RideMontaione

A cross-country style tour also suitable for less experienced riders where you can ride safely, so we can show you the natural beauty that surrounds us. Starting from Montaione we will face the single track of Poggio all’Aglione, then head towards San Vivaldo to visit the quaint Holy Mount with its chapels, the church and the monastery.

Then we continue in the direction of Tonda but first we will face two single tracks in the woods of Corbezzolaia riding through vineyards, olive groves and rows of cypress trees, surrounded by a picturesque landscape until we get Piaggia. From here we descend into the valley of the river Egola and then up in the direction of Montaione.

At the end of the tour we will enjoy a well deserved rest sipping fine wine accompanied by salami, bruschetta with olive oil and other delicacies.

San Gimignano is the undisputed star of this excursion, a medieval village that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to the characteristic architecture of its historic centre. On this tour we will create a ring, pedalling up and down the hills of San Gimignano, in the vineyards of Vernaccia, the olive groves and rows of cypress trees, without ever losing sight of the 16 towers of the world’s most famous medieval hamlet.

After a pleasant ride on a path that surprises us at every turn with the views of the medieval village of San Gimignano, we arrive in San Donato. Here, before climbing back into the saddle of our bikes, we will take a short tour of a local farm where the owners will pamper us with their delightful wines. Then, satisfied after this break, we will continue on our way back, tired but aware that we have cycled one of the most beautiful landscapes of Tuscany.

Alessandro will be guiding you through the best gravel trails of Tuscany.

I will be showing you the landmarks and talking you through about all the historical aspects that made Tuscany the region it is now since early in its history.

I am your “local boy”, I have grown up here. With me you will get to see this territory with the eyes of a native. We will ride along the most picturesque roads and appreciate the scenery as you have never done.

We will cross and admire the beautiness of medieval towns standing on hilltops and tackle the best white dusty roads often surrounded by lines of cypresses and vineyards.

Starting from Iano, located in the southern side of Montaione, we will spend a week together riding every day through a different part of the Tuscan countryside along the legendary Strade Bianche, twisty dusty roads connecting villages and colonial houses in between rolling hills.

From Saline you see the river Cecina, awesome with its crystalline waters, and then you start the climb to Volterra along the wooded Nature Reserve of Berignone, a challenge for even the fittest riders. Cycling on roads that run through the rolling hills of Volterra countryside, we pass the village of Mazzola that stands on top of a hill, and continue in the direction of Volterra.

Once in Volterra, we will be taking the entrance of what was the ancient route of the old railway Saline – Volterra. Built around 1909 with a bold project, the railway was opened in 1912, and until 1958 it was the main connection between Saline and Volterra. It was about 8.5 km long and had some unique technical features. In particular, the locomotive was always located downhill in respect to the carriages but with the “face” directed “uphill”, so that the carriages were pushed uphill, and when going downhill, the engine was pulling to prevent the train going too fast. Furthermore, because of the slope in the vicinity of Volterra , there was a form of gear system to help the train to climb. The railroad remained in operation until 1958 and was finally dismantled in 1962.

Today you can still see the building that housed the Volterra station, and the 4 tollbooths that you meet on the way down. From here, after a short refreshment stop, we will start a fantastic and almost interminable descent to return to the starting point while enjoying the incredible views of the countryside of Volterra.