Wherever you say Tuscany, you’ll find white gravel roads like the Strade Bianche, old historic villages, and the typical cypress trees that tower everywhere in the rolling landscape. Of course, we all know Siena as the epic center of Tuscany when it comes to cycling – and nowadays also to the Grappa – and especially the Piazza del Campo where the Strade Bianche finishes. Pisa is known for the Tower of Pisa. You know, that tilted tower that tries to push all the tourists right with that iconic photo. When you’re in Pisa, take a look around, because you’ll be laughing your ass off at how many rows of people there are with two arms out for visibility and someone shouting ‘No, a little more to the left. Higher. Yes!’ You’ll also see many more beautiful historical buildings than just that tilted white tower. Case in point: ‘Trust me, I’m an engineer’.
Text and photos: Andrea Lodder
Terre di Pisa Biketrail
The Terre di Pisa Biketrail starts at Piazza del Duomo, in front of the Tower of Pisa. The route covers a whopping 524 kilometers before you reach it again and you can say that you have successfully completed it. You can easily complete the route in 1 week, and also enjoy the beautiful surroundings a little while you learn all about them from me later on. You can go all-in and pack the route like a real adventurer, or go for the ‘fast’ option with a few items and drive from hotel to hotel. It’s totally up to you! We only have 3 days left, so we’ve prepared the most beautiful places that you really shouldn’t miss when you’re in the Pisa region.
Casciana Terme
Our first day on the Terre di Pisa Biketrail starts in Casciana Terme. A village known for its thermal springs that according to an ancient legend have a healing effect. As warm the water coming from here is, so cold and wet it will be today. We start right away with a climb to warm up our legs and roll on the first gravel path. Okay, to be honest, it’s secretly a little warmer than expected, and Italian rain feels different than the cold Dutch rain. The legs are therefore getting tired quickly, and the first ride in shorts of the year is a fact.
Mysterious peaks
After an hour of climbing, we reach the top, shrouded in mist. You can’t see very far ahead, but the view is sure to be beautiful. The descent is definitely that, at least! We are lucky that we can even put on a dry and especially warm coat at the bottom of the descent before we make a loop around the lake ‘Lago di Santa Luce’. A welcome change from the muddy gravel paths of this morning. A watery sunbeam provides some warmth on the way to our much-discussed lunch spot. Because you know, if there is one thing Italians are passionate about, it’s food. And that’s in a word how you can describe Dario. One of the passionate forces behind this so-called ‘Agriturismo’. Everything you eat here at Il Poggio Della Pieve is grown locally, and even the olive oil is made on the farm itself. There are numerous olive trees in the garden that are used for this purpose.
Further up towards Teatro del Silenzio
Having filled our bellies, we continue on our way for an 8-kilometer climb and the subsequent descent. Meanwhile, the clear blue sky has turned into a true Tuscan sun as we set course towards Lajatico, where today’s finish line is located. And that is in a remarkable place. Namely, Andrea Bocelli’s open-air theater ‘Teatro del Silenzio’. Those who were born in Lajatico – a musical piece of history, because who doesn’t know Bocelli?! We end the day with a small musical ode. Fortunately, we still have the footage of it here.
New day – even more beautiful strade
For day two, we head off to the southernmost point of the Terre di Pisa Biketrail. A loop with a start and finish in the geothermal area of Pomarance. You might think; geothermal? That has to do with volcanoes, right? That’s true! Don’t ask me too much about it, but there are many active sources in the ground here where a lot of sulfur gas comes out, which is also visible – and can be smelled – everywhere, and with that also many underground geysers that provide a lot of energy and leave the Earth with the necessary force. A hugely impressive sight! Never knew this was possible in Tuscany. That is, I think, one of the beautiful surprises the Terre di Pisa Biketrail brings with it. The route shows you another, perhaps slightly undiscovered, side of Tuscany.
Villages, hills, grandmothers
So are the small picturesque villages up on the mountains. Or hills. For us Dutch people, they are mountains. Where an Italian nun can’t help but smile when she sees our group with ‘beautiful young men’ and with a smile from ear to ear tells how nice she finds it that there are people in her ‘village’. These are the moments you don’t easily forget. Just like the approaching climb that alone looks challenging on the Komoot profile. But first, lunch. We eat a nice pasta, with some ‘geothermically brewed’ beers included Vapori di Birra. One will call it courage, the other a welcome break. Nevertheless, a lovely local business with once again a beautiful story behind their products.
Steeper, steeper, steepest
We are approaching the steepest climb of the day. Just a little heads-up: on Komoot you don’t see what the exact terrain is. Neither does this veritable wall of boulders. I think this part is the ‘2.0’ in the title. When only locals on gravel bikes pass by alongside our group, and they also have a hard time doing it, you know that it’s serious. But that might just be what makes the challenge so beautiful. Here you have to focus on driving the right line, keep pressing down on the pedals, and every now and then scream at yourself that you can do it. If not? you turn around, go down a bit and do the part you didn’t manage the first time over again. Just to show that you can, which is also the point. I won’t be the only one doing this, though. Still? In the end, everyone gets up at their own pace, which is already a feat in itself. The ultimate reward lies just above the top, where you can see the reflection of the sun between the mountain peaks in the Mediterranean sea. This is pure (cycling) luck, if you ask me.
The slope was sloping downwards
The words ‘from here on it’s a steep descent’ I also don’t forget quickly. Let’s say that for Italian terms this is a steep descent. Anyway, no more long climbs but small descents where you just have to bite your tongue for a moment. We head towards the sunset, something beautiful on a bike too. The air turns orange when the small humming Fiat Pandas pass us on the highway towards Pomarance. Just before dark we arrive. A bus ride to Volterra follows, from where we start our final stage tomorrow morning.
Volterra as a starting point for day three
So today we’re starting from Volterra. The beauty of this place is hard to put into words. The city has a small population of about 10,000 inhabitants and is one of the Etruscan cities, bringing with it a lot of history. This is also reflected in the Roman theater located just outside the city walls, as well as the recently discovered Teatro Romano di Volterra, which is still being excavated. There’s plenty to see when you’re here!
We descend further before starting a beautiful gravel climb of about 10 kilometers, surrounded by the typical cypress trees, and yes…..finally the white Tuscan gravel! Great that with a radiant sun and blue sky, and you get a smile from ear to ear. Today is a relatively easy day when it comes to the terrain. Certainly a welcome change from yesterday. After kilometer 30 it mostly goes downhill and there are some rolling hills and a few tough climbs before we reach kilometer 45 at what is perhaps the most beautiful restaurant I have ever seen. Not necessarily beautiful in the sense of – beautifully built – but the location is truly breathtaking. The terrace overlooks the beautiful Tuscan landscape, and in the distance you can see the ‘Teatro del Silenzio’ where we finished yesterday. The relaxed Italian atmosphere also certainly helps, not to mention the food. Because let’s be honest, we secretly bike to eat, and when the bike takes us to a place like Agriturismo Diacceroni, we’re already very happy. Here too, everything you eat comes from local farms and is prepared fresh. Besides this great restaurant, you can also spend the night here in one of the old farms, with a swimming pool that overlooks the landscape. A dream come true if you ask me.
Party pace derailed
Only 15 kilometers left until this amazing trip comes to an end. We are heading towards Peccioli, where the finish line of this trip is located. But not without a little final sprint, because as much as we love the ‘easy gravel pace’, a sprint is and remains a serious matter. The last 5 kilometers are then a straight course to the sign ‘Peccioli’, after which we head to a café for a well-deserved aperitivo to celebrate a great trip.
The creators of this trail have put their heart and soul into it, and that is really noticeable. Daniele and Daniele – really – are real locals and know all the beautiful places and are more than happy to tell you all about their beautiful Pisa. The Terre di Pisa Biketrail is truly not what you expect, or perhaps just because of the word ‘trail’. It is truly a trail and certainly not a route for the ‘faint hearted’. Any technical riding skills are definitely a must here and you should definitely not be afraid to end up in some more remote places without service. That is, in my opinion, also the essence of gravel and bikepacking, that you might encounter yourself and above all that you should be a bit self-sufficient.
Official launch on October 9, 2024
On October 9th, the route will officially be launched and you can ride it in various ways. Bikepacking style, or as light as possible with only the essentials. The entire route has 527 kilometers and a little over 10,000 meters of elevation gain and almost 50% kilometers are unpaved. The estimated duration of the entire Terre di Pisa biketrail is about 8 days, but of course you can choose to complete the route as quickly as possible. Please note, it is not a competition so you will not win anything from it. I therefore recommend taking your time here and enjoying the beauty of the route as much as possible. Below you will find the route collection by Erwin Sikkens who was with us on this trip.
Be sure to check the website in the coming time for more information; https://www.terredipisabiketrail.it/
More gravel in Tuscany? Then read this too This story by Robert
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.