exploring tuscany
This is heaven. Tuscany. Italy. And was thrilled to finally share some rides with my mate Alesandro (alexbcib) again.Alessandro lived in Holland for some time. We learned to know each other via Instagram. We ended up sharing lots of rides. Until September last year. Then the guy moved to Patagonia (Argentina) where he spent winter. In May he got back to his homeland Italy. And I visited the area where he was born. Tuscany.
vinci and san miniato
The great thing about meeting up here in Tuscany is, Alessandro knows where to go. We did all quiet roads. Scenic stretches. Nice little climbs. He is the perfect guide. More about that later by the way...
It was such a nice first loop around Fucecchio. Riding around in Tuscany is kinda like a dream. Riding trough these small pittoresk places as Vinci and San Miniato. Although this felt already great, this day was just a warm-up for what was coming up later!
You find a link to the ride here on Komoot.
pescia, il paretaio, and montacolle
If it's not already, trust me, Tuscany should be on your cycling bucket list. I was very elated after this second ride through this area. Again with Alessandro on my side. This time we met at the bottom of the hill from where I stayed and we took it from there. Up north, and all uphill where we eventually got to the characteristic town called Vellano. A municipality counting approximately 250 inhabitants. We got it in sight since halfway through the climb. And when we reached it, the view from there over the valley, with this medieval church in front, was just stunning. Riding around here is so nice.
You find a link to the ride here on Komoot.
colle troggio, balzo di montale, and la bastia
The first two rides in Tuscany were already epic ones, but the effort we put in so far wasn't. That's me just being honest. The first two rides Alessandro and I did were short ones. Warming up a bit despite summer temperatures. It was more like sightseeing, snapping pics, and catching up with each other. Our third ride was on a completely different level, as we went north from where I stayed.
This time, we covered 100 kilometers containing over 2000 altimeters. I don't consider myself a great climber, but I always enjoy climbing so much! It's always tough, but somehow the slower pace makes my mind slow down as well. It can be relaxing too in a sense. Nevertheless, I can enjoy myself as well in descents!
The upper North of Tuscany is actually nothing like the image of Tuscany which you have on your mind. Up there it's just lots of forests and mountains. You will hardly find any tourists. It's really quiet and incredibly authentic. I mean, take this place at the top of our first climb. A tiny local bar. Just serving three tables. Getting you an espresso for a single euro. When we entered there were 5 middle-aged men drinking coffee while talking about cycling. As soon as we sat down, they went outside, telling us to have a look at our bikes. After our 30 minutes break, they were still all excited and discussing. We actually felt hesitant to take our bikes to continue our ride...
I think that local bar was my highlight of the day actually. I love these authentic Italian places, all out there in the unknown.
You find a link to the ride here on Komoot.
sienna and the chianti area
The more beauty I see, the more grateful I am. The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see... Our fourth ride was the last one of this Tuscan interlude. This time Alessandro and I met in Sienna. We dropped our girls off in the nostalgic center and we hopped on our bikes for a 125 km loop.
This loop took us through the typical countryside of Tuscany as you might know it pictures. A landscape that is dominated by hilly countryside mainly used for agriculture and vineyards. I'm quite sure it's hard to go more “Tuscany” than this. It was just the perfect ride to finish this trip. Magnificent views, magnificent colors, magnificent light. We dodged the touristic places and only seen some other authentic ones. Add 2000 meters of elevation gain, great pastries, great coffee. It was all once again, perfect.
You find a link to the ride here on Komoot.
Asimismo
As already mentioned, Alessandro is the perfect guide for exploring Tuscany. It's the area where he's born and raised. And especially because recently used to live in the UK, Holland, and Argentina, he's able to see all the Tuscan uniqueness through the same lens as I do. No wonder he came up with the idea to start a business as a cycling guide. He's able to deliver a distinctive experience and I'm very happy to take advantage of that these days.
That's what I found the greatest thing about riding around in Tuscany. Doing this with him on my side. So seriously, make sure you get Tuscany on your list. Rate it with priority. And let Alessandro be your guide. Whether you fancy a road- or gravel experience. Check out his business on Instagram under asimismo.eu or proceed to his website from there.
where to stay
And last but not least. If you’re curious about where I stayed. Check out these places as they were both outstanding in their own distinctive way.
I can write another blog post about these places and our great experiences. But instead, if you want to know more. Just hit me a message, okay?