Cycling Tuscany: Florence to Montepulciano

This cycling tour is suitable for relatively fit regular cyclists seeking an active holiday. You'll spend much of the day in the saddle experiencing a region and discovering its variety.

The terrain consists of a mix of quiet country roads and busier urban roads when approaching and departing towns and cities. The route includes several climbs with steep gradients, and descents should be approached with caution. The roads vary from rural tracks to more trafficked areas, requiring careful attention, especially on sections shared with traffic.

This tour is graded moderate to strenuous. Within the tour individual days may vary in difficulty - some might be a bit tougher or easier than the overall rating suggests, and there's also an optional loop ride on one day that's graded strenuous on its own, with tougher climbs and descents, for those who want an extra challenge.

Each Tuscan accommodation is full of character, typically a B&B or hotel. On occasion, especially during busier periods of the year, we may need to book you into an alternative hotel or B&B of equal or better standard.

Unfortunately, this tour is not available to solo travelers. We can, however, offer single rooms if you are traveling with others. These are available for a supplement.

Breakfast is included each morning, usually a spread of fresh pastries, breads, fruit, yogurt, cheese, meats and granola - just let us know in advance if you have any special dietary requirements. Lunch and dinner aren't included, but you're never far from a piazza, and your route notes point you toward a number of local places to eat, along with plenty of good red wine to enjoy along the way.

This tour is available to start on any day from May to October, and we'd suggest getting in touch as early as possible if you're considering travel during the peak season of May, June and September. July and August are the hottest months, with little rainfall and daytime temperatures climbing into the mid-30s Celsius (high 80s-90s Fahrenheit), so it's worth staying well hydrated, carrying plenty of water, and wearing sunscreen and a sun hat. The months either side of peak season are sunny but a little cooler, which some cyclists prefer.

Your bags will be collected from your accommodation each day and moved onto your overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg/44lbs per person.

Navigation is straightforward using our app which has maps, tracks and daily route info. Simply download the information and tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone. Once on the trail you do not need signal for the app to work and follow your progress.

This tour starts near Florence. Florence Airport is served by a limited number of scheduled and low-cost airlines and is around a 20 minute bus or taxi ride from Florence Central Station. Pisa Airport is just over an hour by train from Florence - a 10 minute connecting bus takes you from the airport to Pisa Central station, from where hourly services run through to Florence. Rome Fiumicino's airport train station also connects to Florence, with a journey of around 2 hours 30 minutes. Train times and tickets can be checked on The Trainline Europe website.

The tour ends in Montepulciano, which doesn't have an airport but is just a 20 minute drive from Chiusi Train Station - we can easily arrange a short transfer there if needed. From Chiusi, there are daily services, up to once an hour, to Pisa (around 3 hours), Florence (around 1.5 to 2 hours), and Rome (around 1.5 to 2 hours). Again, The Trainline Europe has more information on times and tickets.

You'll need your standard cycling gear. Bike hire comes with a pannier rack and bag, a pump, lock, a basic repair kit, and handlebar phone. On booking, our Tour Info will give you a complete packing list.

Since you'll have your bike with you, shortening or skipping sections may not be easy. For the best local advice on transport options for cyclists, please consult your accommodation provider or reach out to our local bike partner, where applicable.

We hire bikes suited to the terrain, including e-bikes for a bit of extra assist, in a range of sizes - just let us know your height when booking so we can get your frame right. If you would like to bring your own bike then, in the majority of cases, this is not a problem – please contact us to talk it through. We encourage all cyclists to wear a helmet, and it is law in many countries across Europe. We recommend bringing your own helmet for hygiene and safety reasons, however on most tours you can hire one.

The following bikes are available for hire:

E-bike: Hybrid e-bike, Endeavour 1.B Move, unisex gooseneck frame in aluminum for easy entry. Motor: Bosch Performance Line Smart System, 36V/75Nm. Battery: Bosch PowerPack Li-Ion, 36V-545Wh. Range up to 100km.

Road bike: Izalco Carbon SL frame and forks, Shimano derailleurs and levers, aluminum handlebar and stem. Gravel and road bikes are only recommended for experienced cyclists who understand the riding position and have the fitness needed for this style of biking.

Tandem bikes aren't available on this tour. Brand and model may vary depending on availability, and the minimum age for e-bike hire is 16.

Please let us know your height for bike sizing when you book. Bike hire includes a spare inner tube, a repair kit and pump, one lock, and a battery charger for e-bikes. Helmets aren't included on this tour, so you'll need to bring your own.

If you're traveling in May, keep an eye out for the Giro d'Italia - depending on the stage routing that year, you might even catch the race passing through the region.

We highly recommend that you have travel insurance when you book with Macs Adventure. Your policy should cover medical treatment (including repatriation and emergency evacuation by air ambulance or helicopter), injury, death, third-party liability, and trip cancellation