Tuscany by Vespa

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DETAILS

Tuscany by Vespa:

We designed this trip for those who want (or need!) a quick and fun adventure. We pick you up from enchanting Florence and then transfer you into the countryside to meet your guide and your Vespa™ scooter. You will soon be cruising along Chianti’s quiet roads, gliding past vineyards and villas. No need to worry about where to go and what to see because your guide will lead the way! They know the most scenic roads, the loveliest places, and the best food and wine in Tuscany. Touring by scooter is a wonderful way of exploring Tuscany. You can stop when and wherever you want and parking is never a problem. Combine the freedom and exhilaration of touring by scooter with the amazing food, wine, and beauty of Tuscany. To view the full itinerary and additional information, click this link to visit our Scooterbella webpage: https://www.scooterbella.com/tours/view/tuscany-by-vespa-getaway

General Details

Location:
Italy

Duration:
6 Days/5 Nights

Departing from:
Florence at 9:00 a.m.

Tour finishes:
Siena bus or train station, any time this morning

Departures and Price

Apr 28

May 11

May 25

Jun 1

Jun 8

Jun 15

Jul 6

Aug 17

Aug 31

Sep 20

Oct 6

Book this tour from €3,050.00* pp.

Book now

€3,050 per person based on double occupancy and a minimum of 6 pax. €3,300 for 4–5 pax. €3,650 for 2 - 3 pax. Single supplement: €270. Pillion passengers receive €100 discount.

*Private departures are also available. Pick any date that suits you!

Included

Accommodation: 5 nights. (2 nights Radda in Chianti in 4 star hotel, 2 nights in Montalcino in superior 3 star hotel with swimming pool, 1 night Siena in superior 3 star hotel);

Meals: 5 breakfasts, 1 lunch, and 4 dinners

Luggage: Bags are transferred from hotel to hotel.

Special events: Entrance to Brolio Castle, Winery lunch and tasting, guided visit of historic Siena with licensed city guide.

Transport: Van pick-up on Day 1 from Hotel Orto de' Medici in Florence (you and your luggage). Private van transfers as noted in the itinerary.

Scooters: 125cc Piaggio *Vespa™ LX scooter. Automatic gears and electronic start. Helmet and fuel Included.

Insurance: Third party liability insurance and third party property damage

Active days: 5 days of riding

Guides: One bilingual Scooterbella guide for groups up to 5 scooters, and two guides for more than 5 scooters.

Max group size: Tours are capped at 14 people.

Getting to and from the tour:

Arrival: make your way independently to Florence to meet your group at 9:00 a.m. at the Hotel Orto de’ Medici for a one-hour van transfer to pick up our scooters in the Chianti countryside. We’d be happy to book your a room at the Orto if you arrive the night before, or you can simply store your luggage there and explore the city if you arrive that morning.

Air: The closest airport to the trip is Florence, but you can also fly into Pisa, which receives many low-cost flights from around Europe and is only an hour away by bus or train (see the airport websites for more information).
Rail: Eurostar and the new Italo high-speed trains connect Florence with Milan (travel time about 3 hours), Bologna (travel time 35 minss) and Rome (travel time 1 hour 35 minutes). See our Transport Information page for detailed information about the Italian train system and relevant airports.

Departure: the trip ends on Friday morning in Siena. You can take a bus from the city center directly to Florence (the Florence bus station is right next to the train station, in the heart of town), and the trip takes 1 hour 15 mins. There are also buses to Rome (3 hrs), or you can take a taxi to the train station, located just outside of town, for rail connections. Should you require an earlier departure we can arrange a private transfer (at your expense).

If you sign up for this tour, you’ll receive detailed information about travel logistics, including a "Final Bulletin" with clear instructions on how to reach the first hotel. The bulletin will also include your guide’s cell phone number for any assistance you may need.

ITINERARY

Day by Day

Day 1: Florence, Brolio Castle, Radda in Chianti

The tour picks up at 9:00 a.m. from the Hotel Orto de’ Medici, our recommended hotel in Florence. We then have a 1hr 15 min transfer to the village of San Sano. After a safety talk and a little bit of practice we begin our ride through the glorious Tuscan countryside. Oak forest, olive groves and vineyards set the bucolic scene. Hilltops are punctuated by castles, villas, and ancient walled villages. Our red Vespas take us to the medieval "borgo" of Castagnoli where we stop to enjoy your first taste of Tuscany’s famed cuisine. Afterwards, a short ride takes us to imposing Brolio Castle, home to the noble Ricasoli family since 1141. We visit the castle’s park and gardens and a fascinating private museum which displays family artifacts that span the 800 years in which the Ricasoli’s have inhabited Brolio. We finish our day in the charming hilltop village of Radda in Chianti and check into the four-star hotel Palazzo Leopoldo (or similar). We have a glass of prosecco in the piazza before dinner in a local trattoria. Overnight Radda. Transfer from Florence, hotel and dinner included.

Day 2: Chianti Classico Ride

This morning you ride west towards the hilltop village of Castellina in Chianti where you have time to walk along the ancient vaulted street which was part of the medieval fortifications. You'll have time to peruse boutiques and shops before hopping back on your Vespa for a super scenic ride amongst the rolling olive groves and vineyards of Chianti Classico fame. Stop for a coffee break in the village of San Donato before continuing on to Panzano for lunch at a small family-owned winery. The setting is truly magnificent as you look out over a patchwork of vineyards, olive groves, and forests adorned with stone villages, farm houses, and villas. The afternoon unfolds with a ride to the Badia a Coltibuono to visit the ancient abbey where you see the 500 year old cellars, as well as the gardens, cloisters, and frescoed rooms of the abbey. Return to Radda and relax at the hotel spa or enjoy a superb gelato from “Antica Gelateria.” We reconvene for an aperitivo and then dine in a lovely restaurant in town. Overnight Radda. Hotel, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 3: San Gusmé and the Crete Senesi

This morning you ride through olive groves and chestnut forests to the highest point in Chianti for breathtaking views. We then drop down to the village of San Gusmé, which has been inhabited since the 8th century. A short walk around the medieval walls rewards you with gorgeous views over a sea of vineyards. We then ride south into a completely different terrain as we leave the green wooded hills of Chianti for the wide-open spaces of the Crete Senesi. Those who have seen the films “Stealing Beauty” or “The English Patient” will recognize this starkly beautiful landscape of barren rolling hills topped by stone farmhouses and solitary cypress trees. Stop for lunch at a quaint local trattoria in the lovely hamlet of Chiusure. After lunch, ride to Montalcino, a magnificent hill top village and home to one of Italy's finest wines, "Brunello di Montalcino". Check into your charming hotel featuring epic views over a patchwork of vineyards, olive groves and stone farmhouses and hamlets. Tonight’s dinner is at a lovely trattoria with an incredible wine list featuring decaces old Brunello, should you wish to treat yourself. Overnight Montalcino. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.

Day 4: The Orcia Valley, Montepulciano, and Pienza

Today we have a gorgeous ride through the wonderful Orcia Valley, where you’ll see the iconic rolling hills famous from postcards and calendars. Take small roads that wind their way up, over, around, and between tiny villages such as Monticchiello, where we’ll stop for a stroll and a coffee break. Then ride for another hour or so to the hilltop town of Montepulciano, renowned for its Vino Nobile wine. You have time to explore the city's colorful streets and Renaissance palazzi, do a bit of shopping, and then stop for lunch at one of the many restaurants. Afterwards, ride to the perfect Renaissance town of Pienza, which was designed and built by a local boy who made it big: Pope Pius II, who decreed that his home town was to become a center of art and humanistic scholarship. It was completely rebuilt between 1459 – 1462 according to the latest Renaissance styles. You then have a leisurely ride back to your lovely hotel in Montalcino where you can relax at the swimming pool or wander amongst Montalcino's quaint streets, before meeting for dinner. Overnight Montalcino. Hotel, breakfast, and dinner included.

Day 5: The Gothic city of Siena

Our last ride takes us along one of the most scenic roads in Tuscany, past Trequanda and the ancient walled village of Asciano. Eventually you reach Siena, where you'll drop off your trusty Vespa and head into the historical center. Siena's Gothic architecture was left perfectly preserved after the city was taken over by Florence in 1585, and its main square, “Il Campo,” is considered by many to be among Italy’s finest. Enjoy lunch in town and then learn all about the famous bareback horserace known as "il Palio" from our local guide, who will also take us to visit the cathedral and its medieval treasures. You have free time this afternoon to explore Siena's colorful shops and backstreets, and also time to rest at our hotel before enjoying a final dinner together in town. Overnight in Siena in a centrally located boutique hotel. Breakfast, dinner and hotel included.

Day 6: End of Trip

Depart at your leisure this morning. The bus station is an 8-minute walk from the hotel and you can get buses to Florence (departing every hour, the journey takes 1 hr 15 mins) or Rome (3 hrs). For rail connections, you can get a taxi to the train station, which lies a few kilometers outside of the city center. Breakfast included.

Please note: According to the departure date of your tour some details of the itinerary may change. This is because we make discoveries whenever we run a tour. Sometimes they are good, like a wonderful new wine bar that we want to take you to, and sometimes bad, like a road has been washed away. We, therefore, sometimes change our itinerary to improve it by adding something new or substituting something that is no longer up to our standards. We always aim to provide you with the best possible experience because we want you to come back for another tour! We will let you know before departure of any changes to the original itinerary.

ACTIVITY LEVEL

Are you ready?

ACTIVITY RATING: 1 = Super Easy

ur tours have been featured in the travel section of The Guardian (UK), Jan 20th, 2007. Another article was published by The Observer on April 23rd, 2006. Our Tuscany trip was also featured in a 3-page full-color article in the London Telegraph, and in London’s The Times.

We provide 125cc Vespa™ scooters. They are lightweight, comfortable, and easy to ride. They have an electric start and automatic transmission, and the brakes are on the handle bars, like on a bicycle. We provide you with helmets.

NOTE: A motorcycle license is NOT required to drive a scooter a 125cc scooter in Italy. A valid car license is required.

To drive a scooter, you must be over 18 years of age & have a valid driver’s license. Previous experience driving a scooter or motorbike is essential. You must arrive at the start of the trip already a competent rider, otherwise the risk of injury and hospitalization is too great. If you have not ridden a scooter before then you should take lessons or rent a scooter locally and learn how to ride it before coming on the trip.

Please note: We will not teach you how to drive a scooter. You must arrive at the start of the trip already a competent rider.

You will be driving a motor vehicle on public roads. You are responsible for your safety but also for the safety of other motorists, bikers and pedestrians. You must be able to control the scooter and drive it competently. If we feel your driving skills put you and others at risk, we reserve the right to take the scooter away from you. In the event that you cannot ride as a passenger on the back of someone else’s scooter then we will help to arrange an alternative mode of transport such as a taxi or a rental car, but at your expense.

By making a booking, you declare to have a driving licence valid for the duration of the journey and for the vehicle used on this tour.

We highly recommend the purchase of Trip Insurance. We recommend “Travel Guard” to our North American clients, just click on the logo below. Australian, New Zealander, and British travelers, please consult your insurance brokers.

We can transform any of our Tuscany Vespa tours into a special Culinary & Wine departure, with wine tastings, cooking lessons, and some special lunches. If you want more, and are at least four in your party, we are happy to extend the tour for you by adding on extra days.