Tuscany Bike Tour of Chianti

Tuscany Bike Tours offer a one day bike tour in the Tuscany Hills – or Colli Fiorentini around these parts – just south of Florence in the heart of the Chianti wine region. They offered me a chance to go out with them, take some video, try some wine and olive oil, get some great views, eat a nice lunch and, oh yes, do some cycling.

The single day bike tour starts at Castello di Poppiano, a charming 12th century medieval castle which is home to a Count and Countess. Once you arrive, you are taken on a tour of the Castle and its wine making facilities and up to the amazing views from the tower. There was so much to see, I had to do a separate video which you can see here:

Castello di Poppiano – Tuscany Bike Tour

We started our Tuscany bike tour with helmet fitting and a short safety talk. then Keith (the Irish one), Andy (the Scottish one) and Alessio (the Italian one) handed out bicycles ensuring everyone had the right seat height and was comfortable. I had “James Bond” – each bike is named – whilst one of the girls on the trip was delighted to see that she was, erm, riding Brad Pitt. The morning’s riding started gently and took us on a breathtaking cycle through the hills of Chianti passing vineyards, villas and olive groves.

The morning flew by and before long, it was time for a lunch break. We sat down to a full lunch at a quaint family owned restaurant nestled amongst the Florentine hills. There was a choice of pasta dishes, salad, dessert and coffee. Though I had opted for the fruit rather than the ice cream, I was ready for a nap but there was no chance as we moved on to the afternoon ride. More vineyards and lovely scenery plus a hill. Ah, the one downfall of cycling in beautiful Chianti: hills. And, more specifically, going up hills. But it’s no problem as there was a man with a van waiting at the bottom! The more sporting-inclined can brave the ascent while anyone who doesn’t fancy it can put their bike on a trailer and drive up. Very civilised.

But, what goes up… So, after a well deserved (for some!) rest at the top of the climb, there is a more downhill flavour to the second part of the afternoon which was welcome. This ride includes what is, in my opinion, one of the best views from a road in Chianti; you can see it in the video.

Find out more about a Bike Tour of Chianti at the Tuscany Bike Tours Site

Arezzo in Summer

A short video of the lovely Tuscan town of Arezzo to accompany the slightly longer Arezzo Market video.

With the luxury of living in Tuscany comes the benefit of being able to see places through the seasons. As it is an hour or an hour and a half away (depending on the train you take), Arezzo is a great choice for a day trip from Florence and this video was taken in the height of summer. Generally, Arezzo is less of a tourist trap than some other towns in Tuscany though it has – in my opinion – more to offer than somewhere like Cortona: made famous of course by cinema. So, until they shoot a film in Arezzo, take advantage and make it one of your stops in Tuscany.

The town is arranged around main pedestrianised street running up to the church on top of the hill. With these roads and the narrower alleys that connect them, Arezzo is perfect for wandering or, if you are there at around 6pm una passeggiata – the traditional evening stroll taken in the more traditional Italian towns and cities.

Arezzo – Market Day in Winter

Once a month, there is an antiques market in the Tuscan Town of Arezzo. Some friends of mine visited on a Sunday and commented how quiet the town was. But this is definitely not the case on market day when the streets are packed with locals and tourists. It has to be said that most are browsing and the event is mostly an excuse to go out and people watch. Oh, they love that here and Arezzo’s Antiques Market guarantees that there will be plenty of people to see!

As we went in winter, it is quite romantic as the sun goes down and the town gets dark. Like many towns in Tuscany, they have gone to some effort to light the place well. Although the Flip doesn’t do well on low light so you’ll just have to believe me! And, if you like the idea of visiting here, have a look at Arezzo in the Summer.

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