Italy: Tuscany & Cinque Terre Hiking & Biking Adventure

Day 1

We begin our adventure in the legendary city of Florence, considered by some to be the “cradle of the Renaissance” due to its stunning museums, palaces, and churches that house some of the greatest artistic treasures in the world. Our guides meet you in the morning and whisk you away to meet our bikes, have our safety talk and start pedaling to the historic and captivating town of Lucca. Here we’ll find almost perfectly preserved medieval architecture and monuments, including the stunning city walls and elegant town center. This ride is mostly flat with one long climb (long route only). We’ll pass through the vineyard hills of Carmignano, descending to Vinci (hometown of the most famous Leonardo), and on to the gentle hills of Cerreto Guidi and the wetlands of the Padule di Fucecchio, finally reaching the iconic Tuscan scenery of the charming boroughs. Biking Distance Options: 40 KM, 65 KM, 94 KM

Day 2

Today, we ride from Lucca to the renowned town of Pisa. We’ll stop to explore the Piazza dei Miracoli and snap a photo or two of our crew "holding up" the iconic leaning tower. From here, you’ll have the choice to ride or shuttle back to Lucca. Riders will bike back to Lucca on a pleasant and easy route through the forested coastal areas of San Rossore reserve. Once everyone has returned from our day’s journey, we’ll meet up back at the hotel before heading out for an aperitif and lovely outdoor Puccini concert.  Tonight's dinner is on your own and we'll give you recommendations on where you might want to go. Biking Distance Options: 35 KM, 60 KM

Day 3

We’ll say farewell to Lucca and pedal to the next fantastic town: Viareggio. Today’s route will be hilly but we promise it is worth the views! We will be riding along the hills that separate the coast and the Garfagnana mountain district. We’ll take in the beautiful countryside vistas of olive groves and fields as far as the eye can see until we reach the majestic forests of San Rossore and Migliarino. During the ride, we will pass through the village of Pietrasanta; attended often by artists and sculptors of the famous Carrara marble. Our destination is situated between Massacciuccoli Lake and the elegant Tuscan coast.  Viareggio was the home of opera composer Giacomo Puccini and where the famous Summer Opera Festival is held. After checking into our hotel, we’ll gather in the lobby to walk to another delectable Italian meal. Biking Distance Options: 35 KM, 60 KM

Day 4

Today’s ride will be the last biking day of the tour.  We make our way out of Tuscany and head toward the coast. The first half of our route will be a relaxing, flat ride along a coastal road and through several charming waterfront towns. The second half gradually gets hillier as we leave Tuscany for Liguria and enter gorgeous Bocca di Magra, well-known as a place where writers and intellectuals meet. From there the road climbs the steep terrain typical of the Liguria region, giving way to stunning views of the rocky coast, providing a preview of our next destination, Cinque Terre. Biking Distance Options: 34 KM, 50 KM

Day 5

This morning we’ll ditch our biking gear for a sturdy pair of walking shoes as we set out to explore. We’ll board a boat to Portovenere and thus begin the Cinque Terre portion of our tour. Along our path from Portovenere, we’re treated with incredible vistas overlooking the coast and the Palmaria and Tino islands. As we climb up to reach the ridge, we’ll enter the classic Mediterranean woods that cover the mountaintops, including an area of cork oak wood when we reach the ridges of Monti dei Fraschi and Telegrafo. From there, we’ll start our descent into the most eastern village of Cinque Terre, Riomaggiore. Once at the bottom, we’ll take a short train ride to our hotel for the next two nights in Levanto. Hiking Distance Options: Up to 14 KM

Day 6

Today we will take a “walk in the elements” as we mix the blue of the Ligurian sea with the green of the Mediterranean bush. We visit the incredible overlook point of the Mesco Promontory and views of the Corsica island and Riviera. Our walk will also pass through the famous villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, and Corniglia, where there will be plenty of opportunities to sample the focaccia, the garbanzo bean pizza (farinata), and the local pesto. Once we’ve had our fill of the local delights, we’ll hop on a train back to Levanto for the night. Hiking Distance Options: 7 – 15 KM

Day 7

On our final day, we meet after breakfast to walk west to another village of Cinque Terre, Bonassola, along the La Francesca footpath. This path follows the layout of the ancient railway line from 1874, along the rocky coast. It has since been stabilized with wooden steps and fencing to make our final jaunt less precarious. Before departing Bonassola, make sure to stop in a local café to try their famous focaccia! Once back in Levanto, we’ll say our goodbyes and shuttle to the train station so you can start your journey home or, if you’re extending your stay, head to your next destination. Hiking Distance Options: flexible