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Slow Lane Magazine, May 2019
Insights and stories from across Europe and beyond
  • favourite (but oft-forgotten) festivals
  • Nepal's secret valley
  • boutique beauty in Drôme Provençale
  • carving out a future in southern Italy
  • Inntravellers' Tales – our new writing competition
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A Flavour of Tuscany

Tuscany - history & heritage
 
Experience classic, rolling Tuscan landscapes as you cycle self-guided between quality accommodation, while your luggage is transported. Savour the famously delicious food and wine, and visit unforgettable San Gimignano with its medieval towers, and UNESCO-protected Siena.
A Flavour of Tuscany. 4 nights
A Flavour of Tuscany. 4 nights
 

Holiday information

 

A short cycling break in Tuscany

Enjoy quintessential Tuscan landscapes of rolling hills, olive groves and vineyards as you follow this delightful route to end amid the Renaissance grandeur of magnificent Siena. Admire the celebrated towers of San Gimignano and savour the winning combination of Tuscan regional cooking, with its renowned meat and pasta dishes, and world-class wines such as Chianti and Brunello. All this makes for a truly memorable cycling break.
The Chianti Hills are as famed for their beauty as for their dark red wines. Hill-top villages crown the rolling landscapes, and every church seems to contain a fine painting. As you cycle, you will be struck by an extraordinary sense of history and the alluring timelessness of the countryside in between.
 
Gallery
 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 9 11 13 17 21 25 29 28 25 20 14 10
    mm 65 63 60 65 58 41 30 43 69 76 103 69
  • Arrival in Colle Val d’Elsa
    Night 1: at Relais della Rovere (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night's accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of cycling.
  • Circular route from Colle Val d’Elsa: 32km; longer option: 40km
    Winding roads with some short ascents followed by a longer but steady climb lead you towards San Gimignano. Perhaps the best-known village in all of Italy, it provides an unmistakably dramatic skyline as you approach, with its 14 medieval towers piercing the sky. The town is immaculately preserved and boasts a fine array of museums and galleries. Admire the panoramas in all directions before returning to Colle Val d’Elsa, either along a low ridge to the east of San Gimignano which offers a different perspective of its skyline or along a longer, more demanding route through beautiful countryside.
    San Gimignano
  • Colle Val d’Elsa to Toiano: 35km
    Today’s route passes from the Elsa Valley into one of Tuscany’s least-known areas, the Merse Valley, crossing wide-open spaces and the ancient wooded hills of Montagnola. There are plenty of small villages and hamlets to discover along the way, such as Scorgiano – where it is possible to pre-arrange wine-tasting from a small local producer – and Pievescola. After a long but gradual ascent to another village, the day ends with a descent onto the plain to reach your next hotel, the Relais Borgo di Toiano, near Sovicille.
  • Toiano to Siena: 31km; longer option: 34km
    Discover changing scenery dotted with small yet captivating medieval hamlets as you leave the Merse Valley behind. The panoramic strade bianche  (gravelled roads) afford idyllic Tuscan views on your way to the Gothic cityscape of Siena. You can either deposit your bike on the outskirts of the city and take a taxi (pay locally) to your hotel, the Santa Caterina, or ride all the way into the centre. Either way, we recommend an early start to give you time to explore this glorious city.
    Siena
 

Accommodation

All your hotels are very well located.
 

Extend your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter.
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NB: this should be used as a guide only. Fluctuations in exchange rates could result in significant variation by the time you come to pay.

  • 4 nights: 15 April - 30 June 2019 & 25 August - 31 October 2019

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    15 - 30 April £595 £160
    1 - 23 May £620 £165
    24 May - 26 June £640 £170
    25 August - 22 September £675 £235
    23 September - 6 October £640 £170
    7 - 9 October £595 £160
    10 - 27 October £580 £150
    3rd & 4th person discount -£65
    Single traveller supplement £65

    Includes accommodation, meals, bike hire, luggage transfers and any other services integral to the holiday as described, plus cycling notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Electric bikes available: add £56 per person

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Relais della Rovere
    Junior suite: 15 Apr - 17 Apr 2019 £24
    Junior suite: 18 Apr - 21 Apr 2019 £30
    Junior suite: 22 Apr - 27 Jun 2019 £24
    Junior suite: 28 Jun - 30 Jun 2019 £30
    Junior suite: 25 Aug - 22 Sep 2019 £30
    Junior suite: 23 Sep - 31 Oct 2019 £24

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Prices do not include an extra day’s bike hire. For a standard bike add a further £20pp per day, or for an e-bike add £45pp per day.
    Hotel Santa Caterina (B&B) Double room Single room
    15 Apr - 18 Apr 2019 £40 £52
    19 Apr - 21 Apr 2019 £104 £144
    22 Apr - 30 Apr 2019 £90 £115
    01 May - 31 May 2019 £104 £144
    01 Jun - 29 Jun 2019 £90 £115
    30 Jun - 30 Jun 2019 £104 £144
    25 Aug - 31 Aug 2019 £90 £115
    01 Sep - 13 Oct 2019 £104 £144
    14 Oct - 31 Oct 2019 £90 £115
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Pisa

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Rome or Milan.  To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Pisa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Pisa jet2 
    Birmingham - Pisa (via Munich) Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Pisa easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Durham Tees Valley - Pisa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Nottingham East Midlands - Pisa jet2,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Pisa Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow Prestwick - Pisa Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Humberside - Pisa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Leeds Bradford - Pisa Ryanair 
    Leeds Bradford - Pisa jet2 
    Leeds Bradford - Pisa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Liverpool - Pisa Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Pisa British Airways,  easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Pisa British Airways 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Pisa easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Pisa Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Pisa easyJet,  jet2 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Pisa jet2 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Rome or Milan.  To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you. We charge £30 per person for our flight booking service (£50 for India and Nepal). Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Connecting travel options - flying via Pisa

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    rail Pisa Centrale to Poggibonsi (1h20), transfer from station (0h10) included 1700
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Siena (0h10), rail Siena to Pisa Centrale (2h15) included 1200
What is included
  • 4 nights
  • 4 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • route notes and maps
  • high-quality bicycle
  • return rail from Pisa
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

All 4 reviews
  • Judy from Victoria, BC
    15 September 2018

    We were 3 couples in our 50s.  The cycling was just the right grade to be challenging for some of us, and not too easy for others.  The hills are long but rewarding.  The views as you cycle down the hill into Siena are spectacular.  The small local restaurant in Toiano at the end of the road had excellent food and great value.  The view from our room in Siena was incredible.  We had 2 weeks in Italy, but the bike portion was definitely a highlight

  • Ms M West
    Canada
    17 June 2018

    We really enjoyed our Inntravel holiday. We have never done a self-guided, hotel to hotel holiday before and we didn't know what to expect. Everything worked as arranged. The notes were easy to follow, the hotels knew we were coming and greeted us warmly and our bags were waiting for us. We liked all the hotels and found the service provided by the staff to be very good. All the hotels were located in very pleasant places and we took advantage of the garden settings (in Holland).

    My recommendation for future customers: The rides through Tuscany are wonderful. You will work hard climbing the hills but you will be rewarded at the top with fantastic views and a thrilling descent. You will be rewarded at the end of the day with a good glass of wine and a great meal. You will wish that you had booked a longer holiday. Drink lots of water, wear cycling shorts and bring chamois butter.

     

    INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers booked two of our short cycling breaks - A Taste of Holland followed by A Flavour of Tuscany

  • Mr G Taylor
    Lancing
    18 June 2017

    The highlights were the cycling in some great locations - and we loved the first 2 hotels

  • Mr D Atkinson
    USA
    19 May 2017

    Overall my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our self-guided tour of Tuscany. The bikes were new and provided problem-free transportation. The routes, while a bit more challenging than expected at times, led us through some of the most beautiful countryside. Every kilometer it seemed was another opportunity for a photograph. I am happy with my experience with Inntravel and can recommend them to others for a delightful self-guided excursion through the Italian countryside.
 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help.
  • Our cycle supplier will provide you with a touring bike with 21 gears; a waterproof map case on handlebars; panniers/saddlebags; pump; puncture repair kit; and a lock. Electric bikes are available as an upgrade (see price panel), subject to availability, and must be requested at the time of booking.
  • While we would always recommend that you take your own well-fitting helmet, they can be hired locally for a small fee. Please let us know at the time of booking if you would like to hire a helmet.
  • Yes, we will provide GPX tracks for this holiday prior to departure so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. (We also provide maps and our tried-and-tested route notes.)
  • We’ll send you route notes and maps 2-3 weeks before your holiday. The route notes not only contain directions to get from hotel to hotel, but also include practical information about places of interest and eateries along each route, plus cultural information about the area. On mornings when you are moving between hotels, you leave your luggage in reception as you leave, and it will be transferred ahead to your next accommodation so that all you need to take with you are a camera, sun cream, drinks, food and waterproofs.
  • You do need to make sure you’re covered, because it’s you who is responsible for any damage to or loss of the bike during the holiday. You should always lock it (preferably to an immovable object) and remove any easy-to-steal accessories when leaving it unattended. The travel insurance policy that we offer covers you for loss and damage (provided you’ve locked or stored it appropriately). If you are arranging your own insurance, but it doesn’t cover bikes, we can provide bike-only cover for £19 per person. More details >
  • We can book a wide range of airlines and routes from the UK. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. For Europe and Morocco, there’s a £30 booking fee per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). For India and Nepal, the booking fee is £50 per person. More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can cost tens of thousands of pounds.

    You don’t have to buy our policy (if you live outside Europe you’ll definitely need to make your own arrangements, as the policy is only for UK and EU residents), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Italy, but not a visa (if you are travelling after 31 October 2019, see the Brexit question below for more information). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be found through the following NHS link: www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/advice/ You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). UK citizens should also obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) by applying at a Post Office or at www.ehic.org.uk. The EHIC allows reciprocal health care but should not be seen as a substitute for travel insurance. EHICs may cease to be valid in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
  • The principal official language is Italian, though some regions have a second official language, such as South Tyrol, where German is widely spoken. The currency is the Euro. Italian time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • Even in the event of a no-deal Brexit, it’s been confirmed that flights will continue as normal and that you won’t need a visa to go on holiday (the limit on stays is 90 days). What you will need if there’s no deal is a passport that is valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of your arrival (extra months added because you renewed your passport early do not count) and adequate travel insurance to cover you for accidents and illness in case reciprocal health deals are suspended. If you are driving while on holiday, you will probably need an International Driving Permit (plus a Green Card if you are taking your own car to Europe). More information >
  • The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.
    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
Last fetch time is : 7/18/2019 4:06:25 PM