Most of the largest wineries in Chianti Classico, Montalcino, and Montepulciano, now offer the chance to taste and buy directly from the estates.

Some have moved into catering too, expanding their tasting rooms into small taverns, restaurants, or wine bars.

Nowadays there are many bikers that have joined biking with wine tasting, organizing their personal self-guided wine tour. Every stage consists in a visit to an estate where you can taste their wine, living a new and particular trip experience.

[Montalcino - credit: drfist2001]

You can visit the Museo della Comunità di Montalcino e del Brunello, with a collection of artifacts, including children’s games and winemaking tools, showing the history of the local community and the area’s long wine-growing traditions.

Other interesting thing in Montalcino is the new touristic experiment called: “Treno del Vino” (the wine train). It consist in the transformation of Montalcino’s abandoned train station into a multitasking wine space that will house a “Virtual Museum of Wine”, a research center, a wine cellar, and a shop where you can taste and buy Tuscany wine. The station is reached from Siena on a vintage train.

[Around Siena - credit: Argenberg]

Another initiative launched in 2007 is “Degustazioni ad Arte” (art tastings), wich pairs memorable wines with memorable works of art in various locations around the province of Siena.

In Tuscany you can join bike tour with wine tasting, with a great possibility of choice

Here a list of the most famous wine of Tuscany

• Chianti Classico
• Brunello di Montalcino
• Tignanello
• Solaia Annata Diversa
• Chianti Classico Piccolo Borgo
• Rosso di Montalcino
• Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso
• Sassicaia

Here the names of the zones where Tuscany wine is produced. The region considered is the central countryside:

• Chianti Classico
• Chianti colli fiorentini
• Chianti Rufina
• Chianti Montalbano
• Chianti colline pisane
• Chianti colli senesi
• Chianti colli aretini

LINK WINE ROAD OF CHIANTI
LINK WINE ROAD IN MTB

Try to follow the bike wine road of Chianti, the famous Tuscan region of wine production.

You can cycle through vineyards, historic attractions and medieval villages. This trip allows you to live an unforgettable experience. You will bike through natural beautifulness while discovering  history and ancient villages.

All the itinerary includes the possibility to taste local products and vine, such as Chianti Classic and Brunello. You can also choose the one day bay tour or more days tour.

credit: Conanil

Generally, a Chianti region tour, consists of riding the vineyards, olive groves, through natural landscape such hills, and taking a break in an Agriturismo (Farm House) for tasting wine and local food.

In this way you can know Tuscany by knowing the land, its production and its culture.
You can plane your self-guided tour choosing the villages you want to visit and the places where tasting vine.

Attractions:

• Greve in Chianti LINK Villages
• Radda in Chianti LINK Villages
• Sociville LINK “
• San Gimignano LINK”
• Montalcino LINK”
• Colle val d’Elsa LINK”
• Pomaia LINK”
• Volterra LINK”

[Cycling in Florence - credit: Thomas Hawk]

What the other bikers say
Many bikers have done this: follow their example!

• “The Wine Ride was the highlight of our trip to Florence. A beautiful ride through the Chianti region of Tuscany with wine tastings, a winery tour and so much more”
• “I saw many bikers in the area around Greve and Radda. There were also bikers who attended a wine tasting tour at Dievole”

You can ride the Wine Road of Chianti LINK WINE ROAD OF CHIANTI IN MTB

You will bike along the “Road of Wines”. Area famous for the production of Chianti. You will taste wine in the numerous wine cellars of the zone.

The characteristic of this trip is to join a bike trip with wine tasting along medieval places preserved as in their origin.

Details:

• N° of days: One week
• Road condition: Asphalted and dirt road alternate during the route
• Bike type: Mountain Bike
• Land characteristics: Hilly
• Skill level: High
• Arrival in Florence

Badia Passignano - credit: FaP

1: Florence-Badia Passignano-Passo dei Pecorai

Distance: 28 km
From Florence transfer to Tavernelle by private vehicle. Here you will have the delivery of MTB.

Attractions: Your ride will include a visit to The Monastery of Passignano. It was founded by Sichelmo in 890, and was one of the first to receive, during the XI century, the monastic reform of Vallombrosa.

Wine tasting: You will taste three wine varieties and other native products of the area at the wine cellar of the Palagio castle.

Accommodation in a hotel in Passo di Pecorai, in the Greve municipality

Radda in Chianti - credit: Conlawprof

2: From Passo dei Pecorai to Radda in Chianti

Distance: 36 km

Attractions: From Greve in Chianti square you will start your road wine tour. Here You can admire the characteristic shape of the square of irregular triangle.

You will cross the fortified medieval village of Montefioralle (LINK VILLAGES BIKE TOUR) and Visit the splendid villages of Panzano

Arrival in Radda in Chianti.

Landscape: Here you can admire the Chianti Classic, a hilly landscape varied and colorful.

What to see: Admire the Pretorio Palace of the ‘ 400 and the features remain of it walls and of the medieval towers.

Accommodation in a hotel in Radda in Chianti. LINK CHIANTI BIKE TOUR

Siena - credit: drfist2001

3: From Radda in Chianti to Siena

Distance: 39 km

Attractions: Meleto’s Castle, an ancient fortification; Fortified village of Castagnoli; Castle of Brolio, Ricasoli baron property. Here you can have a tasting in the Ricasoli wine cellar.

You can admire:

• Piazza del Campo and the Public Palace
• Buonsignori Palace with the National Pinacoteca, where you can admire pictures of Duccio, Lorenzetti, S. Martini.
• Cathedral built from the XII sec
• Piccolomini Library
• The Baptistery
• The Museum of the Metropolitan Work, where admire: The “Maestà” by Duccio,
• Giovanni Pisano, Jacopo della Quercia, Lorenzetti and Simone Martini.

Take your accommodation in Siena

Colle Val D’Elsa - credit: jmenard48

4: From Siena to Colle Val d’Elsa

Distance: 34 km

Attracions:

• Sovicille
• Monteriggioni’s castle, an ancient fortified village mentioned by
• Dante Alighieri, in the XXXI canto of Inferno of his Divine Comedy
• Abbadia an Isola. The town was an important place of pause along the Francigena Way and famous also for the church with two portals on the main facade, similar to the entrance of the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
• Castel Petraio

Colle val d’Elsa is an ancient Etruscan citizen allied since 1100 to Florence against Siena.
It had a great development from 1400 when began the most flourishing glass producer, taking advantage from the engine force of river Elsa. During the day You also visit to a handicraft laboratory of crystal recording.

Take accommodation in Colle val d’Elsa

Certaldo - credit: Fabio Gava

5: From Colle Val d’Elsa to Certaldo

Distance: 32 km

Attractions: San Gimignano, included in the Unesco world heritage list. This is a small hillside medieval village. Thirteen towers prove taht it was a strategic fortification

What to see:

• Collegiate Church, consecrated in 1148,
• The people’s palace (with its fine art collection),
• The Archaeological Museum and the Museum of Sacred Arts.
• Piazza del Duomo
• Historical buildings
• Collegiata church, dating to the 11th century and adorned with frescoes including The Creation by Bartolo di Fredi.

The great thing about San Gimignano is here is possible to find peace and tranquility in the neighboring countryside, and you can live the medieval atmosphere today lost in many historic place. Certaldo, a splendid medieval village of the Val d’ Elsa. Here you will take your accommodation.

6: From Certaldo to Tavernelle

Distance: 35 km

Attractions: Montespertoli, another medieval village. Today is possible to see its ancient access Gate, typical of a medieval town. This gate is surmounted by a round arch, and a square tower.
Arrival to Tavernelle to take your accommodation.

Transfer in Florence and end of the tour.

Itinerary: Prategiano - Gerfalco - Travale - Prategiano
Type: Self-guided

Long: 22 km
Level: Easy

Road: asphalt for 13,5 km - white road for 8,5 Km
Height: 400-800 metres sea-level

Bike Type: Mountain bike

Landscape: The white road cross the Cornate Natural Park, where you can admire the beautifulness of a magic countryside: amazing panoramas, ancient country farm, water spring

Worth a visit:

• You can admire the medieval village of Gerfalco
• Travale village

To Carry with You:

• First aid
• Lunch bag
• All you need for unexpected difficulty

You can combine this one day tour with others as this, so you can organize a week of biking
in Tuscany countryside LINK ONE DAY BIKE TOUR

The great difficult is the Scopetone slope

Gino Bartali was the great protagonist who won 5 editions of this competition: in 1939, 1940, 1948, 1950 and 1953. But other famous champions we can name: Francesco Moser, Fausto Coppi, Learco Guerra, Alfredo Binda, Costante Girardengo.
 

2-THE BRUNELLO GRAN FONDO

The Brunello Gran Fondo is an amateur competition of the Val d’Orcia on September in        Montalcino.
  There are two routes: -competitive route of 54 km
                         -excursion route of 32 km.   

This is a mountain bike competition along Val d’Orcia, organized by Ass. Orso on Bike

3-FONDO DELLA CITTA’ DEL TUFO

Here you can find three routes:

-short, of 64 km
-medium, of 91 km
-long, 138 km

The difficult of the long route consist also in the presence of hard slopes.

The competition is performade in Pitigliano, in the Grosseto province

Visiting Tuscany means:
-Knowing the important cities of Florence, Siena and Pisa, arts centre because the presence of many museums, art galleries, bell towers, historic palaces. LINK ONE DAY FLORENCE ATTRACTIONS BIKE TOUR, LINK SIENA ATTRACTIONS, LINK PISA ATTRACTIONS

-Knowing the natural attractions such as its hilly inland and wineyards, doing an unforgettable trip through Chianti region LINK WINE ROAD IN MTB

-Tasting local product such as wine, biking along the wine road LINK WINE ROAD OF CHIANTI, LINK TUSCANY WINE TASTING

-Living again the medieval atmosphere riding through the way of Chianti that join ancient medieval villages and historic castles   LINK CHIANTI CASTLES, CHIANTI MEDIEVAL VILLAGES

-Riding the many cycle tracks attended in Tuscany. An example can riding the cycle tracks along the Arno river in Pisa LINK PISA CYCLE TRACKS, FLORENCE CYLE TRACKS, SIENA PROVINCE CYCLE TRACKS

-The inland bike is an unforgettable experiences too: LINK ONE DAY BIKE TOUR FROM MONTIERI TO CHIUSDINO, LINK ONE DAY BIKE TOUR FROM PRATEGGIANO TO PRATEGGIANO, LINK TUSCANY COUNTRYSIDE ONE DAY BIKE TOUR

Generally a trip include only one type of attraction. But Tuscany offers to you to join different kind of experiences.

All the places you will visit represent a great part of italian: here is the place where were born many important people of the past such as Galileo, Macchiavelli, Dante Alighieri, and many others that have written italian and world history LINK TUSCANY AND HISTORY

 
The sport of cyclism is another important attraction, in fact here you can find important bike competition. LINK TUSCANY BICYCLE COMPETITIONS
But remember that many famous cyclist was born here, in Tuscany LINK FAMOUS TUSCANY CYCLISTS
See what other tourists say about Tuscany LINK TOURISTS REVIEW

ITINERARY

1-MURLO CYCLE TRACKS

LONG 20 Km

SLOPE
minimum 0,4%
maximum 6%

LEVEL
medium

ROAD
asphalted and not asphalted road

height difference
150 metres
 
TYPE BIKE
MTB

ATTRACTIONS
Castel with antiquarium etrusco
mine path
2-MONTEVARCHI-TERRANUOVA  BRACCIOLINI

LONG
54 Km

HEIGHT DIFFERENCE
0 m

SLOPE
0 %

LEVEL
medum

ROAD
path, asphalted and dirt road alternate
3-PONTE A CHIANI (Arezzo)-CHIUSI (Siena)

LONG
58 Km

HEIGHT DIFFERENCE
10 metres

LEVEL
Easy

ROAD
Not asphalted

SLOPE
0%

You can make your bike more interesting visiting the city of Siena LINK SIENA ATTRACTIONS

See other cycle tracks LINK TUSCANY CYCLE TRACKS, FLORENCE CYCLE TRACKS, PISA CYCLE TRACKS

  This wonderful medieval town is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
 
  Its peculiarity is the medieval town planning.
  ATTRACTIONS:
   -Cathedral in the Duomo, with its Ss. Annunziata church
   -Campo square, where you will see Mangia tower, one of the higher italian tower with its     87 metres
   -Roman door, an ancient door of the Siena Wall
   -Siena Palio on the 2 july and on the 16 august, the most famous horse run in Italy. The     particular thing is that horse are ridden without saddle
   -Siena Wall
   -Important Villas and Museums
   -The architectural beautifulness of this medieval city
   -Siena Fountains

   NATURE
   Your Siena tour can be a way to discover Siena parks: you will find natural landscape       inside a city.
   -Lizza park
   -botanical garden
   -Orto de’ Pecci

   You can’t lose the amazing experience of biking Siena countryside LINK INLAND TUSCANY
 
  ROADS
   Good condition for your biking, because Siena is a city with no high traffic cars.

Another destination is the Siena province, riding along its cycle tracks. LINK SIENA PROVINCE CYCLE TRACKS
 

Worth a visit Pisa LINK PISA ATTRACTIONS and Florence ONE DAY FLORENCE BIKE TOUR

Long
5,6 Km

Start
Border municipality in Le buche
Arrival
Provincial border in Ventignano
PISA-CASCINA
along Arno river
 25 Km long.

Slope
0%

level
easy

road
asphalted and not asphalted alternate along the route

****************

Pisa-Sea along Navicelli passageway

long
35 Km

level
easy

slope
0%

road
gravel road

******************
CITY OF PISA
RIGHT BANK ARNO ITINERARY
Long 2,5 km
Start
Pisa le Piagge

Arrival
Confine con San Giuliano Terme

Attractions along the route
San Nicola degli Scalzi church
Viale delle Piagge, with its interesting naturalistic and scenic landscape

 
LEFT BANK ARNO ITINERARY
Long
4,5 Km

Start
Ponte della Vittoria

Arrival
Confine con il comune di Cascina

Attraction along the route
Canovaccio theatre
CENTRE OF PISA
Long
7 Km

Attractions along the route
Scotto garden,
S.Matteo museum,
S.Pietro in Vincoli church,
Arsenali Medicei, Arsenali Repubblicani,
Complesso del Duomo e
Primarziale museum
Monumental Cemetery
Vegetable Garden
Migliarino-San Rossore-Massaciuccoli natural park

See other cycle tracks LINK TUSCANY CYCLE TRACKS, LINK SIENA PROVINCE CYCLE TRACKS, FLORENCE CYCLE TRACKS

You can choose to visit Florence by bike, following the cycle tracks that reach the most famous historic sites. Precisely, the historic centre is surrounded by cycle tracks.
LINK FLORENCE CYCLE TRACKS
CITY CENTRE OF FLORENCE: HISTORY, ART AND CULTURE
 
-PIAZZA DELLA SIGNORIA

-PIAZZALE MICHELANGELO

-PIAZZA DEL DUOMO (CATHEDRAL SQUARE)
Santa Maria del Fiore is the Cathedral of Florence in Domo square. It was built between 1420 and 1436, and was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi
Tourists can climb between the two shells of the cupola for a breathtaking panorama of the city.
The Campanile (Bell tower) was built according to Giotto’s designs in 1334 and is an elegant prop to Brunelleschi’s stout Cathedral. The tower is decorated with two garlands of bas-reliefs, strung around its pink, white and green marble façade.

-SAN MINIATO AL MONTE, a roman curch

-CASCINE PARK, hunting grounds of the Medici family

-SANTA CROCE, gothic church built in 1294 where you can see the tombs of Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo, Rossini.

The Gothic interior is graced by the radiant frescoes of Giotto and his pupil Taddeo Gaddi.
-VASARI’S CORRIDOR

-DANTE’S OLD NEIGHBORHOOD

-GIOTTO’S BELL TOWER

-ACCADEMIA GALLERY where there is MichelAngelo’s David and other breathtaking sculptures
-UFFIZI GALLERY, a wonderful museum.
The Uffizi is one of the world’s important art galleries with a collection of Renaissance paintings that include important art works.
You need a guidebook the navigate the over 40 rooms where you can admire:
                      -several Raphaels
                      -a few Michelangelos: Madonna and Holy Family,
                      -Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus and Primavera,
        -Leonardo da Vinci’s The Annunciation
        -Caravaggio’s Medusa
                      -and other important works of Giotto, Masaccio, Paolo Ucello, Titian

The collection may need to be enjoyed over two visits.
In rooms 1-15 you will find Florentine Renaissance
In rooms 16 to 45 you will find from High Renaissance to later Italian and European painting.

-THE BARGELLO MUSEUM (Museo Nazionale del Bargello)
This Gothic Palazzo contains a collection of Renaissance sculpture. The building was constructed in 1255.
An extensive collection of decorative arts
Magnificent sculptures of Michelangelo, Donatello, Giambologna and Cellini.
Other notable exposition include an Islamic collection, an assortment of ivories (the largest collection in the world) and 16th-century majolica porcelain from Urbino, Faenza and Florence.
-PALAZZO PITTI
Originally owned by wealthy banker, Luca Pitti, the Palazzo later became the property of the Medici family.
It is an important structure with more than seven museums.

 
SCENIC VIEW
 -Bike along the romantic Viale dei Colli up to Piazzale Michelangelo to see the wonderful   landscape of Florence

 -Panoramic view of the Boboli Gardens
PONTE VECCHIO.
To one side of the bridge there is the majestic bust of the most famous Florentine goldsmith, Benvenuto Cellini.

Florence countryside:
   Pine forest of San Miniato
   Cypress trees
   Country churches.

Roads condition:
   Narrow roads that wind through the hill

Lanscape:
   Returning back into town, you can enjoy the amazing views of Florence from the height of   the hills

 
Suggestions:
   -for florence city tour it is better choosing a ibrid bike, good for countryside and city    routes
   -Bike rental approximate prices   
                     1 hour about 3 euro
                     1 day: from a minimum of 14,00 euro to a maximum of 27 euro
                     5 days: from a minimum of 55 euro to a maximum of 110 euro
                     1 week: from a minimum of 65 euro to a maximum of 136 euro
LINK GENERAL TIPS “WHERE RENTING BIKE”

 
CYCLE TRACKS
Florence is full of cycle tracks in its historic centre, and this make the city the best    attracion for a cyclotour
LINK FLORENCE CYCLE TRACKS

 
WHAT TOURISTS SAY ABOUT FLORENCE
-Florenc’s streets are cobbled, full of cars and motorscooters whiz past at really high speed. So I would say Florence is not conducive to biking.

-It s amazing how many people are touring Florence!

-Florence is a wildly exciting for shopping with beautiful specialty shops. The streets, lined with cobblestones, are clean, and people we meet are nice. Every narrow street, or alley, has an interesting shop, bar or café.

-The buildings are old and beautiful with pretty shuttered windows.

-The many drivers on the roads are aggressive, so jumping on a curb or squeezing yourself up against a building, to avoid getting hit, is quite normal.

-We are here to see the art and architecture of the more famous historic city all over the world

I suggest to visit other important cities such as PISA (PISA ATTRACTIONS LINK) and SIENA (SIENA ATTRACTIONS LINK)