Tuscany Cycling trip with Brian Mueller
Tuscany Cycling trip with Brian Mueller
The mecca of Italian cycling, Tuscany is the ultimate destination for the keen cyclist
The quintessential Italy, Tuscany is famous for hilltop towns, Chianti, cypress trees, great food and the ultimate in Italian style. But it’s also home to some of the most spectacular cycling in Europe.
Featured Climbs
Castello di Brolio, Poggio di Sugame, Volterra
Overview
Details
Next Departure
September 28th 2025
From
USD $4,895
Duration
8 days / 7 nights
Non-Rider Friendly
No
Rental Bike
USD $550
Ride Program
Total Distance
Total Elevation
Daily Av. Distance
Daily Av. Elevation
Overview
Tuscany is the perfect destination for a classic Thomson trip — stunningly beautiful rides, great climbs, wonderful hotels, and arguably the best food, wine and coffee in Europe.
Your journey starts in the medieval town of San Gimignano with it’s impressive 14 towers, each a symbol of past wealth. From San Gimignano you’ll ride to the hilltop town of Volterra and into the world-famous Chianti region. Chianti is home to the legendary Eroica bike race and you’ll get the opportunity to test your gravel riding skills on the official strade bianche climb to Castello di Brolio.
Join us in Tuscany for an unforgettable experience and some of the best bike riding Europe has to offer!
Itinerary
Day | Description | Distance | Elevation | Hotel | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | Benvenuti! | Palazzo Castri | |||
02 | Benvenuti in Toscana | Hotel Borgo San Luigi | |||
03 | San Gimignano | Hotel Borgo San Luigi | |||
04 | Into Chianti | Hotel Borgo San Luigi | |||
05 | Volterra | Hotel Borgo San Luigi | |||
06 | Eroica | Hotel Borgo San Luigi | |||
07 | Monte San Luca | Hotel Aemilia | |||
08 | The Apennine Mountains | Hotel Aemilia | |||
09 | Arrivederci! | ||||
Daily Averages |
Itinerary Detail
Day 1
Distance
Elevation
Benvenuti!
Florence, the capital of Italy’s Tuscany region, is a city rich in art, history, and culture. Known as the cradle of the Renaissance, it boasts stunning architecture, world-class museums, and breathtaking landscapes.
When visiting Florence, don’t miss iconic landmarks such as the Florence Cathedral with its magnificent dome, the Uffizi Gallery home to masterpieces by Michelangelo and Botticelli, and the charming Ponte Vecchio bridge. Take time to stroll through the picturesque streets, indulge in delicious Tuscan cuisine, and savor a gelato while admiring the scenic views from Piazzale Michelangelo.
Florence’s vibrant atmosphere is sure to captivate any traveler, making it a perfect destination for art lovers, history enthusiasts, and foodies alike. Enjoy every moment in this enchanting city!
Day 2
Distance
Elevation
Benvenuti in Toscana
Your trip starts at Florence Hotel where our staff will meet you before the transfer to your hotel Borgo San Luigi.
After a brief orientation meeting, lunch and bike build-up, you’ll head out on our warm-up ride, a beautiful route through the Tuscan vineyards and olive groves. Our destination today is the unique, medieval village of Monteriggioni. Often described as the most spectacular walled village in Tuscany, within the impressive fortifications you’ll find an incredibly charming village with cobbled streets and piazas, perfect for a coffee (or gelato) stop.
Shorter ride option; 19km+266
Day 3
Distance
Elevation
San Gimignano
Today you’ll visit the world-famous medieval town of San Gimignano, a UNESCO world heritage site. The town is especially famous for the 14 remaining medieval towers that remain inside the city walls, each one constructed in the 12th and 13th century by powerful families, keen on proving their wealth by building the tallest tower.
Shorter ride Option: 31km+576
tonight we have a lovely dinner outside in Siena! also we go for a city tour on this amazing city!
Day 4
Distance
Elevation
Into Chianti
Today’s ride features Tuscany’s most famous wine region, Chianti. You’ll enjoy a magnificent ride featuring the most scenic routes and most challenging climbs through these famous vineyards.
From the hotel enjoy the first relatively flat 10km to Spedaletto where the first climb to Castellina in Chianti starts. From Castellina, the next 70km are simply stunning as you ride through Greve in Chianti, Lucolena and a fabulous descent through vast vineyards to Radda in Chianti where we always stop at a wonderful gelateria. After a well-earned gelato the ride heads back to Castellina in Chianti before the final stretch back to the hotel.
Shorter ride option:105km+2107
Day 5
Distance
Elevation
Volterra
The magnificent, walled mountaintop town of Volterra is the main highlight of today’s ride.
To get to Volterra you’ll head into some rugged terrain in the beautifully remote region of Tuscany between Castagno and Villamagna. At the 40km (25 miles) mark you’ll see the medieval walls of Volterra perched high on the hill above you, signalling the start of the steep 5km (3 miles) climb from the valley floor to the town gates. Ride through the town gate into the medieval town and stop at one of the magnificent plazas for a coffee or a gelato (or both!).
Shorter ride option:42Km+595
we have an especial evening for you, first step, wine tasting on a local winery followed by a relay true Italian dinner! La Vita è Bella!
Day 6
Distance
Elevation
Eroica
We’re in Eroica territory today so we thought we’d give you the opportunity to take on one of the first strada bianca sections of the famous race, the climb to the Castello di Brolio. From Brolio you’ll jump back onto asphalt and ride through the Crete Senesi to Asciano, with the quintessential Tuscan landscapes of rolling hills and lines of cypress trees leading to hilltop farms.
Shorter ride option: 86km+1660
Day 7
Distance
Elevation
Monte San Luca
Today we have a really short ride over the top of Bologna, The Monastery of San Luca, it’s a short climb but really intense!
We’ll transfer you with our private vans to Bologna where we’ll start riding our recovery ride.
On this point we’ll almost a true Italian, after visiting Florence, Siena, Volterra and San Gimignano, but it’s missing one more, Bologna, a really nice Italian city, to discover, Enjoy this city, we booked a table on an another true Italian restaurant.
Day 8
Distance
Elevation
The Apennine Mountains
Our final day and we’ve planned a sensational ride into the Apennine mountains that lie to the south of Bologna, covering parts of the annual Diece Colli Gran Fondo, one of the most prestigious gran fondos in Italy.
Riding from the hotel you’ll head out through the Parco dei Gessi Bolognesi to Zena and the start of the 11km climb to Quinzano. From Quinzano enjoy super-quiet roads as you head northwards back towards Bologna, but be ready for a few steep “surprises” before the final long descent back to the hotel in Bologna.
In the evening, we’ll meet up in the Hotel Bar to toast a sensational week in Italy with a few celebratory drinks before dinner.
Shorter ride option: 75km+944
Day 9
Distance
Elevation
Arrivederci!
Unfortunately, your trip across Tuscany has come to an end
Our private shuttle will drop you off at Bologna Airport.
Map & Profile
Climb | Distance | Elevation | Av. Grade | Category | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No major climbs today |
Climb | Distance | Elevation | Av. Grade | Category | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Celsa from Scorgiano |
5.1% | 3 | |||
Profile
Map
Gradient (%)
0
0-6
6-8
8-10
10-12
12-15
>15
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Climb | Distance | Elevation | Av. Grade | Category | |
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No major climbs today |
Climb | Distance | Elevation | Av. Grade | Category | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Castellina in Chianti from Castellina Scalo |
3.6% | 3 | |||
Profile
Map
Gradient (%)
0
0-6
6-8
8-10
10-12
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>15
|
|||||
Panzano in Chianti from Bridge over River Pesa |
4.3% | 3 | |||
Profile
Map
Gradient (%)
0
0-6
6-8
8-10
10-12
12-15
>15
|
|||||
Poggio di Sugame from Greve in Chianti |
5.2% | 2 | |||
Profile
Map
Gradient (%)
0
0-6
6-8
8-10
10-12
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>15
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|||||
Badia a Montemuro from Dudda |
5.2% | 2 | |||
Profile
Map
Gradient (%)
0
0-6
6-8
8-10
10-12
12-15
>15
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|||||
Scollino Badia Coltibuono from La Villa |
4.6% | 3 | |||
Profile
Map
Gradient (%)
0
0-6
6-8
8-10
10-12
12-15
>15
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Climb | Distance | Elevation | Av. Grade | Category | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Volterra from Prato d’Era |
7.7% | 2 | |||
Profile
Map
Gradient (%)
0
0-6
6-8
8-10
10-12
12-15
>15
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Climb | Distance | Elevation | Av. Grade | Category | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Castello di Brolio from SP408 Junction |
4.3% | 3 | |||
Profile
Map
Gradient (%)
0
0-6
6-8
8-10
10-12
12-15
>15
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Climb | Distance | Elevation | Av. Grade | Category | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
San Luca from Giardino Meloncello |
9.5% | 2 | |||
Profile
Map
Gradient (%)
0
0-6
6-8
8-10
10-12
12-15
>15
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Climb | Distance | Elevation | Av. Grade | Category | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quinzano from Zena |
3% | 3 | |||
Profile
Map
Gradient (%)
0
0-6
6-8
8-10
10-12
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Casoni from Bisano |
6.3% | 2 | |||
Profile
Map
Gradient (%)
0
0-6
6-8
8-10
10-12
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>15
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Cà de Masi from San Clemente |
6.3% | 2 | |||
Profile
Map
Gradient (%)
0
0-6
6-8
8-10
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12-15
>15
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Climb | Distance | Elevation | Av. Grade | Category | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No major climbs today |
Climbs
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Climbs
Dates & Prices
Date | Booking Status | Availability | Price / Per Person | Single Supplement | Non-rider Discount | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | |||||||
Book this tripClosed
|
Oct 6 - 13 |
Closed |
Places Available |
USD $4,795
|
USD $850 |
USD $900 |
Book this trip |
2025 | |||||||
Sep 28 - Oct 5 |
Taking Bookings |
Places Available |
USD $4,895
|
USD $850 |
USD $920 |
Book this trip |
Waiting List
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Trip Hotels
What's Included
What's Included | What's Not Included |
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Accommodations & Meals
Transportation
Cycling Support
Nutrition during the ride
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What's Included |
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Accommodations & Meals
Transportation
Cycling Support
Nutrition during the ride
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What's Not Included |
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Pick-up/Drop-off Info
Arrival
Pickup Location | Time |
---|---|
Florence Airport |
9:00am |
OR |
|
Hotel Palazzo Castri 1874 |
9:00am |
Departure
Drop Off Location | Time |
---|---|
Bologna Airport |
9:00am |
Rental Bikes
Specialized Aethos Expert
Frame
Aethos FACT 10r Carbon
Groupset
Di2 Shimano Ultegra
Weight
699g (size 56)
Wheels
Roval C38
Chainrings
52/36T
Cassette
11-34t (12-speed)
Sizes
49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61
USD $550
View DetailsTuscany Cycling trip with Brian Mueller
Let us introduce you to Tuscany and some of the most sensational riding in Europe.