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Tuscany & Umbria 8/10

Suggest to a local that Tuscany and Umbria are similar, and you could have a fight on your hands. But on the ground, there's a thin, really indistinguishable, line between these two neighbors in central Italy.

The beauty of this proximity is that whichever you choose, you'll have access to the highlights of both. Ten minutes up the autostrada from the stunning plateau town of Orvieto (Umbria) and you are in Tuscany. 
Cortona, that famed symbol of la dolce vita all'italiana (the sweet Italian life) is just 5 miles from the Umbrian border.

Our cycling routes too slip seamlessly back and forth as you weave through these tranquil, green rolling backroads.

High points of a day can be a simple as a post-ride slab of pizza al talgio (pizza by the slice unlike any you've ever had), a mid-morning cappuccino, or a pre-dinner 2 buck glass of Processo fizzy wine in the most lovely and unpretentious bar-cafe you've ever known.
Not to miss in Tuscany
  • Tasting vini nobili in Montepulciano and Montalcino
  • Partaking in the passeggiata (the evening stroll) along the main street of any medieval town
  • Wandering the galleries of the Uffizi in Florence
  • Thermal baths in San Casciano dei Bagni or Bagno Vignoni
  • the gardens at La Foce
  • Pecorino cheese tasting in Pienza and a side visit to San Quirico – two gorgeous towns with few tourists
Not to miss in Umbria
  • Vineyard tour and wine tasting at our friend, Sergio Mottura's, winery outside Orvieto
  • The Etruscan catacombs of Perugia
  • A day trip to Gubbio or the Sibillini Park visiting Norcia and Castelluccio
  • The frescoes of Assisi
  • Cappuccino in the piazza of Todi
  • Ceramics shopping in Deruta and linens and wine shopping in Montefalco
  • The Duomo in Orvieto
  • Rocca di Spoleto and Ponte delle Torri - 13thC aqueduct connected to a scenic footpath and the fortress
Route Variety 7/10
Good, (but not as varied as France). The terrain is hillier, more wild and so there are fewer rideable roads. Nonetheless, all our cycling villas have good routes for moderate-to-strong riders straight from the front gates.
Hills: 8.5/10
If you are after hills, you've found your calling. The terrain in SE Tuscany and Umbria is unavoidably hilly. (Which can be a good thing, right?)

Recreational cyclists will just have to take the hills easily.
Cycling Safety 8/10
Good. The roads are fairly wide and there are relatively few cars.

To stay safer still, try out the Strada Bianca (the White Roads) which are hard packed gravel. Perfectly ridable with no greater risk of flats, these roads are also more avoided by cars.
Off The Bike: 9/10
OTB is where Italy really comes into it's own - vineyards, ancient towns, festivals, scenery, fabulous family run restaurants.... T&U has always been one of our most popular destinations
Weather/Seasons 8/10
From May until the end of October, the weather is pretty reliable in this part of Italy.

July and August are the driest months. But, like Provence, it can be miserably hot too (87F).

Remember too that most of Italy shuts down for the month of August, so restaurant options can be more limited.
Sound like the right place for your Hosted Cycling vacation? Click here to see Tuscany & Umbria villa options.