Join Granfondo Cycling Tours in an epic cycling adventure though Tuscany, Umbria and ending in the Lazio region. Enjoy the rolling hills, renaissance palazzi, medieval hill top villages and ancient Etruscan towns. Sample fantastic Italian cuisine and world famous wines. Cycle through the paradise of the Tuscan landscape as we explore the region of Chianti, and the cypress lined classic Tuscan roads of the Val d'Orcia made famous by movies such as Under the Tuscan Sun and The English Patient.

This tour starts near Florence in Val di Pesa. Here as a special treat we will enjoy a world renowned wine festival, Alla Corte del Vino, and ride to the picturesque town of San Gimignano. We will also spend nights in Siena, Pienza, Orvieto, and San Martino, with our final cycling destination Ladispoli, just outside of Rome.  Here you can enjoy the Seaside Etruscan necropolis or cap your Italian adventure with another two days in Rome.  We have created this tour with your comfort in mind. We will be staying in three and four star hotels and villas with multiple nights in the Chianti and in the Val d'Orcia regions so that you have ample time to relax, sightsee, and enjoy the most beautiful regions of Tuscany and Umbria.

Tour Itinerary

Arrive in Florence for the start of the tour. Our first Villa Hotel is just outside Florence in the Chianti region of Tuscany. After building the bikes take an easy spin or relax by the pool. Tonight we will have an orientation dinner prepared by the hotel chef, pass out tour clothing, and discuss our routes and planned adventures.

• Arrival date for this tour is Saturday, May 24, 2008

• Departure date is Sunday, June 01, 2008

• Tour Option 1 Exploring Florence arrival date is Thursday, May 22, 2008 (by shuttle)

• Tour Option 2 Viva Roma departure date is Tuesday, June 03, 2008 (by shuttle)

• Arrive at the Florence (FLR) Airport.

• Depart Rome (FCS) Airport. See Airport Pick-up & Drop-off Schedule

Today we ride through the vineyards of Chianti to the medieval hilltop town of San Gimignano. San Gimignano is one of our favorite hill top towns and a great spot to eat Gelato (Italian ice cream). Later we will enjoy some local wines and have dinner out.

We will ride through Chianti to Siena, another one of Italy's well preserved medieval towns.  Surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, Siena is one of the most amazing and beautiful cities of Tuscany. The town is built on three hills and surrounded by well preserved walls. This town is filled with fine examples of Gothic architecture and has one of the world's most unique piazzas - il Campo. This piazza is the spiritual and visual heart of the city where each year the neighborhoods of Siena compete with one another in the world famous “il Palio” a bareback horse race around the square. Enjoy an evening coffee in the piazza and watch the world go by.

The ride from Siena to Pienza immerses us in the true beauty of the Tuscan landscape. We pass though the very well preserved renaissance town of Asciano. Here you can stop by a local café for an espresso or stop for fresh fruit at a road side stand. Then we will be on to Pienza. Often described as the "ideal city" or the "utopian city", it represents one of the best planned of Renaissance towns. Pienza's located in the centre of the Val d'Orcia, a wonderful and untouched valley. The main piazza is the foundation for the town. (Its success as a “center stage” can be seen in Romeo and Juliet directed by Franco Zeffirelli) Strolling through the charming neighborhood, you will find street names such as Via dell’Amore, Via delBacio, Via della Fortuna” or “Love Street”, “Street of Kisses”, “Lucky Street”. The streets are also filled with craft shops, restaurants serving typical Tuscan fare, and shops selling cheese and wine.

Today you have the option of taking a rest day or doing a loop ride through the Tuscan towns of Sinalunga and Montepulciano. Montepulciano is Tuscany's largest hill top town and is known for its spectacular wines. Montepulciano, with its medieval alleyways and plethora of Renaissance palaces and churches, is a great place to have lunch. The fields around the town produce a violet-scented, orange-speckled ruby wine called Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. This area has been known since the 8th century for its superior wine. In the 17th century Francesco Redi wrote his vino-praising poem, Bacchus in Tuscany, describing the vintage of Montepulciano as "The King of all wines," Vino Nobile.

Val d’Orcia, dotted with cypress trees and traversed by the ancient Roman road the Francigena, is one of Tuscany’s best-preserved natural wonders. It has become known all over the world as the classic Tuscan landscape. The UNESCO World Heritage List recognizes Val d’Orcia’s extraordinary beauty and its inspiration and prominence in landscape painting.  Important films like the Oscar winners The English Patient, La Vita è Bella and Gladiator were shot here, as well as Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet, and most recently Under the Tuscan Sun, extending Val D’Orcia’s beauty and influence into cinematic history.

Our hotel is located just out side Orvieto, a very unique and interesting city. As you approach Orvieto and see the town from a distance, it rises on a plateau of volcanic tuff, surrounded by a stupendous landscape of fields and vineyards. The unbreachable walls appear to encircle the city rather than elevate it as though it were a fortress rising above the flat valley floor. Save yourself the uphill walk and take the hotel's shuttle to the top of the town. Take a stroll through the narrow streets, visit the famous Duomo, and enjoy local wines and some of the many wine bars.

From Orvieto we will ride to the wonder of Civita di Bagnoregio for a short visit. Civita di Bagnoregio was recently featured in Conde Nash Traveler Magazine. This town hovers 1,440 feet above sea level on bare rock that has eroded so much the only way in or out is by way of a steep footbridge traversing an abyss. This little town is truly a site to see. The van will be waiting here for you with your walking shoes so you can explore this little gem. After our visit we continue the ride through forested roads to our four star hotel in the little town of San Martino, just outside of Viterbo.

Ride through the country side of the Lazio region amongst the ancient Etruscan ruins. We end today's ride on the southern coast of Italy in the sea side resort town of Ladispoli. After your ride have a refreshing dip in the pool or in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Tonight we will have a great dinner celebrating our journey though Italy and new friendships

After breakfast it will be time to say good bye. We will shuttle you to the Rome Fumacino (FCO) airport or the train station in Ladispoli. For those who choose the Rome option, we will be taking the train into the center of Rome and checking in to your new hotel for an additional two nights exploring the heart and soul of Rome.