Tuscany

[Jo Hardman]

Due to various transport problems we have just changed our family holiday destination for the third
time. We will be flying to Pisa in August with our bikes. We don't want this to be a major cycle
tour as not all the family are keen cyclists. We intend to use the bikes as transport to get to
places of interest, using trains as well where appropriate. We will be camping, so expect to be
moving on, rather than having one base. Family comprises:-
Me: keen & experienced cycle tourist, but slow, with a tendency to walk up some hills. Mark
(husband) keen & experienced cycle tourist, fit, fast and with an aversion to getting off the
bike at all during a ride. Jonathan (18) Not a keen cyclist, but has a level of fitness he
doesn't deserve given his couch potato lifestyle. If he decides not to be awkward he is capable
of keeping up with Mark. Samuel (16) Very keen cyclist, some touring experience. Not interested
in speed. Will do any distance. Joy (15) Feels the need to avoid becoming a 'cycle nerd' like
her parents and brother! Quite willing to cycle if it is requires, but has no confidence in her
own abilities, and it terrified of the hills and distances that may be involved, even though we
have told her we will not do a huge mileage and could use some trains. Anybody have any useful
knowledge/experience of the area, or of similar family cycling? We have never cycled any
distance all together before. Jo

 

[Wafflycathcsdir]

> Anybody have any useful knowledge/experience of the area, or of similar family cycling?

Tuscany is *hilly*. It may not be the alps, but it is surprisingly hilly. Around Pisa is flat but
the rest is hilly!

Worth a visit is San Gimiginano (spelling?), it is beautiful and the gelataria on the corner of the
main square has the most wonderful ice cream - but it is on the top of a hill - as are lots of
places in Tuscany

Cheers, helen s

~~~~~~~~~~
Clean up the waste & get rid of the trapped wind to send a reply

Any speeliong mistake$ aR the resiult of my cats sitting on the keyboaRRRDdd
~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Nick Kew]

In article <[email protected]>, one of infinite monkeys at the keyboard
of [email protected] (wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter) wrote:
>> Anybody have any useful knowledge/experience of the area, or of similar family cycling?
>
> Tuscany is *hilly*.

In parts, yes. Going north from Pisa you're into the "Apuan Alps", which are genuine mountains. Of
course, there's no substantial non-mountainous area of Italy except for the Po valley in the north
(Don Camillo country).

> It may not be the alps, but it is surprisingly hilly.

Much of Tuscany is amongst Italy's flatter parts, with modest hills but not mountains. And yes, many
of the towns are up the hills.

> Worth a visit is San Gimiginano (spelling?),

A couple of other places near Pisa are Vinci (small but good museum to the early inventor of many
things including IIRC bikes) and Lucca (not too high on the scale of historic interest by Italian
standards, but worth a trip if you're looking for pleasant, flattish day-excursions).

The best thing to do in Italy is to head off into the countryside and enjoy the minor roads and
villages. Bigger towns and cities - especially tourist-traps like Firenze - tend to be ugly and
heavily-trafficked. The renaissance art is of course worth viewing, but best seen in context - even
a modest church can be a feast for the art-lover. OTOH some of the organised galleries can be
appaling: my reaction to the main one in Siena was a crime against art (though apart from that,
Siena is well worth a visit).

--
Axis of Evil: Whose economy needs ever more wars? Arms Exports $bn: USA 14.2, UK 5.1, vs France 1.5,
Germany 0.8 (The Economist, July 2002)

 

[Michael Macclan]

In message <[email protected]>, Nick Kew <[email protected]> writes
>Lucca (not too high on the scale of historic interest by Italian standards, but worth a trip if
>you're looking for pleasant, flattish day-excursions).

...And, according to The Rough Guide Italy, "perhaps uniquely in Italy [Lucca] has a population that
chooses to ride bikes rather than cram the centre with cars".

It's a pretty place, surrounded by impressive walls and fortifications that you can walk (cycle?)
all the way round. There's also a tower with a tree growing out of the top. As Nick says, it's not
the most spectacular of cities in terms of historic interest but it does make a reasonable base in
northern Tuscany.
--
Michael MacClancy

 

[Allan Nelson]

Hi Jo: August eh. Lots of time left for training then ;-)

Even if it's just to point out a way you might prefer not to go from Pisa to Lucca by bike (it's
hilly! ;-) some of the info here might be useful...
http://www.a-nelson.dircon.co.uk/Italy98/index.htm

Your husband will love it - oh and it's one of THE training ride in the area, so you'll see lots of
cyclists on that road.

Day 1 was our Pisa to Lucca leg. From our point of view we couldn't have planned it better (we
didn't of course). We had a great ride on very quiet roads (unlike most of the roads around Pisa)
over Monte Serra. It's a bit of a slog, but it really is (in my mind) the best way to get to Lucca
from Pisa - by bike. The views are superb. For those not wanting to climb the hill, they could go by
train and meet you/him there. As someone's already pointed out, Lucca is a lovely place and a ride
around on the top of the massive walls at sunset is bliss.

Have a great time...

Allan. ~~~ http://www.a-nelson.dircon.co.uk/ Italian cycling tours and the home of Cycling
before Lycra

 

[Michael Macclan]

In message <[email protected]>, Allan Nelson <[email protected]> writes
>Hi Jo: August eh. Lots of time left for training then ;-)
>
>Even if it's just to point out a way you might prefer not to go from Pisa to Lucca by bike (it's
>hilly! ;-) some of the info here might be useful...
>http://www.a-nelson.dircon.co.uk/Italy98/index.htm
>
>Your husband will love it - oh and it's one of THE training ride in the area, so you'll see lots of
>cyclists on that road.
>
>Day 1 was our Pisa to Lucca leg. From our point of view we couldn't have planned it better (we
>didn't of course). We had a great ride on very quiet roads (unlike most of the roads around Pisa)
>over Monte Serra. It's a bit of a slog, but it really is (in my mind) the best way to get to Lucca
>from Pisa - by bike. The views are superb. For those not wanting to climb the hill, they could go
>by train and meet you/him there. As someone's already pointed out, Lucca is a lovely place and a
>ride around on the top of the massive walls at sunset is bliss.
>
>Have a great time...
>
>Allan. ~~~ http://www.a-nelson.dircon.co.uk/ Italian cycling tours and the home of Cycling
>before Lycra
>
>

I have a cycling guidebook to Tuscany and it recommends the following route from Pisa to Lucca, all
on minor roads..

Pisa - Pontesserchio - Vecchiano - Nozzano Castello - San Pietro - Lucca

Ride rated as Easy, distance 23km, 20m of climbing, 0m of descent.

Allan's route certainly represents quite a detour! I only mention this to show that Tuscany isn't
ridiculously hilly.
--
Michael MacClancy