chezcathy

We're going on a 3 week trip, Bologna in a counter-clockwise direction up to Venice. We love cycling for the views and enjoyment, we're avid but not intense cyclists in our fifties (e.g. a 30-50K bike ride without any significant climbs is great).

• Figuring no cycling in Bologna or Florence for beginning of trip
• Next, we're looking at staying in Siena, San Gimignano, and Lucca -- and would like to cycle in any or all if possible. e.g. We'd love to do a bike ride from Lucca to Pisa if that makes sense (40K)
• Few day in Cinque Terre and a day in Parma, figuring no cycling there
• And then we go up to Veneto region and would be open to any good cycling up there as well.
• End up in Venice, just a couple of days and figure no cycling there.

-Any suggestions RE best places to cycle in these areas?
-Are there any good routes?
-Any input RE cycling and safety?

Many thanks fellow cyclists!!!

bilboburgler

Ok, I've done a fair bit of that.

This isn't mine but might give you a real help https://italy-cycling-guide.info/

Figuring no cycling in Bologna or Florence for beginning of trip, why?

we're looking at staying in Siena, San Gimignano, and Lucca -- and would like to cycle in any or all if possible. e.g. We'd love to do a bike ride from Lucca to Pisa if that makes sense (40K). Yes don't go over the mountain go to the west of the hill SS12 and use google maps to look out for white roads which make the journey easier. I recommend using google maps and street view to plan that journey very well and you don't want to get on the wrong road.

Few day in Cinque Terre and a day in Parma, figuring no cycling there. Parma is fine, 5T is no use for cycling

And then we go up to Veneto region and would be open to any good cycling up there as well. The zone between Bologna and Venice is one massive cycle path especially in the PO valley. Lots of very quiet roads until you get to the outskirts of Venice (you'll like the Brenta Canal from Padova) a bit tricky but well sign posted or local tourist info have lots of maps for their district. Ferrara is a mecca for cycling

End up in Venice, just a couple of days and figure no cycling there Cycling in Venice proper is illegal, Mestre has a great cycling map
-Any suggestions RE best places to cycle in these areas? Colli Euganei is really good

-Are there any good routes? https://en.eurovelo.com/ is also useful

-Any input RE cycling and safety? Generally Italian drivers are very sensible, but the one stupid one will kill you. So choose back roads and bike paths where possible. I have never felt unsafe on back roads, river and canal paths.

chezcathy

Thanks bilboburgler, checking those two sites out.
We're open to cycling Bologna and/or Florence (and anywhere that is safe, beautiful and not too hilly)! Only reason I had been thinking we wouldn't is that we really only have 2 days in each. But I know Bologna is small, so maybe we can fit in a ride there at the very least - sounds like you suggest it so I'll check it out. We always prefer touring by bike!

bilboburgler

When you have a proper plan of where you want to go, come back and I can suggest alternatives

uktravelover

If you would really like to do some cycling in Italy have you thought about booking a 3-4 nights cycling holiday for part of your trip? A number of companies offer self-guided or guided tours including hotels, meals and your bags are transferred from one hotel to the next. I had a colleague who did several of these and always enjoyed them. Take a look at https://www.cycling-for-softies.co.uk for some insights into what is possible in some of the areas you are planning to visit.

OverIt

bookmk!

chezcathy

Whew... it's take a while, but we're thinking of cycling only in Tuscany -- short leisurely days so it isn't too challenging regardless of the climbs (and because we always go off and explore the towns). This would end up being 9-10 days of bike rental (1 or 2 days in Florence, 8 days going from Cortona/Chiusi to Siena), and NO car rental at all:

• 6-Sep Depart 8:25pm from SFO; Arrive 4:05 pm in CPH; dept 5:25am
• 7-Sep arr 7:30pm BOLOGNA
• 8-Sep Bologna
• 9-Sep Bologna
• 10-Sep Bologna (Possible trip to Ravenna)
• 11-Sep Train to FLORENCE (overnight Florence)
• 12-Sep Florence (Possible trip to Lucca or San Gimignano?)
• 13-Sep Florence Pickup bike rental 13th or 14th
• 14-Sep Florence
• 15-Sep 1.5 hr Train to Cortona OR Chiusi, 2 hr 351/456m climb ride to Montepulciano (Overnight Montepulciano) - START TUSCANY BIKE SEGMENT
• 16-Sep Cycle 26K, 478m climb via Monticchiello and Pienza San Quirico d'Orcia (Overnight San Quirico d'Orcia)
• 17-Sep San Quirico d'Orcia (Overnight San Quirico d'Orcia)
• 18-Sep Cycle 41K, 806m climb via Bagno Vignoni & Sant Antimo Abbey, Montalcino (Overnight Montalcino)
• 19-Sep Cycle 46K, 280m climb, lots of downhill, stop in Buonconvento to Siena (Overnight Siena)
• 20-Sep (Overnight Siena)
• 21-Sep WED MORNING market (Overnight Siena)
• 22-Sep Cycle 2.5 hrs 35K, 425m to San Gimignano via Monterigggioni and Cole di Val d'Elba (Overnight San Gimignano) LAST NIGHT OF TUSCANY
• 23-Sep Bike 45 mins to Poggibonsi; 1.25 hr train to Florence, return bikes; then?? TBD
• 24-Sep ?? TBD
• 25-Sep Train to Venice (Overnight Venice) - VENICE
• 26-Sep Venice
• 27-Sep Venice
• 28-Sep Venice - depart 10am

Does this look like a reasonable amount of time in each place? I always round up the time so that we can get distracted on the way for pics and views and such.
You can see we still have 2 days on the 23rd and 24th and have been deciding whether to add them to other parts of the trip OR go up to Verona or something like that for 2 days (gets closer to Venice)
Also, if it looks sensible, would it make more sense (better cycling route/more scenic) going to Cortona or Chiusi with the bikes?

OPEN to any suggestions!! Only thing to know is that we love,love,love cycling, but enjoying the scenery, not hard-core (tried to keep hill climbs manageable, though the 18th has one massive climb -- but, hey, we have the time!)

Jean

You're going to do these rides with panniers, bags, backpacks, whatever? Will you be leaving some of your luggage (city clothes) in Florence? Have you considered joining an organized bike tour? Then you'd have someone to deal with breakdowns and flats. Otherwise, you'll have to carry some repair stuff and a fair amount of water. The tour people would also transfer your luggage or possibly hold what you don't need.

Overall, with a few exceptions (see next paragraph) and assuming you have cycling experience and fitness, I think it's doable but ambitious. FWIW, I'd rather have the first free day in Pienza rather than San Quirico.

I don't know which route/road you were planning to take from Montepulciano to Monticchiello, but this part of Tuscany is known for its "white" gravel roads, strade bianche. We drove between those two towns (V. Bartolomeo), and it was not paved the entire way. What was paved was very rough. Ditto the road between Bagno Vignoni and Abbazia Sant'Antimo. These roads would require different bikes than what you are probably renting. You should do some random views in Google Maps' streetview to see road conditions on all of the roads in your itinerary.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/larryol...h=6b9243863831

As you look at hotels, ask about bike storage or whether they're happy to let you keep the bikes in the room. Not every hotel will accommodate, but some hotels make a point of welcoming cyclists.

chezcathy

Thanks, Jean. We've bike toured in a number of countries, but not been in Italy. We'll probably bring 2 panniers and 2 backpacks between us that will tie down on bike racks. Light packing. We have MTB shoes so we can pedal and walk around, and were planning on touring bikes, but maybe should consider gravel bikes then. I've looked at a lot of organized bike tours but either some of them are so darned expensive or I'm not fond of the routes. The best trips we've had have always involved cycle touring and my husband can deal with breakdowns fine (me less so). I haven't mapped it out properly yet, but I see some rides in Komoot that have

We're in our mid-fifties so fit but by no means intense. I don't know if the road up to Bagno Vignoni and Abbazia Sant'Antimo would be too much -- it's a big climb all in one go. Thanks for the tip about Pienza, will definitely do that instead!!

Still open to changes, I know it needs massaging yet! Maybe we need to cut some off too. Hmmm.

bilboburgler

Basically the cycle tour element looks fine for me, I've done something like that on old hybrids and they were fine. Modern kevlar tyres don't cut like old style ones do so I'd not worry about flats too much but do carry the basic kit. Water would also be needed as there are not shops along the route everywhere.

I've not mapped out the route exactly and at the end of the day I'd study a good map before you leave home to pick up any local back roads, just less stressful than finding high levels of traffic that day on a direct route. My 55 year old knees (when I did this tour) couldn't do the hill part of your trip but if you can you can.

I'd start in Chiusi using the regionale.