Spotlight: Southern Tuscany

Tuscany bicycle tour
  • Length 6 days
  • From USD$3595
  • Style/Level Spotlight 2.5
  • Countries Italy
  • Begin/End Shuttle from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport to Maremma / Sovana with shuttle to Orvieto’s train station.

This bicycle experience merges refined lodging and cycling through unique parts of Southern Tuscany. This is a focused exploration of two locations in the Maremma region of Tuscany, squeezed between the Tyrhennian Sea and the volcanic lake region north of Rome. For three nights you’ll enjoy a countryside resort which is a springboard for great days of cycling to the sea, where fishing villages and beaches bring the coast to life. Retreat to the resort’s olive grove and spend the afternoon lounging near the pool, or enjoy optional activities such as art classes, cooking classes, in-depth culinary activities, or get back in the saddle and go mountain biking or horse back riding! Your next resort is in the beautiful, small village of Sovana, where you’ll enjoy a unique and magnificent landscape as you pedal to small Tufa towns, built with and into the soft tufa (volcanic stone) prevalent in this area. Here too, enjoy the immense hotel grounds with its natural swimming pool and sweeping views of the surrounding landscape. This is a relaxing bicycle holiday that provides great cycling, exceptional lodging and time on your own to simply relax or do a myriad of other activities.

Learn more about what is included and what to expect on your Spotlight tour at the Spotlight Tour Style page.

Highlights

  • Less packing and more relaxing with a 3 and 2-night hotel stay, Argentario and Orbetello, Tuscan Maremma, Giardino dei Tarocchi, Talamone, cheese tasting, Tufa towns of Sovana, Sorano and Pitigliano, Etruscan Hildebrand tomb, free time and optional activities after morning rides.

Includes

  • 5 nights accommodation

  • meals as noted in itinerary

  • group shuttle from Rome’s Fiumicino to the tour start, and from Sovana to Orvieto

  • Pecorino cheese visit/tasting.

  • All Spotlight tour inclusions

Keep in mind

We work hard to maintain consistency across all of our tours, but some trips have unique differences. Here are some things to keep in mind about this tour.

Learn more about what is included and what to expect on your Spotlight tour at the Spotlight Tour Style page.


Date Price Private room fee Note

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  • Total distance 176km (109 miles)
  • Average daily distance 44km (27 miles)
  • Tour style Spotlight
  • Tour level 2.5

Highlights: Maremma, Lunch in the countryside, Tarot Garden

We will start the day with a shuttle from Rome’s Fiumicino airport to our country resort in the Tuscany region of Maremma. We will enjoy lunch together before our bike fitting and first loop ride. On the test ride we recommend you visit the Tarot Garden, an esoteric sculpture garden based on Tarot cards, designed by the French-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle. This garden is home to one of the most amazing outdoor sculpture gardens in the world. Opened in 1998, it is something between an Antonio Gaudí or Salvatore Dali exhibit and a Cristo installation. Once back at the hotel, you can lounge by the pool or ride a few extra miles to explore the small hilltop village of Capalbio. Enjoy getting lost in the intricate alley ways of this picture perfect village or visit the tiny castle with its magnificent view of the surrounding landscape. Though you won’t be lost for long, you will gain an understanding for the defensive strategy of building villages that are reminiscent of a maze.

Meals : Lunch, Dinner
Lodging : Locanda Rossa

Highlights: Monte Argentario, Spanish Forts, Porto Ercole, Tuscan coast

We cycle towards the coast today, riding parallel to it as we reach Monte Argentario, a small mountain emerging from the sea and connected to the mainland by two sand bars which form a lagoon. Here you’ll find Orbetello – a once thriving fishing village, in the middle of the lagoon. Porto Ercole and Porto Santo Stefano are the two main villages of Monte Argentario and were once important open water ports, the huge defensive fortresses you see today were built by the Spanish. Cycle up to the main fort for a majestic view over Porto Ercole and the coast, take the opportunity to enjoy a snack or beverage as you overlook the bay. Return by shuttle or bicycle back to the hotel (an additional 46 km and 521 meters of climbing). Be sure to consider that there are a wide variety of optional afternoon activities including winery or olive oil visits or just relaxing by the pool.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Lodging : Locanda Rossa

Highlights: Visit to herbal liquer maker

We’ll pedal north toward Magliano this morning before turning towards the Tyrrenian coast to reach the small village of Talamone. Perched high on a rocky promontory overlooking a picturesque gulf, this tiny village gets its name from Greek legends. Once upon a time this was an important Etruscan port, today it is a sleepy fishing village with an imposing fortress overseeing the village and its beaches. Enjoy some time here before shuttling or cycling back to the hotel (47 km and 390 meters of climbing). You have a few options for dinner tonight – opt for the hotel restaurant or one of the selected restaurants in town.

Meals : Breakfast
Lodging : Locanda Rossa

Highlights: Tufa town of Sovana, Pecorino cheese, Etruscan tomb optional visit

Today’s ride is rewarding and a little more challenging as you make your way to Sovana. This beautifully situated Etruscan town is literally carved into the local tufa (volcanic stone). Along the way, take the opportunity to stop and visit a local dairy and discover the secrets of Tuscan Pecorino cheese from the cheese maker himself. This afternoon, take part in an optional guided visit of the monumental Etruscan Hildebrand tomb, one of the most famous and well-preserved tombs of the area where you’ll wander through canyon-like alleyways sculpted from stone! Settle into the hotel for the evening or head to the center of town to sit and enjoy a drink, surrounded by remarkable tufa stone buildings.

Meals : Breakfast
Lodging : Sovana Hotel & Resort

Highlights: Pitigliano and Orsini Family Palaces, Etruscan archaeological sites, Sorano

Today’s loop ride takes us to the striking towns of Sorano and Pitigliano, both of which are perched high on cliffs of tufa stone. Similar to Sovana, these towns have Etruscan origins and impressive archaeological remnants. Built between the 10th and 15th centuries, they were held by important Roman families, the Aldobrandeschi (Sorano) and the Orsini (Pitigliano) until their fall to the Medici, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Their elaborate palaces still stand in the center of both towns. For those who can’t stand the idea of ending their ride in Tuscany there is the option to add another 26 km and 571 meters. Once back at the hotel, enjoy a swim in the pool, a pasta making demonstration, or further exploration of the surrounding archaeological sites. Tonight we’ll toast our adventure and savor a celebratory dinner together.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Lodging : Sovana Hotel & Resort

Highlights: Group shuttle to the Orvieto train station

Say goodbye after breakfast. We’ll shuttle you to the Orvieto train station where you can catch trains north to Florence or south to Rome. If you have the time, we highly recommend you spend a few days in Orvieto to enjoy this spectacular town.

Meals : Breakfast

Visit our Tour Level page to learn more about terrain levels and how we determine day and tour levels.



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