A heavenly week cycling in Tuscany

Wine, bikes and... Tuscany. This is one of the best regions for cycling in Italy. You’ll enjoy a Mediterranean climate, breathe in the scent of pines and cypress trees and gaze upon idyllic olive groves and vineyards. This is cycling heaven.

The landscape here is hilly. Although challenging, the ups and downs are never gruelling – each summit has a breathtaking view and a fantastic descent always follows. On the way, you ride through historic towns with plenty of Italian flair and delicious food. If that wasn’t enough, you’ll also visit an island with miles of sandy shore.

I've been cycling in Tuscany a few times. I've ridden L'Eroica and also just toured from winery to winery. It was great every time. That’s why I decided to plan the Tours in this Collection – I wanted to return to Tuscany.

My plan was to ride six to eight days, starting and finishing in Florence, the region’s capital. It’s easy to reach the city with the night train. From Florence, I planned to cycle south-west towards the Etruscan Riviera, with a short detour to Elba Island for even more variety.

Back on the mainland, I wanted to experience wine growing in the Chianti region, an iconic Tuscan speciality. I decided to include places where the most famous Tuscan wines originate on the Tour – Scansano, Montalcino, Montepulchiano and, of course, Siena. This route is a vinological discovery voyage with plenty of culture. These towns also have numerous cultural and historical sights.

From Siena, I planned to expand my Tuscany circuit. From here, I wanted to reminisce a bit and take the route of L'Eroica. Once a year, the Chianti region hosts THE event for classic racing bike fans, culminating in a heroic 200-kilometre (124 mi) ride along Tuscany’s white gravel roads. I planned a short lap starting and finishing in Siena to reminisce about my experiences here before beginning the final stage back to Florence.

Well, that was the plan at least. But, unfortunately, I haven’t managed to realise it yet. I’ve ridden some sections, but by no means the entire route. However, I’m sure that this is a wonderful Tour and that's why I've published it here. Perhaps it’ll serve as inspiration for your own Tuscany bike trip? Hopefully I'll get around to trying out the route myself and if that happens, I'll report back.

Finally, some practical tips for your Tuscany holiday, starting with your arrival. As I don’t take flights, I always try to use an adventurous alternative, in this case the Austrian ‘Nightjet’ night train from Munich to Florence. You arrive early which is a highlight in itself: at six in the morning, you're almost alone in the city’s alleys, which can be really crowded in the afternoon.

The best time to travel to Tuscany is spring or autumn, when the temperatures are pleasantly mild. The summers can be really hot. Tuscany also has good tourist infrastructure. For cyclists, the Italian agriturismo farms are excellent places to stay; I’ve usually had very good experiences with them. They offer rustic accommodation at a reasonable price, usually have space for your bike and are often situated in beautiful places. In the Chianti area, you’ll find lots of this type of accommodation at wineries. You can find more information here: agriturismo.it.