You will be met at Pisa airport and transferred (approx. 2 hours) to Siena and your first accommodation.

Depending on flight times, there will hopefully be some time today to explore Siena and immerse yourself in Tuscan culture right away, visiting the Duomo di Siena and taking an “Aperitivo” in Piazza del Campo.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 750 Metres Approx.

We’ll start our journey today leaving Siena through the ancient town gates, heading south on the Via Francigena and the beautiful Crete Sienesi with a roller coaster ride through classic Tuscan landscape.

Picking up the Via Francigena again, we’ll head to Buonconvento were we’ll have time to stop for a refreshing break and, if inclined, visit the fortified walls. The next section will lead us, with the help of our e-bike gears, over the rolling hills, to San Quirico, a medieval hamlet with a quaint centre where we’ll stop for the night.

• Meals: Breakfast, dinner
• Ascent: 800 Metres Approx.

From San Quirico, we’ll head towards the Val d‘Orcia valley and we’ll descend quiet lanes to the medieval hamlet of Bagno Vignoni, with its healing baths – home to the legendary water nymphs! After resting and taking time to explore the hot water springs, we’ll head right into the centre of the UNESCO heritage site of Val D‘Orcia, a natural paradise that cannot fail to stir the soul. From here we’ll take a detour, away from the Via Francigena and head towards Pienza, which was also a popular Renaissance town amongst the pilgrims, as birth place of Pope Pio II. Pienza’s location in the centre of the Val d‘Orcia, helps the town to embody the fundamental principal that humanistic architecture attempted to incorporate – the balanced relationship between Man and Nature.

Leaving Pienza after lunch, we’ll continue with a fantastic descent through the region with conical hills lined by cypress trees, the ultimate aesthetic of Italian landscape, joining up again with the official Via Francigena route. We ride on towards Radicofani and our Agriturismo stay for the night.

Depending on the time it takes to get to this medieval hilltop village, you will be able to take in a tour of the sights or relax at your accommodation for the rest of the day.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 950 Metres Approx.

Leaving the hamlet behind we’ll bike along the old Via Cassia, the Roman route to Rome, now a cobbled road, surrounded by stunning scenery and dominated by Monte Amiata.

We’ll take a break in Acquapedente, famous for the Romanesque crypt beneath the Basilica del Santo Sepolcro where, according to tradition, some stones bathed in the blood of Christ are thought to have been kept. Getting back in the saddle we’ll continue riding towards Lazio and the stunning Lake Bolsena.

The view of the lake will open up as we descend, a great way to finish a day in the saddle amongst the thick woods and meadows scattered with olive trees, until we reach Bolsena itself. There will be time in the evening to explore its fortress and narrow streets.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Ascent: 750 Metres Approx.

Today’s ride starts with a stunning route through woods and olive groves as we make our way around Lake Bolsena and onto the region of Lazio.

As we descend into the lower plains, we’ll cross an area famous for the production of extra virgin olive oil, before arriving in Montefiascone were we’ll take time in one of the Piazzas to have yet another cappuccino break!

The next section leading into Viterbo is across cultivated countryside, with the option of stopping off at the thermal waters of Bagnaccio for a quick dip in the open air pools, where pilgrims would also stop before proceeding towards Viterbo. In Viterbo, we’ll allow time to admire the splendid Palazzo dei Papi and the Longobard cloisters of Santa Maria Nuova. We’ll then carry on to Vetralla, our home for the night.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 850 Metres Approx.

We’ll continue our journey south, first riding through a dense forest and then open countryside, through fields of hazelnuts.

We’ll come across the Torri d‘Orlando, the ruins of an abandoned monastery, on our way to Sutri, a fascinating little town with dwellings carved out of the tuff. We’ll stop for a short visit to the Roman amphitheatre which dates back to Emperor Augustus and which is completely carved out of the hill. Moving on, the ride heads into the hills (time to turn up your power!) and we’ll pass the waterfalls of Mount Gelato, an ideal location for a refreshing stop.

A short sharp climb will lead you onto your accommodation for the evening at Formello.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 200 Metres Approx.

Leaving Formello we’ll enter the regional Park of Veio (with our e-bikes we’ll tackle the roller coaster route with ease.) As we approach Rome, the roads get busier and we’ll make our way to the cycle path alongside the River Tevere, enjoying the final ride along its banks, leading us to the gates of the Vatican City.

As we enter St. Peter’s Square, with its grandiose architecture, our cycling journey of the Via Francigena will come to a celebratory end!

• Meals: Breakfast

Time for one last delicious breakfast, before transferring to the airport for flights home. Ciao! (Transfer approx 1 hour.)

Do let us know if you’d like to extend for a couple of days in Rome, and we’d be happy to help organise some extra nights.