Hop on the saddle of your city, mountain or speed bike and explore the fascinating change of scenery from the city to the countryside and back!
Different perks come with different means of transportation. While a bus trip might take you to a variety of places in a short amount of time, you will likely miss the little details that become visible whenever you stroll through the streets on your own two feet. Luckily, thanks to this third option, it doesn’t have to be fast or slow, one or the other. Here’s to our beloved bikes, our favorite two-wheeled companions!
Type “The Benefits of Cycling” into Google and you will see that there are many. From an impressive range of health and fitness benefits to actually doing well for the environment: The advantages of riding our bikes from place to place make quite the argument for skipping any and all future means of mass transportation. But don’t worry — we’re not asking you to sell your car. All we’d like to do is extend an invitation. Let’s explore Florence and it’s surrounding countryside by bike!
Here are three of our favorite biking tours to get your planning started:
1) Bike the Magic of FlorenceFlorence
Florence, the infamous open-air museum of Renaissance art and architecture, boasts a diversity of sites, a maze of little, charming alleys, and a stunning display of artisan shops that lie hidden in the city’s inner pedestrian area, away from the buzz of cars and busses. Did you know the historic center of Florence is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site? As you follow your guide from the Uffizi Gallery to the Duomo and further on to the impressive Ponte Vecchio, we will make sure you learn about Florence’s unique culture and its rich and fascinating history.
Of course, there will be plenty of possibilities to snap some postcard-perfect memories. High above the roofs of Florence, the Piazzale Michelangelo offers unique and direct views of the impressive Duomo as well as the whole Florentine panorama.
Ready, steady, go — let’s pedal!
2) VIP Art by Bike Day or Night
Architecture, art and some more! There is a reason why Florence is considered the capital of the Renaissance. As if this wasn’t already enough, the city is more than “just" a relict of old times. Famous for its many little artisan shops, the Oltrarno district was named The Lonely Planet’s “most attractive neighborhood of the world” of 2017! As you’re pedaling through the city’s inner part, your licensed art historian guide will spill the tea and let you in on all there is to know about Florence’s most important places.
As with many cities around the world, Florence’s atmosphere shifts and flows with the time of day. Morning coffee or evening cocktail, sedulity or a vibrant buzz — which Florence would you like to discover? This tour let’s you choose!
3) Classic Chianti Wine Region Bike Tour
Take a look at the wonderful scenery outside of Florence and you will know: The home of some of the world’s most famous wine lies just a bike ride away from Florence. From vineyards and olive groves to medieval castles and little hilltop hamlets: Your speed bike is promising a day of fun amidst the most serene sceneries that take you up and down the rolling hills of the Chianti Region.
You still need a little extra motivation? Rest assured that your body’s exercise will be rewarded! For lunch, we’ll stop in a private Chianti estate. Take photos of the villa and its surrounding vineyards while preparing yourself for a tasting of their wine along with a multi-course meal served in their wine cellar. Today, you’re in for a Tuscan treat!