16-day bike tour to the prominent cities of Italy from Venice
Highlights
Alghero, Florence, Lucca, Siena, Venice, Bologna, Livorno
Locations Covered
Alghero, Florence, Lucca, Siena, Venice, Bologna, Livorno
nature, bike tours, sightseeing
Private Tour
16 Days
Medium
Croatian, English, German, Russian, Serbian, Slovenian
Languages
Croatian, English, German, Russian, Serbian, Slovenian
Description
Embark on an epic bike journey to the major cities of Italy. Begin your ride at Venice and take pit stops at Florence, Siena, Livorno, Cala Gonone, Alghero, Bonifacio, Corte and Lucca to complete your tour. Drive through the scenic roads and explore the main attractions such as museums, temples, forts and beaches in these amazing cities.
Itinerary
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Day 1: Arrival at Venice
- Greet the team at Venice airport, and on the way to the hotel, there will be a short introduction to the area.
- Meet at 3.30 pm in the hotel lobby and officially start the tour with a briefing and a small amount of paperwork. You will meet the other riders and view the motorcycles you will ride.
- End the first day in a traditional Italian restaurant with a special welcoming dinner.
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Day 2: Florence
- Ride to Bolonia, famous for its cuisine (la Cucina Bolognese) and one of Italy's most beautifully maintained medieval cities. No journey to Bolonia would be complete without visiting its famous Ducati factory and museum.
- After lunch, it's a delightful ride over the wooded green Apennine mountains, passing through villages unchanged since the Second World War, before travelling on to the famous city of Tuscany, Florence.
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Day 3: Rest day in Florence
- Florence was the center of the Italian Renaissance, rising to economic and cultural heights under the powerful noble Medici family in the 15th and 16th centuries.
- Climb to visit the 13th-century Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore.
- The Church of Santa Croce contains the monumental tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Dante, and others.
- The two most famous art galleries, the Uffizi, the finest fine art museum globally, and the Pitti Palace, the former Medici palace, contains their art and treasures.
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Day 4: Siena
- A reawakening of your senses is a cliche, but as you bike through the many medieval hilltop towns found in Tuscany, the experience will undoubtedly delight.
- Stop at Caprese di Michelangelo, majestic in its naturalistic aspect and rich in art history. It is the birthplace of the famous Renaissance artist Michelangelo, whose influence on Western art is unparalleled.
- Explore the scenic vineyards of the Chianti wine-growing region beckon.
- Arrive at Siena.
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Day 5: Rest day in Siena
- Siena is one of the largest Tuscan hill towns. You could spend the day exploring the winding streets which converge on the enormous Piazza del Campo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While most Italian cities have a church in their main square, Piazza del Campo instead has an exquisite medieval city hall, the tallest secular tower in Italy. Three hundred steps are all it takes, a just reward, for one of Italy’s finest views. Twice each summer for the last 300 years, the square is the center of a hair-raising horse race, three times around the yard, trying to avoid collisions.
- If riding your bike is more to your liking, then head southwards towards the heart of Tuscany, and enjoy the lazy rhythms of the world-famous small towns, Moltanchino, Montepulciano, and Pienza.
- Indulge in a typical, delicious, inexpensive Tuscan lunch, Alimentari, a plate of cold meats, cheese, tomatoes, gherkin, bread, water and the local rich, heady, and complex Chianti wine.
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Day 6: Livorno
- Monteriggioni, a short ride from Siena, where you stop for morning coffee, is a well-known classical Italian walled town, conforming perfectly to the archetypal mental image most of us have of a walled town. Inside, there is almost no traffic, and the buildings are, for the most part, original, reinforced by fourteen massive square towers.
- Eat lunch at San Gimignano, a distinctive skyline, standing like a mirage on its hilltop. It is an enchanting medieval walled town with impressive towers, a dreamlike setting, truly a little gem. It is so precious that UNESCO has declared it a World Heritage Site.
- A walk through the Old City gives you a taste of the town’s past, many narrow streets full of souvenir shops, restaurants, and the best ice cream shop in Italy.
- Ride in some of the most scenic roads in Tuscany, a quick stop at the hill town of Volterra, another famous medieval city, before heading on to the seaport of Livorno, where you board the ferry to Sardinia.
- Spend the night in a luxurious cabin.
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Day 7: Cala Gonone
- Welcome to Sardinia, one of the best motorcycle destinations in Europe.
- Ride in the twisty mountain roads with tight curves, through cork plantations and small villages along unspoiled beaches, with stunning views of gorges and valleys.
- Head to the small port of Cala Gonone.
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Day 8: Full day rest in Cala Gonone
- A chance to relax in Cala Gonone, perhaps to soak up the sun on a gorgeous gleaming white sandy beach, or you could go for a ride.
- There are many exciting roads to discover on the island, some with sweeping curves, some twisting and challenging, to exhilarate your senses, or you could take a scenic ride and let the scenery unfold.
- Cliffs, beaches, the gorgeous blue sea, and part of the landscape too is the scattering of more than 7000 nuraghi, conical defensive stone towers; dating to Paleolithic times, and no parallel exists anywhere else in the world. They are well worth exploring.
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Day 9: Alghero
- Riding on the western side of Sardinia, there are many kilometres ahead and impressive views of gorges and rugged rocks as we ride through this mountainous interior. Sardinia does not have huge cities, but you will see beautiful towns, full of character and atmosphere, such as Orgosolo.
- Sicily is known for the Mafia in the town of Montelepre; Sardinia has its version in the form of Orgosolo, a town which had at least one murder every two months between 1901 and 1950. Orgosolo is famous for its murals adorning the town, which became an expression of social discontent in the late 1960s due to Italy's then collapsing economy.
- Do not linger, though, as the remoter parts of the island entice, such as Bosa, where startling brightly painted houses nestle in a wine-growing valley close to the sea.
- Finally, ride the scenic coastal road to the medieval walled city, Alghero, which makes a strong visual impression as you round the last twisty bend. It is famous for its beautiful beaches and mouthwatering dishes influenced by its long Catalan history.
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Day 10: Rest in Alghero
- Alghero is a bustling town with a thriving working harbour. To the north of the marina are fine sandy beaches, yet it is only a short stroll to the historic center, with its labyrinth of narrow lanes in which to lose oneself.
- Or you could enjoy a day on your bike, attacking more twisties just a few kilometres from the town.
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Day 11: Bonifacio
- Leave Sardinia behind and continue to Corsica Island and one last medieval town to view, Castelsardo.
- A stiff walk to the fortress is necessary to admire the spectacular views of the bay and let your imagination wander as to how people lived there in medieval times.
- After lunch, follow the coastal road to the port of Santa Teresa, boarding a ferry to Corsica, a distance of just 12 km.
- Sailing closer to Bonifacio, the appearance from the sea is a white city gleaming in the sun, floating on turquoise waters.
- A few hours before dinner, explore the narrow streets and medieval houses teetering on the edge of the imposing limestone cliffs, some five or six stories high yet often just one room deep. They dominate the cliff top.
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Day 12: Corte
- Corsica is a mountainous French island, and again some of the world's best motorbiking roads are to be found here. Ride through this hilly area, do not gaze for long at the fantastic views, for there will be many stops to enjoy them.
- Don't pass Napoleon Bonaparte's birthplace without a stop at his ancestral home, Casa Buonaparte.
- Riding further north, pass through the most scenic part of Corsica, Les Chalanche, where fantastic rock formations, and sea views, are in plentiful supply, before ending your riding day in the beautiful old town Corte.
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Day 13: Rest in Corte
- Corte is spectacularly set amongst fiery red coloured granite cliffs, carved into bizarre shapes by the force of wind and water. These multicoloured spires look dazzling against its surrounding green foliage of pine and chestnut forests and vertical cliffs that descend to the sea far below.
- A ride could be your preferred choice soaking up the views. You could follow one of the walking trails or chill in the hotel and wander the narrow streets.
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Day 14: Lucca
- On your last day in Corsica, ride to the most northern part of the island, Cape Corse, before leaving for the mainland, a 4-hour ferry crossing back to Livorno.
- Then it is a short ride to Pisa to view one of the most remarkable architectural structures from medieval Europe, The Leaning Tower of Pisa.
- Finish the day riding to the heavily fortressed town of Lucca. Almost perfectly preserved, Lucca emanates charm, showing layers of history on every corner of its narrow winding streets. One of Tuscany’s best-kept secrets.
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Day 15: Venice
- Back over the Apennine mountain range, to the home town of Ferarri’s factory, Maranello, for a tour of the famous Museum, followed by your last ride in beautiful Tuscany before returning to the beginning of your remarkable tour, Venice.
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Day 16: Departure
- Clutch Team will transfer you to the airport or any other point in Venice from where you will continue your travels.
What's Included
What's Excluded
Cancellation Policy
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For cancellations upto 2 days before the tour -
Refund of 80% of the tour price.
Price
Adult | |
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1 to 8 | /person |
Child | |
1 to 8 | /person |
This is a private tour |