Val d’Orcia, Tuscany
Val d’Orcia, Tuscany, is noted as a good place in Tuscany for cycling, so we decided it would be a good destination for a holiday. We stayed in a beautiful converted farm in the middle of vineyards and ventured out on day trips. I call these “stay and tour” through my website.
We stayed about 4 km out of Castiglione d’Orcia on the “Strada del Pozzo” or, as we renamed it, “Strada del Pothole.” It was early October, and the rain took its toll on the non-tarmacked roads before we arrived. I would recommend wider mountain bike tyres in this area for a more comfortable ride. A “fat e-bike” would be perfect for this terrain.
The scenery is beautiful, as you would expect in Tuscany. September & October are high season for walkers and cyclists due to the cooler weather. The rain had perked everything up, resulting in us seeing this part of Tuscany in all its glory. At this time of year, you won’t get to see fields of sunflowers and grain, but the scenery is still stunning.
Castiglione d’Orcia
The route was undulating, and some of the ‘roads’ and I use this term loosely were pretty steep. One track said 15% at the bottom, but in truth was 18%, but felt more like 20%. However, the views at the top were worth the effort. We stopped off in Castiglione d’Orcia for a cappuccino and pastry for my permanently hungry husband. The coffee was delicious; the Italians are marvellous at making coffee, but roads…. well enough on that subject.
Take lots of photos from this pretty mountaintop village, there are views from all sides, and there is an impressive castle.
Bagro Vignoni
From Castiglione d’Orcia, we went to San Quirico on the road past the ‘thermal waters’ of Bagro Vignoni. It is a little village with pretty shops and lovely-looking restaurants. This would be worth another visit to wander around and have dinner at one of the eateries, as the smells were delicious. The thermal waters are in the middle of the complex, and you can see the water bubbling in this large open-air pond. There are baths and treatments that you can book, which might be a good idea later in the week with the number of bumps and potholes on the roads and tracks!
San Quirico, Val d’Orcia
From there, it’s up the hill, which is very steep in places, on a cracked concrete road, so be prepared. This is pretty tricky cycling, I suggest using your highest power level and lowest gear to get up there. There are fantastic views at the top of Pienza and San Quirico over vineyards and lots of ploughed fields. Make sure you stop in San Quirico for lunch; the old town is pretty, with narrow streets lined with delicious smells from the little tavernas. The village has some lovely shops and restaurants and places to do wine tasting. It’s on days like these that I wish I were more of a wino, as it all looks lovely; I am just not that keen.
Lunch in San Quirico
We stopped at a little shop that was filled to the brim with meats, cheeses, pasta, olives & sun-dried tomatoes. The tomatoes are drenched in olive oil and are now my new favourite aperitivo. Plus, all those herb mixes that you add to pasta dishes. There were only three tables, and the lovely lady spoke no English or German. I used my few words of Italian and ordered Pecorino, Parma ham, bread and tomatoes doused in olive oil. It was a feast fit for a king, and we snacked while chatting with the Americans at the next table. We met a lot of Americans who were friendly and quick to chat and share experiences everywhere we went. You can pick up all sorts of gems from your fellow travellers, so go ahead and have a natter.
Homestretch
After all that cholesterol, we headed for home along the main roads with a lovely downhill from San Quirico. Sadly though, there is an up for every downhill, so our tired legs got a good workout on the Strada del Pothole to get home.
Today’s stats:
- Ascent 715m on bumpy and potholed tracks can be tough on shoulders and bum.
- Distance 33kms – shortish, but challenging as not all roads are tarmacked. Today’s big bonus was that all the lovely up meant some magic downhill that blew any cobwebs away.
My tips:
- Stop and take lots of photos.
- Soak up all the views.
- Partake in all the local cuisine in the back streets or off the beaten track, don’t worry if it’s not what you ordered; it all tastes delicious.
- Wider tyres are best, so your bum doesn’t suffer.
