Florence & a taste of Tuscany hills – Half-Day Bike Tour

Highlights:

• Cycle through Florence’s scenic hills and countryside with a local guide
• Small group of a maximum of 10 participants
• Learn about the traditional oil-making method 
• Taste Chianti wine, extra virgin olive oil, and Tuscan cold cuts
• Enjoy views from San Miniato al Monte hillside church (the oldest and most panoramic in the Florence area)
• Experience authentic Tuscany in just half a day!

Bike through Florence’s prestigious hills, get the best views of the city from the top, and visit an olive oil producer immersed in the hills for a tasting of their delicacies!

This is one of our signature tours, together with our 2.5-hour E-bike Florence hills ride and our Full-Day Chianti E-bike tour, experiences that made us the first to bring high-quality bike touring to Florence in the 90s. Others have tried to follow, but we still set the standard.

It’s the perfect balance between cycling, admiring beautiful countryside landscapes, and tasting the gastronomic specialities of Tuscany, all in just half a day, so you have the rest of the day to plan other activities in Florence.

Starting from our office in the less touristy Oltrarno neighbourhood, you will see the swift contrast between the cityscape and the countryside in a scenic 4-hour bike ride from Florence.

The first part of the bike ride lasts about one hour, and you will pass through the ancient gate of Porta Romana. This is the only entrance to Florence that is still surrounded by the 13th-century city walls that can only be seen in this part of town!

Our first uphill of the day (1.3km /0.8 mi) is in a beautiful residential area of the town. Once at the top, you will see that Florence is already far away and we are getting close to the Tuscan countryside. This is the longest uphill; the other (just a total of 4 on this tour) will be much shorter, so don’t worry!

After reaching the countryside by riding through narrow and ancient roads, we’ll have plenty of photo stops and learn about local flora and some history. Often, we get to spot a deer or a wild rabbit!

Having reached the countryside venue, immersed in amazing hills, your guide will give you an introduction to hand-picked olive oil making, while walking through the olive orchard. 

Then we will enjoy a tasting of a glass of local Chianti wine and the extra virgin olive oil (made with the olives nearby!)) paired with some nice Tuscan cold cuts and fresh Tuscan bread.

Please note that the venue described above is not always available, as on Mondays and other occasional dates it’s not open. In that case, we will go to another similar location, either in the countryside or in the Oltrarno area of Florence, and the inclusions will be the same!

Our return leg back to Florence takes us through an ancient Tuscan Village where Galileo Galilei used to live and also see his star observatory!

Closer to Florence, we will stop at San Miniato al Monte for one of the best views of Florence and a selfie opportunity. The last part of the ride is all downhill back into the historical center of Florence. If all goes well and we are on time your guide may even stop at their favorite local gelato spot!

This is a great way to get away from churches, museums, and the annoying crowds of the city! Welcome to the heart of Tuscany!

Note: Upgrade to E-bikes can be requested during the checkout phase, but the payment for the E-bike upgrade will be done at check-in on the day of the tour.