Why visit Tuscany? – A colourful treat.
Tuscany is everything you have seen in photos and more. The vineyards and olive groves, the hilltop medieval towns, the fantastic food and wine and the endless scenery. And what better way to see such a beautiful part of Italy than by ebike?
Cycling is a religion to the Italians
Cycling is synonymous with Italy, from just getting around and doing the shopping to road racing. It is in their blood, and you will see loads of road bikes in the Tuscan hills.
The Tuscan hills are precisely that, hills and lots of them, so be prepared for a lot of ascent and descent. An ebike is the best invention ever for Tuscany; you can easily do 1000m or more ascent in a day cycling here. You will find short, sharp stretches of up to 15%; we also found a few that were up to 20%. But with an ebike, you don’t have to worry about having the strength to cycle the whole day. Use the power as needed so you don’t get too tired. This means you have time for sightseeing, tasting the local delicacies, having a cappuccino, and watching the world go by!
Time of year to visit Tuscany
The warm climate in Spring and Autumn makes it ideal for a cycling holiday. Riding around on your ebike, stopping at the many Agroturistica (farms or wine producers), where you can sample their produce. Visit the stunning hilltop towns of San Gimignano or Montepulciano; here, you can imagine how life would have been centuries ago. Every time I visit Tuscany, I marvel at their fixation with medieval torture. You will find a Torture museum in each of the picturesque medieval towns. Go figure.
Special Event – L’Eroica
If you are in Tuscany at the beginning of October, I recommend visiting Gaiole in Chianti. This is where they hold L’Eroica. This cycling event allows amateurs to race their bikes around the Chianti area. The only stipulation is that your bike must be 40 years old or over.
This cycling phenomenon started in 1997 and has now built into a worldwide event taking place across the globe for cycling enthusiasts. In Gaiole in Chianti, the courses incorporate the famous “Strada Bianche” (White Roads), which are unpaved and very dusty. This white dust is where the “Bianche” part comes from.
The rules to take part are strict: your bike must be a road racing bike 40 years old or over. You should have shift lever gears, cable brakes and toe clips on your pedals. They encourage you to wear vintage clothing and accessories, with the only modern essential allowed being a cycling helmet.
You don’t need to ride the courses to be part of the weekend of events. There are loads of stalls to mooch around and plenty of time to sip some Chianti while soaking up the atmosphere. Chat with some competitors and find out what motivates them to participate. We had a really enjoyable day out to Gaiole with beautiful scenery on the road from San Gimignano; it was a highlight of our holiday in Tuscany.
Italian Cuisine
I don’t think anyone needs to be introduced to the delights of Italian cuisine, and there are far too many delicacies to mention. However, I would suggest trying their wild boar sausages, the Fiorentina steak and truffle oil in Tuscany. Many restaurants serve excellent quality food at great prices; the difficult part is choosing just one dish. This must be rounded off with a “gelato” (ice cream) as it is the best in the world. There are so many flavours to try you can’t just have one scoop; plus, as you are on your ebike, you know you will be able to work it back off. Well, that was what I told myself!
Tips for Tuscany
A reliable GPS is a good idea in Tuscany. Some signage is sketchy, even if you follow a bike route. Stick to the bike tracks, as going off-course can mean you end up on a path only farm animals typically use! I would recommend the use of a mountain bike with bigger tires. This way, they can absorb some of the bumpier surfaces.
There is not much English spoken among the older generation, so a good translation app is a valuable tool. If you run into difficulties such as a puncture or need a brake cable replaced. There are loads of small bike shops, like man caves, with everything and anything you might need for a bike from 1930 onwards. Just don’t expect them to know what an innertube is in English.
I highly recommend Tuscany as a cycling destination for all the reasons mentioned and for that Italian flair, you can’t find in any other country.
Andiamo in bicicletta in Italia.
Ciao
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