Biking Through Tuscany: A Photo Journey.

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One day in the not so near future you will be able to bicycle from Florence to Rome on a path through the Val di Chiana.

We got a taste of that 400 km journey on our recent trip to Tuscany with GAdventures. Believe it or not, without Leonardo Di Vinci’s help, this Tuscan valley would mostly likely still be a muddy wetland since the Chiana river had a notorious habit of flooding, which the artist fixed by changing the river’s flow of direction.

In the past, we had local experiences on vineyards and farms while WWOOFing in Italy, but never the chance to participate in popular activities like cycling.

My history with biking is relatively average, except for a period of 5 months in high school when I became obsessed with bombing dirt roads in the foothills of western Pennsylvania. In fact, I would say that I haven’t peddled more than 15 miles in 17 years. That all changed this past week when we busted out a cool 23 km under a cloudy Tuscan sky.

Our guide took us thorough the countryside, past vineyards large and small, a blooming mimosa tree ( a rare sight since it only comes alive for 20 days a year) and a variety of terrain that got me high again on a feeling I hadn’t felt in a long time–coasting down hills and pumping up them and the adrenaline and sweat that comes from each.

Riding through the back country roads, some dirt, some paved and others gravel, was an absolute amazing way to start the day. I’m already in love with the region and the ride sealed the deal even further. I could easily see myself picking up biking again and really explore the region and backroads of Chianciano Terme if I lived here.

Our bike ride concluded at a local and very out of the way restaurant where we dined on fresh bruschetta, bread salad, sliced meats, a variety of local cheeses and the largest beans I have ever seen. So large, Beth insisted I turn one into a mustache.

After a long, cold Massachusetts winter and spring, a bike ride through Tuscany with a local foodie twist was the perfect way to shake off my cob webs of inactivity and get me excited about biking again. A perfect start for our trip to Italy!

*Although G Adventures hosted us on this trip, our thoughts and opinions are always our own.

*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first. Thanks!