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Tuscan Trails
8 days Hotels A Ride through Classic Tuscan Scenery to the Sights of this Ever-popular Region
Itinerary Day 1 Fly London/Pisa; transfer Siena. 2 Ride to Radda in Chianti; winetasting en route. 3 Cycle to Greve. 4 & 5 Cycle to Florence; free in Florence. 6 Bus to Tavernelle; cycle to Colle di Val dElsa. 7 Continue to Siena. 8 Transfer Pisa; fly London. Accommodation & Meals: 7nts hotel; 7 breakfasts included. See p45. Bicycle: 27 speed hybrid bicycles complete with pannier, water-bottle holder, bell, lock, footstand and mudguards. Daily distances day 01 day 02 day 03 day 04 day 05 day 06 day 07 day 08
40km 37km 38km 45km 37km
Grade & Terrain: Graded B/C, challenging, the hilly nature of the terrain makes this tour better suited to keen cyclists who enjoy regular rides out (although there is a support vehicle escorting the group). Our route takes advantage of the quiet tarmac roads (around 90% of the journey) that criss-cross the region enabling us to cover approx. 197km over 5 days, averaging around 45km per day. Tour Staff & Support: Explore Tour Leader and support vehicle driver to assist. Group Size: Approx. 12 to 16.
Cycling through the hills of Tuscany CYCLE GRADE B/C
Tuscan Trails Ref CTY
Arno
Think of Tuscany and the image that comes to mind is the classic picture of the rolling hills of Chianti hilltop villas, vineyards, olive and cypress trees and perhaps the cultural gems of San Gimignano and Siena. Riding a great network of roads we wind our way through this wonderful region, really getting a feel for the area, its people and their traditions a trip for the lover of scenic and cultural classics.
Backroads of Tuscany Our tour starts fittingly in the Renaissance gem of Siena before setting off north towards Radda and the heart of Chianti. Our route is typical of those we will be following over the coming days small backroads with little traffic: ideal for cycling. The scenery is beautiful, quite typical of what one would
FLORENCE
Renaissance art & architecture
Tavernelle and Colle Val DElsa located on the famous via Francigena, the road that connects Rome with the north. En route we pass Certaldo, whose upper quarter remains much as it was in the Middle Ages. San Gimignano & Siena Continuing we come upon San Gimignano, whose famous skyline is dominated by the towers built by warring families in centuries past. Here we pause to enjoy the atmosphere before we finally arrive back in Siena. This is not only one of the most fascinating towns in Tuscany but also one which enjoys a particularly beautiful position. It preserves its medieval character to a remarkable degree, remaining largely unspoilt by new buildings and provides the ideal end to this cycle tour of one of the worlds most enchanting regions.
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Certaldo Palazzo Pertorio San Gimignano Medieval tower town
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Tavernelle
GREVE
El sa
RADDA IN CHIANTI
Wine tasting
COLLE VAL DELSA SIENA
Piazza del Campo 20
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DATES & PRICES in £s per adult 8 days from London (Sat-Sat) 2008 deps 17 May-24 May 07 Jun-14 Jun 20 Sep-27 Sep 2009 deps 30 May-06 Jun Flight Incl 899 899 899 Flight Incl 929 Land Only 699 699 699 Land Only 719
expect of the region. Cypress trees line the roads, quaint medieval villages dot the landscape and large fattorias continue to produce the internationally popular Chianti Classico wine there should be time for a tasting today before we arrive in the 14th century walled city of Radda. Florence & Tuscanys Heart We ride on to Greve another area famed for its viticulture tracing a route towards Florence, capital of Tuscany. Spreading along the banks of the Arno this is Italys most renowned Renaissance city, packed with important artistic treasures. Notables associated with the city include Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, but others have also left their mark and a full free day allows for some exploration before we leave for
Piazza del Campo, Siena
Land Only tour: 8 days - start Siena day 1 (Sat), end Siena day 8 (Sat) Plus Local Payment: ¬150 (approx £100) payable Siena These are guide prices, see p46 for full details
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