A motorcycle vacation that crosses Tuscany from Florence to Orbetello
The route cuts through central Tuscany and then turns in the far south and beaches the coast. It is a true moto-marathon, where you cross multiple, diverse yet perfectly connected scenery thanks to a rich and generous territory. It has it all: top-notch gastronomy, chameleon-like landscapes and roads for all tastes.
Set your gps: Florence, Impruneta, Radda in Chianti, Poggibonsi, Colle Val d’Elsa, Monteriggioni, Siena, Taverne d’Arbia, Asciano, Buonconvento, Montalcino, Montepulciano, Chianciano Terme, Bagno Vignoni, Campiglia d’Orcia, Bagni San Filippo, Radicofani, Abbadia San Salvatore, Castell’Azzara, Sorano, San Quirico, Manciano, Grosseto, Marina di Alberese, Orbetello.
1. First stage
Departure from Piazzale Michelangelo
Let’s fire up the cylinders at Piazzale Michelangelo, with Florence on display and a gathering of bikers old and new. The first curves can be tasted as early as Viale Galileo. Here is Porta Romana: entrance to the Boboli Gardens or escape route from Dante’s city. A climb among the olive trees brakes in the home of terracotta: theImpruneta, where every year the grape harvest is celebrated with large floats.
2. Second stage
Passage to Chianti
The meeting with SS222 is over the Pecorai Pass, lively and tasty. Greve invites everyone to a gastronomic tasting in the piazza, and then to the new wine museum. Following the centerline amuses: it stretches and contracts in alternating strokes, until you reach Radda in Chianti. Two delightful off-routes: Volpaia and Badia a Coltibuono. It picks up again from SP429: unconvincing at first, then jaw-dropping. Everything ends in Poggibonsi, however, the trestle is set in the neighboring Colle Val d’Elsa: from the old village to the new village it’s all a beautiful sight.
3. Third stage
In the land of Siena
The desire to descend on the Piazza del Campo pushes toward Siena, without neglecting the call of Monteriggioni: a small village of great charm. Siena is history, tradition, culture … and ricciarelli. A fleeting glance is : Piazza del Campo, the Torre del Mangia and the Duomo. Driving on the curves of the Lauretana is priceless, serving as a backdrop is a Doc Tuscany capable of hypnotizing the mind like the song of a siren. Almost diabolical so much so that it is beautiful. Architecture triumphs: here is theAbbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore.
4. Stage 4.
In the areas of Brunello and Nobile
Driving and alcohol don’t mix well, but a glass of Brunello is not denied to anyone, especially if close to Montalcino. San Quirico and its collegiate church of Saints Quirico and Giulitta try to jumpstart the itinerary, and also Pienza puts its own spin on it, with a historic center declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The road also returns as a protagonist and toasts to beautiful Tuscany by lingering in the presence of the Renaissance palaces of Montepulciano: another location from the noble wine, among the most appreciated internationally.
5. Fifth stage
Relaxation at the spa
Chianciano focuses its offerings on thermal waters and relaxation, also involving all ages thanks to modern sensory spas. More historical instead is the proposal of Bagno Vignoni, with its ancient pool from Roman times. The gaze is now distracted by the harmonious beauty of the Val d’Orcia, which near Gallina reaches its zenith. From the hills to the real mountain is a flash, with Abbadia San Salvatore inviting one to reach the summit of Mount Amiata or continue southward.
6. Stage 6.
From the Maremma to the Argentario
And with the arrival in the vicinity of the Cities of Tufa slide changes radically: Sorano and Pitigliano parade elegantly, crouching on fragile tuffaceous rocks. Between Manciano and Grosseto, it is Scansano that is the right excuse to shut off the gas: the village’s precious military and civic architecture is addressed in the new toast, an obvious excuse to taste a drop of Morellino. At Uccellina Park the attraction is them: horses and Butteri. The 490 km of Tuscan recapitulation closes atArgentario, finding peace in the Orbetello lagoon.
