Italy Bicycling: Tuscany & Umbria
Activities
Bicycling
Trip Length
7 days, 6 nights
Departure Date
TBD
Our Italy biking trip takes place in the heart of Italy in two fantastic provinces: Tuscany and Umbria. Incredible pastas, pizza, and bruschetta, beautiful scenery with rolling hills and waving wheat fields and medieval towns with winding streets and inviting shops. And last but absolutely not least, the vino!
We start our tour with three days riding in Tuscany where, we think, the Italians hide all their best wines! The scenery is spectacular and the historic towns provide the perfect excuse to get off our bike and do some shopping or sample the local delicacies. Best of all, Tuscany's rural roads make the bicycle the perfect vehicle for exploration.
Keep in mind, Tuscany is also hilly and will be a challenge for some. We do our best to include flat routes where possible but there is no getting around the Tuscan hills. One of Equinox's top Spinning instructors will be in Tuscany with you to help you play hard and workout hard. They will lead 2 rides a day.
Then there's Umbria. Umbria is equally as beautiful as Tuscany, although less well known, and boasts the Valle di Umbria, a flat valley that makes for a perfect complement to rolling Tuscany. The short routes during our final four days are generally flat with an occasional climb to a charming hilltop town. The longer routes take advantage of the typical Tuscan hills and offer more strenuous cycling. Including both Tuscany and Umbria provides us with the best of the area and a variety of riding for all ability levels.
The routes are a combination of paved and dirt roads making our 27-speed Cannondale rental bikes the perfect choice for both on and off road biking.
Italy is truly an amazing country with much to offer and this seven-day bicycling adventure through Tuscany and Umbria offers many of the area's highlights.
Price
Double Occupancy $2695 / Single Occupancy $3295 (Includes Bicycle Rental)
Difficulty
Moderately Challenging — Short rides attempt to keep hills to a minimum while longer routes do have hills.
What's Included
Six nights lodging, all dinners and breakfasts, local transportation, guides, bike rental and van support.
Not Included
Transportation to and from the tour location, lunches, drinks, personal expenditures, and guide gratuities.
Accommodations
We start our week by staying in an "agriturismo", the Pieve Salti, which is a converted farming operation situated on a hill in Tuscany. This three-star hotel provides clean rooms, outstanding views, and excellent food. We then move on to the town of Piensa and the Piccolo Hotel la Valle, a new three-star hotel that looks out over the Tuscan countryside. We spend two nights in Piensa before moving to Umbria and the town of Spello. We stay for two nights, this time at the Hotel La Bastiglia, a converted mill that sits on the top of the town. Every room has incredible views and this four-star hotel will make you never want to leave! Finally, we spend our last night in the town of Spoleto at the Hotel Charleston, situated in the center of town and named after Spoleto's sister city.
Suggested Readings & Films
Under the Tuscan Sun, by Frances Mayes. For a good chuckle, check out Too Much Tuscan Sun, by native Dario Castagno, which humorously relates his 12 years as a tour guide in the area. Another good read is Travelers' Tales Tuscany (by James O'Reilly and Tara Weaver), one of a series of books that provide true stories taking place in Tuscany and an excellent insight into the area.
Weather
The main tourist season in Italy and runs from mid-April to the end of September. September is one of the best times to visit this region as the weather is sunny and mild and the crowds have subsided. Day time highs usually range from 70–75 degrees F.
Arrival & Departure
We meet in the city of Siena in the center of Tuscany. Nearby international airports are Rome and Florence, both with train and bus connections to Siena. We end the trip in the city of Spoleto in southern Umbria.
More Information
Dates and itineraries are subject to change. Availability and itineraries will be verified upon request.