Two week Italian summer trip
 

I am already looking at booking our next summer trip to Italy. We would like to have one week doing a bike tour, ie spending each night in a different town, and then one week relaxing somewhere in Tuscany from where we can do day trips out. Anyone done a five/six day bike trip with about 40 kms a day and not too strenuous(I know it will be quite hot)? And any recommendations on where best to stay for the second week in order to be central for day trips out. We are a family with two kids 8 and 11. Thanks a lot for any suggestions.

I've not done a bike trip but I do think a bicycling family should consider visiting Lucca in Tuscany, whose premiere attraction in bicycle riding atop the old city walls.

I also know that there are many organized bike tours in Italy, including Tuscany, and while I'm not suggesting you join one, you might google them up to give an idea of cycling itineraries. And you might even contact the tour organizers and ask advice about doing this with kids. In addition to the heat and hill factor, almost all roads in Italy are narrow, without shoulders, with many blind curves, and shared with fast moving motorcycles, cars, buses, trucks, etc.

You might find this useful:

http://www.laurenhefferon.com/2008/0...oss-italy.html

Are you looking for an organized bike tour company (where they take your luggage on a van to the next stop, etc.) or you want to do this on your own?

Hi Suze, I was hoping to be able to do it myself, as some of the prices of the tours are just incredible, especially as we will be taking our own bikes, but am not sure that it will be possible. Any links to routes would be much appreciated. Thanks

Carol,

I don't know how appropriate it is for biking, personally, but have you heard of the Via Francigena? It's the medieval pilgrim route from Canterbury in England to Rome. Wikipedia has alot of info with external links also.
http://tinyurl.com/5plqzf
We were on it, S62 south of Parma, while driving to my ancestral home place in Cassio and there were several cyclists and hikers along the way. That's in the Emilia-Romagna region but it carries on into Tuscany.

If the Via Francigena intrigues you, Carol, here's another link - this time to a blog of people who did cycle it.

http://tinyurl.com/67tatt

The link reflects the Siena to San Gimignano portion but the right hand side of the page shows their full itinerary. (Their description of the route I mentioned in my earlier post - Fornovo di Taro to Berceto was pretty amusing.

Carol--I don't want to be too negative here as you are to be congratulated and encouraged to do family outings---but in 8 visits and about 20 weeks of travel in Italy, I've yet to see youngsters on the roads and highways. Have you travelled in Italy? The roads rarely have bike lanes or paths and are generally more narrow than american ones.

Please consult the touring companies and get their perspective as to whether they would allow such participation. Like I said earlier, your headed in the right direction but be cautious.
Paul