A fantastic trip - awe inspiring scenery, picturesque hill towns, wonderful historic cities,... Susan Curran, 2017 See more reviews
I had such a fantastic holiday. Cycling through such picture perfect scenery with a happy bunch... Anne Allan, 2017 See more reviews
This is a great trip: cycling through classic Tuscan landscapes, stopping in beautiful hilltop... Simon Wilkins, 2016 See more reviews
This was my 5th Exodus cycling trip and my favorite to date. The scenery was quite picturesque,... Barry Smith, 2016 See more reviews
One week cycling the hills of Tuscany. One day off in Siena. We finished in Florence. It was like... Sharon Donaghy, 2016 See more reviews
5 days of cycling through the beautiful Tuscan countryside with an opportunity to see Siena. Well... Sarah Brandon, 2016 See more reviews
This is our 8th cycling trip with Exodus and one of the best. It has it all- great cycling on... Angela Jackson, 2016 See more reviews
An incredible week of superb food, hill top towns, challenging cycling, new friends of all... Kim Payne, 2016 See more reviews
Wonderfully challenging and great routing. Good hotels and super guides Anne Burton, 2016 See more reviews
Itinerary Include flights Expand all Day 1 Fly to Pisa; transfer to San Quirico. Fly to Pisa; transfer to San Quirico D'Orcia (approx. 2hrs 30 mins). Day 2 Circular ride through classic Tuscan countryside via Pienza, the wine town of Montepulciano and thermal spa village of Bagno Vignoni. Today we head towards Pienza, a charming town full of history and culture. From here we cycle to the wine centre of Montepulciano, famous for its Vino Nobile. We then head towards the mediaeval village of Monticchiello and on to Bagno Vignoni, before making our way back to the hotel. Meals included: Breakfast Day 3 Ride through vineyards and the walled town of Murlo to Siena. A classic day's riding, showing Tuscany at its most picturesque. Following back roads, we head out of San Quirico with a first stop at Montalcino. We then descend on the road to Buonconvento and ride back up to Murlo passing by Bibbiano. From here we ascend the short but steep Rospatoio Pass and take a lovely road section via Ville di Corsano, as we approach the splendid gothic city of Siena. Meals included: Breakfast Day 4 Free day in Siena to explore or relax. Siena is one of Italy's best-preserved medieval towns with one of the world's most gracious squares, the Campo. There is plenty to see in Siena and its sights are best explored on foot as the town is compact but hilly. There are many museums and buildings of interest to visit, such as the impressive Duomo. Alternatively you may choose to head out for an unguided ride. On the June 30th departure you will get the chance to be in Siena during the 'Palio Horse Race', one of Italy's most famous annual sporting events and experience the thrilling atmosphere around it. Held in honour of the Virgin Mary, ten of the city’s seventeen contrade, or districts, are represented by a horse and jockey in each race and will compete against each other during this event. It has been held in Siena’s civic hub, Piazza del Campo, since 1644 and local people get involved to a level that it is still common for ‘mixed-marriage’ couples to separate for the days leading up to and including the race if the contrada of the husband and wife both have a horse in contention. Meals included: Breakfast Day 5 Ride via Gaiole and Radda to Castellina in Chianti. From Siena we head directly into the heart of Chianti. Our route takes us via some lovely small villages and hamlets, as well as some spectacular vineyards and castles, such as that of Castello di Brolio. Here there is the option to taste some of the area's finest wines. We then cycle on to our final section to Castellina in Chianti, where we stay for two nights. Meals included: Breakfast Day 6 Circular ride through the Chianti hills via towers of San Gimignano and Monteriggioni. From Castellina, we ride through rolling countryside before taking an amazingly scenic descent into the lower valley. From Poggibonsi we head towards the distant towers of San Gimignano, nestled between the hills and small hamlets. The Unesco town is one of the most visited and interesting sights in Tuscany; famous for its towers, Vernaccia wine & Safron. We spend a few hours enjoying the atmosphere, walking by the walls and admiring the town's high towers. Our return route passes through the walled town of Monteriggioni, before taking the road back to our lodge. Meals included: Breakfast Day 7 Cycle to Florence via Panzano and Greve in Chianti. Our final spectacular ride passes through Panzano in Chianti towards the market town of Greve in Chianti. This is described as one of the most scenic roads which links Florence with Siena through the Chianti hills. Here we have time to admire the triangular piazza which hosts the famous Chianti wine festival before heading towards Strada and Impruneta, known for their local terracotta production. In Impruneta we stop for our lunch. We finish by taking a panoramic road towards Florence, cycling all the way to Piazzale Michelangelo for a final group shot. We will arrive in Florence in the early afternoon, giving you time to start exploring this wonderful city of the Renaissance including the Cathedral and Baptistry – the oldest building in the city. Also see the Ponte Vecchio, the superb bridge over the river Arno, lined with goldsmiths and the most famous symbol of the City. Meals included: Breakfast Day 8 Transfer to Pisa; fly to London. Transfer to Pisa; fly to London (approx. 1hr 15 mins). Meals included: Breakfast
Italy No visa required for British passport holders. Please note in Italy it is compulsory to carry ID with you at all times.
Hotels You will spend 7 nights in family run and comfortable 3-4 star hotels. All accommodation have been carefully selected for their welcoming atmosphere and all rooms have en suite facilities. Some hotels have a swimming pool where we can relax after the long cycling days. We can arrange single rooms throughout the trip (subject to availability). Please check with your sales consultant for availability and prices.
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Reviewed June 2017 Susan Curran Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Tuscany cycle - Siena & Chianti A fantastic trip - awe inspiring scenery, picturesque hill towns, wonderful historic cities, excellent guide & support & great cycling! What more could you wish for? Oh yes, good food & great company. This trip had it all. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The spectacular scenery every pedal of the way. It kept you going up those hills! Arriving into the Campo in Siena in the golden glow of the afternoon sun - beautiful. Also, the first sight of the whole of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo was breathtaking. What did you think of your group leader? Radu, our guide was excellent, as was Jon, our support. The route was well thought out & Radu's attention to detail was second to none. We mostly ate at restaurants chosen by the guides - all good. Rada & Jon made you feel safe, well looked after & well informed. Radu's wit & sense of humour were brilliant. Jon looked after us with snacks & water at our frequent stops & also took great care of the bikes. Nothing was too much trouble & everything was done with a smile & an encouraging word. A great team. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Do train for those Tuscan hills. As the travel notes say, some of the route is the top end of moderate! It was especially tough on the white (gravel) roads & with high temperatures to cope with (for us it was an unseasonable 36* on the first couple of days!). That said, you can always hitch a ride on the support vehicle if the going gets too tough. Is there anything else you would like to add? All in all a great trip I'd strongly recommend.
Reviewed June 2017 John Duffield Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Sienna Chianti Cycling I had an amazing time! Everything was fabulous! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Screaming downhills Do you have any advice for potential travellers? They were great! Very knowledgeable. Is there anything else you would like to add? I'll be looking at some other offerings again soon!
Reviewed June 2017 Anne Allan Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Cycling Tuscany I had such a fantastic holiday. Cycling through such picture perfect scenery with a happy bunch of like minded travellers was the perfect way to see the countryside. It was great having two guides and their support was invaluable. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Getting to the top of those 'undulating' hills and seeing the Cyprus trees and all the wild poppies, hearing the birds and feeling very lucky. What did you think of your group leader? Rdu and Liz were great. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Take the opportunity to be away from the crowds and be able to be part of something special. Is there anything else you would like to add? I would certainly recommend Exodus to anyone, as it was to me. I took some very good advise.
Reviewed October 2016 Simon Wilkins Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Tuscany: Cycle Siena and Chianti This is a great trip: cycling through classic Tuscan landscapes, stopping in beautiful hilltop towns and villages and enjoying the great food and wine of the area with a friendly group and excellent leader and support. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? There were many: the long gradual descent from Castellina in Chianti to Poggibonsi with the smell of pine and wood smoke and unfolding views of the beautiful town of San Gimignano through vineyards; looking out across the countryside in the morning with clouds nestling in the valleys; Siena and its beautiful architecture - a real gem of a city. What did you think of your group leader? Radu, our leader was a really friendly, helpful and professional leader with a great sense of humour. He ensured the group's safety and enjoyment of the trip was uppermost and - together with Reece (who was providing the vehicle support) - made the trip really enjoyable. They kept the good quality bikes in excellent order and provided regular coffee, water and snack stops along the way. Radu was a really good cyclist, to boot, and catered for a wide variety of cycling abilities - so that everyone was included and was able to get the most out of the trip. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? The usual stuff: cycling shorts, gloves, glasses and waterproofs (we had some cool and wet weather at the start of our September trip - although it steadily improved through the week (so take sun block as well). Always have water with you - even when you have vehicle support nearby. A mobile phone is recommended, too. If you prefer having stuff with you but not on your back consider taking a rack and pannier if your luggage will accommodate it - as these bikes weren't supplied with either (some trips do and it's worth finding out beforehand). Although this is a moderate trip, it is quite hilly - so it's worth going out and doing a few hills before before you go on the holiday. Is there anything else you would like to add? The Strade Bianche (the White Roads) that we cycled a few kilometres along were an interesting addition to the trip. This holiday is a great introduction to this part of Tuscany and includes all its classic ingredients: rolling hills, beautiful cities, towns and villages, vineyards, friendly people and great food and wine. Cycling is a fantastic way to sample all these ingredients.
Reviewed October 2016 Barry Smith Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Chianti/Sienna This was my 5th Exodus cycling trip and my favorite to date. The scenery was quite picturesque, the hills challenging and the group was great fun. Radu and Reece were a superb team. The attention to detail was quite amazing if you have been on many prior trips. Riding safety began with inspection of the bikes which were first rate. We had quite a range of biking experience but Radu was accommodating to the entire group. Both Radu and Reece were fantastic mechanics too. I highly recommend this trip. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Probably the finish in Florence and the view of the entire city. A great wow! moment. Riding into Sienna too and looking out at the hills. and of course... riding through the many vineyards in Chianti with the grapes ready to be harvested. The day off to really see Sienna was an added treat. What did you think of your group leader? Radu is the man. Attention to detail, Safety, the comfort and security of all guests of varying time in the saddle was truly amazing. An excellent cyclist in the countryside and on gravel who is probably at his best getting the group into and out of cities in traffic. If this is a first trip for you this is the guide you want. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Do some training on gravel if you are not a mountain bike person. Perhaps some hills too since ALL Italian villages and cities seem to be on top of hills. Bring some rain gear. we did not have much rain but if you keep your torso and feet dry it makes all the difference. and of course have an extra day or two to see Florence. Go see David. words fail. Is there anything else you would like to add? What an immense pleasure this trip was. I'm already thinking of 2017.
Reviewed September 2016 Sharon Donaghy Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Tuscany Cycle Siena and Florence One week cycling the hills of Tuscany. One day off in Siena. We finished in Florence. It was like cycling through a postcard of Tuscany: Cypress trees, vineyards, wine tasting places, hilltop mediaeval villages. In 10 years of cylcing in Europe, this scenery and these roads were the most captivating. The food was delicious, loads of salads and veg for people like me who do not like meat but loads of meat if you like it. And the wine, you could get the finest wine that Italy had to offer in the smallest Pizzarias. The bikes: lightweight ridgebacks were really good. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? On the day off in Siena, at night, we visited the Zebra striped Cathedral and they projected film onto the walls. And Siena was so beautiful. Having a whole day midweek to wander round Siena, with the option of a self guided short ride if you wanted it, was inspired. The cycling, the routes, the choice of roads, was inspirational. I don't like gelato but I was told that San Gimingano where we spent a few hours, has the best gelato in the world What did you think of your group leader? Radu Man was our group leader. For a Romanian guy he was such an Italian. An obsessive gelato eater and bike stacker and wearer of the best bike gear. He was really funny, organised, warm, energetic, knowledgeable, a great cyclist, a great banterer, and he and his support guide knew how to fix bikes. They checked the bikes even without us asking. He and Reece, who supported him, worked meticulously to behind the scenes and it meant we never got lost, and never lost a cyclist, and knew what we were doing. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? If you don't want to wear a small rucksack, bring a panier rack and panier. Tuscany is hilly, be prepared to cycle up the hills as well as down them. Leave some room in your suitcase shopping. Siena and Tuscany have some great shops. Book one or two nights in Florence at the end. There is so much to see there and we end the tour in a lovely hotel in Florence.
Reviewed September 2016 Sarah Brandon Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Wonderful trip 5 days of cycling through the beautiful Tuscan countryside with an opportunity to see Siena. Well organised and well supported with good bikes that were very adjustable to suit different needs. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The morning descents from Castellina in Chianti trying to stay on the road at high speeds while the mist rose off the breathtaking scenery on either side. Truly exhilarating. What did you think of your group leader? Both Radu and Reese were excellent in lead and support. Nothing too difficult for them and they kept the group informed as to the route and what to expect and allowed people to go at their own pace while keeping us together with regular stops for coffee and bananas! Any complaints or comments were dealt with quickly although to my knowledge there weren't any of any consequence. Very professional at all times and great company too. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? There are hills in Tuscany and although not necessarily really steep, they can go on for a while. I was very glad that i had done some training in preparation. I would recommend being fairly fit and comfortable covering some distance on your bike. Is there anything else you would like to add? This was my first Exodus holiday and i found the experience excellent. Travelling solo can be daunting but the group was really friendly and the leaders fantastic. I have been back for only 5 days and i am already looking at the brochure for my next adventure!
Reviewed September 2016 Angela Jackson Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti One of the best cycling trips! This is our 8th cycling trip with Exodus and one of the best. It has it all- great cycling on mainly quiet roads, but as others have said it would be best to do some hills before travelling so you can enjoy it. Wonderful scenery passing through lovely villages. Great food and wine - lets not forget the wine! I also enjoyed the coffee stops and gelato stops. Enough time was given to look around the places we passed through. Oh and great guides. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Hard to single out one moment - but the view over Florence when we arrived was magical - seeing the Doumo dominate the city, the wonderful Tuscan scenery, Radu reminding me of the best gelato in town awaiting us at the top of the long climb back to Castellina! He was a great motivator. What did you think of your group leader? Both Radu and Martin were excellent guides and great company. Radu was very knowledgable and gave lots of guidance and advice. Martin was great in support. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Take insect repellent for day and night - a few of us got bitten quite a lot! I would say some of the days are more grade 3/4 . Is there anything else you would like to add? There are some sections on 'white roads' essentially gravel roads and there were a couple of falls on our trip so be confident on this type of terrain. We loved it but are used to mountain bike terrain.
Reviewed June 2016 Kim Payne Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Beautiful at every turn An incredible week of superb food, hill top towns, challenging cycling, new friends of all abilities and a well structured itinerary! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Every turn, every climb, every descent was a "wow this is beautiful" moment! The scenery was incredible What did you think of your group leader? Liz and Paul worked so well together! Liz was incredibly well organized and her restaurant recommendations were 100% outstanding! They structured the riding around everyone's capabilities and frequent stops and clear instructions meant a well run trip. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Late May was still COLD and wet so take appropriate clothing even if the weather forecast before you leave says warm and dry! It is extremely hilly, know what 1000m of ascent means before you go. I did and I knew what I was riding but others didn't. The distances are not long but the hills are :-) I ride a carbon road bike so I was nervous about the bikes but they were absolutely perfect. Is there anything else you would like to add? Do this trip! This is my 4th Exodus cycling trip and one of the best. Great food, scenery and stops along the way make for a great week!
Reviewed May 2016 Anne Burton Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Florence to Lucca Wonderfully challenging and great routing. Good hotels and super guides What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Great views good roads and ability to push a little harder than expected with good results What did you think of your group leader? Excellent. Would go on any trio radu and Liz lead Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Train for hills. Some steep and long Is there anything else you would like to add? Don't over pacj
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