Biking in Florence

Since the biggest part of the city centre is flat, it is a perfect city to bike through. Moreover, considering the fact that most of the centre is not accessible for cars and busses, it is also very safe!

It is possible to visit all the most famous monuments and attractions of Florence within half a day and still have enough time for lots of breaks to take pictures, admire the many churches and monuments and to enjoy a nice Florentine gelato or some of the other Italian food.

If you are an experienced cyclist you could start your bike tour at the Piazzale Michelangelo, which a ride uphill rewarded with a fantastic view over the entire city. Located just behind this Piazza, at one of the highest point of the city, is the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte where you can also make a short stop to look around. From this point you can start biking downhill towards the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), allong the Arno river.
But before you cross the famous 'Old Bridge', you should take a left and follow the road to Pitti Palace, which is also where you could start your tour in case you are a less experienced cyclist or biking with children and would like to avoid the uphill run. The Pitti Palace is a Ranaissance Palace that used to be the residence of the Medici family in the second half of the 1600's. When then crossing the Ponte Vecchio, you might want to get off of your bike, so you can have a good look at all of the juwellery that is sold here (and of course to take some nice pictures!). After having crossed the bridge you will find yourself in the in the middle of the city centre.
From there you can make your way to the Duomo, while passing the Galleria delgli Uffizi, where several masterpieces of artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo are located, and some of the many Piazza's (squares) of Florence such as Piazza Signorina, Palazzo Vecchio and Piazza della Republica. After having seen the Duomo you can head to some of the remaining attractions of the city such as the Basilica of San Lorenzo, the Santa Croce Church and Square or the Galleria dell'Accademia, where Michelangelo's David is located.

If you would like to do a guided bike tour through the city we suggest you the following:

Just one final piece of advice for your biking tour through the centre; when leaving your bike out of your sight, make sure you lock it, because, just like in any other big city in the world, bikes can get stolen!

Biking in Tuscany

Have you seen everything within the city? Don't leave just yet! There is more...
What did you think about biking the hills surrounding Florence for example? You will be able to enjoy the peace and quietness of Florence, with olive trees on one side and a spectacular view of the city on the other side. Some ideas for your trip(s).

Fiesole

Fiesole is a very small historical village located on a hill, about 8 kilometres from the city of Florence. After an uphill ride, which may be a little tiring, you can have a break here to visit the Etruscan ruins, which the city is famous for, and have a picknick while enjoying the breath taking view over the city of Florence. If you are not tired yet, you can decide to bike even further uphill, to the Monestery of Montesenario, which is one of the most important sancturaries of Tuscany. From here you can overlook the entire valley, so keep your camara ready!

Chianti

Chianti is located about 30 km from Florence, which makes it possible for you to go there by bike. However, if you are only able or want to spent one day there, it might be a good idea to go there by car or train (it is possible to take your bike on the train, but a special ticket for your bike does need to be purchased), so that you will be able to spend the whole day pedaling through the wonderful landscape of Chianti, visiting the ancient villages and enjoying a glass of the famous wine at one of the many wineries you will find in Chianti.

Some other ideas for biking routes are: Cercina, Pratolino, Settignano and Montebeni.