Italy: Coastal Villages of Tuscany

Your vacation is about to begin! Spend your first night aloft and arrive ready for an unforgettable trip.

Start off your first day in Florence right by having a VBT representative greet you at the airport. A complimentary car service will whisk you to your centrally located hotel. From here, you are perfectly positioned to explore this charming city at your leisure.

After an included breakfast this morning, spend more free time exploring Florence’s wonderful museums, shops, and cafés. Take in the spectacular Duomo, the centerpiece of the city, and walk across the Arno River on the famous Ponte Vecchio, browsing the goldsmith and silversmith shops that line the bridge as modern-day replacements of the butchers and grocers of centuries gone by. See works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Botticelli, and Raphael at the Uffizi Gallery (reservations are required) or just relax and enjoy a cappuccino or espresso in the Piazza della Repubblica, the perfect place for people watching in this vibrant city.

At 11:30 a.m., meet your VBT representative in the hotel lobby. Once the entire group is assembled, you will travel by private coach (approximately two hours) to Collemezzano. During the drive, the coach will stop so you can buy lunch.

On arrival in Collemezzano, you will proceed to the Agrihotel Elisabetta, a family-run agriturismo hotel that produces much of its own wine, olive oil, fruit and vegetables. This inviting accommodation and its smiling owner, Luigi Brunetti, will surely enchant you. After settling in, meet your trip leaders to officially begin your Tuscany bike tour with a safety and bike-fitting session before a short warm-up ride over gentle hills, past old farmhouses shaded by cypress trees. Later this afternoon, our gregarious host Luigi will take you on a guided tour of his wine cellar which in Italy is called a cantina. Here, sample some of Luigi’s varietals

Today’s Ride Choices

Afternoon Warm-up Cecina — 14 km (8 miles)

What to Expect:

Expect: A pleasant countryside loop around our agriturismo traversing slightly rolling terrain. Enjoy bucolic vistas and little car traffic.

Cumulative Distance Range: 14 km (8 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast, today’s Tuscany bike tour takes you on a jaunt along a scenic road from Castellina Marittima across Maremma Pisana, riding high in the foothills of the Cecina Valley. Your view from these splendid hills extends from the coast and faraway islands to the valley nestled between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the mountains on Tuscany’s Costa degli Etruschi—the Etruscan Coast. During this invigorating ride through the rolling countryside, you will pass the “3 Comuni,” or three hilltop towns, and pedal your way to Casale Marittimo, the most picturesque of the trio. You’ll admire its medieval castle and the 12th-century Sant’Andrea Church. For lunch, you will gather at a scenic spot with your fellow riders for a delicious picnic prepared by your trip leaders.

Afterward, continue cycling downhill through the charming village of Bibbona, entering the fragrant Cecina pine forest. Your route back to the hotel traces the azure sea waters, giving you a chance to go for a swim if you wish. If you prefer, you may return in the shuttle. This evening enjoy dinner at the inn restaurant.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Castellina Marittima to Casale Marittimo — 23 km (14 miles) | Castellina Marittima to Casale Marittimo PLUS — 32 km (20 miles)

Afternoon Casale Marittimo to the Etruscan Coast and hotel — 30 km (19 miles)

What to Expect:

After a 20-minute shuttle up to Castellina Marittima, enjoy a long scenic downhill ride into the Cecina Valley. Then climb up to Montescudaio to begin riding the rolling “Strada dei 3 Comuni”, connecting the three hilltop villages of Montescudaio, Guardistallo, and Casale Marittimo. Those with additional energy can ride a longer, moderate loop in the hills before lunch. Then, thrill to an exhilarating descent to the sea, riding through a cool, fragrant pine forest on an unpaved, but well-beaten path. Your ride finishes with paved city streets and bike paths heading to your hotel.

Cumulative Distance Range: 23 — 62 km (14 — 39 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Begin your day by pedaling the Cecina Mare promenade on route to the Strada del Vino, one of the most beautiful of Italy’s wine roads. Your route skirts the Ornellaia vineyards, traversing gently rolling hills.  You will get to Bolgheri, one of the most prestigious wine regions in Italy. In addition to its own DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata or Denomination of Controlled Origin) wines, you will want to sample the Super Tuscans – red wines that revolutionized the Italian winemaking industry. Bolgheri is also known for its Viale dei Cipressi, a cypress-lined avenue immortalized in the poem “San Guido” by Giosuè Carducci. You may want to stroll along this boulevard after enjoying lunch on your own.

This afternoon, shuttle to the Tombolo Talasso Resort, your deluxe hotel right on the Tyrrhenian Sea, or continue cycling on easy back roads. You might stretch out in the sand at the hotel’s private beach, or relax in one of the five thermal swimming pools at the Wellness Center.. Filtered water is pumped directly from the sea into the pools. Tonight, you’ll gather together for an Italian aperitivo with your VBT trip leaders. They can suggest a restaurant for dinner on your own in the lovely seaside village of Marina di Castagneto.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Collemezzano to Bolgheri — 29 km (18 miles)

Afternoon Bolgheri to bike shop and Tombolo — 17 km (11 miles)

What to Expect:

This morning’s ride is initially flat and includes a stretch through a pine forest on three miles of well-packed, unpaved terrain along the beach and sea. After the first 10 miles, the route meanders past vineyards on a moderately rolling route and along the famous ‘bolgherese’ road, named after the medieval village of Bolgheri. These panoramic routes are very popular also with local cyclists The last miles are flat as you approach first the village of Donoratico and then the sea, as you continue to the hotel.

Cumulative Distance Range: 17 — 46 km (11 — 29 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, your Tuscany bike tour continues through the historic Strada del Vino. You will stop at the family-owned and operated Fonte di Foiano olive oil mill. During your visit, you’ll meet the Di Gaetano family, who will lead you on a private tour of the press and workshop. Taste the oil during a degustazione (sampling) on the terrace. During your tasting, Simone Di Gaetano will explain the differences between the various flavors of Italy’s olive-growing regions. Afterward, find your place at the table on the farm’s grounds for a delicious vegetarian lunch prepared by Simone’s brother and chef, Paolo, using fragrant, organic vegetables.

Once lunch is over continue biking on the easy countryside roads taking you back to your beach hotel. Tonight gather for an aperitivo with your VBT trip leaders before shuttling to a home-hosted dinner in a typical Tuscan country house. Your host, Chicca (pronounced “Key-ka”), will open her home and you will get the opportunity to join her in cooking dinner. Chicca is the founder of Cooking in Tuscany, a culinary-gastronomic association that promotes traditional Italian and Tuscan cuisine in Italy and abroad. The goals of the association are to experiment with and research traditional recipes, to use and emphasize seasonal products, and to promote the culture and tradition of the region through knowledge of local ingredients. And, of course, to share the hospitality and warmth of an Italian family! Chicca will present a one-hour, hands-on cooking class, after which you will have the chance to dine on your own creations at sunset under the pergola.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Tombolo to Fonte di Foiano Oil Mill — 12 km (7 miles) OR La Strada del Vino PLUS — 29 km (18 miles)

Afternoon Oil Mill to Tombolo — 11 km (7 miles)

What to Expect:

The morning ride sets a relaxed pace for the day, with either a short or longer option along the Strada del Vino to our lunch stop. You will bike on country roads lined with hundreds of olive trees. After lunch, follow a different route that includes 1.6 km (1 mile) on an unpaved bike path in a pine forest, back to our hotel. If you wish to ride extra miles, your trip leaders will be happy to give you suggestions.

Cumulative Distance Range: 11 — 40 km (7 — 25 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s adventure from Castagneto follows one of the most picturesque routes in Europe. Cycling past chestnut, cork and pine trees, medieval estates, and sunflower fields, you will arrive in Suvereto, an ancient village whose origins date to the year 1000. Overlooking the Costa degli Etruschi in the green valley beside the Cornia River, it is a true jewel, rich in history and art. Suvereto displays remarkable architectural harmony: Its ancient walls enclose paved streets lined with stone houses, historic buildings, impressive churches and shadowy cloisters. You will stop for lunch in Suvereto before continuing into the peaceful Cornia Valley on a beautiful rolling and mostly downhill road, free from car traffic.

Our destination, and home for the next two nights, is the peaceful Hotel Calidario. The hotel boasts a unique natural open-air 3,000 square meter pool, formed by the hot springs, rich in minerals, flowing from a granite basin situated deep in the rocks behind the hotel. The area is home to a number of Cornia Valley natural parks which include several Roman and Etruscan finds. The waters of the area were used by the Etruscans to melt metals.

After a wonderful day of cycling, settle in, relax and enjoy the springs and hotel spa. Tonight, take a short shuttle to Piombino and enjoy dinner on your own in this little historical seaside village, following the suggestions of your trip leaders.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Tombolo to Suvereto — 31 km (19 miles) | Sassetta to Suvereto with Shuttle — 15 km (9 miles)

Afternoon Suvereto to Calidarium — 23 km (14 miles)

What to Expect:

Today’s morning ride can begin with a shuttle or an uphill climb to Castagneto Carducci. From there, it follows a scenic and undulating stretch of road to Suvereto. If you wish, you may shuttle to Sassetta to begin your ride to Suvereto, trimming 16.1 km (10 miles) off your morning route before our lunch stop. The afternoon ride follows an easy and downhill route until Cafaggio. There a 3 km uphill takes you up a panoramic view point of the Tuscan coast, before a long descent all the way to Hotel Calidario. If you wish to ride extra miles, your trip leaders will be happy to give you suggestions.

Cumulative Distance Range: 15 — 54 km (9 — 33 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, shuttle or cycle to Campiglia Marittima. This was an ancient Etruscan center where metals were forged and melted. You will cycle by the Archeological Mines Park of San Silvestro, a protected natural park where copper, lead ores, and other minerals have been mined for centuries, and today is a museum. You will follow a winding panoramic route sloping down through a plain, a thick pine forest, and finally to the edge of the Tuscan Sea. At Baratti a short shuttle will take you up the hill for more views across the water. You will discover the ancient city of Populonia which had a very active port during the Etruscan and Roman eras, importing iron ore from the near Isle of Elba and trading finished metal goods. The remains of this once-thriving but abandoned area is preserved within this walled city.

Back at the bay of Baratti, you will stop for lunch in a former watch tower, turned into a fine restaurant overlooking the sea. Early in the afternoon opt to swim or explore the Etruscan archeological sites of Baratti, including burial mounds, before riding back to the hotel.

Later today  enjoy more relaxation and maybe a massage in the hotel spa. Your Tuscany bike tour concludes here, and tonight you’ll enjoy a memorable farewell dinner with your fellow cyclists.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Calidarium to Campiglia and Baratti — 32 km (20 miles)

Afternoon Baratti to Hotel Calidarium — 15 km (9 miles)

What to Expect:

This morning you can shuttle to start an easy valley ride from the hilltop town of Campiglia Marittima or opt for a workout by riding from the hotel to Campiglia on the initial 4 miles uphill. Today’s gentle hills leave you ample time to explore Baratti’s seaside bay and then retrace your route back to the hotel.

Cumulative Distance Range: 15 — 47 km (9 — 29 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, transportation is provided to your central Rome hotel for your final overnight stay. Your hotel room may not be available until 2:30 p.m., but you may store your luggage at the reception desk.

If you have chosen the independent Post-Trip Extension to Rome, you will remain at this hotel for three nights. When you arrive, VBT’s Rome representative will answer your questions and offer optional city walks to help you make the most of your time in Rome. VBT’s city information includes recommendations for restaurants, attractions and transportation in Rome, and will help you explore on your own.

Included Meals: Breakfast

After an included breakfast this morning, complimentary transportation to the Rome airport will be provided (an approximately 40 to 60 minute drive, depending on traffic) for your departing flight.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Your tour starts at 11:30 a.m. at our Florence hotel (Hotel De La Ville, Piazza Antinori 1, Firenze, phone +39 055 2381805). Your trip leaders will meet you in the lobby wearing VBT staff garments. You will travel by private coach to Collemezzano, stopping along the way so you can buy lunch. If your arrival at our Florence hotel is later than 11:30 a.m. or if you are delayed, you must take a taxi (approximately two hours) at your own expense (approximately €180) to the Agrihotel Elisabetta. Additionally, if you are heading to the centrally located meeting point from Florence’s city center, you must travel at your own expense. Contact the Florence hotel to advise them of any travel delays or changes and ask the front desk to pass the message on to your VBT trip leaders.

At 11:30 a.m., meet your VBT representative in the hotel lobby. Once the entire group is assembled, you will travel by private coach (approximately two hours) to Collemezzano. During the drive, the coach will stop so you can buy lunch.

On arrival in Collemezzano, you will proceed to the Agrihotel Elisabetta, a family-run agriturismo hotel that produces much of its own wine, olive oil, fruit and vegetables. This inviting accommodation and its smiling owner, Luigi Brunetti, will surely enchant you. After settling in, meet your trip leaders to officially begin your Tuscany bike tour with a safety and bike-fitting session before a short warm-up ride over gentle hills, past old farmhouses shaded by cypress trees. Later this afternoon, our gregarious host Luigi will take you on a guided tour of his wine cellar which in Italy is called a cantina. Here, sample some of Luigi’s varietals while sharing the day’s stories with your small group. Dinner is at the hotel restaurant.

Today’s Ride Choices

Afternoon Warm-up Cecina — 14 km (8 miles)

What to Expect:

A pleasant countryside loop around our agriturismo traversing slightly rolling terrain. Enjoy bucolic vistas and little car traffic.

Cumulative Distance Range: 14 km (8 miles)

Included Meals: Dinner

After breakfast, today’s Tuscany bike tour takes you on a jaunt along a scenic road from Castellina Marittima across Maremma Pisana, riding high in the foothills of the Cecina Valley. Your view from these splendid hills extends from the coast and faraway islands to the valley nestled between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the mountains on Tuscany’s Costa degli Etruschi—the Etruscan Coast. During this invigorating ride through the rolling countryside, you will pass the “3 Comuni,” or three hilltop towns, and pedal your way to Casale Marittimo, the most picturesque of the trio. You’ll admire its medieval castle and the 12th-century Sant’Andrea Church. For lunch, you will gather at a scenic spot with your fellow riders for a delicious picnic prepared by your trip leaders.

Afterward, continue cycling downhill through the charming village of Bibbona, entering the fragrant Cecina pine forest. Your route back to the hotel traces the azure sea waters, giving you a chance to go for a swim if you wish. If you prefer, you may return in the shuttle. This evening enjoy dinner at the inn restaurant.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Castellina Marittima to Casale Marittimo — 23 km (14 miles) | Castellina Marittima to Casale Marittimo PLUS — 32 km (20 miles)

Afternoon Casale Marittimo to the Etruscan Coast and hotel — 30 km (19 miles)

What to Expect:

After a 20-minute shuttle up to Castellina Marittima, enjoy a long scenic downhill ride into the Cecina Valley. Then climb up to Montescudaio to begin riding the rolling “Strada dei 3 Comuni”, connecting the three hilltop villages of Montescudaio, Guardistallo, and Casale Marittimo. Those with additional energy can ride a longer, moderate loop in the hills before lunch. Then, thrill to an exhilarating descent to the sea, riding through a cool, fragrant pine forest on an unpaved, but well-beaten path. Your ride finishes with paved city streets and bike paths heading to your hotel.

Cumulative Distance Range: 23 — 62 km (14 — 39 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Begin your day by pedaling the Cecina Mare promenade on route to the Strada del Vino, one of the most beautiful of Italy’s wine roads. Your route skirts the Ornellaia vineyards, traversing gently rolling hills.  You will get to Bolgheri, one of the most prestigious wine regions in Italy. In addition to its own DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata or Denomination of Controlled Origin) wines, you will want to sample the Super Tuscans – red wines that revolutionized the Italian winemaking industry. Bolgheri is also known for its Viale dei Cipressi, a cypress-lined avenue immortalized in the poem “San Guido” by Giosuè Carducci. You may want to stroll along this boulevard after enjoying lunch on your own.

This afternoon, shuttle to the Tombolo Talasso Resort, your deluxe hotel right on the Tyrrhenian Sea, or continue cycling on easy back roads. You might stretch out in the sand at the hotel’s private beach, or relax in one of the five thermal swimming pools at the Wellness Center.. Filtered water is pumped directly from the sea into the pools. Tonight, you’ll gather together for an Italian aperitivo with your VBT trip leaders. They can suggest a restaurant for dinner on your own in the lovely seaside village of Marina di Castagneto.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Collemezzano to Bolgheri — 29 km (18 miles)

Afternoon Bolgheri to bike shop and Tombolo — 17 km (11 miles)

What to Expect:

This morning’s ride is initially flat and includes a stretch through a pine forest on three miles of well-packed, unpaved terrain along the beach and sea. After the first 10 miles, the route meanders past vineyards on a moderately rolling route and along the famous ‘bolgherese’ road, named after the medieval village of Bolgheri. These panoramic routes are very popular also with local cyclists The last miles are flat as you approach first the village of Donoratico and then the sea, as you continue to the hotel.

Cumulative Distance Range: 17 — 46 km (11 — 29 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, your Tuscany bike tour continues through the historic Strada del Vino. You will stop at the family-owned and operated Fonte di Foiano olive oil mill. During your visit, you’ll meet the Di Gaetano family, who will lead you on a private tour of the press and workshop. Taste the oil during a degustazione (sampling) on the terrace. During your tasting, Simone Di Gaetano will explain the differences between the various flavors of Italy’s olive-growing regions. Afterward, find your place at the table on the farm’s grounds for a delicious vegetarian lunch prepared by Simone’s brother and chef, Paolo, using fragrant, organic vegetables.

Once lunch is over continue biking on the easy countryside roads taking you back to your beach hotel. Tonight gather for an aperitivo with your VBT trip leaders before shuttling to a home-hosted dinner in a typical Tuscan country house. Your host, Chicca (pronounced “Key-ka”), will open her home and you will get the opportunity to join her in cooking dinner. Chicca is the founder of Cooking in Tuscany, a culinary-gastronomic association that promotes traditional Italian and Tuscan cuisine in Italy and abroad. The goals of the association are to experiment with and research traditional recipes, to use and emphasize seasonal products, and to promote the culture and tradition of the region through knowledge of local ingredients. And, of course, to share the hospitality and warmth of an Italian family! Chicca will present a one-hour, hands-on cooking class, after which you will have the chance to dine on your own creations at sunset under the pergola.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Tombolo to Fonte di Foiano Oil Mill — 12 km (7 miles) OR La Strada del Vino PLUS — 29 km (18 miles)

Afternoon Oil Mill to Tombolo — 11 km (7 miles)

What to Expect:

The morning ride sets a relaxed pace for the day, with either a short or longer option along the Strada del Vino to our lunch stop. You will bike on country roads lined with hundreds of olive trees. After lunch, follow a different route that includes 1.6 km (1 mile) on an unpaved bike path in a pine forest, back to our hotel. If you wish to ride extra miles, your trip leaders will be happy to give you suggestions.

Cumulative Distance Range: 11 — 40 km (7 — 25 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s adventure from Castagneto follows one of the most picturesque routes in Europe. Cycling past chestnut, cork and pine trees, medieval estates, and sunflower fields, you will arrive in Suvereto, an ancient village whose origins date to the year 1000. Overlooking the Costa degli Etruschi in the green valley beside the Cornia River, it is a true jewel, rich in history and art. Suvereto displays remarkable architectural harmony: Its ancient walls enclose paved streets lined with stone houses, historic buildings, impressive churches and shadowy cloisters. You will stop for lunch in Suvereto before continuing into the peaceful Cornia Valley on a beautiful rolling and mostly downhill road, free from car traffic.

Our destination, and home for the next two nights, is the peaceful Hotel Calidario. The hotel boasts a unique natural open-air 3,000 square meter pool, formed by the hot springs, rich in minerals, flowing from a granite basin situated deep in the rocks behind the hotel. The area is home to a number of Cornia Valley natural parks which include several Roman and Etruscan finds. The waters of the area were used by the Etruscans to melt metals.

After a wonderful day of cycling, settle in, relax and enjoy the springs and hotel spa. Tonight, take a short shuttle to Piombino and enjoy dinner on your own in this little historical seaside village, following the suggestions of your trip leaders.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Tombolo to Suvereto — 31 km (19 miles) | Sassetta to Suvereto with Shuttle — 15 km (9 miles)

Afternoon Suvereto to Calidarium — 23 km (14 miles)

What to Expect:

Today’s morning ride can begin with a shuttle or an uphill climb to Castagneto Carducci. From there, it follows a scenic and undulating stretch of road to Suvereto. If you wish, you may shuttle to Sassetta to begin your ride to Suvereto, trimming 16.1 km (10 miles) off your morning route before our lunch stop. The afternoon ride follows an easy and downhill route until Cafaggio. There a 3 km uphill takes you up a panoramic view point of the Tuscan coast, before a long descent all the way to Hotel Calidario. If you wish to ride extra miles, your trip leaders will be happy to give you suggestions.

Cumulative Distance Range: 15 — 54 km (9 — 33 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, shuttle or cycle to Campiglia Marittima. This was an ancient Etruscan center where metals were forged and melted. You will cycle by the Archeological Mines Park of San Silvestro, a protected natural park where copper, lead ores, and other minerals have been mined for centuries, and today is a museum. You will follow a winding panoramic route sloping down through a plain, a thick pine forest, and finally to the edge of the Tuscan Sea. At Baratti a short shuttle will take you up the hill for more views across the water. You will discover the ancient city of Populonia which had a very active port during the Etruscan and Roman eras, importing iron ore from the near Isle of Elba and trading finished metal goods. The remains of this once-thriving but abandoned area is preserved within this walled city.

Back at the bay of Baratti, you will stop for lunch in a former watch tower, turned into a fine restaurant overlooking the sea. Early in the afternoon opt to swim or explore the Etruscan archeological sites of Baratti, including burial mounds, before riding back to the hotel.

Later today  enjoy more relaxation and maybe a massage in the hotel spa. Your Tuscany bike tour concludes here, and tonight you’ll enjoy a memorable farewell dinner with your fellow cyclists.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Calidarium to Campiglia and Baratti — 32 km (20 miles)

Afternoon Baratti to Hotel Calidarium — 15 km (9 miles)

What to Expect:

This morning you can shuttle to start an easy valley ride from the hilltop town of Campiglia Marittima or opt for a workout by riding from the hotel to Campiglia on the initial 4 miles uphill. Today’s gentle hills leave you ample time to explore Baratti’s seaside bay and then retrace your route back to the hotel.

Cumulative Distance Range: 15 — 47 km (9 — 29 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, transportation is provided to our Rome hotel. Your trip ends here between 11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. You are responsible for your own transportation to the airport for your flight home.

Included Meals: Breakfast