Classic Chianti Cycling

This ten night holiday has been carefully crafted to cleverly balance cultural highlights and historic treasures with natural beauty and stunningly scenic cycling.

It’s a perfect choice too if you like the idea of combining timeless countryside cycling with the use of local transport to explore the eternal cities of Siena and Florence on foot.

Your holiday starts in Volterra, a real Etruscan gem with its tangle of alleys home to alabaster workshops and secret chapels, in the heart of the Era Valley. You’ll pedal through the archetypal Tuscan countryside, cypress dotted rolling hills, olives, vines, sunflowers, and on, via postcard-pretty Certaldo, to Colle di Val d’Elsa where you’ll spend four nights. From here, you can enjoy day trips to the great art cities of Florence and Siena before pedaling on through panoramic wine country to the tiny hamlet of Pescille, a short cycle from medieval San Gimignano. Your route then takes you through the Castelvecchio Nature Reserve (great for bird spotting) giving you a real sense of achievement as you loop back to Volterra for your final night.

Sustainability and Impact

At Exodus, we thrive on travel, and we firmly believe our adventures should help destinations thrive too.

As a certified B Corp, we aim to take a ‘nature positive’ approach across our adventures, including carbon and waste reduction, animal welfare and support for rewilding and conservation. We also seek to contribute to local communities, providing economic opportunity and empowerment.

• Learn more about our Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan, including our commitment to rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller

• Read about the work of the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation.

• Find out how you can travel more sustainably here.

Is this trip for you?

Classification: Self-Guided
Average daily distance on move on days: 35.5km (22.3 miles).
No. of days cycling: 4
Terrain: Lots of the cycling is on off road strada bianca, although at times it has been necessary to use busier roads for short stretches where no alternative exists. Most of the countryside is moderately hilly, so there is every excuse to stop for a breather to admire the view!
Vehicle Support: This is a self-guided trip for those who prefer to cycle independently, but with our assistance to take out the stress of the logistics and planning. We arrange your accommodations, provide you with a map and route notes so that you can cycle at your own pace. A representative will be there to meet you, make sure the bikes are all set up and will be on call throughout the trip should you need.

It is important that you are happy reading maps and following route notes, we make these as accurate as possible and they are regularly checked.

As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. There may be others on the same departure date as you, but you will not be organised together. The route notes contain a 24-hour emergency assistance telephone number should you need it and in emergencies, the local agent is normally able to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to charge for this service.

Your holiday starts in Volterra, a real Etruscan gem with its tangle of alleys home to alabaster workshops and secret chapels, in the heart of the Era Valley. You’ll pedal through the archetypal Tuscan countryside, cypress dotted rolling hills, olives, vines, sunflowers, and on, via postcard-pretty Certaldo, to Colle di Val d’Elsa where you’ll spend four nights. From here, you can enjoy day trips to the great art cities of Florence and Siena before pedaling on through panoramic wine country to the tiny hamlet of Pescille, a short cycle from mediaeval San Gimignano. Your route then takes you through the Castelvecchio Nature Reserve (great for bird spotting) giving you a real sense of achievement as you loop back to Volterra for your final night.

Vaccinations and Health

Italy

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, rabies and tick-borne encephalitis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Visa

Italy

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Italy. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/italy
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/italy
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Italy.html

Please note: it is compulsory to carry ID with you at all times in Italy.

Food & Drink

All buffet breakfasts and 5 evening meals included.

Italy’s most famous export is probably its cuisine and the traditional dishes of Tuscany are the most influential and revered.
The region’s food is based on cucina povera, ‘poor/peasant cookery’, a rural cuisine based on available natural ingredients: olive oil, unsalted bread, pulses and vegetables, wild mushroom or porcini, and salt-cured meats such as salame and prosciutto. In particular, Tuscan olive oil is renowned for its quality and is the most important ingredient in the region’s cookery. You will find it in almost every dish – as a salad dressing, poured over vegetables and into soups and even as a replacement for butter on
bread (very nice with a sprinkling of salt!).

Weather

Italy has a good all year round climate, with plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures from the spring through to autumn. Summer departures will usually have hot weather, with temperatures reaching the low to mid 30s centigrade. April-June and September-November departures are likely to be cooler with a slightly higher chance of rain. In late summer there is the possibility of heavy thunderstorms (generally in the afternoons), but these are usually short-lived.

Weather Charts