Overview
This part of Via Francigena starts from Parma, real gastronomic heaven, and leads you through medieval hamlets and ancient archaeological sites across the Appennines at Cisa Pass, connecting the Ligurian and Tuscan Apennines. You then plunge into the mysterious atmosphere of Lunigiana, the little-known land of the moon, to later explore the world-famous Tuscan towns of Lucca and San Gimignano. Your ride then continues among thousand-year-old parish churches and tower crowned castles to finally reach Siena, with the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo.
- Parma and its delicacies, such as the Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma
- Lucca, with its perfect for cycling walls and the buzzing amphitheatre square
- The medieval atmosphere of Pontremoli and Monteriggioni
- Stunning views – hilltop villages, open valleys, cypress woods and olive grove
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Parma
The journey starts in Parma, a crown jewel of Italian gastronomic tradition. You can try and taste the local specialities or take your time to explore the artistic beauties of the city: from the imposing interior of its Cathedral and Baptistery to the enchanting Palazzo Farnese, designed by Michelangelo and built of stone taken from the Rome Coliseum.
- Accommodation: Hotel Button or similar in Parma
Day 2: Parma – Berceto | 74km
The first section is quite demanding but rich in natural beauties and authentic villages such as Bardone and Terenzo, with their ancient churches and some bass-relieves treasured in their interiors. An ascent will lead you to Cassio, and after a short downhill section, you will take on another climb towards Berceto, a little stone jewel, where you can stop for a rest and a local cake made from chestnut flour.
- Cycling for the day: 74km, ↑1,068 ↓322m
- Accommodation: B&B La Casa dei Nonni or similar in Berceto
Day 3: Berceto – Aulla | 53km
You start the day getting to the Cisa Pass, connecting the Ligurian and Tuscan Apennines, from where you get on an exciting descent to Pontremoli, the town of bridges and mysterious stele statues, where you can enjoy a relaxing walk among the alleyways of the old town centre. Once in Aulla, you can visit the Abbey of San Caprasio and explore its archaeological finds from the medieval period. Do not miss a walk along the Fortezza della Brunella’s ancient walls before taking a walk through the old town centre. And if you are hungry, there is nothing better than the tasty little local focaccias, to be enjoyed still hot and accompanied by charcuterie and cheeses.
- Cycling for the day: 53km, ↑370m ↓1,115m
- Accommodation: Hotel Bed & Bike or similar in Aulla
Day 4: Aulla – Massa | 48km
From Aulla you get on some demanding but gratifying roads, from where you will be able to have a glimpse towards the sea for the first time. Along the road, you will pass through very green countryside and medieval villages. Once in Sarzana, you will be amazed by the Baroque interior of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, and you will admire the Gothic facade of the Pieve di Sant’Andrea, the oldest building in the town. Your journey continues along flat paths, following in the footsteps of the ancient pilgrims embarking from the Roman port of Luni towards Santiago de Compostela, to finally reach the nice town of Massa, a few kilometres far from the sea of Versilia.
- Cycling for the day: 48km, ↑716m ↓770m
- Accommodation: B&B Il Cuore or similar in Massa
Day 5: Massa – Lucca | 52km
A nice cycle path along the sea leads you from Marina di Massa towards Pietrasanta. Before browsing among its art galleries and shops, we recommend visiting the town’s Duomo to walk among its marble columns and admire its frescoed vaults. From Camaiore you continue up and down among the hills of Lucca, entering the city through the walls you can enjoy its old town centre, and browse in the little shops of the circular piazza to buy spelt and local biscuits to take home with you, get on the Guinigi tower and admire the town from up high in its hanging garden.
- Cycling for the day: 52km, ↑380m ↓356m
- Accommodation: Hotel Rex or similar in Lucca
Day 6: Lucca – San Miniato | 46km
An easy and flat leg of the journey leads you from Lucca’s walls to the old town centre of Altopascio, passing through the Badia di Pozzeveri, where pilgrims stop to rest and pray (do not miss the local bread, a real delicacy). The itinerary continues across the wild land of the Cerbaie before crossing the river Arno and continuing towards San Miniato. The Seminary, which gives the name to the main square, will amaze you with its particular facade: enjoy it lit up, perhaps after eating a risotto dusted with the typical white truffle, the pride of the local area.
- Cycling for the day: 46km, ↑230m ↓125m
- Accommodation: 4-star hotel in San Miniato (Hotel San Miniato or similar)
Day 7: San Miniato – San Gimignano | 41km
The section for the day is demanding but also very exciting. From San Miniato, you descend to the bottom of Val d’Elsa to later ascend again towards Gambassi Terme, where you will be able to cross the threshold of the Pieve di Chianni, where the same Archbishop Sigeric slept on his way to Rome. You will continue your journey pedalling across the splendid natural scenery to San Gimignano, one of the most beautiful towns along the Via Francigena: known for its famous towers. Do not miss the view of the medieval town and its surrounding valleys from the top of the Torre Grossa, or if you don’t run out of energy, venture up the steps of the Rocca di Montestaffoli for an even more special view.
- Accommodation: Hotel La Cisterna or similar in San Gimignano
- Cycling for the day: 41km, ↑640m ↓476m
Day 8: San Gimignano – Siena | 50km
From San Gimignano, you continue through the rolling Tuscan hills to Colle Val d’Elsa, an out-of-time Tuscan village with a charming old town centre and narrow alleyways winding through the stone walls. The itinerary then continues through one of the most beautiful sections of the Via Francigena: a pleasant meditative route, along which you will be surrounded by the silence of the Pieve di Strove, with its Romanesque interiors, or stand in the quietness of the splendid Abbadia at Isola, with its imposing Abbey.
Do not miss a stroll along the wall of the breath-taking castle of Monteriggioni, once defending the Repubblica of Siena, before reaching Siena through dirt roads and the ancient medieval hamlet of Cerbaia. We recommend you celebrating the end of your trip with a plate of pici all’aglione in the illuminated Piazza del Campo… and don’t forget the panforte, of course.
- Cycling for the day: 50km, ↑505m ↓470m
- Accommodation: Hotel Chiusarelli or similar in Siena
Day 9: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Button (Parma)
- B&B La Casa dei Nonni (Berceto)
- Hotel Bed & Bike (Aulla)
- B&B Il Cuore (Massa)
- Hotel Rex (Lucca)
- Hotel San Miniato (San Miniato)
- Hotel La Cisterna (San Gimignano)
- Hotel Chiusarelli (Siena)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included each morning. When no restaurant is available on the route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either from the restaurant in your accommodation or in the town where you stay overnight.
Difficulty and terrain
The rides follow mostly well-asphalted country and secondary roads. Near larger towns, you can expect a bit more traffic. Average daily distances vary between 40km and 75km, with daily elevation gain ranging from 230m to 1,070m. The trip is suitable for regular cyclists who have an active lifestyle (read more about difficulty grades). Once you arrive at your first hotel, you will receive a detailed information package, including a destination manual, route notes, and maps. Before the start date, you will also be sent GPS tracks, which you can load on any Garmin device or smartphone application that you are used to working with.
When to go
This trip is available from the beginning of March until the end of October, departing on any day of the week (subject to availability). Spring and autumn months are a preferred travel period if you want to avoid the summer heat of July and August (If you’d like to catch the famous Palio di Siena, you will have to travel in July or August, however). In September – October, you will enjoy pleasant temperatures and might also be able to catch the regional wine harvest.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended arrival/departure airports for this tour are Florence, Pisa and Bologna, all served by major and low-cost international flight carriers.
By train or bus
If you are able to travel to Italy without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail with train stations in Parma and Siena. For more details, see the national rail operator Trenitalia and and the independent train company Italo.
Arrival in Parma
- From Bologna Airport (BLQ), reach the central railway station, from where you can take a direct train to Parma
- From Pisa Airport (PSA), you can take a train to Parma with change in Pisa Centrale station
- From Florence Airport (FLR), take a public bus to Florence Santa Maria Novella Train Station, and then a train to Parma (with a change in Bologna)
Departure from Siena
Upon departure, you can reach Pisa, Bologna and Florence by train. In case you are flying from Florence, you can also go by bus from Siena (direct)
- Train timetables are available on the website www.trenitalia.com
- Bus timetables are available on www.busfox.com/timetable (Siena-Firenze)
Inclusions
Included
- 8 nights in selected B&Bs and hotels as detailed in the itinerary
- 8 breakfasts
- Luggage transfer on all cycling days (1 piece up to 20kg per person, dimensions of the bag should not exceed 65x50x40 cm)
- Access to Navigation app with the detailed route description (no paper documents are provided)
- 24/7 phone support by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches and dinners, drinks and snacks
- Bike rental
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Local tourist tax and entry fees (payable on the spot)
- Personal expenses
- Any items not specifically mentioned as ‘Included’ in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- Supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room / single use of a double room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Bike rental, including delivery to Parma, theft insurance and collection from Siena
- Extra nights
Bike rental
In case you would like to rent a bike from us, we can offer you a standard trekking bike, road-bike or e-bike. All our bikes are equipped with a phone holder, odometer (one for every two bikes), two rear bags, one repair kit, and a padlock. Panniers and helmets are bookable upon request.
Sample models: Kalkhoff Endeavour 27, Wilier Cento 1 Hybrid, Kalkhoff Endeavour 27 5B. 9G
