Living There
The Tuscany region of Italy is known for its hilly and verdant terrain, which is particularly amenable for growing olives and wine grapes, and its picturesque villages and towns, many of which date back to medieval or Renaissance times. In recent years, however, Tuscany has also become famous as a popular cycling destination for amateurs and professionals alike. Professionals enjoy Tuscany’s steep mountain climbs for training and conditioning purposes, whereas amateur cyclists flock to Tuscany for stunning views, unique cultural opportunities and, of course, the world renowned wine.
Cycle hire in Tuscany is becoming more popular because travelers want to relax and enjoy traveling by rented bicycle rather than worrying about packing and transporting their own bicycles from home. Cycle hire is also a great way to link up with a personal tour guide or join a guided touring group to learn more about the region while exploring by bike. Many cycle tours of Tuscany also have fun themes like sampling local wines and cheeses, or learning about Renaissance frescoes, paintings and artwork.
A cycling holiday in Tuscany will provide you with unparalleled hilltop views of valleys filled with wheat fields, cypress groves, olive plantations, scenic farmhouses and estates, wineries and vineyards and medieval churches, castles and fortresses. These sites will thrill vacationers who love photography, history and architecture. Mountain and off-road cycling is also available in Tuscany for those who do not mind straying from paved and gravel roads.
Often cycle hire in Tuscany is accompanied by wine tastings, particularly in Chianti, the epicenter of Tuscan winemaking. A package tour combining cycle hire with a tour guide, hotel stays and meals is a great way to explore Italy’s finest pastas, pastries, cheeses and wines up close while on the road. This type of cycling holiday combines active exercise with healthy, all natural food and drink, so the traveler will feel invigorated and stimulated, not exhausted, after his or her vacation.
Cycling holidays in Tuscany are also popular because they engage all of the senses. A traveler who roams across Tuscany by bicycle can expect to hear Gregorian chants sung at a 14th century abbey, view brilliant, colorful frescoes created hundreds of years ago, taste fresh cheese and bread, smell cypress groves by the ocean and touch ripening wine grapes on the vine, for example.
Exploring Tuscany by bicycle is also a far more intimate and memorable way to take a holiday than riding around the countryside locked inside an air conditioned tour bus. Cycling allows a traveler to more easily make new friends, talk to local shopkeepers and artisans and experience hidden or “secret” corners of the countryside that other tourists don’t even know exist. It’s a way to have an exclusive, special and adventure-filled tour of Tuscany while interacting with native Italians.
In summary, hilly roads with spectacular views, ample wineries and farms for sampling Tuscany’s signature food and drink and abundant medieval and Renaissance art and architecture are some of the features that draw cyclists and tourists to this part of Italy, making Tuscany one of the most popular cycle hire and cycle holiday destinations in the world today.
