La Via Francigena

The Via Francigena is one of the oldest routes of the European pilgrimage. Together with the Camino de Santiago they branched all over the continent and then joined together and thus arrived in the Holy Land in Jerusalem.

The entire route of the Via Francigena, which starts from Canterbury and arrives in Rome, crosses four countries: England, France, Switzerland and Italy. It extends over 1800 kilometers and passes through places recognized and appreciated for their historical, cultural, artistic and tourist value. The Via Francigena arrives in Italy from the border with Switzerland and after touching the Northern regions of the beautiful country it arrives in Tuscany. Tuscany will be crossed from north to south and the journey will be continued to end in Rome.

We have chosen the route that develops from Lucca to Siena for over 140 km. Distance in which you can savor the quiet of the countryside, the beauty of the villages that are located in the itinerary and the artistic and cultural wealth of lost places.

  • Lucca

    Arrival on your own in Lucca and accommodation in Hotel. Meeting with the Tuscany Tour Bike staff for the presentation of the tour. The itinerary will be illustrated and the paper and GPS material will be delivered with the layout of the itinerary.

  • Lucca – San Miniato (48 km)

    After testing the bicycles along the evocative city walls of Lucca, at the height of Porta Elisa you leave the city behind. Pedaling east towards Capannori, where the church of Saints Quirico and Giudita, founded in 775, deserves to stop for a visit.

    The itinerary continues in the direction of Altopascio and only after having wandered between the Piazza degli Ospedalieri, the loggia and romantic church of San Jacopo (with its beautiful thirteenth-century façade) continue along the plain up to Fucecchio. From here you go up for a few kilometers to the enchanting medieval village of San Miniato, where the first leg ends. Accommodation in a Hotel.

  • San Miniato – San Gimignano (40 km)

    After a rich breakfast at the hotel,you begin the second day of the tour. This day is characterized by unevenness easily overcome thanks to the help of the E-bikes. Before leaving San Miniato we recommend a stop at the Piazza della Repubblica, which overlooks the large Seminary and the back of the Bishop's Palace, which in turn delimits with the overhanging Piazza del Duomo.

    In the company of beautiful breathtaking views , you arrive first in Castelfiorentino and then in Gambassi Terme where you can take a short break to visit the Sanctuary of Santa Verdiana or the permanent glass exhibition . On the final journey towards San Gimignano, we find the Romanesque church of Santa Maria Assunta in Cellole.

    Upon arrival in San Gimignano the second stage ends.

  • San Gimignano – Siena (55 km)

    This stage reserves a wonderful journey submerged in the fantastic scenery of the Tuscan countryside. After an accurate visit of the characteristic village of San Gimignano, the itinerary leads along the bike path taken from the former disused railway to Colle Val D'Elsa.

    From here you continue southbound through Abbadia Isola and after a short climb you reach the village of Monteriggioni, as small as it is beautiful that cannot be exonerated by a visit and a stop in the only square of its centre.

    Once back on the saddle, through a landscape full of olive trees and rows of cultivated vines we arrive in Siena.