Classic Chianti Cycling

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11 Days Excluding Flights

11 Days from

USD 3,635

Incl. taxes Excl. flights

Cycling

Activity Level

Easy & Moderate

Ways to Travel :

Self-Guided Holidays

Activity :

Cycling

Ages :

18+

Trip Code :

C10TY

This ten night holiday has been carefully crafted to cleverly balance cultural highlights and historic treasures with natural beauty and stunningly scenic cycling.

It’s a perfect choice too if you like the idea of combining timeless countryside cycling with the use of local transport to explore the eternal cities of Siena and Florence on foot.

Your holiday starts in Volterra, a real Etruscan gem with its tangle of alleys home to alabaster workshops and secret chapels, in the heart of the Era Valley. You’ll pedal through the archetypal Tuscan countryside, cypress dotted rolling hills, olives, vines, sunflowers, and on, via postcard-pretty Certaldo, to Colle di Val d’Elsa where you’ll spend four nights. From here, you can enjoy day trips to the great art cities of Florence and Siena before pedaling on through panoramic wine country to the tiny hamlet of Pescille, a short cycle from medieval San Gimignano. Your route then takes you through the Castelvecchio Nature Reserve (great for bird spotting) giving you a real sense of achievement as you loop back to Volterra for your final night.

Highlights

Quintessential, Italian landscapes: rolling hills, endless vines, beautifully preserved honey-hued hamlets
Mostly 4-star hotels; gorgeous swimming pools; superb local cuisine
Scenic cycling through olive groves, fruit orchards and sunflowers
Spend 4 nights in Colle di Val d'Elsa: charming piazze, Sienese frescoes, easy access to Florence and Siena
Etruscan, Roman, Renaissance and Mediaeval art and architecture

Key Information

10 Nights, hotel-to-hotel accommodation
E-bike hire available on request (supplement applies)
Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent

Countries visited: Italy

What's Included

All buffet breakfasts and 5 evening meals
Route notes and maps
High Quality Bikes
Luggage transfers between hotels

What's Not Included

Travel insurance
Single accommodation (available on request - compulsory supplement)
Solo traveller supplement (where only one person is travelling on a departure date)
Visas or vaccinations

4 Days of Cycling

Terrain:

Lots of the cycling is on off road strada bianca, although at times it has been necessary to use busier roads for short stretches where no alternative exists. Most of the countryside is moderately hilly, so there is every excuse to stop for a breather to admire the view!

Day 2

36 km / 22.4 miles

Day 4

28 km / 17.4 miles

Day 8

40 km / 24.9 miles

Day 10

38 km / 23.6 miles

Responsible Travel

At Exodus we believe in the power of Responsible Travel.

Every time we travel, we are part of a global movement that creates jobs, builds more sustainable societies, encourages cultural understanding and safeguards common natural and cultural heritage. To learn more about what Responsible Travel means to Exodus click here…

TRIP

C10TY - Classic Chianti Cycling

Departure Date

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Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

Itinerary

Volterra Volterra London London

Arrive in Volterra where you’ve time for a dip in the hotel pool and a wander round the town’s tangle of cobbled alleys and hidden squares before dinner.
You stay at Hotel San Lino (breakfast and evening meal)

Meals included: Dinner

Today it’s a downhill whizz out of hilltop Volterra and into the pretty Era Valley where spectacular views of the surrounding timeless Tuscan countryside open up as you pedal. After climbing out of the valley, you’ll soon pass through the pretty hamlet of Castagno where we suggest a well-deserved coffee stop in the local bar. Your route continues on to Gambassi Terme, a well-preserved spa town with cobbled streets, 12th century church and lovely shaded gardens. Lunch here perhaps in one of the many trattorie then, soon after leaving the town, you’ll pick up the famous Via Francigena for the gentle, mainly downhill stretch to medieval Certaldo.
You stay at Hotel Certaldo (breakfast included)

Distance covered: 22mi (36km)

Meals included: Breakfast

Explore stunning Certaldo, Boccaccio’s birthplace. Split into two distinct halves, the medieval centre of Certaldo Alto with its fabulous ancient buildings, is accessed by funicular and offers spectacular views across the Val d’Elsa. On the other hand, Certaldo Basso is the more modern part of the town with shops, bars and restaurants. You could also spend time today, relaxing by the hotel pool.
You stay at Hotel Certaldo (breakfast included)

Meals included: Breakfast

Today’s route explores the panoramic wine country between Certaldo and Colle di Val d’Elsa. You’ll follow the official, mainly off-road, Chianti Wine Route where you’ll find lots of tasting opportunities! It’s then on to the old town of Poggibonsi, a perfect stop for lunch and to visit the ruins of its unfinished 15th century fortress. The day ends with gentle pedalling through tree-lined meadows and a valley of poppy and sunflower fields to Colle di Val d’Elsa.
You stay at Palazzo San Lorenzo (breakfast and evening meal)

Distance covered: 17mi (28km)

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

There is so much to see and do in and around Colle di Val d’Elsa that you really will be spoiled for choice. However, today we recommend hopping on the local bus (from just outside the hotel) for the 30min ride to the great medieval city of Siena. Visit the Palazzo Pubblico with its impressive pre-Renaissance frescoes and climb the Torre del Mangia for the best views of the town and surrounding Sienese countryside. For lunch, or simply a drink, there is no better place than Siena’s beautiful shell-shaped Piazza del Campo.
You stay at Palazzo San Lorenzo (breakfast and evening meal)

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

After a fairly long day yesterday, we propose that you spend a relaxed morning in Colle di Val d’Elsa. The historic town dates back to Etruscan times with a cathedral, museums and fine Renaissance buildings. After lunch in the old square, maybe spend relax in the hotel’s spa before a pre-dinner stroll along the lovely River Elsa where limestone-rich rapids come crashing dramatically downstream.
You stay at Palazzo San Lorenzo (breakfast included)

Meals included: Breakfast

No trip to Tuscany would be complete without a visit to the charming city of Florence, arguably the most beautiful city in the world! It’s just an hour on the local bus (which leaves from just outside the hotel) giving you plenty of time to explore the Uffizi (closed Mon), Duomo and Baptistery. If you want to escape the crowds, we suggest you cross the Ponte Vecchio to the quieter side of the Arno to visit the Boboli Gardens.
You stay at Palazzo San Lorenzo (breakfast included)

Meals included: Breakfast

Get back on your bike this morning and enjoy superb rolling views before the ride up to Casole d’Elsa, a beautiful village characterised by ancient vermilion-hued buildings and blessed with stunning views from its hilltop position. Take time to explore its 12th century church (frescoes by Gano da Siena) and impressive fortress before an early lunch perhaps in the lovely piazza. You then wind north through wonderfully scenic countryside, the fabulous medieval towers of San Gimignano providing a formidable backdrop as you pedal on to Pescille.
You stay at the Hotel Pescille (breakfast at the hotel, evening meal at a local restaurant)

Distance covered: 25mi (40km)

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

San Gimignano is just a short cycle away, its towers giving this hilltop town a distinctive Manhattan-style skyline. Explore its myriad of narrow streets and many hidden cobbled squares before popping back to your tranquil hotel for a refreshing dip in the sparkling swimming pool.
You stay at Hotel Pescille (breakfast at the hotel, evening meal at a local restaurant)

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

It’s a short downhill ride to San Gimignano before a gentle climb up through classic Tuscan landscapes of vines, olive groves and fields ablaze with sunflowers. It’s then an almost entirely downhill cycle into the pretty Era Valley. There’s a real sense of achievement on your final pedal through open countryside, enjoying spectacular views, before your last climb back to the ancient cobbled streets of Volterra.
You stay at Hotel San Lino (breakfast and evening meal)

Distance covered: 24mi (38km)

Meals included: Breakfast

The tour ends in Volterra.

Meals included: Breakfast

Essential Info

Is this trip for you?

Classification: Self-Guided
Average daily distance on move on days: 35.5km (22.3 miles).
No. of days cycling: 4
Terrain: Lots of the cycling is on off road strada bianca, although at times it has been necessary to use busier roads for short stretches where no alternative exists. Most of the countryside is moderately hilly, so there is every excuse to stop for a breather to admire the view!
Vehicle Support: This is a self-guided trip for those who prefer to cycle independently, but with our assistance to take out the stress of the logistics and planning. We arrange your accommodations, provide you with a map and route notes so that you can cycle at your own pace. A representative will be there to meet you, make sure the bikes are all set up and will be on call throughout the trip should you need.

It is important that you are happy reading maps and following route notes, we make these as accurate as possible and they are regularly checked.

As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. There may be others on the same departure date as you, but you will not be organised together. The route notes contain a 24-hour emergency assistance telephone number should you need it and in emergencies, the local agent is normally able to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to charge for this service.

Your holiday starts in Volterra, a real Etruscan gem with its tangle of alleys home to alabaster workshops and secret chapels, in the heart of the Era Valley. You’ll pedal through the archetypal Tuscan countryside, cypress dotted rolling hills, olives, vines, sunflowers, and on, via postcard-pretty Certaldo, to Colle di Val d’Elsa where you’ll spend four nights. From here, you can enjoy day trips to the great art cities of Florence and Siena before pedaling on through panoramic wine country to the tiny hamlet of Pescille, a short cycle from mediaeval San Gimignano. Your route then takes you through the Castelvecchio Nature Reserve (great for bird spotting) giving you a real sense of achievement as you loop back to Volterra for your final night.

Joining Instructions

Air inclusive prices include our standard flights/transfers. For land only bookings transfers are available for a supplement.

British Airways Heathrow to Pisa 08:25/11:35 transfer to hotel 75 minutes. Return: Transfer to airport 75 minutes British Airways Pisa to Heathrow 12:35/14:00 Business/club/first class seats are available on request.

Alternative transfers
If you require alternative transfers (because you will be arriving at a different time to our standard flights), then we can usually arrange these for you (there may be an additional charge).

Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.

Location start: Volterra
Location end: Volterra

Transfer Details

Standard transfers
For air inclusive bookings transfers are included from Pisa airport at 11:35, and back to Pisa airport at 09:00.

Vaccinations and Health

Italy

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, rabies and tick-borne encephalitis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Visa

Italy

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Italy. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/italy
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/italy
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Italy.html

Please note: it is compulsory to carry ID with you at all times in Italy.

Food & Drink

All buffet breakfasts and 5 evening meals included.

Italy’s most famous export is probably its cuisine and the traditional dishes of Tuscany are the most influential and revered.
The region’s food is based on cucina povera, ‘poor/peasant cookery’, a rural cuisine based on available natural ingredients: olive oil, unsalted bread, pulses and vegetables, wild mushroom or porcini, and salt-cured meats such as salame and prosciutto. In particular, Tuscan olive oil is renowned for its quality and is the most important ingredient in the region’s cookery. You will find it in almost every dish – as a salad dressing, poured over vegetables and into soups and even as a replacement for butter on
bread (very nice with a sprinkling of salt!).

Weather

Italy has a good all year round climate, with plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures from the spring through to autumn. Summer departures will usually have hot weather, with temperatures reaching the low to mid 30s centigrade. April-June and September-November departures are likely to be cooler with a slightly higher chance of rain. In late summer there is the possibility of heavy thunderstorms (generally in the afternoons), but these are usually short-lived.

Weather Charts

TRIP

C10TY - Classic Chianti Cycling

Departure Date

Number Of Passengers*

Message*

To enquire about an existing booking click here

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Phone *

Keep me up to date with news and offers from Exodus by email.

Thank you for contacting Exodus Travels.

Find out more about how we use your data

Request a Brochure

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

Hotels

The hotels we’ve selected for this holiday are among our best, and include a magnificently restored 12th century abbey, a wonderfully renovated, stylish watermill which dates back to the 16th century and belonged to the famous Medici family, and a family-run, traditional hotel overlooking the soaring towers of San Gimignano.

TRIP

C10TY - Classic Chianti Cycling

Departure Date

Number Of Passengers*

Message*

To enquire about an existing booking click here

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Phone *

Keep me up to date with news and offers from Exodus by email.

Thank you for contacting Exodus Travels.

Find out more about how we use your data

Request a Brochure

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

Saturday Saturday

14 Sep 2024 14 Sep 2024

Tuesday Tuesday

24 Sep 2024 24 Sep 2024

Availability Sold Out

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This departure is guaranteed to go ahead and is now fully booked, although we may have people holding spaces without payment. Please contact our Sales team for further information.

View Trip Notes

Monday Monday

16 Sep 2024 16 Sep 2024

Thursday Thursday

26 Sep 2024 26 Sep 2024

Availability On Request

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

View Trip Notes

Wednesday Wednesday

18 Sep 2024 18 Sep 2024

Saturday Saturday

28 Sep 2024 28 Sep 2024

Availability On Request

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

View Trip Notes

Friday Friday

20 Sep 2024 20 Sep 2024

Monday Monday

30 Sep 2024 30 Sep 2024

Availability On Request

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

View Trip Notes

Sunday Sunday

22 Sep 2024 22 Sep 2024

Wednesday Wednesday

02 Oct 2024 02 Oct 2024

Availability On Request

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

View Trip Notes

Tuesday Tuesday

24 Sep 2024 24 Sep 2024

Friday Friday

04 Oct 2024 04 Oct 2024

Availability On Request

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

View Trip Notes

Thursday Thursday

26 Sep 2024 26 Sep 2024

Sunday Sunday

06 Oct 2024 06 Oct 2024

Availability On Request

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

View Trip Notes

Saturday Saturday

28 Sep 2024 28 Sep 2024

Tuesday Tuesday

08 Oct 2024 08 Oct 2024

Availability On Request

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

View Trip Notes

Monday Monday

30 Sep 2024 30 Sep 2024

Thursday Thursday

10 Oct 2024 10 Oct 2024

Availability On Request

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

View Trip Notes

Wednesday Wednesday

02 Oct 2024 02 Oct 2024

Saturday Saturday

12 Oct 2024 12 Oct 2024

Availability On Request

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

View Trip Notes

Friday Friday

04 Oct 2024 04 Oct 2024

Monday Monday

14 Oct 2024 14 Oct 2024

Availability On Request

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

View Trip Notes

Sunday Sunday

06 Oct 2024 06 Oct 2024

Wednesday Wednesday

16 Oct 2024 16 Oct 2024

Availability On Request

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

View Trip Notes

Tuesday Tuesday

08 Oct 2024 08 Oct 2024

Friday Friday

18 Oct 2024 18 Oct 2024

Availability On Request

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

View Trip Notes

Thursday Thursday

10 Oct 2024 10 Oct 2024

Sunday Sunday

20 Oct 2024 20 Oct 2024

Availability On Request

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

View Trip Notes

Saturday Saturday

12 Oct 2024 12 Oct 2024

Tuesday Tuesday

22 Oct 2024 22 Oct 2024

Availability On Request

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

View Trip Notes

Monday Monday

14 Oct 2024 14 Oct 2024

Thursday Thursday

24 Oct 2024 24 Oct 2024

Availability On Request

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

View Trip Notes

Wednesday Wednesday

16 Oct 2024 16 Oct 2024

Saturday Saturday

26 Oct 2024 26 Oct 2024

Availability On Request

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

View Trip Notes

Friday Friday

18 Oct 2024 18 Oct 2024

Monday Monday

28 Oct 2024 28 Oct 2024

Availability On Request

Land Only Trip Price USD 3,635

Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,011
Available upon Request

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

View Trip Notes

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Classic Chianti Cycling

11 Days Excluding Flights

11 Days from

USD 3,635

Incl. taxes Excl. flights

Classic Chianti Cycling

This ten night holiday has been carefully crafted to cleverly balance cultural highlights and historic treasures with natural beauty and stunningly scenic cycling.

4 Days of Cycling

Responsible Travel

Thank you for contacting Exodus Travels.

Itinerary

Volterra Volterra London London

Essential Info

Is this trip for you?

Joining Instructions

Transfer Details

Vaccinations and Health

Italy

Visa

Italy

Food & Drink

Weather

Weather Charts

Thank you for contacting Exodus Travels.

Hotels

Thank you for contacting Exodus Travels.

Reviews

Looking to set your own pace on your next adventure?

Classic Chianti Cycling

Classic Chianti Cycling

This ten night holiday has been carefully crafted to cleverly balance cultural highlights and historic treasures with natural beauty and stunningly scenic cycling.

4 Days of Cycling

Responsible Travel

Thank you for contacting Exodus Travels.

Itinerary

Volterra Volterra London London

Essential Info

Is this trip for you?

Joining Instructions

Transfer Details

Vaccinations and Health

Italy

Visa

Italy

Food & Drink

Weather

Weather Charts

Thank you for contacting Exodus Travels.

Hotels

Thank you for contacting Exodus Travels.

Reviews

Would you like to include flights with your booking?

Looking to set your own pace on your next adventure?

The Adventure Begins Here

Classic Chianti Cycling