Italy · Tuscany
Tuscany
Gravel
Eight days through the Apennines and the white roads of Tuscany.
per guide
About this tour
This Tuscany gravel cycling holiday crosses Italy from northwest to southeast — Pisa to the Maremma coast — almost entirely on unpaved roads. Six riding stages, 450 to 615 kilometres depending on route choice, with 7,000 to 11,000 metres of cumulative elevation. A proper gravel cycling tour of Tuscany, not a sightseeing loop with bikes.
The first two days follow the southern flank of the Apennines, riding through the Arno valley past Lucca and Pistoia before arriving in Florence. From there, the route turns south into the Chianti region — rolling clay hills, narrow white gravel roads, cypress alleys and vineyard lanes. You ride through or stop in Greve in Chianti, San Gimignano and Siena, all of them hilltop towns with towers built by merchants who wanted everyone to see their wealth from miles away.
After four stages, the tour pauses for a rest day just outside Siena on a historic Tuscan villa. Riders who want more can follow a loop that passes through segments of both Strade Bianche and L’Eroica. Those who prefer to explore Siena, visit a winery or simply use the pool — that works too. It’s a genuine day off rather than a disguised sixth stage.
The final two stages head further south into less-visited Tuscany — through the Crete Senesi, past Montalcino and into the Brunello wine country, before the last day descends through the Maremma to the Tyrrhenian coast at Marina di Grosseto. The tour ends at a spa hotel by the sea, with a gala dinner the evening before the bus back to Pisa airport.
Every day offers two route choices — a shorter Adventure option and a longer, more demanding Explorer option. Each day you choose how to ride: join the guided group with a Danish guide, or navigate independently on GPS at your own pace. The support vehicle handles luggage, carries spare parts and a spare bike, and is there if anything mechanical goes wrong. This is a fully supported gravel cycling holiday — everything is arranged so you can focus entirely on the riding.
Strade bianche.
The white gravel under your wheels is not just a road surface — it is Tuscany’s signature. You ride through hills that Renaissance painters used as backgrounds. The cypress trees. The old stone farms. The vineyards in September light.
We handle the logistics so you can focus on the road. GPS routes, support vehicle and boutique accommodation — everything is ready when you land in Pisa.
Route overview
460–615 km · 5,000–9,950 m total elevation · Pisa to Marina di Grosseto
What you get
Strade bianche
Mostly unpaved — white gravel roads and farm tracks that cars cannot reach.
Agriturismo
Seven nights in farm hotels and boutique stays, chosen for location and food.
Marina di Grosseto
Six stages through Chianti wine country end at a spa hotel on the Tyrrhenian coast — a swim in the Mediterranean and a gala dinner at the end of the road.
Day by day
Stages
Each stage has a short and a long option. You decide each morning.
Bikes assembled or collected at Pisa airport, GPS routes loaded. The day starts with a welcome briefing at a local café before rolling out.
Adventure follows the Serchio river — flat and easy, a sensible opener after a travel day. Explorer heads straight into the hills: a 10 km climb towards Monte Serra (~800 m), then a long descent to Lucca for lunch.
Both routes finish together along canals and quiet lanes through the Valdinievole marshlands to Pescia.
Adventure
70 km · 350 m
Explorer
85 km · 950 m
Adventure follows the Arno valley — marshland, river paths and quiet roads into Florence.
Explorer takes another 10 km climb (~800 m) towards Pistoia, through the valley of the plant nurseries and Apennine vineyards. A short hike-a-bike section, then a long fast descent to the Arno.
Both routes arrive in Florence. Enough time to walk the city before dinner.
Adventure
70 km · 350 m
Explorer
95 km · 1,750 m
South out of Florence into the Chianti Classico zone — rolling clay hills, olive groves, vine rows and narrow roads.
The first Strade Bianche sections appear here. Cypress alleys line the approach to each hilltop town. Lunch at a local pizzeria along the way.
The final climb ends at San Gimignano. Explorer adds a singletrack detour through the forest before the ascent into town.
Adventure
70 km · 1,000 m
Explorer
95 km · 1,500 m
The morning begins with a loop around San Gimignano’s medieval towers, then south on white gravel and forest paths.
Hill towns follow one after another — each perched on its ridge, their towers built by medieval merchants to outdo their neighbours. Explorer adds singletrack through the forest.
The steepest climb of the tour leads into Siena. The hotel sits on a hillside outside the city — pool, panoramic view, two nights.
Adventure
70 km · 750 m
Explorer
90 km · 1,250 m
A genuine rest day. No stage, no obligation.
Riders who want to keep moving: two Chianti loops on Strade Bianche gravel through Radda, Gaiole and Lecchi — guided, with a briefing the evening before.
Prefer to rest: Siena’s old town is 10 km away, vineyard visits can be arranged, the pool is there. No expectations either way.
Adventure loop
45 km · 850 m
Explorer loop
80 km · 1,900 m
Rest option
No ride · Siena on foot
The longest and hardest stage — the queen stage. South through the Crete Senesi, bare clay hills that feel almost lunar under the summer sun.
The road climbs into Brunello di Montalcino country, passing through Montalcino before heading towards Monte Amiata. Long climbs, long descents. No technical difficulty — just fitness and pacing.
Castel del Piano sits on the volcanic flank at over 600 metres. Well earned.
Adventure
65 km · 1,200 m
Explorer
90 km · 1,700 m
The final stage. A ridge crossing first, then a long descent through the Maremma — the older, less-visited southern face of Tuscany.
The last stretch is flat and fast, ending at the Tyrrhenian coast.
The tour finishes at a spa hotel on the beach in Marina di Grosseto: a swim in the Mediterranean, cold drinks, gala dinner. The bus to Pisa leaves early the next morning.
Adventure
70 km · 500 m
Explorer
80 km · 900 m
Early bus transfer from Marina di Grosseto to Pisa airport — approximately two and a half hours.
Prefer to extend the trip? Extra nights at the spa hotel are an option, or travel onward by train to Florence, Bologna, Venice, Milan or Rome. Italy has excellent rail connections from Grosseto.
Earliest departure: Pisa (PSA) 10:00
Adventure total
460 km · 5,000 m
Explorer total
615 km · 9,950 m
Stages
6 stages + 1 rest day
How We Ride
Two routes, one Tuscany
Each day you choose between two GPS-guided gravel cycling routes — the same destination, different roads. You can switch between them day by day. Each evening there’s a briefing with maps and elevation profiles for the following stage.
Adventure route
Flow and scenery
A comfortable day’s riding focused on the landscape, not the numbers. Technical sections are avoided. The pace lets you stop, look around and arrive at the hotel with time to spare.
Ride with the guided group or follow the GPS route independently — your choice each day.
Explorer route
Distance and terrain
More kilometres, more elevation, more technical ground. Loose gravel, forest singletracks, steeper climbs. The same start and finish as the Adventure route — just a harder road between them.
Ride with the guided group or navigate independently on GPS — both options available every day.
What’s included
Riding & support
- check 6 riding stages + optional rest day ride in Chianti
- check Danish guide — two route options every day
- check GPS routes for Garmin, Wahoo and Komoot
- check Daily evening briefing with maps and elevation profiles
- check Support vehicle with spare parts, spare bike and clothing bag
- check Mechanic help from guides and crew — spare parts only at cost
- check Locked bike parking every night
- check Return bus transfer from Marina di Grosseto to Pisa airport
- check Energy powder from PurePower — complimentary
Accommodation & food
- check 7 hotel nights in shared double room
- check 7 × breakfast, 3 × dinner
- check Luggage transfer hotel to hotel, every stage
What makes it memorable
- check Closing sparkling wine
- check Shared online photo album
- check Gravel-Adventure jersey
- check Lifetime membership of the Gravel-Adventure RIDERS network
Not included
- remove Flights to/from Pisa
- remove Lunches
- remove Drinks and wine tastings
- remove Dinners on free evenings
- remove Personal travel and accident insurance
- remove Bike rental (available on request)
- remove Single room supplement (available on request)
- remove Parking in Pisa
Before you go
Practical information
Fly to Pisa (PSA). We organise a shared transfer from the airport to the start on day 1. On the final day, transfer from Marina di Grosseto to Pisa airport (approx. 2.5 hours). Plan return flights no earlier than 14:00. Rail connections from Pisa Centrale are available if you prefer to arrive independently.
Most riders bring their own bikes as checked baggage — a hard case is recommended. Gravel bike rental in Pisa can be arranged at extra cost; let us know when you book.
Tyres: 38–45mm gravel tyres recommended. The route includes sharp limestone gravel sections — tubeless is worth it.
Personal travel and accident insurance is not included. We strongly recommend valid cover for cycling and medical evacuation before arrival. Ask us if you need a recommendation.
Pack for warm days and cool evenings — October departures can see 10–12°C in the hills. A light packable layer earns its place. Towels and toiletries are provided at all accommodation.
Off-bike: one pair of comfortable walking shoes, smart-casual for dinner. Tuscan restaurants are relaxed but you will want something other than bib shorts.
Common questions
Before you book
The Adventure route suits riders comfortable with 3–4 hours in the saddle over consecutive days. You don’t need to be a racer — but you should be genuinely at home on a gravel bike in hilly terrain.
The Explorer route asks more: 5–6 hour days, significant elevation (up to 2,000m per stage), and the confidence to navigate loose gravel and forest tracks independently.
If you’re unsure which suits you, a short call with us will settle it quickly.
A gravel bike — mechanical or e-assist — is required. A light MTB with appropriate tyres and gearing also works. Road bikes and hybrids are not suitable.
The bike must be freshly serviced before the tour: drivetrain, brakes, tyres and bearings all in working order. Minimum tyre width 38mm — wider is better, especially for the Explorer route. Tubeless setup is strongly recommended given Tuscany’s dry vegetation and thorns in summer.
Gearing: a maximum ratio of around 0.9 (smallest front chainring ÷ largest rear sprocket) is the practical minimum for the steeper climbs.
Yes. We can arrange a gravel bike or e-bike through a local partner in Pisa. The bike is ready at the airport on arrival and returned at the end of the tour.
Rental is an additional cost — see the optional extras in the booking section. Contact us if you’d like to discuss specifications before booking.
Both — depending on how you want to ride. A Danish guide leads a group each day on the standard route.
If you prefer to ride at your own pace, GPS routes are loaded before departure — Garmin, Wahoo and Komoot files all included. Most riders use a mix: some days with the group, others at their own speed.
The support vehicle follows the route and is available to all riders regardless of how they choose to navigate.
The support vehicle carries tools, spare parts and a spare bike. Guides provide mechanical assistance, and local bike shops are accessible for anything more specialised.
You pay only for spare parts if needed — mechanical labour from the crew is included.
Explorer route riders should be able to handle basic repairs independently (punctures, chain issues), as they may be further from the vehicle at any given time.
Most of our riders are in the 45–65 age range. The Adventure route is designed for experienced riders who are fit but not racing — sensible daily distances, a genuine rest day mid-tour, and the option to take the support vehicle if a stage isn’t working.
The daily route choice means you can calibrate difficulty to how you feel each morning.
What matters more than age is cycling fitness and experience with multi-day riding.
Yes. The tour runs as a group of up to 10 riders per guide, and many participants come alone. The group typically includes riders from Denmark, Sweden, Norway and occasionally further afield.
Accommodation is in shared double rooms by default. A single room supplement is available if you prefer your own room.
Flights to and from Pisa are not included — you arrange your own travel. Lunches are not included, though natural stops are built into every route.
Dinners on free evenings, drinks and wine tastings, bike rental, single room supplement, and luggage transport from your home country to Italy can all be arranged separately.
The white gravel roads of Tuscany — strade bianche — are a mix of compacted limestone and clay. They’re generally rideable on standard gravel tyres: smooth in sections, loose in others depending on the season and recent weather.
The Chianti stages (days 3–5) include the most iconic sections. In dry conditions they’re fast and firm; after rain they can be sticky.
Either way, they are what makes gravel cycling in Italy unlike anywhere else.
Departures
When to go
| Dates | Availability | Price per person |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | ||
| 4 Sep – 11 Sep 2026 | Open | €2,790 |
| 2027 | ||
| 4 Jun – 12 Jun 2027 | Open | €2,930 |
| 3 Sep – 11 Sep 2027 | Open | €2,930 |
Per person, shared room. Single supplement on request. €500 deposit secures your place. You choose your preferred date when booking.
Private & group tours
Travelling together? Six or more riders, we'll plan it around you.
If you have a group of six or more — a cycling club, a group of friends, colleagues — we can arrange a private departure on dates that suit you. Same route, same support, entirely your own group.
We also offer fully custom private tours for smaller groups who prefer to travel without other participants.
Prefer to write directly
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