Riding a bicycle is fun, good exercise and very satisfying, but it is also hard work. Accumulations of lactic acid and inflammations occur and often when we ride too long we need a few days to rest and get back into good physical condition. Then, what is better than staying everyday in a relaxation paradise, in an exclusive hotel where enjoying thermal services, spa and wellness center? At the end of every ride you could relax into the hot water or put yourself in the expert hands of the personnel for wellness treatments. Wrapped in total relaxation, you will dispose of the toxins and eliminate any pain, to be ready for last pleasure...the good food

The day ends with an elegant and delicious dinner which, besides pleasing the palate, will also give you new energy for the next day. Of course you mustn’t overdo the wine, but don’t worry too much if you have one extra glass. It contains mineral salts, protein, calories and free radicals, essential nutrients for your sports activities.

It seems unnecessary to talk about the accommodations. They are so well known that I don’t want to bore you with the usual adjectives that everyone uses. We decided to stop two nights in each spa resort to alternate a transfer to a tour on site.

I personally guarantee the itineraries, but I’m not worried since it’s not difficult to find something beautiful in this area.

DAY 1 – Arrive at hotel
Transfer from Pisa and Florence airports to reach the first site at San Giuliano Terme (Pisa); relax for a while before meeting the guide and bicycles. Setup and adjust bicycles as needed. At 1700 hrs., warm-up ride to Tower of Pisa to gain confidence with the bicycles, then short break for usual photo opportunities before returning to San GiulianoTerme (approx.. 15 km). At the end of the day, dinner at the restaurant of the Bagni di Pisa Palace & Spa Hotel.

DAY 2 – Introducing Tuscan countryside
After a few kilometres we’re in the hills between Lucca and the sea, covered in olive groves and vineyards, ancient farms and homes. The hills of northern Tuscany offer grades for all levels… fun for all is assured. Descending to the south, towards the Massaciuccoli park, we’ll see breathtaking panoramas and views of the hills, the lake and, on the horizon, the sea. We’ll take advantage of these with a snack in the middle of all this nature, and then down, again towards the Pisa baths, knowing that these pleasures for our bodies and spirits have barely begun. Once the ride is over and we have relaxed in the thermal springs, we end the day with dinner at the Bagni di Pisa Palace & Spa Hotel’s restaurant.

DAY 3 – Lucca and Monsummano Terme
Our first transfer takes us to Monsummano Terme via Lucca and the vineyard roads from the nearby hills of Lucca and Montecarlo.  With San Giuliano Terme behind us, in a few short minutes we reach Lucca itself and, after an unmissable spin around the ancient walls, and a quick visit to the historical centre of the city, we begin to pedal for real on the beautiful Lucca hills, with their characteristic scenery of vineyards, olive groves, woods and small villages  like  Matraia, Valgiano and Collodi.  After completing the hardest part of the ride, we arrive at Montecarlo, city of wine, where we visit a winery for a taste of wine and afternoon snack. The tour concludes on the plain, full of nurseries, that separates Montecarlo from Montecatini and Monsummano Terme. We will have plenty of time to discover the new facilities at Grotta Giusti, Golf and Spa resort, and all its spa facilities for wellness. A dinner at the Grotta Giusti restaurant rounds off our day.

DAY 4 – In the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci
The third tour helps us discover the countryside of San Miniato and Vinci, following the roads that separate the hills from Padule di Fucecchio. This is a swampy area with especially interesting flora and fauna, rich in migratory birds. San Miniato is a small village on the peak of a gentle hill known, besides its historic and artistic importance, for its white truffles. This truffle is celebrated every year, between autumn and winter, in an important fair; the local cuisine is heavily influenced by this rare ingredient. Vinci and Montalbano are, on the other hand, not only beautiful places in their own right, but are also famed for their historic ties with Leonardo da Vinci, who was born here and whose genius first flourished in these very places. At the centre of the town is a small museum dedicated to the prodigal son. The home of his birth, recently opened to visitors, is only a couple of kilometres further up. With nature, art and genius behind us, it is time to enjoy the well-deserved spa and wellness services available at Grotta Giusti, rounding off the day with dinner at its restaurant.

DAY 5 - Siena, Montalcino and San Casciano dei Bagni
It’s time to explore our third location: the Fonteverde Hotel, Tuscan Resort and Spa. As the site is not viable as a stop on a bike ride, we have decided to load all our minivans and take the occasion to make a brief visit to Siena and Montalcino, which are on the way and should not be missed! Given the hour and our location, we have also decided that today we will make our usual snack before departure, modifying our usual itineraries. True, don’t recommend drinking too much Brunello, and waiting until evening, but our minivans will be keep an eye on the group, as usual, to welcome anyone who has decided to skip a particularly hard stretch. The ride from Montalcino to San Casciano dei Bagni is, however, an excellent ride, as on the previous days, and runs along the hills typical of the Val d’Orcia area and the valleys that reach Monte Amiata, San Quirico d’Orcia, Pienza—in short, those picture-postcard views, with their gentle green, yellow, red and brown hills that you know as Tuscany? Here they are! You’ll discover on our ride that those hills aren’t as gentle as they appear either, but you will have plenty of time to recover on arrival at Fonteverde.
We close the day with dinner at the Fonteverde Hotel’s restaurant.

DAY 6 - Tuscany and Umbria
We’ve reached the last day of our cycling holiday, safely, a little tired perhaps, but certainly satisfied and happy. Our final ride takes place in the extreme south of Tuscany, with its less well-travelled paths. This area touches the Maremma on one side, while the other reaches Umbria. In these areas, off the beaten tourist trails, we get a greater view of the influence and fascination of ancient traditions, with their histories divided between Tuscany and the Vatican State. Afterwards, we return to Fonteverde, where we can immerse ourselves in the pleasures of this modern spa resort, (in fact, the Fonteverde Hotel’s thermal springs are very close to their ancient counterparts), relaxing in the hot spring waters while reminiscing all the pleasant adventures of this past week. We end the day with dinner at the Fonteverde Hotel’s restaurant.

DAY 7 - Departure
In the morning, we say our farewells and depart to the airports of Pisa or Florence.