Biking in Tuscany

Tuscany offers an ideal scenario for cycling enthusiasts of all levels, from amateur cyclists to anyone just wishing to pedal calmly while enjoying the beauty of the region. For your adventure on two wheels, choose from a variety of itineraries. On paved road for anyone who loves racing bikes or off road on mountain bikes to get away from traffic and be surrounded by nature. Every area in Tuscany offers routes rich in interesting places to visit and see as well as extraordinary panoramas.

Tuscany is mostly a hilly territory, with plains concentrated mostly along the rivers and the coast. For cycling fans, this means putting yourself to the test on the same hills and slopes many cycling legends trained, including Bartali, Cipollini and Bettini. Tuscany is in fact a land of cyclists and wherever you choose to go pedal you're likely to cross paths with many other two-wheel aficionados. Many of them will greet you with a smile or head motion, especially if you're a cycle-tourist laden with bags. Devoted cycling enthusiasts are a community without borders and if you find yourself in trouble along the road, you can count on the solidarity of other cyclists. When we've had a blown out tube, without a cellphone and a long distance from home, we've many times been "saved" by other kind cyclists that have helped us return on to the saddle!

The best months for cycling or touring Tuscany on bike are from March to June and from September to October. July and August are hot months and outdoor sports are limited to early mornings or late afternoons, or mainly for mountain bike outings at night. Other months can be cold or rainy, and during winter it is best to avoid mountain passes. In truth, Tuscany is great all year round for cycling aficionados!

Below we offer a few road bike and mountain bike itineraries, all of which we've done ourselves. A few are quite long and challenings, most are rides suitable for everyone.
On each itinerary we've indicated an assessement on the difficulty of the course. To give you an idea of our measuring parameters, we are more cyclo-tourists rather than cycling amateurs and even if we like challenging ourselves with long distances, we go at a moderate pace and with many stopes along the way, especially when we stop to snap a few photographs. On those itineraries where it is indicated, a GPS route (.gpx format) and high resolution map can be downloaded on our forum. We've selected points of interest along the way, as well as water fountains. Anyone cycling through Tuscany should keep in mind that practically every small inhabited town or village offers public fountains so if you need to refill your bottle, it is worth it to head to the closest village.

Good biking in Tuscany!