Menu
Food
- All breakfasts, 1 lunch and 1 evening aperitivo are included. Breakfast are Continental in style, consisting of coffee or tea, cereals, cheese and cold meat, bread, pastries, yoghurt, jam and/or honey. Italy’s cuisine is hearty, satisfying and full of flavour. Inspired by the kitchens of the nonna, Tuscany’s food is authentic and surprising – pizza and pasta are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the diverse array of unforgettable food you’ll find on this trip. Starters include antipasti of cured meats or a crostini di fegato made from toasted slices of bread with a chicken liver pate. Soups options are the zuppa di fagioli, with beans, or ribollita, a deliciously hearty vegetable and bread soup. The tagliatelle al tartufo brings the delicious flavours of truffles into a rich, luscious pasta dish whether the bistecca fiorentina, a mouth-watering t-bone steak takes centre stage for main course. End your meal with cantucci biscuits, dipped into a glass of vin santo, sweet dessert wine for a true taste of Tuscany. Vegetarians are well catered for in Italy. Please inform us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking.
Activities
- Cycling
- All breakfasts, 1 lunch and 1 evening aperitivo are included. Breakfast are continental in style, consisting of coffee or tea, cereals, cheese and cold meat, bread, pastries, yoghurt, jam and/or honey. Italy’s cuisine is hearty, satisfying and full of flavour. Inspired by the kitchens of the nonna, Tuscany’s food is authentic and surprising – pizza and pasta are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the diverse array of unforgettable food you’ll find on this trip. Starters include antipasti of cured meats or a crostini di fegato made from toasted slices of bread with a chicken liver pate. Soups options include zuppa di fagioli, with beans, or ribollita, a deliciously hearty vegetable and bread soup. The tagliatelle al tartufo brings the delicious flavours of truffles into a rich, luscious pasta dish while the bistecca fiorentina, a mouth-watering T-bone steak, takes centre stage for main course. End your meal with cantucci biscuits, dipped in a glass of vin santo (sweet dessert wine) for a true taste of Tuscany. Vegetarians are well catered for in Italy. Please inform us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking.
- All breakfasts, 1 lunch and 1 evening aperitivo are included. Breakfast are continental in style, consisting of coffee or tea, cereals, cheese and cold meat, bread, pastries, yoghurt, jam and/or honey.Italy’s cuisine is hearty, satisfying and full of flavour. Inspired by the kitchens of the nonna, Tuscany’s food is authentic and surprising – pizza and pasta are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the diverse array of unforgettable food you’ll find on this trip. Starters include antipasti of cured meats or a crostini di fegato made from toasted slices of bread with a chicken liver pate. Soups options include zuppa di fagioli, with beans, or ribollita, a deliciously hearty vegetable and bread soup. The tagliatelle al tartufo brings the delicious flavours of truffles into a rich, luscious pasta dish while the bistecca fiorentina, a mouth-watering T-bone steak, takes centre stage for main course. End your meal with cantucci biscuits, dipped in a glass of vin santo (sweet dessert wine) for a true taste of Tuscany. Vegetarians are well catered for in Italy. Please inform us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking.
Food
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1
Start Pisa
The trip starts in the bustling city of Pisa found in Italy’s Tuscany region. If you do not arrive on the group flights or at a similar time, our hotel is situated just 150m from Pisa Centrale railway station and is easy to access independently. Before dinner, our leader will hold a briefing detailing the week ahead.Hotel La Pace
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2
Pisa to Lucca ride
After breakfast we walk towards the city centre for some sightseeing and free time before starting our first ride. Pisa has a glorious history and the main square Piazza dei Miracoli is a testimony of it. Pisa reached its splendour between XII and XIII century when it was one of the most powerful Maritime republic in the Mediterranean. Not to miss Piazza dei Cavalieri, the Baptistery, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and Camposanto, and of course the world-renowned Leaning Tower of Pisa. If you are interested in visiting inside the tower, we suggest you make a booking for Sunday morning as early as possible. More info on: https://www.opapisa.it/en/tickets/prices-2/After regrouping and finalising bike fitting, we leave Pisa. We will cycle past Pontasserchio to then join the popular Puccini cycle path which runs through the area where the famous opera composer’s family originally was from. As we reach Lucca, we will cycle on top of the ancient city wall which offers a fantastic view on Lucca’s beauties literally cycling on top of bastions and gates before checking into our hotel for the next two nights.Hotel Rex
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3
Lucca Circular ride
Today we will cycle toward Massaciuccoli which is the largest Tuscan lake, rich with wildlife (mainly birdlife) and home to the annual Puccini Opera Festival. En route we will have the chance to see the remains of the Roman Villa dei Venulei, built at the beginning of the 1st century BC. The Villa sat on the road leading to Rome, one that was later used by the pilgrims as they made their trek to see the Pope, known as the via Francigena. In the afternoon there will be free time to explore the delights of Lucca at your own pace and later a group aperitivo by the city walls; essentially this will be a light dinner with a selection of aperitivos including a delicious selection of local cheeses and meats. Aperitivo is Italians’ favourite time of the day and it’s a great convivial and social occasion after a long day of work or cycling!Hotel Rex
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4
Cycle from Lucca to Montecatini Terme
Leaving Lucca we start making our way towards the heart of the region. We cycle along a panoramic road reaching the small village of Collodi, pedalling past the historical Villa Torrigiani, dating from the second half of the XVI century. In Collodi, where the author of Pinocchio spent his childhood, you can visit the famous Pinocchio's Park (created in 1962) and the aristocratic Villa Garzoni. We then carry on, reaching Montecatini where we have time to explore the art nouveau thermal spa complex and have lunch. Today our group lunch will be taken at a family-run agriturismo where we will sample a selection of local produce in a picturesque and welcoming setting.In the afternoon a short train journey takes us to our base for the next two nights in Pistoia. Depending on the season and the weather it will be possible to use the hotel outdoor pool and enjoy the ample garden. Upgrades to the historical part of the Villa are available; please ask your sales consultant for further information.Hotel Villa Cappugi
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5
Circular ride from Pistoia
Today we cycle through the scenic countryside south of Pistoia. Our ride will take us through nurseries and remote villages, along narrow and twisty roads. We will also ride a small section of the famous Fausto Coppi cycle path. On our return to Pistoia we meet our local guide who will introduce us to this off-the-beaten-track Tuscan gem, which was elected Italian Capital of Culture in 2017. Among the highlights are the City Hall, Palazzo Pretorio, San Zeno Cathedral, Palazzo dei Vescovi, the Baptistery and the spectacular Bell Tower. Time permitting, we will pay a visit to Pistoia Underground and its secret passages. Hotel Villa Cappugi
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6
Pistoia to Florence
Today's cycle covers the most ground as we set off towards our final destination, Florence. Cycling along the wonderful Arno cycle-path, going past picturesque villages, we approach the capital city of Tuscany. Once in Florence we cycle through the San Niccolo area just by Ponte Vecchio and Ponte alle Grazie before our final climb to San Miniato al Monte from where we will enjoy a rewarding spectacular view of Florence skyline.Classic Hotel
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7
Free day in Florence
Free day to explore the magnificent city of Florence and its enormous wealth of historical sites, museums, galleries, churches and architectural delights.There are no guided tours organised for the day but there's an option to join one of the free walking tours in the morning. This will then leave you enough time to visit the Uffizi galleries. If you wish to do so we recommend that you pre-book your ticket online to avoid lengthy queues. An ideal slot time would be around 2pm. It can be earlier if you're not planning on joining a walking tour in the morning. Tickets can be purchased through https://webshop.b-ticket.com/webshop/webticket/eventlistClassic Hotel
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8
End Florence
The trips ends on the morning of day 8 after breakfast. If you would like to extend your stay in Florence your sales consultant will be able to help with this.
