- 2025
- Autumn
- By minibus
- By Plane
- ebike
- Hard 4/5
- Italy
- Medium 3/5
- Point to point
- Tailor made
- Teambuilding
- Trekking
- Tuscany
A huge adventure of a lifetime, “The” big trip! Our most beautiful and dramatic journey, which is not easy, but at the same time gives the greatest experience! This tour is the quintessence of all our trips! History, gastronomy, looking at yourself, while you conquer long kilometers, hills and mountains every day, from your own strength. You are guaranteed to come home recharged and changed!
The Via Francigena is an ancient 1,700 km long pilgrim route starting from Canterbury, England and ending in Rome. Our tour is a shortened version of the Italian part of the road, from Lucca to Rome. We cycle 480 km in 7 days. We travel through the most beautiful Tuscan landscapes, practically this is a Bestof Tuscany, as it runs mostly in Tuscany and a smaller part in Lazio. And at the end of the road, the Eternal City, Rome, awaits us, where we will spend an extra day.
We cover 60-80 km on the road every day, sleeping in a different accommodation every night. The landscape is very varied, there are asphalt roads, there will be a lot of gravel, we go up hills and mountains, we also have an some descent.
Look at the pictures in the Back View!
Travel
The trip is by plane. We take the luggage and bikes to Lucca by minibus, and also from Rome to Budapest. You can fly out to Pisa for the tour and back from Rome. We adjust the time of the tour accordingly. There is a direct flight from Budapest to Pisa and there are several flights a day from Rome to Budapest. You can also travel before and meet there on the day of the tour. A minibus will take the luggage during the trip. We book accommodation in Lucca and Rome the evening before the tour and on the day of arrival! The minibus will come home in the afternoon after arriving in Rome (with luggage and bikes). If you don’t want to stay in Rome to relax (recommended), you have to book a flight home!
When?
2025. Oct. 8 – 15. (szerda – szerda) – We still have spaces available!
We also organize the tour in the spring! View!
Price 2025
- Regular Price: 1240 euro
- Frequanetly Flyer passanger price: 1180 euro
Due to the significant weakening of the Hungarian forint and unforeseen planning, we are forced to provide prices in euros from 2025. The price does not include the price of the flight ticket and bicycle rental. Details below in the payment section!
Number of people
Starting number: 5-7 people. Min. 5 people.
Application, payment
To apply, fill out the application form (on the right, on mobile in the middle or the bottom of the page). When applying, you don’t have to pay while filling out the form, you only need to enter some data (be careful, the form is several pages long!). If you applied correctly, you should receive an automatic email of your application! We will then send the advance request to the email address you provided. Further information will be sent by email.
What do I do if all spots are sold out?
If the tour is full, but you specifically want to come on this tour, please let us know because you may be put on a waiting list, or if there is a lot of interest and there are many people on the waiting list, we can start another trip at the same time. Contact us here!
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. August 15
Departure/arrival location: Budapest
The price contains
Accommodation with breakfast
Tour guide
Transport of packages
Escort car
Maps
The price does not contain
Flight ticket (Budapest – Pisa, Rome – Budapest)
Lunch, dinner
Individual and cancellation insurance
Price of optional programs
Bicycle rental (Rent an eBike from us!)
Price of entry tickets
Background
The Via Francigena, the French road, is a thousand-year-old, 1,700 km long pilgrim route that ends in Rome. Along with El Camino (Spain) and the Jerusalem road (Rome – Holy Land), this path was the largest pilgrim route and one of the most important transport sections in the Middle Ages. It was created on the trail of roads such as the ancient Longobard road leading to Rome across the Apennines, which dates back to the VII. century, it connected the northern part of today’s Italy with Rome.
It started from Canterbury, England, passed through present-day France, then entered Italy through Switzerland and the Saint Bernard Pass. It also passes through Tuscany, then goes through the province of Lazio, and then ends in the eternal city of Rome, in the sacred square. (We wrote a detailed description of the Via Francigena in this article!)
The medieval pedestrian pilgrim route has been completely forgotten in modern times, but in recent years the Italians have recreated the ancient trail as part of a project, marked it out, and pilgrims have started using it. Cyclists were also considered within the framework of the project, so the pilgrimage route also has a cycling trail.
Most of the road is the same as the footpath, but it differs from it in many places. Some places we also reached out to take you to the most interesting places and have as many attractions as possible. Many people make the journey or part of it on foot, from spring to autumn the route is overwhelmed by crowds of pilgrims. Along with El Camino, it is the largest pilgrim route in Europe.
Our tour is an shorter version of the Italian part of the Pilgrim’s Way (the original Italian part, from the pass to Rome also by bike, 23 days). From Lucca to Rome we take 480 km in seven (7) days, during the journey medieval history comes alive before us. We will see special historical towns such as Siena, San Gimignano, Lucca, Viterbo. Or lesser-known, but perhaps surprisingly interesting places, such as San Miniato with its tower, Colle Val d’Elsa, with its beautiful medieval town.
But it is located there Pienza, the papal city and home of Pecorino cheese, or Radicofani, whose beautiful fortress dominates southern Tuscany. In the last part of the road, close to Rome, we ride on ancient Etruscan roads, and the ancient settlement of Sutri, where everything was carved out of tufa and where nature parks, waterfalls, forests and meadows line our way.
And at the end of the road, the Eternal City, Rome awaits us, where we arrive at St. Peter’s Square next to Tervere.
About the tour
On the tour we travel 60-70 km per day, we sleep in a different accommodation every night, but we don’t have to carry our luggage with us, because it comes with us to the next accommodation in the escort car.
The daily cycling is 4-6 hours, we stop at the interesting places. Sometimes a beautiful town, sometimes a tasting of local products, grapes, wine, olives, sometimes a magical landscape and a view come our way. In the evenings, if we have the energy, we explore the best parts of the area.
On the 7-day journey the landscape is very varied, there is a smooth road, but there will also be strong climbs and great slopes. We recommend the route to those who can handle the continuous 60-70 km per day, the several hundreds of meters of elevation per day (or maybe 1000m) and the relative higher load that comes with it. Or they think that such a pilgrim route is also about challenges and overcoming our own limitations (there will be plenty of opportunities for this) and they set this as their goal (huge applause for them!)
The road is approx. 70% is asphalt, the rest is gravel (Most medieval roads were not even paved 🙂 Accommodation in high-quality apartmanhouses, apartment accommodation, hostels, usually in double rooms.
Bicycle
There are a significant amount of gravel sections on this tour, so only complete it with a strait tire bike if you have no other option. Recommended bikes are gravel, cross, fat-wheeled fitness or touring bikes. This road has a lot of gravel, so be prepared for the bike as well!
You can also rent an e-bike. Renting ebikes is not included in the price of the tour, but we offer them at a discount than if you rent them elsewhere). An ebike is a bicycle that is powered by an electric motor. It can be adjusted in several steps, so you can easily negotiate even the steepest climbs. Ebikes are very useful, as even those who don’t cycle much or don’t want to exert themselves due to their age or health can take part in the tour.
Recommend it to
Since this is a difficult tour, only those who can handle the challenges of the road have the experience of biking.
For modern bicycle pilgrims who want to look at themselves in the ancient trail.
Those who haven’t been to Tuscany yet, but want to get to know each other effectively, in the most beautiful but also the most difficult landscapes.
Those who like longer bicycle tours from A to B!
Those who are physically and mentally prepared for the journey.
Difficulty
The Via Francigena is not an easy tour, all things considered it is our most difficult traditional (non-pass and high mountain) tour. Overall it’s between 3/5 and 4/5. The difficulty of the tour is not primarily due to the long and difficult climbs, but rather the continuous, unrelenting effort. After all, there is no stopping here. It should be taken into account that most of the road goes through Tuscany, so there are quite a few climbs, some of which are several kilometers long.
The percentage of climbs is not that great, but the length often requires strong endurance. Since the route is given and we wanted to deviate as little as possible from the official pilgrims’ route, we do not have much influence to make it easier. Although we will stop a lot on the tour and the pace is not that great, the whole day’s cycling and the climbs present a greater challenge to everyone. We recommend that you prepare for this tour. You can see the daily levels on the program page. If you want to come on the tour, but feel that you cannot complete it, we recommend renting an ebike!
Info: What is there to know about the difficulty of the tours? Is the tour difficult for you?).
We answer all your other questions here:
Day 1: Travel, Lucca
On the first day of the tour we meet at the starting point (Lucca)! The car with the luggage and the bicycles arrives at the booked accommodation in the afternoon. In the evening, we look around the city. Lucca lies at the foot of the Alps, one of the most charming, livable and bicycle-friendly towns in northern Tuscany. It has a huge, barely-remaining walled old town, where medieval time has stopped. We take a long walk on foot between the medieval walls, walk on the city wall (which you can also cycle around), or visit the Guinig Tower, where oaks grow on the top of the tower! We walk to the magnificent Duomo and the Amphitheatre Square, where the ancient Roman amphitheater is now an elliptical square, keeping its shape, with colorful houses, great restaurants and craft shops.
Day 2: Lucca - Montaione
On our first cycling day we start from the accommodation near Lucca. This part of the road is relatively flat, at first the road leads to Altopascio on roads with less traffic. Altopascio was a place of rest and prayer for medieval pilgrims. We will see the Campanaria tower with the bell, where pilgrims used to light a fire to find their way to the city even in the dark. Leaving Altopascio we bike along an original section of the Via Francigena in a wooded, delightful environment. We cross the Arno river and then go up to San Miniato (strong climb!), where we see the main square and the famous tower, which can be seen from afar. After San Miniato we head towards Montaione, not far from there we spend the night in a nice hotel.
Distance: 75 km. Elevation: 600 m.
Day 3: Montaione - Siena
In the morning we will leave the accommodation, between the hills and mountains, we will head towards San Vivaldo (the other possible route, towards Montaione, is more uphill, but if the company is strong, we can also do this!) towards our station, San Gimignano. San Gimignano is one of the most beautiful towns on the Via Francigena, and by the way, one of the “miracles” of Tuscany. Already in the distance you can see the famous towers, which are symbols of the city (in the Middle Ages there were dozens of huge towers, today only a few remain, two of which can be visited). We stop in the city, have a look, have an ice cream in its world-famous ice cream parlor, and then continue towards Colle Val d’Elsa, a town with a charming old town and narrow alleys and winding stone walls. The road will have a lot of gravel and short but steep climbs, and we will also ride on a bicycle path created on the site of a former railway line. After Colle Val d’Elsa, one of the most meditative routes of the Via Francigena follows, between the hills, sometimes on small climbs, mostly on gravel, we reach the castle of Monteriggioni. The medieval mini-town lined with crowned towers, which protected the medieval city of Siena on a hill, was even wrote by Dante. Our day trip ends near Siena at a beautiful accommodation. In the evening we will see Siena!
Distance: 65 km, elevation: 1000m.
Day 4: Siena - San Quirico
On this day, we deviate slightly from the original route to an alternative route to enjoy as much as possible the view of the Crete Senesi, S of Siena. Crete Senesi is a relatively small area, a region with an undulating, jagged landscape, exuding a true Tuscan atmosphere. Első állomásunk Asciano lesz, a Crete “fővárosa”, ahova egy emelkedős úton jutunk el Ascianóba (viszont a kilátás mindenért kárpótol). Asciano után érintünk egy Olivafák közt eldugott kolostort, a Monte Oliveto Maggiore-t, majd leszáguldunk Buonconvento fele, folytatva utunkat. Az aznapi szállásunk San Quirico közelében lesz.
Distance: 73 km. Elevation: 1100m.
Day 5: San Quirico - Radicofani
We start from the accommodation. This day is one of the big challenges of the tour (not that the others aren’t 🙂 We do not go lot, but in the end you have to ascent for a long time. In the first part of the road, we head towards Pienza (one of the most beautiful roads in Tuscany!). Pienza is the home of Pecorino cheese and offers a fabulous view of the valley of the Orcia river (Val d’orcia). Descending from Pienza we reach below Radicofani on a beautiful road. from where we go up a longer ascent all the way. If you have the energy left, you can go uphill to Radicofani to see its castle (or tower), which offers a magnificent view of the surrounding area. It’s worth every effort. (Those who don’t come, go to the pool 🙂
Distance 50 km. Elevation: 1000m.
Day 6: Radicofani - Montefiascone
On this day we either start from the accommodation (the strong ones) or drive up to Radicofani and from there. Compensating for the difficulties of the previous day, we immediately start with a rather long slope, where we follow one of the most exciting routes of the entire tour: leaving the castle of Radicofani, we reach a gravel road dotted with barren hills, this is the old Via Cassia, the ancient Roman road, which the endless hills of the Amiata mountains they rule. It will not be an easy terrain, sometimes strong slopes and uphills stand in our way. After we get off the gravel, we rest in Aquapendente (we can see the Roman crypt of the Basilica of Saint Sepolcro) and then the journey continues until we reach Lake Bolsena. The “capital” of the lake is the town of Bolsena, one of its attractions is the castle and the 13th century Cappella del Miracolo. The specialty of the local cuisine is Sbroscia, a soup made from fish from the lake with tomatoes. Our journey continues towards Montefiascone by the lake, through forests and olive groves, on a steeply uphill road. This region is the area of real extra virgin olive oil. Our accommodation will be next to Montefiascone in a medieval castle. If you have the strength, don’t miss Rocca (the fortress) in the evening, climb it to be enchanted by the limitless view. A glass of Est! Evening !! Evening !!! (local wine specialty!), let’s relax in a beautiful castle (with a pool).
Distance: 80 km. Elevation: 1050m.
Day 7: Montefiascone - Sutri
Starting from the accommodation next to Montefiascone, we head towards Viterbo. At first, we will ride on gravel, if time permits, we will visit the beautiful town of Viterbo, we will not miss the picturesque “pilgrim’s quarter” in honor of the trip. We admire the Palazzo dei Papi and enjoy the silence in the Longobard monastery of Santa Maria Nuova. If we can, we will try the delicious local drink, frittelacce! From Viterbo, the journey continues towards Vetralla, a city in the heart of the ancient Etruscan territory, mostly on side roads with little traffic. The road leads to Sutri, a small but very rich settlement in green countryside, along a typical pilgrim’s well. The Roman amphitheater carved out of Tufa, is not to be missed. Sitting in the auditorium or on the stage, we can remember the ancient times. We will visit the Santa Maria del Parto church, whose Tufa walls have well-preserved frescoes. We end the day at the accommodation next to Sutri.
Distance: 55 km. Elevation: 750m.
Day 8: Sutri - Rome
On the last cycling day of the pilgrim route, starting from Sutri, we immediately reach a sensational section, we pass around the Mount Gelato waterfall, which we also see. Then the panoramic road of the Veio Park takes you to the gates of Campagnano. We ride under the three-hundred-year-old yew trees of Venturi Park. According to the locals, the name of the place is “trees of death”, but don’t worry, you can relax in the shade without any danger! Back in the saddle, the last few kilometers of our journey begin. Towards the Eternal City, we continue to ride through the wooded hills of Veio Park (sometimes struggling uphill) before reaching the magical Valle del Sorboba park (nature reserve). On the way there will be time to admire the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Sorbo and the medieval town center of Formello. We will be very close to Rome, but it still feels like we are light years away, as we continue to ride through the natural environment of Lazio. Then we reach the Tiber River, along which, on a built-up bike path, we reach the gates of the Vatican. You will not even notice that you are in the center of Rome, because the road winds along the river, between high dams. Our long journey ends in St. Peter’s Square. Then we cycle to the accommodation.
Distance: 72 km. Elevation: 800m.
The car will leave for home with your luggage and bicycles after your arrival. We will book accommodation for the day of your arrival, but if you stay in Rome for more than one day, you will have to arrange additional accommodation (and your flight home).
The accommodation will be in a different places every day. The types of accommodation variable, but they all have one thing in common: they are all high-quality. There will be a private villa, farmhouse, private house, apartment. Some accommodations will have a pool. Passengers sleep in double rooms or apartments).
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