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 beautifully situated wine centre of Montepulciano, famous for its Vino Nobile. We then head towards the mediaeval village of Monticchiello and on to the well known thermal bath of 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 picturesque 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 Gaiole for lunch and after a gelato stop in Radda, we follow 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 involves a long but beautiful climb before reaching Castellina and enjoying a well deserved gelato. 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). Please note that at times, especially during summer months, the inbound flight can be late in the evening. In this instance you will have additional time to spend in Pisa. Leader will take care of all arrangements in terms of transport from/to the airport and the city centre and luggage storage. It may also happen that, for logistical reasons, on return we will have to be at the airport earlier than normally scheduled. This will mean a longer waiting time before checking in. 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. For further Brexit travel advice please visit https://www.abta.com/tips-and-advice/brexit-advice-for-travellers
Hotels You will spend 7 nights in family run and comfortable 3-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 October 2019 Sally Davies Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Highly recommended From the arrival on day one until the final departure this trip was so well run I felt totally taken care of from the cycling including the detailed briefings and advice, to the organisation of accommodation and the group meals. What a great bunch of fellow cyclists and the two guides, Jon and David, did an excellent job looking after us (and our bikes!). The cycling was challenging but no-one was made to feel inadequate if they finished later than others (that was often me!!) - everyone helped and encouraged each other and the guides kept an eye on everyone to ensure we were all safe at all times. There was plenty of time to stop and take breaks and refreshments which helped with managing some of the longer trip days. The rest day in Siena was fabulous - what a great place to spend a day! I cannot speak highly enough of this trip - it's my first group cycling adventure but I am sure it will not be my last although I am now worried about finding something that will live up to the high standard set by this trip!! If you are thinking about doing this trip and are up for doing a few hills in return for some great views and great food, I would highly recommend you give this a go!! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? We all managed to complete a 9k hill climb with the help and encouragement of the leaders - it was a slog but rewarded by the best gelato at the top! I also learned a bit more about how to use my gears and pace myself up a hill and can't wait to put my newfound experience into practice in future. However, there were many inspirational moments I could think off but mainly what a great bunch of people were on the trip - we were a diverse bunch in terms of age and background but everyone just got on really well and that helped to make the holiday into an unforgettable experience. What did you think of your group leader? Both leaders, Jon and David, were fantastic. They shared the work both cycling with us and providing van back up, looked after the bikes, provided on-the-road guidance and advice, organised the meals and ensured everyone felt included in all the activities - they even organised a small celebration as one group member was celebrating a birthday during the week. They both had great local knowledge so could explain much about the areas we were travelling through and points of interest. They both worked extremely hard for long days with little time to themselves but remained enthusiastic and engaged the whole time even though they do this week in, week out it never showed. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? If you are thinking about this sort of trip, particularly if you are planning to go "solo", I would highly recommend it. Make sure you are fit for the holiday and you will get out of it what you put in. Is there anything else you would like to add? I would recommend this holiday to anyone; my experience of the whole Exodus process and holiday is excellent and if other trips are to the same standard I would have no hesitation in going with them again.
Reviewed August 2019 kitty odell Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Fantastic cycling in stunning Tuscany A well organised wonderful cycling tour with a perfect balance of cappuccino/gelato and lunch breaks, often in charming ancient hill towns where there was always time for a bit of exploring too. I've fallen in love with Tuscany and Chianti, the scenery is simply stunning, the route was fantastic with a great mix of some challenging hills, fabulous descents.... and even some flat bits too amidst the rolling hills! Nice small group and decent hotels too! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Every moment that I was on the bike! What did you think of your group leader? David and "Vandy" were both great! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Be fit! Is there anything else you would like to add? The breakfast at the Classic Hotel in Florence was truly dismal. Heyho, everything else was great...but you did ask!
Reviewed August 2019 Andrew Clark Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Great cycling in exquisite surroundings Terrific trip. Just the right combination of decent cycling with culture, food and relaxation. A great opportunity to combine seeing Siena and Florence with some moderate exertion. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Completing the long climb up to Castellina was very satisfying. A close second was the view of Florence on first arrival in the city. What did you think of your group leader? David was good - very knowledgeable, well organised, pleasant and approachable. He ran the trip very well and was always helpful. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? You need a reasonable level of fitness to do this and some experience of cycling. But it's not all about cycling - there's free time to enjoy Siena, which was a highlight, and the guides take you to some decent restaurants too.
Reviewed July 2019 Stephen Protheroe Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Scenic cycling tour We very much enjoyed the trip. The countryside was beautiful and cycling was challenging enough but was still fun and rewarding. The food was excellent and the tour guide's choice of restaurants was very good. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Beautiful vineyard covered landscapes. What did you think of your group leader? The guides Jon and David split the responsibilities for leading the cycling and we found them both to be extremely good - very easy to get on with and knowledgable about the area we were travelling through and made sure everything ran smoothly. We have only praise for them. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Be aware of how hot it can become in summer. We travelled early June and it was a warm as we would want it to be for an activity holiday. Is there anything else you would like to add? My only criticism was the farmhouse in Castellina in Chianti could benefit from some updating in the rooms/bathrooms.
Reviewed June 2019 Keith Woodvine Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Cycling and Chianti A well organised cycling holiday with excellent accommodation, encouraged to gel as a group in both cycling and eating experiences and enjoy the wonderful scenery en-route. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Probably surviving the 25% incline up to the wine tasting experience! Otherwise experiencing the IL CAMPO and walking around the Fort and Garibaldi memorial in Sienna. What did you think of your group leader? An excellent leader with good local knowledge and mixing with the whole group. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? The trip is rated as "Moderate" cycling ability but some of the "undulations" require a good level of fitness, but for encouragement there is usually a gelato reward at the end. Is there anything else you would like to add? This is a "no worries" exploring experiences, where you are well looked after from arriving and departing Pisa airport. I particularly enjoyed the arrangement for having 2 night stays through the holiday and not having to pack and depart after breakfast everyday.
Reviewed May 2019 Alison Fraser Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Falling in love with Tuscany... This was my 4th Exodus cycling holiday and they deliver consistently good holidays. Tuscany is absolutely stunning and, combined with fantastic food, wine and gelato, makes a great holiday destination for cyclists. The accommodation on this trip is very good and it is made more relaxing by staying 2 nights in the 3 first hotels with the final night then in Florence. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? I wouldn't necessarily talk about inspiration but I did enjoy a glass of chianti classico most lunchtimes and that was certainly a treat! What did you think of your group leader? The group was very mixed ability and the group leader, Jon, kept everyone safe. However, on previous Exodus trips the leader has given more local knowledge. I didn't get the impression that Jon had a lot of local knowledge, other than cycling knowledge which he has in abundance. He did talk a lot but I felt that this was often at the expense of getting on the road or spending time on route. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? It's stunning - go but do some hill training in advance!
Reviewed October 2018 Jennifer Ford Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Amazing adventure! This was my first cycling tour and tour with Exodus. I had an amazing experience! The trip was well planned and I feel like it had the prefect balance of cycling, exploring towns on foot and good food. The level of difficulty was more than I thought. I trained in advance, which served me well, but I recommend others do the same, especially if this is your first bike tour. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Getting to the top of each hill is so rewarding. You definitely earn the views!
Reviewed October 2018 Kelly Young Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Awesome trip! Fantastic trip, with Fantastic people! This was my first Exodus cycle trip, and for a Level 3, not only myself, but many others in the group found it a very challenging trip. The roads in this part of Italy, is either "up" or "down"...so with the weather being over 30C each day, each day was a bit challenging. I would definitely rate this trip higher than "Moderate", but having said that I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful scenery, Tuscan hills, the food & wine, and all that Tuscany offers! Can't wait to do my next Exodus Cycle tour!! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Our group was so much fun! We all shared similar ages and cycle abilities, some more than others, but getting together each evening for dinner was a highlight! Love to cycle with this group again! What did you think of your group leader? Both David & Rebecca (Becks) were awesome leaders! They kept the team together, and always booked some awesome local restaurant for all of us to dine together. They always prepared us for the next 10-15kms, so breaking up the day with stops and lunch breaks along the way, made it for great cycle days. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? This cycle trip is not for the "light hearted"! You are climbing many long hills, and cycling down many windy roads. I would say recommend doing long steep hill rides before you venture to Tuscany! Having said that, it is so beautiful and rewarding...so definitely go, but make sure you get those hill cycles in before you go on this trip!
Reviewed October 2018 Peter Howe Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Great trip, difficulty rating a bit misleading Our second trip with Exodus. A really good group of cyclists to ride and socialize with. Leaders Becs and David did a great job supporting us and handling both the expected and the unexpected. The scenery was spectacular. Having been on another level 3 tour, I would suggest that this one was significantly more difficult. I think Exodus needs to make some changes in the difficulty ranking system. I would be skeptical about the ranking and would want to talk to someone who had been on the trip I was considering. That said, we would do it again! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Besides making it to the top of some longer hills, as well as one 25% grade, we had one cyclist crash and damage his shoulder and ribs. I was impressed with my fellow travellers who looked after him until the leaders arrived on scene. I was impressed with Becs and David for the way they looked after him, his partner and still managed to look after all of us. Most of all, I was impressed with the injured cyclist and his partner. He stayed with us, rode the van, came out to dinner and kept participating despite what must have been a lot of pain. She rode the rest of the trip with us. I thought they both showed determination and toughness and it was great having them on the trip What did you think of your group leader? David and Becs did a great job of handling our group and dealing with issues that arose. Lots of energy, a few necessary untruths (undulating), great support and good fun. As did our last trip leader, I think they went above and beyond in supporting our vacation. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Be skeptical of the difficulty rankings and try to find someone you can talk to about the trip and the difficulty. This one, Exodus got wrong. Is there anything else you would like to add? The bikes were adequate for what we were doing. Given the heat we experienced and the fact that we saw the van often, but not always, I would really like to see a second water bottle cage on each bike. The cost is very little, but being able to have a second bottle with you is important anytime, but especially in temps over 30 degrees. On our last trip, each bike had a pannier for carrying small items. These bikes had nothing. I suggest a small handlebar bag to be able to carry, for instance, some sunscreen and a wallet, maybe a few other items. The van was gone one morning for repairs and we carried a knapsack which would not be my choice. We did get frequent meet ups with the van, but sometimes not when it was needed and wanted. All in all, we like this company and the tours we have been on and hope to go on more.
Reviewed September 2018 Simon Office Trip: Tuscany Cycle Siena & Chianti Siena cycle trip review organised and well supported cycle trip through beautiful tuscan countryside with visits to Florence and siena. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Not one specific thing but generally enjoyed the challenge of the cycling with a nice group of people coupled with the rewards of the beautiful scenery, plus nice food and wine. What did you think of your group leader? Both group leaders were professional, organised, and supportive of individuals and the needs of the whole group. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? This tour is on the harder side of moderate rating taking in to account the height gain coupled with the heat at certain times of the year. Travellers will need a good level of fitness for this tour to complete the hill sections. Is there anything else you would like to add? I suffered an injury on this tour and was well supported by the group leaders when I had the accident and afterwards.
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