lovely country hotel. The views from the garden and pool area are gorgeous, and it's a great place to kick back and relax after a challenging day of riding the Tuscan hills. We dine in the hotel garden beneath a leafy canopy of plane trees. Hotel and dinner included.
Day 2 - Monday: Today we explore the hills and historic villages of Chianti, beginning with Radda, one of the cities in the Chianti League that helped Florence defend its territory from the Sienese during the Middle Ages. After a coffee break and some window-shopping, we continue on to Gaiole where we have lunch in the main square. Stop for a visit of a local ceramics producer on the way home, then return to your hotel. Late this afternoon we will visit the winery of Fattoria Le Fonti, a small, family-owned boutique winery owned and operated by my friends Guido and Vicki. After this special visit we will have dinner nearby. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.
Day 3 - Tuesday: Today's ride takes us through the tiny hamlet of La Piazza to the village of San Donato where we can enjoy a mid-morning cappuccino before a long climb to Castellina in Chianti. Don't worry, it's a long but gradual climb and the view is great! Your uphill efforts are then rewarded by a fantastic downhill into the valley below. We have lunch at the 12th century fortress of Monteriggioni, which so impressed Dante that he mentioned it in a stanza of the Inferno. Choose a long or short ride after lunch into Siena. Our next hotel is situated just outside the medieval city walls, so you can head into town to explore on foot or just relax by the pool. Tonight is a “free night,” so you are free to have a quiet night on your own or discover the city’s gourmet delights with friends. Hotel and breakfast included. Dinner not included.
Day 4 - Wednesday: This morning we offer a guided visit of Siena which explains the history and culture of the city as well as the importance of its Palio horse race. After lunch in Siena we change into our bike clothes and start our ride to Asciano. We head into a terrain that is completely different from what we have seen so far, and enter the clay hills of the Crete Senesi. Those who have seen the films Stealing Beauty or The English Patient will recognize this starkly beautiful landscape of barren rolling hills punctuated by solitary cypress trees. We stay in the charming and authentic village of Asciano, an ancient walled town whose inhabitants have ingeniously incorporated the old defensive walls into their homes. Tonight we conduct a wine tasting, accompanied by dinner. Overnight in Asciano at Hotel La Pace, a family-run hotel with a lovely garden and swimming pool. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.
Day 5 - Thursday: Today we have a gorgeous ride to the Renaissance town of Pienza. Our first stop is the beautiful Benedictine Abbey of Monte Oliverto Maggiore, whose monks are famous for their erudition and strict vows of silence. Visit the frescoed cloister and then enjoy a coffee in the garden before continuing on to lunch in the medieval village of Montisi. After lunch we ride to Pienza, which was designed between 1459-62 by Pope Pius II, a local boy who rebuilt his hometown and named it after himself. He decreed that Pienza be a center of art and humanist values, and it has one of the earliest Renaissance cathedrals in Tuscany. It is also the heart of the local pecorino cheese production! Our hotel is an elegant renovated cloister located right inside the city walls and has spectacular views over the countryside. Dinner together in a local trattoria. Overnight Pienza. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.
Day 6 - Friday: Our final day of cycling in Tuscany ends with a fantastic ride that takes us to the hilltop towns of the Orcia Valley. A sweeping downhill (and then uphill!) takes us to the lovely walled hamlet of Montichiello, where we can stop for a coffee break and enjoy breathtaking views over the valley. We then continue on to Montepulciano. Founded by the Etruscans 2,500 years ago, it continued to be a vital and important city well into the Renaissance. It sits high on a hilltop, so was the perfect location for the Medici to expand their power into southeastern Tuscany. We have lunch here, and you have time to explore the main squares, back alleys and shops before we meet up again to continue our ride back to Pienza. Tonight we get together for a final aperitivo and dinner together in town. Overnight Pienza. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.
Day 7 - Saturday: 9:00 transfer to Chiusi for 10:00 trains to Rome, Florence and beyond. Breakfast and transfer included.
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See all of our tours by DESTINATION & ACTIVITY
See all of our tours by date: TOUR CALENDAR 2010
The biking in Tuscany
is hilly! We sometimes ride sustained climbs of 10-15 kms, with some steep grades. We ride 40 - 65 km a
day, with optional extensions as well as van support, which allows you
to relax off the bike for a while. We have designed the trip so that
there is always some free
time in the late afternoon so you can relax, read, or explore the towns
where we stay. Breakfast is included every day, and dinners reflect the
excellent traditional food of the region.
Useful Links -
The City of Florence: everything you need to know about the city
The Accademia: home of Michelangelo's David and other world-famous works
The Uffizi Gallery: one of the greatest collections in the world. We recommend you make reservations ahead of time.
The Duomo: one of the wonders of the Renaissance, Florence's cathedral.
Siena Tourist Authority: this site has interesting links to areas within Siena province, like Chianti, the Val d'Orcia, & the Crete Senesi
Chianti Classico wine corsortium: a site devoted to this world-renown wine and its group of producers
Chianti History: concise article on the history of this famous region
Monteriggioni: more information on this fascinating hilltop fortress
UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Italy has more sites listed than any other country!
General Information
Qualifications: This trip is rated Challenging. Tuscany is very hilly, so you must enjoy biking -- including up hills! The daily distances are between 45-65 kms (28-40 miles), or about 3-5 hours of riding divided between morning and afternoon.
Trip Cost Includes: All accommodations in three star hotels (2 nights Panzano, 1 night each Siena and Asciano, 2 nights Pienza); 6 breakfasts and 5 dinners; bilingual guide or guides; support vehicle; guided tours as noted in the itinerary; all luggage transfers, final transfer to Chiusi train station at the end of the trip; bikes (quality 27-speed hybrid-style touring bikes with front handlebar bags and rear racks).
Getting there (this will redirect you to our "Getting to the Trip" page)
Booking: e-mail us to receive a booking contract (or use the "Reservation" page).
Insurance: We highly recommend the purchase of Trip
Insurance. We recommend "Travel Guard" to our American clients, just click on the logo below, while Canadian residents can click here. Australian, New Zealander, and British travelers, please consult your insurance brokers.
Come join us for the trip of a lifetime! |
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