Grand Tour of Tuscany and Central Italy

Description

Read the day by day info and join us on this amazing motorcycle ride.

On Day 1 we shall ride out of Rome on a Sunday morning and ride to the volcanic lakes of Bracciano and Vico, visit the amphitheater of Sutri and visit the dying village of Civita di Bagnoregio before reaching Orvieto with its ancient town centre and majestic cathedral. We stay 100m from the cathedral, allowing us to enjoy and experience this small town.(In the picture Civita di Bagnoregio)

On Day 2 we transfer to Siena, but first we ride to the Etruscan towns of Pitigliano and Sorano, then cross the classic Tuscan countryside of the Val d’Orcia visiting Montalcino and Pienza, and reaching Siena along the impressive scenery of the Crete Senesi.

On Day 3 we have designed a loop ride out of Siena to explore the hills to the south west towards Maremma, visit the town of Volterra, famous for its alabaster crafts. We have lunch in Massa Marittima and visit the place where the myth of King Arthur’s sword in the rock may have originated, San Galgano.
You can also take a rest and enjoy Siena. There is plenty to see in this beautiful town.

Day 4 will see us reaching Lerici in the region of Liguria, which will be our base to explore the Cinque Terre. Our itinerary to get there will take us to San Gimignano, to Pontedera to visit the Vespa/Piaggio/Gilera museum and to Pisa.

On Day 5 our ride takes us on the SS1 Via Aurelia over one of the best roads in Italy, Passo del Bracco between La Spezia and Sestri Levante. We then enjoy lunch in Monterosso al Mare and return to Lerici riding the high coastal road above the villages of the Cinque Terre. Amazing views and more great riding. For anyone not wishing to ride there are ferries that connect all the Cinque Terre with Lerici. The view of the coast from the sea is also fantastic.

On Day 6 our itinerary takes us to Florence. We cross the amazing Alpi Apuane mountains on the Passo del Vestito. Here we can witness the marble quarries where the white marble of Carrara is extracted. These quarries have been active for many centuries and Michelangelo used it for his sculptures. We visit Lucca and Vinci before arriving in Florence for a triple night stop.

On Day 7 we have the opportunity to head for Bologna and take a visit to the Ducati factory and their museum. It’s a great moment to do this. In 2022 Ducati won everything there is to win in motorcycle racing. To get there we’ll take the amazing Passo dell’Abetone, take the tour immediately after lunch and return partially on the Autostrada to make up for time.

With a 3 night stop in Florence on Day 8 you really can take a day off riding and spend your time visiting Florence. In alternative we’ll take you on a fun ride across the Chianti Classico region. Rolling hills and vineyards make for a special day. We do return to base early so that riders can also spend some time in Florence.

On Day 9 we’re aiming for Cortona. As usual we take the long way round. We head north to the Mugello area, yes, near the circuit, and then experience one of the most famous motorcycle passes in Central Italy, il Passo del Muraglione. An amazing ride to the top links Tuscany to Romagna. We then reach the hilltop town of Cortona with amazing views over lake Trasimeno.

On Day 10 our loop ride takes into Marche to visit Urbino, and for the fans of Valentino Rossi, Tavullia. Getting there and coming back has us riding two amazing roads full of turns and great scenery. Some friends have named this loop the Italian Nurburgring because of the quality of the roads and the absence or traffic.

Our route on Day 11 takes us through Umbria on some lovely roads to Gubbio and Assisi. These two towns are a must when in Umbria. We then reach Norcia and head for the Sibillini mountains, staying in the lovely Castelluccio di Norcia. In June the plains of Castelluccio are in flower and its a feast for your eyes. We stay the night in a small agriturismo overlooking the plain. A quiet perfumed summer night!

It’s Day 12 and more mountains await. We head southeast and enter the region of Abruzzi. We reach Campo Imperatore and view the highest peak of Central Italy, the Corno Grande del Gran Sasso (2919masl). The landscape is amazing and quite unique. We stay in another small village just below the high plain.

On Day 13 we cross the rest of Campo Imperatore, view the Castle of Roccacalascio and reach Blockhaus, the peak of another Abruzzi mountain range, the Majella. From the top of the Majella, which is very close to the Adriatic coast, on really clear days you can see the Croatian islands. We stay the night in the very interesting town of Sulmona, home town of Ovidius, the ancient Roman poet.

On Day 14, the last day of this amazing ride we return to Rome along the roads of the National Park of Abruzzi, Lazio and Molise, over the pass known as Forca d’Acero and into the region known as Ciociaria. Our route takes us back into Rome early to beat the Roman rush hour and return the bikes before our farewell dinner.