Experience the beauty of spring in Tuscany. Spent the week on your bicycle exploring the medieval towns near Montalcino and vineyards of Brunello di Montalcino, one of Italy's most expensive and regarded red wines. Then cap off the week by participating in the infamous Eroica Montalcino with thousands of people on vintage bikes, wearing vintage gear, in a celebratory atmosphere, and riding beautiful but arduous gravel roads through the Tuscan countryside. 

​You’ll stay at a luxurious private villa, complete with private rooms and bathrooms, outdoor dining, a lounge pool and scenic, countryside views. 

DATES: 
May 22 - 29, 2019 (max 12 people)
START/END: Florence/Florence
NIGHTS OF LODGING: 7
DAYS OF CYCLING: 5
TOTAL CYCLING DISTANCE: 215 miles 
DIFFICULTY: Intermediate
PRICE: $2,800

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itinerary

cuisine

lodging

preparation

 

Itinerary

• Day 1 - Wed
• Day 2 - Thurs
• Day 3 - Fri
• Day 4 - Sat
• Day 5 - Sun
• Day 6 - Mon
• Day 7 - Tues
• Day 8 - Wed

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• 11.00am - Pickup at main train station in Florence (outside at the bus pick up, left of the main entrance facing the station) or the Hotel Una Vittoria
• 1.00pm - Stop in Montalcino for lunch
  
• 3.00pm - Arrive at the Villa
  
• 6.00pm - Welcome Aperitivo at the Veranda
• 8.00pm - Dinner at the Villa

• 8.00am - Breakfast at the Villa
• 9.00am - RIDE 40 MILES up and down the rolling hills of Montalcino
• 12.00pm - Picnic and Wine degustation at local Brunello Winery
  
• 2.00pm - Ride back to the Villa
  
• 7.30pm - Aperitivo and dinner at the Villa

• 9.00am - Breakfast at the Villa
• 10.00am - Set up / fit your Vintage bike and go for a short ride if desired 
  Free day visiting Eroica Expo and Market
• 6.00pm - Aperitivo in Montalcino before heading to the Eroica Dinner
• 10.00pm - Return to the Villa ​

• 8.00am - Breakfast at the Villa
• 9.00am - RIDE 40 miles to Buonconvento
• 1.00pm - Lunch at the Villa
• 2.00pm - Relaxing afternoon at the Villa
• 5.00pm - Departure for Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Winery
• 7.30pm - Aperitivo, follow by Brunello Wine Tasting Dinner

• TBD - Breakfast at the Villa
• 7.00am or 8:30am - Start of the Eroica Montalcino 2019 (depending on distance)
• Spend the afternoon at the Eroica Post-Race Market & Festival
• 8.00pm - Celebratory Dinner at the Villa​

• 8.00am - Breakfast at the Villa
• 9.00am - RIDE 40 miles, heading southeast to Paganico with some gravel roads
• 1.00pm - Lunch at the Villa
• 5:00pm - Drive to Montalcino for afternoon in Town and Eroica Aperitivo
• 8.00pm - Dinner in Montalcino
• 10.00pm - Return to the Villa 

• 8.00am - Breakfast at the Villa
• 9.00am - RIDE 40 MILES heading to Pienza through the Valle di Orcia
• 1.00pm -  Picnic lunch in Pienza
• 6.00pm - Cooking Class: basics and cooking theory
• 8.00pm  - Dinner and Tiramisu on the Veranda

• 9.00am - Breakfast at the Villa and last chance to relax poolside
• 11.00am - Depart to Florence train station
• 12.00pm - Arrive at Florence train station

 

Cuisine

• One cooking workshop at the Villa with Chef Fabio
• Lunch at restaurants along the route handpicked by Chef Fabio  
• Private dinners on the Veranda at the Villa, with all preparations by award-winning Chef Fabio
• ​Eroica Montalcino Pre-race Dinner 
  
• Celebratory dinner on the last evening with wine pairing

 

lodging

​You’ll stay at town of Casole d'Elsa, Villa ai Casini,  https://www.vacavilla.com/it/casa-vacanza/podere-i-casini/, a luxurious private villa, complete with private rooms and bathrooms, outdoor dining, a lounge pool and scenic, countryside views. Our group will have the entire Villa to ourselves for the whole week, complete with individual rooms, private bathrooms, and free Wi-Fi. The villa features a swimming pool, outdoor veranda for dining with exquisite views, professional kitchen, and walking gardens – a wonderful, relaxing place to spend a rest day, or for your partner to stay while the group is riding.

 

Preparation

With daily routes of approximately 40 miles and 3,000+ feet of elevation gain, Eroica Montalcino is challenging but fun for both social and serious cyclists. Terrain varies between the vineyards and olive groves of the rolling countryside to climbs of 5-7 miles averaging 2-4% grade. Tuscany has quite a bit of climbing as well, with sections of ascent and descent up to 12% grade. Roads are both paved and gravel with breathtaking vistas, small medieval towns, and historic buildings along quiet winding roads.

Leading up to the trip, we recommend that guests are consistently riding 2–3 days a week for 25-40+ miles so that they are comfortable in the saddle for 3–4 hour rides. Riders should be accustomed to climbing and descending, as well as bike handling on hills and curved roads.