Italy Coast to Coast

Highlights: Byzantine mosaics, 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Arrive in Ravenna today, once the capital of the Western Roman Empire. Your centrally located hotel allows you to walk to Dante's Tomb and the UNESCO World Heritage mosaics of San Vitale, Sant'Apollinare Nuovo and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia this afternoon. Don't miss these early Byzantine churches with their colorful mosaics that draw travelers from around the world, as well as the beautiful Renaissance historical center of Ravenna.

Accommodation: Hotel Palazzo Galletti Abbiosi, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details.

Highlights: Faenza International Ceramics Museum and Renaissance Town Square

Meet our staff in the early morning to fit bikes and get ready for your tour ahead. Exiting Ravenna you have the choice to visit another very important Byzantine masterpiece: Sant'Apollinare in Classe. Cross the plains through fruit orchards and arrive at 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 distance: 53 km (33 miles)
Elevation gain: +167 m (548 ft)
Terrain type: mostly flat

Accommodation: Hotel Vittoria, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details.

Highlights: Bicycle the Apennines and the Mugello.

You will head into the Apennine mountains today, passing first through the colorful medieval village of Brisighella. Take a break and pick up some snacks for the climb. If you decide you prefer to take the train up and over the mountains, feel free to do so! For those who decide to bicycle, begin the climb 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 you reach the toughest part of the climb there is a very conveniently located train station, from where you could choose to hop on for the last and toughest part of the climb. You'll spend the night in Ronta, a small mountain town where you'll enjoy the clean and crisp mountain air. Dinner is included tonight.

Daily distance: 64 km (35 miles)
Elevation gain: + 1286 m (4219 ft)
Terrain type: very hilly

Accommodation: Albergo La Rosa, or similar. Upgrades not available

Highlights: Fiesole and its Etruscan ruins, Renaissance Florence

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. Glide down into Florence on your bike. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore this capital of Renaissance Italy.

Daily distance: 42 km (26 miles)
Elevation gain: + 510 m (1673 ft)
Terrain type: hilly

Accommodation: Hotel Silla, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details

Highlights: Renaissance Florence, Uffizi Gallery, Accademia

Spend the day exploring marvelous Florence and its countless jewels: climb up Giotto's tower for a stunning view of the city and the Duomo; visit the Uffizi Gallery or the Accademia; or walk the Ponte Vecchio bridge across the Arno for a different striking view of the city.

Accommodation: Hotel Silla, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details

Highlights: Olive groves and vineyards, Leonardo da Vinci's birthplace and museum

After breakfast, you'll head out of Florence and down the Arno River valley for a beautiful day of riding in the Italian countryside. There is a bit of a climb as you'll cross Mount Albano, but worth it for the spectacular view. You destination is Vinci, the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci, where you'll have a chance to visit the house where he was born and a museum with scale models of his inventions.

Daily distance: 42 km (26 miles)
Elevation gain: + 601 m (1971 ft)
Terrain type: rolling hills

Accommodation: Agriturismo il Piastrino, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details

Highlights: Medici villa, bicycle countryside of Tuscany, 17th century wall

Climb the stairway to the Medici villa in Cerreto Guidi today for a great view as you continue west to Lucca, where you'll stay the next two nights. Lucca was a Roman town and one of medieval Italy's most prosperous city-states. Today, Lucca retains its medieval charm with its small shops and sidewalk cafes, as well as the beautiful 17th-century wall that surrounds the town.

Daily distance: 60 km (37 miles).
Elevation gain: + 466 m (1528 ft)
Terrain type: rolling hills

Accommodation: Hotel La Luna, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details

Highlights: Leaning Tower of Pisa, Piazza of Miracles, Lake Massaciuccoli

Your last day of cycling takes you to Pisa where you can visit the Leaning Tower and the Piazza of Miracles (arriving there by bike is a grand experience!). Our route to Pisa takes you by Lake Massaciuccoli, where Puccini wrote many of his operas. After a stroll through Pisa, head back to Lucca to enjoy an evening "passeggiata" along the main pedestrian way, or explore its countless amazing alleys and piazzas.

Three options for your ride today - cycle to Pisa and return by train (with bike aboard). Or a longer loop ride, through lovely Tuscan hills, vineyards and stately villas. If you are up for the challenge, add an out and back ride all the way to the Tuscan coast and dip your toes in the Tyrrhenian Sea!

Short option (cycle to Pisa, return to Lucca by train): 31 km (19 miles), with + 143m (470ft) Elevation gain - Terrain type mostly flat.
Long option 1: 61 km (37 miles), with + 367m (1205ft) Elevation gain - Terrain type mostly flat.
Long option 2: 77 km (48 miles), with + 527m (1729ft) Elevation gain - Terrain type rolling hills.
Extra ride to the coast: additional 29 km (18 miles), with 108m (350ft) Elevation gain.

Accommodation: Hotel La Luna, or similar. Upgrades available - please inquire for details

Highlights: arrivederci!

After breakfast, our journey across Italy comes to an end. Hopefully you are off to explore Rome and its many museums or the stunning Lakes District to the north. Buon viaggio!

PLEASE NOTE: The final itinerary, including hotels and/or activities described here, are subject to changes according to availability. 

Starting point: Hotel Palazzo Galletti Abbiosi - Via Di Roma 140, Ravenna
- We recommend flying into Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ)
- Take the monorail from Bologna airport to Bologna main train station, then a train to Ravenna.

The meeting time on this self-guided tour is typically set at 8:30am on day 2. We recommend travelers plan accordingly allowing plenty of time to arrive at the determined meeting place. Please note a late fee may be applied for late arrivals - please see our terms page for details.

Ending point: Hotel La Luna - Via Fillungo, Corte Compagni, 12, Lucca
- We recommend flying out of Pisa Galileo Galilei Airport (PSA), but you can also fly out of Florence (FLR), Rome Fiumicino (FCO), or other Italian airports

Getting to Pisa airport:
A taxi from Lucca to the Pisa airport takes about 45 minutes
By train, from the Lucca hotel take a taxi (5-minute ride) to the Lucca train station. Pisa is a 45 min train ride away - once you arrive in Pisa Centrale train station, use the Pisa Mover monorail to get to the Airport in 5 minutes

Private airport transfers available if you prefer to be driven from airport to hotel in a private vehicle transfer, please inquire for cost - we will be happy to include this service in your tour package

Final arrival and departure instructions along with other detailed pre-travel documents, will be e-mailed prior to your travel, with information specific to your departure (including the actual hotels used on your tour dates, which may vary from the hotels listed above.)