Tuscany - Strade Bianchi Explorer

We'll explore some of the classic Strade Bianche routes of the Eroica and sections of the historic Via Francigena pilgrimage route, linking everything together with ancient trading routes, mule tracks and our own favourite hidden gems.

This is quintessential Tuscan gravel riding, bringing together great riding with typical Italian style and plenty of local delicacies to keep us fuelled.

Along the way we mix up the classic gravel roads with some smother tarmac road sections allowing us to move through the different regions and avoid some of the steeper climbs! Some narrow woodland trails add a bit of extra to the riding as we test our skills on some short sections of more challenging terrain.

Our week's riding takes us on a loop south through the Chianti region and to the iconic views of the Colline Sienesi lined with cypress trees. A two-night stay affords us time to explore the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Val D’Orcia and Pienza and to see the hotsprings of Bagno Vignoni. Along the route, we touch some of the most important towns of Tuscany most of which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Radda in Chianti, San Quirico, Pienza, Siena, and Montalcino as well as lesser-known villages, such as Castelnuovo, Asciano, and Murlo.

As we loop round towards the northwest and ending in the Colline Pisane we pass the incredible hilltop towns of Monteriggioni and San Gimignano. Combining magical views with fabulous sections of white limestone Strada Bianca roads we'll experience iconic Tuscany but from our week of riding we'll have also shared the quiet backroads, forest trails and special local cafes that make Tuscany so special to us.

Talking of Tuscany, we can’t miss out the wine! Every region has it's own unique speciality and you will have the opportunity to taste the classic reds of Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Nobile di Moltepulciano, or a refreshing cool glass of Venraccia of San Gimignano as well as sampling the lesser known, but just as delicious, wines of the Colline Pisane.

Highlights

• Riding some of the classic “Strade Bianche” of Tuscany as well as lesser-known gravel routes
• Cycling through the historic wine regions of Tuscany, stopping off for a bit of wine tasting
• Exploring the region on a mix of terrains
• Riding the stunning UNESCO heritage region of Val d’Orcia
• Relaxing in small villages for a coffee with the locals
• Easing along the rolling hills of the ‘Colli Sienesi’
• Chilling out with a post-ride Chianti or Brunello

Although each day’s riding is designed to vary to take in the best of the area and routes, we will be averaging around 60% off-road, mixing in tarmac sections to link up the best gravel tracks and take the pinch out of some of the hills. The Strade Bianche tend to be wide, good compact gravel, though there could be some small bumps and occasional potholes and looser gravel at the edges. Even the country roads will have a mixed surface, from farm roads with potholes and if rainy, mud, to sections with loose small stones. Forest tracks (approximately 5% of the overall offroad sections) are a mix of smooth trails and uneven surface and may feature some uphill sections that require carrying the bike for very short portions.

Our grade for this holiday reflects the distances ridden on the often hilly nature of the Tuscan landscape with daily ascents and descents of between 900m and 1300m. You can expect short and sharp climbs alongside longer, steadier ascents. The descents will be just as frequent with sections of loose gravel to tackle, particularly on the corners.