San Gimignano self-guided bike tour. Oil and wine tasting

Price
US$ 950 per person
(Single Supplement)

Traveling alone?
Join a self-guided tour that has already been scheduled. We can’t run self-guided trips for one person, but we may have already booked a self-guided tour that works for you. More info

Group of three?
Tour prices are based on double room occupancy. Groups of three on self-guided trips have two options:
Option 1: Request a triple room. With a triple there is no single supplement. Option 2: Pay a single supplement (US$ 50/night) for the single room.

Save US$ 100 per person
Use our bike bags (panniers) instead of the luggage transfer
» more info

Optional Charges
» Cooking Class (US$ 150 per person)

Dates
Any date from March 1 to October 31

5 Days, 4 Nights

Route Rating
Moderate: 10-20 miles (15-30 km) per day cycling over hilly terrain.

Meet / Finish
Florence / Volterra

Highlights

Winery visit with guided wine and oil tasting
Towers of San Gimignano
Roman amphitheater of Volterra
Beautiful Tuscan scenery and peaceful country roads
The town of Volterra

What's Included

All lodging (3-star hotels)
All breakfasts
One lunch
Winery visit and wine tasting
Luggage transfer from hotel to hotel
Private van transfer from Florence on day one
4 beautiful rides. Extra miles available.
Use of high-end hybrid bicycle
Use of cell phone for emergencies

Cancellations: Terms and Conditions

» Tour Summary
» Map and Distances
» Hotels
» Photos
» Bicycles

Wineries and Castles

Optional cooking class?
Add a cooking class for US$ 150 (per person)

Spend half a day with an Italian family at their country house. Learn to make traditional Tuscan cuisine with produce from the family garden. (vegetarian classes available).

What if it rains?

On self-guided bike tours there is no van support. However, we do move your luggage from hotel to hotel. In the event of rain you can catch a ride with us when we move your bags. We provide our guests with a cell phone. You can call in the morning and make arrangements for a lift.

Why Self-Guided?
Explore Tuscany at your own pace. We provide detailed route notes, a cell phone, luggage transfers, great accommodations, restaurant suggestions, and sightseeing notes. You choose the dates. We take care of the details.

Self-Guided San Gimignano Bike Tour

On our Self-Guided San Gimignano bike tour you stay in three of Tuscany's most beautiful hill towns, Certaldo, San Gimignano, and Volterra. Visit a country villa, tour their winery and sample their full-bodied Chianti Classico. Stay in a 15th Century palace in the fortified hamlet of Certaldo. Cycle to San Gimignano admiring the views of the town's 14 stone towers. You spend two nights in delightful San Gimignano leaving you plenty of time to explore. Explore an abandoned castle. Pedal through olive groves and vineyards to Volterra, an Etruscan fortress surrounded by lush countryside. A hilltop town that hasn't been transformed by tourism, Volterra is perhaps Tuscany's best kept secret. The town proudly features a Roman amphitheater and the world's best Etruscan museum.

Day 1 Certaldo We meet in the center of Florence and shuttle by van to our bike storage in the Chianti countryside. You ride to a 16th Century winery for a tour and wine tasting. Day one includes lunch in San Casciano, an elegant hill town just south of Florence. After lunch pedal to the perfectly preserved Medieval village of Certaldo. Your 4-star hotel features a pool and huge garden.

Day 2-3 San Gimignano Cycle past a castle and vineyards on your way to San Gimignano. Along the way enjoy beautiful views of San Gimignano's 14 stone towers. After lunch climb a tower, shop, or just savor a cappuccino in an ancient piazza. Your hotel is in the historic center of town, close to all the sights. On day three you have the option of hiking to an abandoned castle, pedaling to a winery, or cycling to Colle di Val d'Elsa, famous for its crystal glassware production. While in San Gimignano be sure to try their Vernaccia, a tangy, crisp Tuscan white. If gelato is more your speed you can't go wrong at the Gelateria Di Piazza described by many as the best gelato place in Tuscany. Optional cooking class

Day 4-5 Volterra We have saved the best riding for last. Lush woodland gives way to peaceful rolling hills as the countryside opens up before you. One of Tuscany's most beautiful hill towns, Volterra remains off the beaten path. Your hotel features a pool with a fabulous view of the valley below. Relax poolside or go and visit Volterra's Roman theater and Etruscan gate. Frequent busses make for an easy departure from Volterra on day five.