Tour of Tuscany
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Dates: October 4th - 11th, 2008

Duration: 8 days, 7 nights

Your visit to Tuscany will surpass every beautiful image and every
flattering comment you have heard about this area. Tuscany is an incredible
place with perfectly preserved hilltop towns, fabulous art, ancient ruins,
the most beautiful countryside, tropical coasts, great cities like Pisa and
Siena, exquisite regional cuisine and wine, the best cafes, and friendly
and beautiful people. There is no better way to experience this beautiful
region than by bike.

Our 8-day Tour of Tuscany takes you through Central Tuscany including
Chianti, the wine-producing region between Florence and Siena, the Val
d'Orcia and Maremma on the coast. We will visit the historic towns of Colle
di Val d'Elsaan, Volterra, San Gimignano, Siena, Montepulciano, Pienza, &
Massa Marittima to name a few.

Includes: accommodations, mechanical service, guided rides, wine tour and tasting, transportation within tour dates and many other amenities.

Hotels: 3 stars and quaint bed & breakfasts
Massage: available for a small fee
Meals: All breakfasts, 2 lunches and 3 dinners
Rides: Guided by pro and ex-pro cyclists
Mileage: 40-100 kms a day (different length options available)
Airport Pickup: Pisa, Italy
Airport Drop off: Pisa, Italy
Price: 3190 € in double-occupancy
Single-occupancy: 600€
Deposit: 500 € due at time of reservation
Please contact us for availability. This trip is available as a custom/private group tour. Minimum group size is 8 and maximum group size is 16.

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Tour of Tuscany 2007 Itinerary

Saturday, 4 October
Guests will be greeted at the Pisa airport and taken to our first destination, Colle di Val d'Elsaan, an area with a whole wealth of traditions, culture, history art and famous wine.

We will assemble bikes in the afternoon and then head out for a short ride to shake off the jet-lag if there is time.

We will have a reception at the hotel followed by a gourmet dinner at the hotel.
Chianti is a very dry red wine, with very concentrated fruit character, most often made entirely from the sangiovese grape. Chianti goes well with food, and can range in style from light to full bodied with tart cherry and violet aromas and flavors. Chianti can age ten or more years in a good vintage.

Sunday, 5 October
The Chianti region with its plunging valleys, forested slopes, fields of vibrant colors and textures will be the backdrop for our ride today.

We will ride west from our hotel to the town of Volterra. We will ride through rolling hills and lush woodlands abruptly defined by desolate, deep walled chasms gullies and ravines. We will ride up to the hilltop town of Volterra, 545 metres above sea level and perched on top of a high rocky plateau. This town divides the Cecina and Era valleys. Volterra teems with sights, such as the Roman Theatre, Etruscan burial sites, Roman baths, or the Piazza dei Priori.
In the early afternoon we will drive to San Gimignano where we will spend the afternoon and evening.

San Gimignano has hardly changed since the middle ages and is most noted for the 14 towers that rise up from within this medieval walled town. The towers were symbols of the power and wealth of the city's medieval families and once numbered 72. Enjoy an early evening gelato at the Gelateria di Piazza in the Piazza della Cisterna or visit the Etruscan Museum.

Dinner on your own in San Gimignano.

Monday, 6 October
Today we will ride east, into the heart of the Chianti region through this friendly Tuscan countryside teeming with vineyards, olive groves and Tuscan villas.

We will stay in the village of Colle di Val d'Elsaan this evening. Option to spend afternoon/evening in Florence.

Tuesday, 7 October
After a short morning ride we will depart for Siena, where we will spend the afternoon and evening. Siena’s renown Piazza del Campo, the Duomo, Tower of Mangia , Museo dell’Opera del Duomo and Siena’s Museo Civico which houses some of the greatest Sienese masterpieces are just a few of the many sights we can visit today.

Dinner on your own in Siena.

Wednesday, 8 October
After a 2hr ride through the valley we will pack and depart for our second destination, Montepulciano

Montepulciano is built along a narrow limestone ridge, and sits at 605m above sea level. The town is enclosed by walls and fortifications designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder in 1511 for Cosimo I. Inside the walls the streets are jam-packed with Renaissance-style palazzi and churches, but the town is predominantly known for its good local Vino Nobile wines. From an artistic point of view, Montepulciano is called “The pearl of the Renaissance” for the works of the must important architects, painters and sculptors of the XVIth Century.
One of the must famous wine in the world rises from these vineyards and it is called Vino Nobile of Montepulciano. This wine, together with the Brunello of Montalcino, the Chianti of Siena and Florence, the Chianina beef, the Pecorino cheese of Pienza and olive oil promote the gastronomic vigor of this territory. You can taste regional dishes and wine in the many restaurants and typical tavern situated in the old town of Montepulciano.

Tonight we will have a wine tour/tasting and dinner at a local winery.

Thursday, 9 October
After breakfast at the hotel we will depart for our morning ride through the Orcia Valley, one of the most beautiful parts of Tuscany.

The wonderful landscape surrounding Montepulciano, with its hills, vineyards, lakes, olive groves, cottages and old villages, give us yet another spectacular setting for an unforgettable ride. We will make sure to ride through the small town of Pienza built by Pope Pius II in the mid-15th Century. It is frequently defined as the "model city", the "utopian city", as it represents one of the best planned Renaissance towns.

Friday, 10 October
After our morning ride we will depart for our third and final destination, Massa Maritima.

Massa Marittima, despite its name is situated more than 20kms from the sea. It is considered one of the medieval jewels of Tuscany. Of all the Maremma's medieval hilltowns, Massa Maritima is the most beautiful. Its jewel in the crown is an ornate Gothic cathedral that bristles with growling gargoyles and houses a sublime altarpiece by Sienese artist Duccio. A second point of interest is an antique olive oil museum, which replicates the oil production methods of the 17th century.

Our hotel is located just at the foot of the hill, and just a 5min walk from the town center.

Final group dinner in Massa Marittima.

Saturday, 11 October
After breakfast at the hotel, guests will be shuttled to the airport in Pisa.

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Photos by: TDWsport.com