Company providing bike tours in Italy

Guided Bike Tour:

Maremma treasures of south Tuscany

Tuscany the land of yearning: since centuries the former European cultural center holds its many visitors spellbound. Most tourists however, visit only the famous and much traveled region between Florence and Siena. We would like offer a bike tour let you enjoy both treasures of south Tuscany as Montalcino and Pienza and then ride into a vastly unknown, wild and remote Tuscan region Maremma: the Wild West of Tuscany. Don’t forget the importance of wine: the famous Brunello and the Morellino, his little brother.

Itinerary:
Day One: Pienza
Meet at Chiusi-Chianciano train station  (a stop on all major Florence-Rome lines). Transfer to Pienza, the most perfect Renaissance town in the world. Check into your rooms at our hotel, which occupies a 15th-century convent in the center of town. Meet your guides during a bike-fitting session.  Get to know the rest of the group at dinner having a good supertuscan wine at la botte Piena restaurant.
Lodging hotel Relais Il chiostro di Pienza 

Day Two: Montalcino & Brunello wine.
distance: 70 km/43 miles (shorter option 45 km/28 miles)
special event: Brunello wine tastingToday we'll start out on a long descent into the rolling green pastures of the Val d'Orcia, followed by a hearty uphill stretch that takes us to our reward: picturesque Bagno Vignoni. It's probably the only town you've ever seen where the main square is actually a thermal pool! Refreshed, we continue on to a secluded country Sant’Antimo Abbey, where we might be in time to hear the monks sing vespers. Five miles later we'll be pedaling through the fortress walls into Montalcino. wine tasting of the famed Brunello at Altesino winery.Afterwards we'll have plenty of time to visit the town before come back via San Quirico d’orcia, another little jewel. Free dinner in town
Lodging hotel Relais Il chiostro di Pienza 

Day Three: Orcia valley & San Casciano Bagni hot spring
distance: 53 km/ 33 miles (shorter option 45 km/28 miles)
Today is a completely country ride: for the first 15 km you will ride downhill and after easy gentle rolling hills. you will see Radicofani medieval and enchanting  village with a 1200 dating Rocca.  After lunch at the hill town continue to Celle sul Rigo and San Casciano Bagni hot spring. The spa is very old and in town there is impressive town hall of renaissance time. Dinner at local resturant ”da Daniela”  
Lodging in San Casciano Bagni at Agriturismo La Crocetta

Day four: Sorano & Sovana   
distance: 51 km/32miles
Nice bike ride crossing minuscule villages and borgos. Highlight is  Sorano, barely more than a handful of ancient homes gathered around the fortress which is partly occupied by La Fortezza. Erected in the 16th century by the Orsini family, the castle is one of the best surviving examples of Tuscan military architecture. As we all know, the main function of any fortress is to protect against marauding invaders - because of this, we can see for miles from any window in the hotel, across the valley of the Etruscans. After we will reach Sovana and enjoy the very comfortable hotel. Dinner in town.
Lodging at Sovana hotel & Resort  

Day five: Scansano & Pitigliano
distance 45 km /28 miles
special event: Morellino wine tasting
Soon you will arrive at Pitigliano: a pristine warren of elegant palaces and surprisingly broad cobble stoned streets, it is nicknamed Tuscany's Little Jerusalem in honor of extremely active Jewish community that lived here for centuries. Two of the town's most interesting attractions are its wonderfully restored Synagogue. Back on saddle ride to Scansano. Set in a strategic position between Saturnia and the sea owes its fame to the breeze that blows in summer, making it a wonderfully cool and comfortable spot, as well as to the famous Morellino, a ruby red wine with a full bodied bouquet. Let’s enjoy the wine tasting and visit cellars at Erik Banti winery.Our accommodation is the Antico Casale, a 200-year-old stone farmhouse, you will find true Tuscan hospitality. Dinner in town.
Lodging at Antico Casale country Inn. 

Day Six: Talamone seaside 
Distance  45 km/28  miles
Departure from Scansano town we ride into Pereta, charming little medieval village and Magliano in Toscana a real hidden treasure of maremma for its 14 century fortification with seven semi circular towers. Reach Talamone after a long downhill. It is a small fishers village extended along a promontory overlooking the sea, hemmed in by the Uccellina Mountains . The breathtaking view from the belvedere near lighthouse takes the whole coast from the Argentario to Punta Ala. Our highlight is to enjoy seafood in a restaurant in town. Transfer back to Scansano. Farewell dinner at hotel. 
Lodging at Antico Casale country Inn.

Day Seven: after breakfast end of the tour- transfer to train station Grosseto


Difficulty : medium diffculty - rolling hills and climbs
Price : euro 2,350 p/p (double occupancy)
Single supplement €  400 
Inclusions: Six nights in superior hotels with breakfast
four dinners & two wine tasting
Snacks and drinks along the way
Bikes (race or hybrid) and all gea
All maps, trip notes and detailed route directions
All Shuttles and technical assistance
Support Van, 
all transfer baggage
Services of experienced guides english speaking
Cicloposse water bottle
Sales taxes (21%) 

Not included: Airfare to Italy, train to Chiusi, 5 lunches, 2 dinners, alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages, gratuities, travel insurance, laundry expenses and items of a personal nature 
Duration:7 days/6 nights
Dates:

2012
11-17 May
2 - 8 September

Notes: custom tour at any time