I Bike Italy

Our meeting point is located at the doorway to the Chianti countryside thus avoiding a ride through the throngs of tourists in the center of Florence. The ride starts out with a 2 km uphill ride, frequent stops will be made to enjoy the views on the way up to the top of the hill. Once we arrive at the top, we will be riding our bikes through the neighborhood of the local Florentine nobility and their villas making our way to a famous Renaissance villa tucked away in the hills behind Florence.

We will stop and tour the villa before ducking into the ancient wine cellar to do our wine and olive oil tasting accompanied by a light Tuscan snack of local products. All products are produced on premises, and being such a small family production, they are only sold locally. Both the wine and olive oil are available for purchase and shipping. Our return leg back to Florence will take us by the spectacular Piazzale Michelangelo, one of the best views of Florence where we will stop for pictures. We continue downhill from there and back into Florence, coming into the San Niccolo' area, and a ride to our favorite gelateria to top off the perfect half day outing!

Moderate (or easy if you are active) bike ride in the Tuscan Hills just outside of Florence with a visit to a private estate winery with wine and olive oil tasting, and a delicious Tuscan multi-course lunch. This leisurely, professionally guided and supported bike ride in the Tuscan countryside just outside of Florence will lead you along olive groves, vineyards, medieval castles, hillside villa estates and breathtaking panoramic views of Florence, riding through the heart of Tuscany into the wine area called CHIANTI.

This tour is a full day among the Tuscan landscapes, with a stop for lunch at a private Chianti Villa Estate, where you will take a guided tour of the vineyards, the ancient “cantina” and the “Orciaia” below the medieval tower. Local wine tasting will accompany your meal. After lunch we ride back to our bike depot leaving the bikes, jump in the minivan, for a safe drive back to where we picked you up in the morning. We will meet you and drop you at our meeting point in Florence and take you with a shuttle (about 15 mins ride) to the Chianti area.

We provide quality 24 speed bicycles, helmets, water bottles, delicious Tuscan multi-course lunch, a winery and cellar guided tour and bilingual guides to show you the way.  Daily departure at 9.30 a.m. from Florence with our shuttle drive to Chianti.

We pick you up at our meeting point in Florence and drive you up above the city center to the hilltop abbey of Montesenario Nature Reserve and slowly bike down.

We slowly bike down stopping for Tuscan multi-course lunch and a tour of an authentic family run vineyard for olive oil and wine tasting. We continue to descend down into the beautiful hilltop town of Fiesole for a quick stop to admire the breathtaking view of Florence below before heading down to the Florence city center. You don't need to be an expert bike rider, only a lover of the outdoors and of the delightful Tuscan landscape. This is an easy and pleasant tour, suitable for families.

Spend a full day high above Florence riding through the Tuscan hills and Fiesole. A winery visit is included where we will sample both olive oil and wine. Tuscan multi-course lunch is a highlight at a local traditional family run trattoria.

*This tour is not van supported, participants must be comfortable on a bike all day.As promised with our tours...no churches, no museums, no annoying crowds. With the departure right from our office in Florence, this is what we like to call our "green" tour: meaning no shuttle vans and no support vehicles, no carbon footprint - just you, your bike and your bilingual guide. Your guide is there to show you the way, point out the sights, and fix any flats or malfunctions.

The tour includes a scenic ride up to the picturesque town of Fiesole, located the northeast of Florence. Once you arrive in Fiesole you get to see one of the best views of Florence. The ride then continues further into the hills where you will eat at one of our favourite restaurants in the area (La casa del prosciutto) - which is claimed by many of our guests to be one of the best meals of their trip! On the return trip back to Florence, we will stop at a local family run Chianti vineyard to see where their wine is made and stored, and a look at their personal stash of olive oil. Tasting of both is encouraged! Purchase and shipping of both wine and oil is available from the vineyard. The return ride to Florence is mostly downhill getting us back to the shop no later than 5:00 p.m.
 

Day 1 - Warm up with our one day Classic Chianti Tour in the morning. After lunch we will break off from the rest of the group and head further south towards Siena. During our trip, we will be passing through classic Tuscan towns such as Greve and the hilltop town of Panzano. After a coffee and a visit to the famous butcher of Panzano, Dario Cecchini, we will head down to Villa Rosa where we will be spending the night. An exquisite Italian multi-course dinner in the hotel is included in the price.

Day 2 – After breakfast at the hotel we start out descending downhill for several kilometers leading us to the town of Radda in Chianti for our first climb. After a stroll through the town, another downhill will take us to lunch in the town of Gaiole, home of the world famous vintage bike race called L’Eroica. While sitting in the main square of Gaiole, we will introduce you to our longtime friend, Fernanda, who will serve us a delicious Tuscan lunch. After coffee, we will ride back on the bikes for a nice long meandering, semi-downhill, flat stretch of road before we come to the town of Pianella. After Pianella, we can stop here or proceed uphill to Siena (in our van or still pedaling), where we will say good-bye and our amazing experience together will officially end.

Meet your guide and group at our shop located next door from famous Palazzo Pitti, and start the tour riding through the typical Oltrarno and San Niccolò districts. Start gently climbing the hills surrounding Florence to reach the spectacular Piazzale Michelangelo for pictures with one of the best views of Florence. After that, some more uphill riding, with frequent stops  to enjoy the views on the way up to the top of the hill. 

Once we arrive at the top, we will be riding our bikes through the neighbourhood of the local Florentine nobility and their Villas making our way to a famous Renaissance villa tucked away in the hills behind Florence, where we will stop for an evening aperitivo (drinks and snacks) at the poolside: bring your bathing suit as the pool is at our complete disposal for a late afternoon dive! 

Leaving the villa, relaxed and refreshed, it is all downhill and back into Florence, coming into the Porta Romana gate, and a ride to our favourite gelateria to top off the perfect afternoon!

The trail starts in the walled city of Lucca with its amazing Renaissance wall and citadel, and finishes in the UNESCO World Heritage historic center of Siena.

Day 1 - Arrival in Lucca and check-in at hotel (let us know if you need a transfer to be organized from Florence or Pisa airports or stations). Briefing with Bill and/or Stefano then relax until the day after. Enjoy Lucca!

Day 2 - From Lucca to San Miniato: 46 kilometers on mostly flat roads with sections of wide trails and paths through wooded sections.Depart on bike from Lucca after having ridden around the ancient city walls and visiting the historical city center. Following the pilgrimage route, we will ride our bikes along footpaths and back streets where we will meet fellow cyclists and pilgrims traveling the path on foot.The slow pace of the ride will really allow you to see a part of Italy that cannot be experienced by car or train. See the little old Italian ladies hanging up their laundry as you greet them with a hearty "buon giorno!". Today is a good warm up to the day that follows which is a bit more hilly. Lunch will be at a local eatery along the way and lodging for the night is in the town of San Miniato, internationally known for its amazing white truffles!

Day 3 - San Miniato to San Gimignano: 42 Kilometers; Welcome to the Tuscan hills! Moderately difficult to difficult.Our morning starts out with a downhill experience... after that its up and down as we make our way over and through the Val D'Elsa to the Manhattan of Tuscany: San Gimignano with all it's remaining medieval towers and a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Day 4 - San Gimignano to Siena: 51 kilometers; from one UNESCO World Heritage site to another! From San Gimignano we continue, up and down through the Tuscan hills to Colle Val d’Elsa, an out-of-time Tuscan village with a charming old town center and narrow alleyways which wind through the stone wall streetways.The itinerary then continues through one of the most beautiful sections of the Via Francigena: a meditative route, along which you can surround yourself with the silence of the Pieve di Strove with its Romanesque interiors, or stand in the quietness of the splendid Abbadia at Isola, with its imposing Abbey.Not to be missed, is a stroll along the wall of the breath-taking castle of Monteriggioni, once defending the Repubblica of Siena, before reaching Siena through dirt roads and the ancient medieval hamlet of Cerbaia. An unforgettable way to celebrate your arrival? A plate of pici all’aglione in the illuminated Piazza del Campo. And don’t forget the panforte!