Tuscany, Renaissance Masterpiece

Visitors have flocked here for thousands of years; the Romans built villas and aqueducts, the Grand Touring Britains of the 19th Century, feeling grey skies, built neo-Gothic churches and holidaying communities. Lovers of landscapes in oil and soil, of fine wines and long walks return year after year, never satisfied that they’ve seen it all. Tuscany is a way of life, a destination to call home for however long you visit. We have multiple cycling trips to this popular region, but the appeal goes far beyond the famous strade bianche, rolling hills and poetic landscapes.

Culture and Architecture

In Tuscany, where the Val d’Orcia’s untouched landscape sits at the foot of the dormant volcano, Monte Amiata, you’ll find the town of Pienza. Home to the finest examples of Renaissance architecture, designated a UNESCO site and an unmissable shrine to medieval town planning. Strolling through its cobbled streets, you don’t just see history, you feel it.

Siena is another famous jewel in the crown of Tuscany, renowned for its stunning architecture and cinematic mystique. Culture vultures will love the famous Piazza del Campo, the gothic masterpiece of Il Duomo and the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, home to countless exceptional artworks. Don’t forget to look up to La Torre del Mangia at over 100m high, the third tallest historic tower in Italy. The unmissable red brick and white travertine structure can be climbed for breathtaking views of the picturesque Tuscan landscape. Believe us, the 300 steps are worth it.

In Radda in Chianti, San Gimignano and Monteriggioni, all close by, you are never far away from hilltop history. These beautiful small towns retain their medieval street layout, cobbled streets lined with shops, restaurants, and bars and authentic Tuscan atmosphere. A step into Tuscany is a step back in time and an opportunity to marvel at centuries old craftsmanship and thousands of years of history.

Food and Drink

Tuscany’s simple but delicious cuisine is deeply rooted in tradition, high-quality ingredients taking center stage. Siena is famous for its rustic yet refined cuisine, such as Pici – a thick, hand-rolled pasta often served all’aglione, with a garlicky tomato sauce, or simply with the local Pecorino cheese and black pepper. Siena‘s burgeoning gourmet restaurant scene is home to modern takes on classic Tuscan cuisine, like Particolare di Siena and Osteria Le Logge, which use seasonal ingredients in creative ways.

Pienza is of course synonymous with Pecorino, a cheese that can be enjoyed in so many ways, even as simply as with honey and jam. New artisanal cheese producers offer cheese-tasting tours and innovative takes on Pecorino dishes. Podere Il Casale is a great stop for organic farm-to-table meals.

The walled medieval village of Monteriggioni may be small, but it boasts unforgettable flavours. From slow cooked wild boar ragu to its famous Cantucci, an almond biscuit dipped in sweet wine. Boutique wineries and slow-food trattorias, like Il Feudo, are a must for any visit.

As a Chianti Classico stronghold, Radda is all about wine! Enjoy a plethora of Sangiovese with slow cooked beans and herb stuffed pork. Organic wineries like Castello di Volpaia are experimenting with biodynamic wines, while restaurants like Gelateria Dondoli, serving innovative flavours such as saffron and rosemary-honey-lavender.

Classic Landscapes

The painters of the renaissance left a huge body of work, the painted landscapes of Tuscany, that have been admired for centuries. What is now high art could be seen as a simple appreciation of nature’s own landscapes. A perfect marriage of nature and culture, the Sentiero dell’Arte e dell’Anima (Path of Art and Soul) in Pienza is a path that leads visitors from the piazza to the countryside. The path is home to 28 benches made of travertine marble, crafted by prominent artists. Each is a place to take in sweeping views and appreciate art. The path gives the town’s residents a dose of contemporary art and encourages visitors to explore outside the confines of the city walls.

It is of course for exploration that we are drawn to Tuscany ourselves. The bike, whether on road or gravel, is the perfect way to enjoy the winding roads and rolling hills of Tuscany. Riding between hilltop towns, through rows of cypress trees under the Italian sunshine is a privilege and an adventure.

Our road and gravel trips journey between each of the towns we mention in this article, proving that a trip to Tuscany is so much more than a bike ride. Any day in the saddle is rewarding, challenging and satisfying, but in Tuscany is comes with the promise of so much more.

Tuscany is one of the areas of the world where you can truly have the most perfect Thomson cycling experience and then stay a while longer, maybe in San Gimignano, Siena or any one of the villages we explored on two wheels. Discover our Tuscany trips and join us on a quintessential Italian adventure.