Cycling in Tuscany

dreamlx10

I am going on holiday to Tuscany in July, I would like to do some road riding while there. Does anyone have any routes or suggestions/ideas that would help me ?
TIA

xilios

Try this place, http://www.bikely.com/listpaths it has many paths.
Here is our ride on the SR222 between Florance and Sienna http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Florence-to-Siena

KirbyJames

Depends on which part of Tuscany ...

Take a look at the links from http://www.lkjh.org/bike/tuscany/index.html to get an idea of the riding in different areas ...

Enjoy your trip.

Kirby

dreamlx10

Thanks, I did look at that site, very informative and detailed.

rhnb

I've toured a couple of times in Tuscany/Umbria.
Some write ups / routes here if you're interested.

http://www.bikeit.eclipse.co.uk

Cheers... Allan.

dreamlx10

Thanks for that, great site.

Flavio

Unfortunately we have "actually" no routes dedicated to cycling in Tuscany.
I'd suggest to use a good atlas (for example from Touring Club Italiano) and look for the smallest roads you can see; connecting white roads could result in a good path outside traffic to go almost everywhere in the region.
Besides, almost all the regional trains carry bicycles, in certain situations they could be useful.

dilemna

You might not be aware apologies if you are or it is blindingly obvious, but Tuscany can be very hot in July. There is little cover to shelter under during the midday or afternoon sun. Best ride in the morning or evening. There are some beautiful places Fiesole overlooking Florence, Montepulciano, Voltera, San Gimignano, Pitigliano just west of Lake Bolsena is an amazing town cut into the side of a rock face and Lucca just northeast of Pisa that has a circular streets around a circular central square/piazza :? . On the coast Cecina and Bibbiona due west of Siena for beaches. Italy is bella. Enjoy your trip.

Nick Hill

do you know where abouts exactly you are going? as people have said its a big old area

we had two weeks there a couple of years ago and it was fantastic

I've got some maps if you would like them, they are the Italian equivalent of the AA maps but each town has its height AMSL and an idea of road gradients which can be a bit alarming at times

PM me if your interested

Nick

alfablue

I got back from a tour in Tuscany last week. It was an organised tour (Hooked on Cycling), which was self-guided, but there was a van to take luggage between each hotel, which was booked as part of the package.

The tour went from Montecatini Terme, Vinci, Luca (fab!), Pisa, Casciani Terme, San Gimignano (fab), Sienna, Grieve in Chianti and Florence. All the routes were on quiet roads, except the Grieve to Florence bit which we did on the bus. The rides were between 30 and 40 miles each day, gradients were okay, there were two days with climbs of 7 and 10k up to 2300ft, but only one small stretch was steep enough to have the front wheel trying to go skyward. The roads provide proper climbs over long distances that you don't really find in the UK.

The tour was fantastic, beautiful countryside, and Italian motorists are extremely forgiving to cyclists. Several towns were extremely well sorted for cycling, and it seems that cyclists can safely ride any way on one way streets with no hassle from drivers. The drivers also wait patiently behind while you screw up on roundabouts and junctions! The main downside was giving in to temptation and having larger lunches than is advisable, and the requirement to sample as many different bottles of Chianti as possible each evening!

I would say it is pretty much perfect cycling country, though the weather was a lot milder than you would probably get in July (that said, the heat doesn't bother me).

I have all of the rides on Nokia Sportstracker. If you want to sign up and pm me your ID I can add you as a friend and you can view the routes, providing you don't 1) laugh at the pitiful average speeds, and 2) laugh at the photo's of me and the g/f where we look like we have special needs!