The Tuscan gravel is a new addition to our offer this fall. This is our first specifically gravel bike tour! The explosively growing cycling discipline, gravel, combines the efficiency of road cycling with the experience and closeness to nature of mountain biking. Gravel means nothing more than adventure, new challenges, breaking away from busy roads and discovering the unknown. (It literally means gravel, pebbles, gravel.)
And there could be no more perfect location than Tuscany with its famous white gravel roads. The strade bianche (in English White Road) are the typical Tuscan white gravel roads in Tuscany. The popularity of these roads was founded by the iconic L’Eroica race, which has been running for more than two decades (read our article about this world-famous tour). The final push towards world fame was given by the Strade Bianche one-day classic worldtour race. (You can read more about the history and races related to Tuscan gravel in the “About the Tour” section below!) Our route winds from the green slopes of the Chinati wine region to the gray, lunar dunes of the Crete Senesi. It is not by chance that the competitions taking place here are considered one of the most beautiful races. These are the oldest roads in Italy, which wind snow-white on cobalt-green hills between rows of pines and cypresses. A true paradise for both cycling enthusiasts and landscape lovers.
The tour will be at the end of September. We will cycle from one accomodation, four days from house to house. A car will be needed for one day. This means 70 – 90 km per day, usually with 1500 – 2000 m of elevation. The tour is 7 days long, 5 days cycling. The middle day is a shorter tour so that we can rest. The route includes the routes of the three famous Tuscan races, with lots of gravel, but of course there will be asphalt sections too. These are mostly varied, smaller roads. The accepted bike on the tour is gravel (see below). Accommodation will be in a high-quality agritourism with a pool, in double rooms, with breakfast. Join us to kick up some dust!
Travel
The journey out to the location and home is done by a minibus. The transportation at the location is also by a minibus. Individual travel is possible.
When?
2025. Sept. 19 – 25. (péntek – csütörtök) – Vannak már jelentkezők!
We also organize the tour in the spring, check it out too!
The tour is organized at the same time and at the same accommodation as the Tuscan road tour, so there is a possibility of a transition between the two tours.
Look at that!
Number of people
5-7 people. The minimum starting number is 5 people.
Price 2025
- Regular Price: 950 euro
- Frequant Flyer passanger price: 925 euro
From 2025 due to the significant weakening of the forint and unforeseen planning we are forced to provide prices in euros.
Apply:
To apply fill out the application form on the right. You don’t have to pay when you apply, you just need to provide your datas.
Your application becomes a reservation when you pay the deposit. We will send you an advance request for this.
Help
- How can i apply (FAQ)?
- You have a question? If you are not sure about something or don’t understand something? Call or write us an email and/or subscribe to our newsletter!
Informations
Amount of down payment: 40% of the total amount (Payment after online application and contact)! Without payment of the down payment the application is not valid! (Please read the GTC!)
Application deadline 2025. aug. 1.
Departure/arrival location: Budapest
The price contains
Travel by minibus
Accommodation
Breakfast
Tourist tax
Tour guide
Maps
The price does not contain
Lunch, dinner
Individual and cancellation insurance
Price of optional programs
Price of entry tickets
About the tour
The Tuscan gravel, Strade Bianche, was popularized by L’Eroica. The race (which is not just a race, but rather a huge, multi-day cycling fiesta) was so popular that from the mid-2000s to the mid-2010s, more and more Tuscan gravel races and performance tours were created. Such as the Tuscany Trail or L’eroica Nova. But the final touch was the Strade Binache wordtour race, which really made the venue known among cyclists. Although it has only been organized since 2007, it is still compared to the great classics due to its uniqueness, spectacle and difficulty. Last but not least, it is also Attila Valter’s favorite one-day race, where he achieved 4th and 5th place in recent years, thus greatly contributing to the popularization of Hungarian cycling. Strade Bianche later had an amateur version, where a race completed by professionals could be done every year, this is the strade bianche grandtour.)
Gravel sectors
The tour is a gravel tour, with gravel roads and sections. Of course, we have to ride on asphalt. However, we will ride more gravel sectors than in the Strade Bianche race, where gravel sections made up a third of the tour (15 sectors, 71/215km). Every day, at least 30-50% will be gravel, but there are days when it is more like 60%. We will ride almost all the famous white gravel “gravel” roads in the area, where the strade bianche and L’eroica run. Our route winds from the green slopes of the Chinati wine region to the gray, moon-like dunes of the Crete Senesi. These are the oldest roads in Italy, which wind snow-white on cobalt-green hills between rows of pines and cypresses. A real paradise for both cycling enthusiasts and landscape lovers. The tour is not a competition or a performance tour, but a shared experience ride. There will be no high pace, but since the daily rides have significant distances and levels, you have to be prepared for difficulties. This is primarily due to the fact that despite the good quality gravel road, the “smaller hills” of the gravel sectors have significant levels (8-15%), and the progress on the gravel itself is more difficult.
Therefore, we strongly recommend it to those who are not afraid of a challenge and are persistent. Those who want to admire breathtaking views (for this view you have to suffer!) and enjoy the pleasant fatigue caused by the challenge. We organize the tour primarily for gravel riders who have experience on gravel slopes and climbs. Because it is not only the climbs that can be steep, but the slopes as well. Here you need to know how to handle the bike, you also need technical knowledge. Of course, there are no long climbs lasting tens of kilometers, but you still have to climb the hills of a few hundred meters.
We welcome enthusiastic amateurs who are used to cycling, but we also strongly recommend it to those who want to try themselves.
We will cycling in a group on the tour, waiting for each other at different stages, helping each other. We will stop several times in between, but we will not rest for hours. The routes have been designed so that they can be completed in 5 days. They are on average 70-80 km long, with an elevation of 1-2000 m, and we will travel at an average speed of 16-20 km/h, and we will rarely finish in 6-7 hours.
Bicycle
Everyone on this tour will be riding their own gravel bike. Please note the following: it should be in good technical condition, because on these roads even the best bike can be affected by various impacts. Disc brakes are recommended (on steep descents, the rim brake wheel can easily slip). It should have at least 40 gravel tires, because on slopes, thinner tires have a harder time keeping the wheel on the road. Choose a drivetrain that allows you to ride on steep surfaces, but also allows you to ride faster on asphalt.
Difficulty
The routes have a difficulty of 4/5, sometimes 5/5, and can be completed with a better than average physique. They are on average 60-100 km long, often with elevations of 1000-2000 m, and an average speed of around 20 km/h.
The given level is indicated daily in the program (Info: What is there to know about the difficulty of the tours? Is the tour difficult for you?). It is important to know that although the pace is more advanced than the average tour, it is not a race pace. It is suitable for viewing, photography and drinking coffee.
Who is it for?
If you haven’t been to Tuscany yet and would like to experience a truly authentic, but relatively unknown region for the first time.
If you like gravel riding in challenging terrain and you ride at least 3-4000 km per year.
If you’ve been to Tuscany before, but not by bike. You cycle regularly at home and would like to experience a truly authentic, but relatively unknown region for the first time.
If you like the unknown, abandoned, but beautiful countryside!
If you like longer, higher-level tours.
We answer all your other questions here:
Day 1: Travel
We depart early in the morning from Budapest with our minibus. It takes 11-12 hours, depending on traffic, and we arrive at the accommodation south of Siena in the late afternoon.
On our first cycling day, we will ride a short but all the more iconic route. We will ride to the area of Asciano, where we will ride the iconic gravel section of Monte Sante Maria, with its steep and sloping slopes, where the Strade Bianche usually ends before the finish in Siena. The area around Asciano is the most classic Tuscan landscape, the Crete Senesi area. The sunset casts deep shadows on the “ragged” hills. Anyone who has seen this area once will never forget it. Distance: 72 km, elevation gain: approx. 1300 m, planned time: 8 hours. Gravel sector: 40%, asphalt 60%. Difficulty of the tour: 4/5.
On this day we visit the iconic city of Siena. On the way there we ride through the Crete Senesi (the region south of Siena) through the first gravel sector, then we roll into Siena on the most beautiful winding road in the area. On the way home we come through the SW part, which is part of both gravel races, Strade Bianche and the Tuscany Trail. Distance: 87 km, elevation gain: approx. 1480 m, planned time: 8 hours. Gravel sector: 35%, asphalt 65%. Difficulty of the tour: 4/5
On our second day, the goal is to visit the “capital” of the area, the most beautiful small city, Siena. In addition, we will visit the area south of Siena, with exciting small towns. We will also visit the iconic Siena finish line and climb the Via Santa Caterina! The majority of our route follows the Tuscany Trail, L’Eroica and Strade Bianche race routes. Distance: 50 km, elevation gain: approx. 900 m, planned time: 5 hours. Gravel sector: 50%, asphalt 50%. Difficulty of the tour: 3/5
After the rest day comes the royal stage. On this day we visit the most iconic Tuscan region, Chianti. Chianti is the birthplace of the L’Eroica race, where the whole gravel, white gravel cycling started. We visit the starting point of the L’Eroica race, Gaiole in Chinati, but we also ride to Radda, which is more of a center for country roads. Distance: 107 km, elevation gain: about 1900 m, planned time: 8 hours. Gravel sector: 60%, asphalt 40%. Difficulty of the tour: 5/5.
On our last day, our goal is to climb Montalcino, a town located on one of the highest hills in the area. The city is the home of Brunello wine, and there are vineyards everywhere on the hills. The route is featured in all Tuscan gravel races, including L’Eroica and Strade Bianche. On the route, we go up a longer gravel sector, then go to the most photogenic Tuscan area, the Orcia Valley, and on the way home, we come from the Torrenieri area through the Asso Valley on two more famous gravel sectors. The final destination is Buonconvento. Distance: 66 km, elevation gain: about 1500 m, planned time: 8 hours. Gravel sector: 40%, asphalt 60%. Difficulty of the hike: 4/5.
Day 7: Home
We check out in the morning and drive home. We’ll travel during the day and arrive home in the afternoon.
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Attention! The program may change due to weather and other reasons, and the days may change, which does not affect the distance or possible difficulty.
Our accommodation will be in an agrotourism south of Siena, in double rooms.
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