Create Your Own Self Guided Tour
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Overview Bicycle Tours in Italy: Create Your Own Self Guided Tour OVERVIEW Create your own Self Guided Tour! We have tons of rides and destinations to suggest you. Like a snake that goes through the diversity of Italy this itineary is just an example of what we can offer you. Pick up the section you like better, join your favourite destinations and we'll help you building the tour of your dreams! HIGHLIGHTS Venetian, Lagoon Florence, Ferrara,, Ravenna, Ceramics of Faenza Chianti, Region Siena, Montalcino,, the Orcia Valley, Pienza and Montepulciano Cortona, Assisi, Bevagna, Spoleto, Todi and Orvieto TOUR FACTS Tour Style : Learn more about our tours at https://www.experienceplus.com/tours/bike-tour-styles/-tours 3-4 star accomodations with all breakfasts, use of high quality titanium racing or hybrid bicycle; Includes bike delivery and collection; use of GPS with preloaded tracks; detailed route descriptions; map; suggestions for dinners and lunches; luggage transfers Countries Italy Begin/End Venezia / Orvieto Arrive/Depart Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) / Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) Total Distance Up to you ! Avg. Daily Distance Approx 50 km per riding day Tour Level We work hard to maintain consistency across all of our tours, but some trips have unique Keep in Mind differences. Here are some things to keep in mind about this tour. The best rides in Italy of the level of challenge you choose! Please Note: We may have small itinerary changes to this trip after you download this PDF document. If you have booked this trip and there are major changes, including changes to towns or activities, we'll email you directly. However, you should always be sure to refer to the online itinerary for the most up-to-date trip information including arrival and departure tips before you depart for your trip: https://www.experienceplus.com/guided-bike-tours/italy/create-your-own-tour 1 © ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours 1-800-685-4565 ExperiencePlus.com Dates & Prices Bicycle Tours in Italy: Create Your Own Self Guided Tour DATES & PRICES Dates Price Single Supplement* *We are happy to match solo travelers who would like to share a room with someone of the same gender. If no match exists, due to hotel pricing, we will charge 50% of the single supplement rate. This fee will be collected at the time of the final payment. If a DAILY RIDE SUMMARY roommate assignment is available this fee will be refunded at the conclusion of the tour. Day Distance/Gain Terrain Day Level Notes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 2 © ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours 1-800-685-4565 ExperiencePlus.com Day to Day Itinerary Bicycle Tours in Italy: Create Your Own Self Guided Tour Tour begins in Chioggia, Italy DAY 1 Highlights "Little Venice" and the Venetian Lagoon Welcome to Chioggia and the Venetian Lagoon! We meet this afternoon at our hotel in the center of Chioggia. We'll fit bicycles and go over route details. Take a walk around the center of Chioggia and admire the canals, bridges and main pedestrian walking street. If you arrive early we can suggest a ride along one of the islands in the lagoon. Mileage (your option) Pedal the Po River Delta DAY 2 Highlights Chioggia, bicycle quiet roads, stay at a working farm Meals Breakfast We leave the Venetian lagoon today towards the Po River Delta. Enjoy cycling on levee roads and birdwatching. Grab some picnic supplies from the local grocery store or stop at a cafe for lunch today. Those who want extra mileage can enjoy a great ride into the delta this afternoon. Our destination tonight is a small country farm bed and breakfast. Distance: 58-101 km (36-63 miles). Ferrara DAY 3 Highlights bicycle along the Po River, bicycle capital of Italy--Ferrara Meals Breakfast It's another day of leisurely riding today as we follow the Po river upstream to the Renaissance city of Ferrara. Entering the city, we'll pass under the 16th century walls, one of the most intact Renaissance walls left in Italy. Other highlights of this UNESCO world heritage site include the many palaces of the Este court from the 14th and 15th century. We'll suggest some great restaurants for dinner on your own this evening. Distance: 64 km (40 miles). 3 © ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours 1-800-685-4565 ExperiencePlus.com Day to Day Itinerary Bicycle Tours in Italy: Create Your Own Self Guided Tour Comacchio DAY 4 Highlights Comacchio and its "Trepponti" bridge It's another day of leisurely riding today. Our destination is a small lagoon town that at one point was more powerful than Venice in the 700 and 800s. The lagoon town of Comacchio, has a fabulous museum that showcases a Roman boat ant its cargo that was excavated from one of the canals. Built on 13 islands this town is now landlocked but surrounded by the Po River and fresh water wetlands. Enjoy a small float around the canals with a local fisherman before dinner. Distance: 70 km (44 miles). Ravenna DAY 5 Highlights Wetlands, bird viewing and beautiful mosaics, bustling town Meals Breakfast We pedal along the Valley of Comacchio wetlands towards Ravenna. Ravenna was the last capital of the Western Roman Empire and home to more early Christian mosaics than any other city in Western Europe. You can walk to Dante's Tomb and the mosaics of San Vitale, Sant'Apollinare Nuovo and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia this afternoon, as our hotel is near all the city sights. Distance: 45 km (28 miles). Ravenna to Faenza DAY 6 Highlights Faenza International Ceramics Museum and Renaissance Town Square Meals Breakfast Exiting Ravenna you have the choice to visit another very important Byzantine masterpiece: Sant'Apollinare in Classe. Cross the plains through fruit plantations and arrive to Faenza. Your hotel is a restored convent near the central square of this regional market center and famous ceramics town. Enjoy the bustle in the market square and the main "piazza" which is always full of bicycle riders of all ages. Faenza is world-renowned for its hand decorated ceramics; we recommend a visit to the International Ceramics Museum as well as several of the local artists' studios specialized in this colorful pottery. Daily mileage: 56 km (35 miles). 4 © ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours 1-800-685-4565 ExperiencePlus.com Day to Day Itinerary Bicycle Tours in Italy: Create Your Own Self Guided Tour Loop ride to Castrocaro and Terra del Sole DAY 7 Highlights Sixteenth century planned Medici Fortress town of Terra del Sole; alternative Meals Breakfast bicycle ride over Monte Trebbio You have two options today. Both include a ride to Terra del Sole, a border town built by the Medici family in 1564 to protect the northern frontier of Tuscany designed with the new Renaissance concept for the "Perfect City". On your way to Terra del Sole you'll pass by our headquarters so we'll plan to show you around, give you morning coffee and cake and send you on your way. Those who want an easy day will ride to Terra del Sole and back to Faenza at the base of the low foothills, giving you time to take it easy in any of the towns today. Those with more energy can climb one of the most famous mountain rides for cyclists in the area, Monte Trebbio. Daily Mileage: 38 - 64 km (24 - 40 miles). Over the Apennines DAY 8 Highlights Bicycle the Apennines and the Mugello. Meals Breakfast, Dinner We head into the Apennines today, passing first through the medieval village of Brisighella. Take a break and pick up some snacks for climb if you feel like it. If you decide you want to train up and over the mountain, feel free to do so! for those who decide to bicycle, begin climbing (easily at first!) over the Apennines -- remember to look around as you pedal since the scenery changes dramatically as you leave the plains and enter the mountains. Just before we reach the toughest part of our climb there is a very conveniently located train station which allows you a choice in how you reach our destination! Dinner tonight is at the hotel. Distance: 15 - 63km (9 - 39 miles) Florence DAY 9 Highlights Fiesole and its Etruscan ruins, Renaissance Florence, Uffizi Gallery Meals Breakfast There's a small climb this morning to Vetta le Croci, then it's downhill to the old Etruscan city of Fiesole, where you'll enjoy a great view of Florence rising from the valley floor. We recommend waiting until after lunch to ride into town and the rest of the afternoon is yours to explore this capital of Renaissance Italy. Distance: 41 km (26 miles). 5 © ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours 1-800-685-4565 ExperiencePlus.com Day to Day Itinerary Bicycle Tours in Italy: Create Your Own Self Guided Tour Florence to Radda in Chianti DAY 10 Highlights The Chianti region Meals Breakfast You'll leave Florence and climb some of the famous Chianti hills as you make your way to Radda in Chianti, your home for the night. Stop in Greve in Chianti for a short visit of the main square and the famous Macelleria Falorni, producer of local salumi. Radda is a delightful gem of a small town and was an important junction for traveler's heading to north and south. Daily distance: 61km (38 miles). Siena DAY 11 Highlights Medieval town of Siena, Piazza del Campo Meals Breakfast Ride the south part of the Chianti Region.