Florence, Pisa, Siena. A hilly landscape and cypresses decorating the alleys. These are the first pictures that come to our minds when we think of Tuscany. This relaxed and guided Tuscany cycling vacation offers all that – and adds some impressing insider’s tips along the route: the 34°C warm thermal waterfalls of Saturnia, small towns on hills with an unforgettable view, two typical Tuscan dinners in countryside restaurants – and at the end of the tour a stay on the sea. Together with other cyclists and your guide you immerse into la dolce vita della bella Italia!
Individual arrival in Pisa. Get an overview of the old maritime republic that Pisa used to be. You reach the historic center easily from your hotel. Overnight in Pisa.
Day 2: Pisa - Fucecchio (65 km)
After breakfast, you meet your guide and the other tour participants, and you store your luggage in the support vehicle. Then, you get on your bike for the first day’s stage. First, you ride through the innertown, passing directly the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. Afterwards, you ride along a river to Lucca city. Lucca impresses with its huge, circling, medieval city wall that is fully intact. You cross the historic old town where you can marvel the beautiful streets and squares. If you want, you can enjoy a little shopping tour and then store everything in the support vehicle. Afterwards, the many Tuscan restaurants invite for a lunch. Leaving the center, you pass the impressing aqueduct. You continue in flat country until you reach Fucecchio, your first stage finish. In Fucecchio’s old town, especially the old fortress is worth seeing. Overnight in Fucecchio.
Today, you continue in flat country. After a while, you reach the beautiful Arno River. It has its source in the Apennine Mountains and flows into the Mediterranean Sea near Pisa. You follow the Arno River and get finally to Florence. You can immerse into the vital city and explore the city center on the evening. If you extend your stay in Florence (see “Extras”), you will have time on the following day for visiting the Uffizi Gallery or the Palazzo Pitti. Overnight in Florence.
After a large breakfast, you leave Florence and reach immediately a more hilly area. This is where the wine producing Chianti region starts, holding ready for you breathtaking views. Along the way, you can stop for a bite to eat in small restaurants, and also try a small glass of the red Chianti wine. When you continue, you see already a medieval town with towers on a hill – this is San Gimignano, your next destination. The “City of Towers” is part of the UNESCO world heritage. If you are lucky, you find a tower that you can climb (e.g. the bell tower). From there, you have an amazing 360° view. Overnight in San Gimignano.
You leave the City of Towers, and you enjoy the nature and other beautiful villages on your way to Siena. Siena is rightly said to be one of the most beautiful cities in Tuscany and Italy. Here you can stroll around the calm historic center. It’s UNESCO world heritage as well. If you have time, you can visit some of the many palaces and museums. For the evening, your guide will recommend you some nice restaurants and popular bars. Overnight in Siena.
Today, you enjoy another beautiful day in Tuscany. Leaving Siena, you ride over hills that offer some fantastic views. Enjoying the Tuscan landscape, you ride on the famous L’Eroica cycle track on white gravel roads, the “Strade Bianche”, and under Italian cypresses. Today’s finish is the pretty mountain town of Montalcino. Here, you have much to discover: the Montalcino fortress, the cathedral, and rests of the medieval city wall. On the evening, you can have dinner in one of the many restaurants. A typical menu consists in pasta (as starter), antipasti, main dish and dessert. In the Montalcino area, pasta with truffle is a popular dish. You can also try one of the many gnocchi dishes. Antipasti are composed by different types of salami, ham and cheese; it is served with bread (in Tuscany usually without salt). A typical Tuscan main dish is first of all steak alla fiorentina, but also tripe is a local delicacy. For dessert, you can order panna cotta or tiramisu, or have an ice cream or sorbet. Overnight in Montalcino.
Your guide keeps guiding you on beautiful paths, through small villages, and you pass the first swimming area of the day. It arose naturally, has 20°C and is recharged by a nearby ancient thermal spring. Now, you ride on pretty gravel paths to the mountains. On small country lanes with a beautiful panorama, you ride in the direction of Abbadia San Salvatore. On your way, you pass the Bagni San Filippo. You should not miss this famous swimming area with waterfalls! The thermal source is sulfurous and warm and impresses with it’s natural surrounding. Finally, you reach Abbadia San Salvatore. This small town submontane of Monte Amiata is worth a visit. Especially the local monastery, Abbazia di San Salvatore, that gave it’s name to the town, is worth seeing. Dinner is served at your hotel tonight. Overnight in Abbadia San Salvatore.
Day 8: Abbadia San Salvatore - Saturnia area (65 km)
Today, your small group passes first a fortress. You ride over country lanes, typical Tuscan gravel roads, through wine-growing areas and to Etruscan graves that are worth a visit. The Etruscans were an ancient people that lived in the north of central Italy and that therefore affected a lot the region of today’s Tuscany. Later that day, you reach your countryside hotel where a dinner is served in a pretty garden restaurant. If you want, you can ride to the incredible thermal waterfalls of Saturnia that are sulfurous and 34°C warm (route is included in your GPS data). Overnight in Saturnia area.
Since the thermal waterfalls of Saturnia have many visitors during the day – as you might have experienced yesterday -, we highly recommend you to get up early today. Ride to the thermal waterfalls of Saturnia before sunrise and enjoy the sunup in the 34°C warm, steaming water. This in an unforgettable experience. After a shower at your hotel, you can have breakfast and then slowly start to your last day’s stage with your group. Today, you ride in the direction of the sea. Shortly, you ride uphill, afterwards it’s only getting down. You leave the hilly landscape and reach your destination at the Mediterranean Sea around noon. You can spend the afternoon either at the beach or with a walk through the historically interesting coast town of Talamone. Overnight in Talamone area.
Day 10: Talamone area - Albinia (train station) - Pisa (10 km)
Vom Hotel aus erreicht ihr mit eurem Guide nach 10 km den Bahnhof von Albinia.
Today, you go back to Pisa. From your hotel, you reach the train station of Albinia with your guide after only 10 km. After a 2 hours non-stop train ride, you reach Pisa. Your hotel is close to the train station. Here, you say goodbye to your guide. Overnight in Pisa.
After breakfast and before departure, you can buy last-minute souvenirs. If you want, you can extend your stay in Pisa and experience for example the beautiful cycle path to Pisa’s beaches. Individual departure or extension of stay (see Extras).
Meals: breakfast
Services
ServicesExtrasAccommodation
Included services:
10 nights in double room
Visitor’s tax
10x breakfast
2x dinner
English speaking guide (tour days 2-10)
Guided orientation tour in Florence and Siena
Entrance fee for Etruscan graves
GPS data (if required, on spot)
Support vehicle
Luggage transfer from hotel to hotel
Electrolyte-based beverage powder and fruits/nuts
Tour documents
Rental gravel bike (300 EUR per bike)
Spot in a monitored parking garage during the tour (10 nights) (90 EUR)
Extension of stay in Pisa (only if availability; price per person and night: 88 EUR in SGL, 52 EUR in DBL, 44 EUR in TRPL)
All partner accommodations are middle class accommodations. When we chose a partner accommodation, it’s important to us that they all have anything that is particular. If available, the accommodations’ specialties on our Saxony tour are:
Overnight right next to an old castle complex
thematic rooms
family-run hotel
sleep in the middle of the Inner Old Town of Dresden
Date and prices 2023
11th to 21st April 2023
2399 EUR per person in single room
2079 EUR per person in double room
2009 EUR per person in triple room
General information
Tour characterArrival and departureTravel and safety noticeAdditional
Nearest airports: Pisa, Florence By train: Pisa Centrale By intercity bus: almost all Europe
Please take account of the travel and safety notice of your home country for Italy, and the regions Tuscany and Lacio, as same as the applicable regulations in these areas.
The guide of this tour, Michael, is a passionate gravel biker. He has already stayed several times in Tuscany and knows much about the region, the people and the local history. Michael speaks English and German and is trained in first aid. He knows the track by heart because he’s the one who planned the track.
I want to share the room with another person
You can share your room with other participants (double or triple room). Please note that some accommodations only have double beds, no twin beds, so you should be sure, if you want that. Please tell us in the booking form, if you wish a female, male or mixed room. After booking, we will send you first a booking confirmation for a single room. We cannot guarantee you that you will receive a shared double/triple room. 5 weeks before tour start (at the latest), we will let you know, if your demand for a shared double/triple room was successful, and if so, we will send you a new booking confirmation with the new room category.
If you want to look for a room mate on your own, feel free to use therefore our Facebook group “Gravel Bike Tours Meeting Point”. If you find someone, please let us know, so we can bring together your rooms.
