Starting from the LIPU (organisation devoted to the protection of the country’s wildlife with a particular focus on birds) oasis of Massaciuccoli, inside the natural park of Migliarino, San Rossore, Massaciuccoli, this holiday allows to explore all Tuscany looks. The quiet Nature of the parks, delimited by rivers, lake and wild
beaches along the endless pinewoods of the Etruscan coast, but also the enchanting Nature of the typical tuscan countryside rich in family farms and prestigious wineries. The Art and the History of town as Lucca and Pisa but also charming small villages known for their medieval fortifications, their typical products or where famous artists as Puccini and Carducci composed their works..
So you have a unique chance to experience all Tuscany tastes..
“La via ciclabile degli Etruschi” because this tour crosses the large part of Tuscany, mostly on the coast, where the ancient people of the Etruscans lived: a peaceful and cultured people, the Etruscan lived in tune with the nature and the landscape, with a particular love for eating and beauty.
Let’s image to follow their foot step and their way of life for this trip out of time!

Bike holiday description

Day 1 Individual arriving at Massaciuccoli
Meeting in the evening in Massaciuccoli (Pisa). Accommodation in a 3 star hotel on
the lake, and welcome briefing (Information Pack with Road book and map delivery)

Day 2 Massaciuccoli - Viareggio – Torre del Lago - Massac. 50 km - 4 hours
It is time to explore Massaciuccoli area and the coast between the charming liberty Viareggio and Torre del Lago Puccini, where the composer had his private retreat. The water, fresh or salt, will be the main element of the day. It is also possible to explore the lake through other way (boat, kayak or walking on the new footbridges for birdwatching) or going straight to the coast by a local train to spend more time visiting other villages like Forte dei Marmi, Pietrasanta under the marble quarries.

Day 3 Massaciuccoli - Lucca – Massaciuccoli 40km – 4 hours
Lucca deserves an accurate sightseeing tour to catch all details about this old town and Lucchesi way of life, protected since from the Roman times by their ancient walls which still give a sense of defence than what happens in the rest of the world. This creates a really “medieval atmosphere”. On the way there/back
you will reach Nozzano, and a couple of other fortified towers, used in the ancient wars between Lucca and Pisa, before descending to Massaciucoli through a scenic road with a view on the lake and the sea. Recommended at sunset. Our main bike garage and office are in Lucca city centre so that we can guarantee a direct assistance and information

Day 4 Massaciuccoli – Pisa - Tirrenia 33km - 3 hours
We definitely leave the hotel in Massaciucoli oasis to move southwards, to reach Pisa and its leading tower. The route will end in Tirrenia, in a 4 star hotel, to spend for the first time the whole evening and the night on the sea.

Day 5 Quercianella - Marina di Bibbona 30km (+25km) 3 hours
In the morning our minivan will transfer persons and bikes just south of Livorno, near Quercianella (28 km). Here the real Etruscan coast begins. A tour southwards along the seaside: you will pass from a rocky coast to the cycle-ways inside the centenarian pinewoods, arriving up to several lovely sandy beaches, “The White
Beaches of Vada”, the “Mazzanta”, the “Marina di Cecina”…since the climate in this part of Tuscany is very pleasant also in Spring and Autumn, you will have the chance to stop and relax on the sand, enjoying the typical quiet of early/late season and going for a swim in the sea when sun still brights high. In about 30 km you will arrive at Marina di Bibbona to a 4 star hotel with swimming pool and private beach. You can add an optional excursion through the country, to reach the medieval hamlets of Casale and Bibbona, through Alta Maremma hills (+25 km)

Day 6 Marina di Bibbona – Bolgheri – Castagneto Carducci – Marina di Bib. 40km 4,5 hours
This sixth stage of this holiday is a break in the countryside. This is the day for people loving the typical Tuscan country-landscape, with cypresses, vineyards, farmhouses, fields of wheat and sunflowers, mild hills in the background…just like in the postcards! Actually the area we cross not far from the sea it is no too hilly so that you won't have to climb to much. The route is along the “Wine-road of the Etruscan Coast”: we will reach Bibbona, Bolgheri and Castagneto Carducci crossing the whole area where Super Tuscan wines as Sassicaia and Ornellaia are produced before coming back to our beautiful hotel to relax. Biking with only few short stops you have the chance to spend a long part of you stay enjoying the hotel s.p.a. or relaxing massages (optional), or simply enjoy the hot swimming pool and the private beach (included) before the last longest tour.

Day 7 Marina di Bibbona – Follonica 55km (+10) - 4 hours
Following the coast you will reach San Vincenzo, another seaside resort, with a beautiful promenade, sandy beaches and restaurants near the sea. Then we suggest to have the optinal part of tour biking to Baratti. Infact Baratti is a spectacular bay, with a wide sandy beach (with a particular dark colour), protected by wild cliffs. Here the nature is uncontaminated, there are only a few houses on the sea, with a small harbour for sailing boat; the area is dominated by Populonia, one of the most famous archaeological site of Tuscany, with a lot of
perfectly maintained Etruscan graves, with sarcophagus and paintings on the inner walls. The tour continues with a few kilometres along the sea before entering in the countryside facing Elba island and returning to the coast in Torre Mozza, where an ancient fort is built directly on the fine white beach; here, the rest of a Roman roads appears from the waves of the sea, a few meters from the water’s edge. You will proceed along the sea up to the seaside-resort of Follonica, where you will find the last hotel with its private beach looking at Elba.

Day 8 Individual trip back
After enjoying the sea for the last time, you can easily reach Follonica train station to come back to Pisa unless you just reserved an holiday extension to spend some days in total relax on the sea or in a thermal centre, or
to continue your adventure with other unforgettable experiences.

Characteristic of the routes

Easy tour, suitable for every tourist cyclist. Even if Tuscany is famous for its hills, this tour is flattish, because basically it is developed along seaside or rivers. Only on the way to/from Lucca you will find some short climbs, maximum 120 m of difference of altitude, but we will show also a way to avoid it in the road book.
The wine road tour goes trough short hills so you will find some easy climbs. In some places you have the possibility to add optional excursions, to reach different and unforgettable places, before coming back to the hotel. Naturally we suggest to don’t miss anything.
The railway arrives not far from each village/town chosen as arrive/start of a stage and very close to many villages on the routes. In case of tiredness or bad weather, you can easily take the train