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Your Accommodation
In Siena just outside the gates of the
town is our small, welcoming hotel which was originally an old house.
In Radda, we stay at a superb farmhouse B&B that our clients
rave about. In Colle we use 3-star hotels both in the renaissance
'Colle Alto' and in the more modern lower town. In Volterra our
preferred 3* hotel is outside the mediaeval centre but still within
the older Etruscan walls, with fine views westwards towards the
sea. It also boasts a swimming pool. All the hotels provide rooms
with en-suite facilities.
General Information
This is a not-too-strenuous, albeit
hilly, tour which is suitable for those who are new to cycling tours
and for those who have experience of off road riding. All will enjoy
the classic Tuscany landscape of small hills, olive groves and vineyards.
Some days have more difficult, more off road options for more experienced
cyclists. The tour starts and finishes at the wonderfully well-preserved
mediaeval city of Siena, whose centrepiece is the shell-shaped tiled
square called the Campo where the famous Palio (traditional horse
race) is held twice a year. Our route takes you to a series of historic
towns and villages: Radda-in-Chianti, with its all-round views over
the rolling hills of the Chianti Classico country, Castellina-in-Chianti
also on a hill-top site, the exquisite walled village of Monteriggioni,
surrounded by well-tended vineyards, the tunnel-like streets and
glassware showrooms of Colle Val d'Elsa, Volterra, with its Etruscan
walls and museum, San Gimignano, world famous for its beautiful
towers, before returning to Siena for the last two nights. From
Siena there is an opportunity for a fairly long one-day cycling
excursion taking in the interesting borgo (fortified village) of
Murlo and the celebrated monastery of Monte Oliveto Maggiore. Both
Radda and Castellina are in the Chianti Classico region, world famous
for its red wines, while San Gimignano is known for its 'Vernaccia'
(a dry white wine, particularly refreshing after a hot afternoon's
ride). The vineyards are interspersed with olive groves, and there
is a range of gourmet olive oils in the shops. The higher hills
and steeper slopes are often covered with oak forest. Among the
culinary specialities of the region are the sausages and salamis
made from wild boar.
Before or after your cycling tour
there is an opportunity to visit Pisa or Florence, but you may need
to spend one or two nights in Florence if you want to see much of
the city.
Season:
April to October There is a flight supplement from July to September.
Travel Information
Arrival: The tour starts
in Siena. The nearest international airports are at Pisa and Rome
There is an approximately hourly train service from Pisa Centrale
station (with some services starting at Pisa Aeroporto train station)
to Empoli, where you change trains for Siena. Buy a through ticket
from Pisa to Siena before starting the journey. The cost is around
10,100 lire (2000). If you are arriving via Rome Leonardo da Vinci
airport proceed as follows: 1. Buy tickets for the whole journey
to Siena at the airport train station; if possible get seat reservations
for the leg Rome-Chiusi 2. Take a train from the airport train station
to Roma Termini (direct non-stop train every 30 minutes) 3. Take
the next available train to Chiusi. 4. Change at Chiusi for train
(occasionally replaced by a railway bus) to Siena (no seat reservations
on this leg). 5. Get taxi from Siena station to your first hotel.
The fare from Rome airport to Siena is around 50,000 lire, including
the airport train leg to Roma Termini (15,000) and inter-city supplement
if you travel on an inter-city train between Rome and Chiusi (1999
prices). When travelling by train in Italy always punch your tickets
in the machine on the station before starting your journey.
End of Tour: The hotel in Siena is a short taxi ride from
the train station. There is an approximately hourly train service
to Florence. For Pisa and Pisa airport change trains at Empoli.
If you are travelling from Siena to Rome airport: buy tickets for
the complete journey to Rome airport before starting your journey
from Siena. It is often difficult to buy train tickets in Rome Termini
station and there are heavy fines for travelling to the airport
without a ticket. Change trains in Chiusi. You may need to pay an
inter-city supplement for the leg between Chiusi and Rome. See above
for fares.
The Bikes
We provide a choice of 21 speed straight
handlebar city (road) or mountain bikes such as Scott, Trek, and
Metropolis models or similar. Clients should express their preference
for road or "mountain bike " models at the time of booking.
Included is a rear baggage rack without panniers, puncture repair
kit, tyre pump, water bottle with holder, chain lock with key and
a bar bag for carrying maps, snacks etc.. Tool kits are not provided,
so you should bring a simple lightweight metric multitool and two
tyre levers.
Helmets we advise for hygiene reasons that you bring your own or
buy a new one on arrival in Siena for around £17 equivalent. We
need to know customers' height and inside leg measurements. Cycle
hire fee IL 110,000, payable at the start of the tour cash only
or you can ask us to invoice you and you can pay us directly. The
bikes are delivered to the first hotel in Siena at the start of
the tour and collected from the same hotel at the end of the tour.
We need your approximate arrival details into Siena so that we can
arrange for your bikes to be handed over to you on arrival, please
make sure that we are informed.
Accommodation
Accommodation is mostly in 3 star hotels
with one night spent in a B&B. Three evening meals are included
(usually nights 1,4 and 5, but there may be some variation). Picnic
lunches are not included, but materials for picnics can be purchased
in each of the towns and villages where you stay. On some days there
are also conveniently located restaurants en route. Please note
that this is a popular route and we sometimes have to use alternatives
to the hotels detailed below.
Note:
In Italian law, all hotels must close their restaurants one night
a week, so alternative evening meal arrangements at restaurants
in the near vicinity of your hotel are a possible occurrence on
this and other tours in Italy.
What's included
Bed and breakfast including 3 evening
meals.
Luggage transfers from Inn to Inn.
Full route notes and map package. We provide specially written route
descriptions for each day's cycling, together with a road map of
Siena province with the non-urban sections of the route highlighted.
Extend Your stay
We can book extra nights in Pisa, Siena, Florence or in the "Cinque
Terre", a rugged and picturesque coastal region, centred at
Monterosso near La Spezia. Details and prices on request. Extra
nights added in during the cycling tour can also be booked; this
will normally entail a small supplementary cycle hire charge
Terrain
Rolling countryside with
some hills making this an enjoyable and varied cycling holiday.
You can choose from an on, or off-road option each day.
Itinerary
Day 1.
Arrive Siena. The bikes will be delivered to your first hotel after
your arrival. It is at this point that you should pay for the rental
to the representatives of the bike hire. No credit cards accepted
it has to be cash.
Day 2. Siena
to Radda-in-Chianti. The tour starts with a relatively short day.
There is a mixed road / off road route via Vagliaglia 25km /16 miles,
and a predominantly tarmac route via Sano: 36 km / 22 miles. You
ride out of Siena towards the north. By the time you reach Vagliali
you are in the Chianti Classico region where the skylines are often
emphasized by rows of cypress tress. After passing the Romanesque
church of San Giusto you climb to the hill-top town of Radda, where
our B&B accommodation overlooks vineyards and fruit trees.
Day 3.
Radda-in-Chianti to Colle Val d'Elsa. 38.5km / 24 miles. A slightly
longer or rather more strenuous day, with hills near the start and
finish so an early start is advised. The day starts with a choice
between a quieter but hilly route or a shorter, busier road that
stays on the high ground. At Castellina you can stop off for some
refreshment and to explore the old town, which at over 600m is the
highest in Chianti, with views to match. It is then a long easy
descent to Monteriggioni, now only a tiny village, but surrounded
by a high wall with fourteen towers which Dante compared to giants.
There is a bar and a restaurant, or you could picnic in the square.
From here it is an easy ride over mostly level ground to the next
town, Colle Val d'Elsa, famous for its crystal and modern glassware.
Better leave room in your baggage for that special piece! The mediaeval
and renaissance upper town ('Colle Alto'), stretching along a narrow
ridge crest, is little touched by modernity.
 Day
4. Colle Val d'Elsa to Volterra. There
is a mixed road /off road route via Badra a Coneo: 31 km / 19.3
miles and an easier route option via Casole d' Elsa 31.3 km /19.4
miles. Much of today's route follows along 'strade bianche' (white
roads) across quiet, hilly, well-wooded countryside. On the way
you should not miss the beautifully situated hamlet of Pignano.
As usual the day ends with an uphill section. Those Etruscans would
insist in choosing hill-tops for their towns! Volterra is the archetypal
Etruscan town, with high walls, a Roman theatre just outside the
wall, and many gateways, one of them still bearing Etruscan carvings.
Within the walls is a maze of narrow streets and numerous alabaster
workshops and showrooms - more shopping! The Piazza dei Priori is
surrounded by fine mediaeval buildings. The sunset over Le Balze
from S.Giusto has to be seen to be believed.
Day 5.
Volterra to San Gimignano. There is a off road type option via Olignano:
28 km / 17.4 miles or a road version via Castagno: 31.2 km / 19.4
miles.Today you ride to the 'town of beautiful towers'. While in
San Gimignano you should spend an hour or so exploring the town
on foot. There are parts of the town which other tourists rarely
reach! The path which runs along just outside the town walls offers
splendid views of the surrounding intensively cultivated landscape,
while even better views are to be seen from the very top of the
highest tower (entry fee), or if you don't fancy all those steps
there is almost as good a view from the Rocca (old fortress).
Day 6.
San Gimignano to Siena. Via Scorgiano 46.4 km / 28.8 miles. Quite
a long day with a steep ascent, but on good roads by way of Scorgiano
with its 16th century villa and grounds, La Montagnola and the 17th
century villa of San Colomba. Finally you role into Siena and time
for some cultural excusions to the famous cathedral, the Palazzo
il Campo or maybe a stroll around the various Contrada districts
in the city. There are loads of boutique shops, good restaurants
and wine tasting opportunites.
Day 7.
Circular ride from Siena. Of course you could easily spend a whole
day exploring the city of Siena. There is so much to see. But with
the use of the bikes for another day you may fancy a circular ride
to the south and east of the city, taking in the enchanting 'borgo'
(fortified village) of Murlo with its well maintained Etruscan museum
(closed Mondays) and then the splendid monastery of Monte Oliveto
Maggiore, before returning to Siena across the scenic 'crete' region.
65km.
Day 8. End of Tour
Nights 1, 6 and 7. Siena.
In the lively and sophisticated city of Siena we stay at a small,
comfortable hotel in rooms with en suite facilities, telephone,
and colour TV. Dinner, Bed and breakfast on night 1 and bed and
breakfast on nights 6 and 7.
Night 2. Radda-in-Chianti. A clean friendly, welcoming farmhouse
style B&B in this small hill-top town. En-suite facilities available.
Night 3. Colle Val d'Elsa. This night is normally
spent in an historic building dating from the 15th century in the
old Upper Town (Colle Alta). It is a 3-star hotel with 32 en suite
rooms. There is a choice of good restaurants nearby. In busy times
or for late bookings we may use a hotel of similar standard with
its own restaurant in the centre of the Lower Town.
Night 4. In Volterra, in origin one of the oldest
cities in Italy, our first choice is a welcoming and comfortable
3 star hotel, in a restored late 17th century villa, situated in
a peaceful area between the mediaeval and Etruscan town-walls, commanding
a magnificent view south-westwards towards the sea. All rooms have
their own shower and toilet. The hotel even has an outdoor swimming
pool. Evening meal at a nearby restaurant is included.
Night 5. San Gimignano. We use a comfortable and very popular
3-star hotel set in the pulsating heart of the town of towers, which
has changed little since mediaeval times. Dinner is included. The
hotel's own restaurant is closed on Tuesdays, in which case alternative
evening meal arrangements will be made in a nearby restaurant.
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