Biking the Backroads of Italy in Style
An active New England couple finds sport, scenery and friendly people
while peddling through Tuscany and hiking Cinque Terre
Jane Toomey and her husband David Matsas took a biking vacation in Italy and found so much more than they expected on a Backroads tour of classic inns planned by Atlas Travel International's Vacations + Cruises department.
“We flew into Florence and from the minute we stepped off the plane, everything was taken care of,” said Toomey. “The people from Backroads met us at the train station in Florence and we never had to worry about another thing. I've never had a vacation that was so easy. When you travel internationally you worry that you might not find your way, that you might not like the accommodations, that the food might not be what you imagine. On this trip, absolutely everything was right.”
According to Toomey, their trip was 6 nights and 7 days of postcard views, spectacular food and wine, friendly people and as much athletic challenge as you wanted and plenty of relaxation too.
“Biking through a country is so different from driving in a car,” she said. “We could go right into every little village and stop and see the real Italy. We had picnic lunches in olive groves, stayed in circa 1500s buildings, met a local author and ate dinner at a family winery. It was everything you imagine Tuscany to be.”
A biking tour… how difficult was that?
“We love to bike, but it didn't matter what your ability level was,” she said. “Every morning there was a route review before breakfast. The Backroads guides would go over the maps with everyone and tell you where you needed to be by lunch and dinner. If you could bike the whole way, that was fine. If you couldn't, there was a van that came along and picked you up. There was one woman who would bike a short distance and then enjoy waving at everyone as she passed them in the van. Anything you wanted to do was fine.”
According to Toomey, the region is very hilly and physically challenging if you want to do the entire bike route. “One day we biked 55 miles,” she said. “We were exhausted, but the views were worth every minute. Every day, we went everywhere on our bikes.”
Their itinerary was filled with cheese, wine, ceramics, olive groves and Cypress trees…
Day One they explored some of the region's most well-known towns including Pienza, famous for pecorino cheese, Italian ceramics and Renaissance architecture. Then they savored Tuscan treats at a farm nestled in the hills.
Day Two was dedicated to vineyards and the wine village of Montalcino, from which you could see Siena on a clear day. There was a visit to a Romanesque church overlooking grape vines and forests. Then a sommelier-led wine tasting whet their appetites for a dinner of local specialties.
Day Three was highlighted by a gourmet picnic near the region's most notable monastery and a fun cooking demonstration in a Tuscan kitchen.
Day Four brought a meeting with Dario Castagno, the author of Too Much Tuscan Sun, and several hours for exploring Siena on their own.
Days Five and Six offered an opportunity to bike past Chianti Classico and Sangiovese vineyards and visit the center of Chianti wine production. The tour ended near the family-owned Ceramiche Rampini where ceramics hand painted in the Renaissance tradition were available for purchase.
“The fields of flowers were incredible,” said Toomey. “We saw miles of lavender and sunflowers. It was beautiful. When you think of a ‘tour,' you think you're always with a group, but this is really a way to travel that allows you to go at your own pace and be as private or public as you'd like.
“We stayed in wonderful inns,” she continued. “You meet up with the group for most meals, but it's so comfortable and informal. We chose the ‘classic inns' option instead of the ‘premier inns,' and we actually couldn't imagine staying at more beautiful places. A member of our group said that he had done the higher end tour and the real difference was that the premier properties offered spas and other personal services, but these inns were just as beautiful.
“At night,” she continued, “we would sleep with the windows open. There aren't any screens, but there aren't any bugs. It was wonderful to have the fresh air all around us.”
Following the biking tour through Tuscany, Toomey and Mastas took a few days to go to the coast and enjoy the towns and sights in Cinque Terre. Not ready to just relax at the pool, they hiked towns like Santa Margherita Ligure, where the cliffs met the water instead of the vineyards.
“We were so glad we did this add-on to the Tuscany trip,” said Toomey. “It was the perfect ending and gave us a chance to see another beautiful part of Italy. I highly recommend this to others considering a Backroads Tour of this beautiful country.”
Toomey and Matsas loved Backroads so much that they are planning on taking their children on a Backroads family tour of Yellowstone this year.
For more information on an Atlas Travel International vacation in Italy, or any Backroads tour, call the Atlas Travel International Vacation Team at 800-878-8626.
