Gravel cycling on famous white roads in Tuscany

The region seems to be a paradise for gravel cycling: the network of unpaved roads is dense, the culture of cycling seems to be well alive (with events like Strade Bianche and Eroica Montalcino) and the views are definitely inviting.

In the last few years I discovered that the bicycle is a nearly perfect mode for sightseeing: no need to worry about the parking spots, the pace is slower and allows enjoying the views (but not as slow when hiking) and the physical exercise creates a perfect excuse for eating local food.

This year together with Jola and Gerard we decided to spend a week in Tuscany. The idea was to disconnect a bit from busy city life, do a lot of gravel cycling and eat tons of italian food.

Day 1: Montepulciano - Monticchiello - Pienza - San Quirico d'Orcia - Montefollonico

↔ 60 km | △ 1450 m | Mostly gravel

We started our trip boldly and followed a route from bikeshow.cc youtube channel. The author claims in the video that it's probably the most beautiful gravel route he has ever done, so the expectations were high. We decided to shorten the route: we had five days to explore the region, so we could leave some places for later. And our legs definitely needed a warm up first.

The route delivered on the promise: it was beautiful indeed. But there is no denying that it was also tough: the climbs were short but steep, gravel was demanding and the temperatures were not helping. The sun was out all day and it was surprisingly warm for spring. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the route and got a very good taste of Tuscany. The last bit, following the Eroica route, was simply spectacular.

Day 2: Montepulciano - Moticchiello - Pienza - Lucciola Bella - Montepulciano

↔ 60 km | △ 1150 m | Mostly road

After demanding day one, we decided to adjust our plans and follow tarmac roads. The day started with clouds all over the sky, but it quickly cleared out and the mix of blue and green accompanied us for the rest of the day.

We decided to visit Pienza and this time we stopped for lunch and gelato there. It is a gorgeous town, busy with tourists who come also to see the famous Gladiator road close by.

Day 3: Montepulciano - Torrita di Siena - Sinalunga

↔ 42 km | △ 790 m | Mostly road

We woke up on day three definitely feeling the past two days in our legs. We knew, however, that the next day was going to be a forced rest day (due to rain), so we decided to ride a shorter loop. This time we headed north towards Torrita di Siena and Sinalunga. Torrita di Siena turned out to be a very pleasant surprise: it is a beautiful old town with orange brick walls and narrow streets.

Day 4: Rest Day

The weather forecast didn’t fail: it was raining most of the day. We ended up getting caught in the rain when we decided to visit the market in Montepulciano. Still worth it, but also a well deserved rest day.

Day 5: Montepulciano - Monticchiello - Bagno Vignoni

↔ 60 km | △ 1000 m | 70% road | 30% gravel

On our last day we decided to connect all the sections we liked and visit Bagno Vignoni, a town known for old roman thermal waters. It was probably the most beautiful route we did: a good mix of empty roads and white gravel sections. Partially cloudy sky made for a dramatic background for our photos. We enjoyed every bit of that last day.

Day 6: Back to Siena and Florence

On day six it was time to head back to Siena to return the bikes. We started the day by going downhill to the train station in the rain. Luckily we made it for the train and we had some time to explore Siena and Florence before flying home.