The Itinerary

Leave Winnipeg Sunday September 9

Arrival in Rome Monday September 10. Spend a few days in Rome

Saturday September 15-18 we'll spend a few days touring around Siena

Bike tour begins on Tuesday September 18 at 9:30

• DAYS 1+2: Castellina in Chianti. Meet in Siena and cycle north through fields and vineyards. After lunch in a tiny village, we’ll visit Radda on our way to Castellina. Exclusive wine tastings at a wine enoteca and dinner at a local trattoria. On our 2nd day enjoy a scenic ride with a visit to the Castle of Meleto, which has marked the history of one of the most important families of the Chianti area. For those who would like a more challenging ride, San Gimignano's medieval towers beckon from distant hills. The village, surrounded by stone walls boasts some of the best-preserved monuments in the region. Our hotel in Castellina is a charming 3-star hotel, close to cafes and restaurants.
  
• DAY 3: Sovicille Our route takes us to Monterrigioni; with its perfectly preserved walls and cobbled streets you will find the charm immediate. Our hotel is located in the country-side with a pool and surrounded by an extensive park. For those interested in cooking lessons prior to dinner, the chef here will gladly demonstrate.
  
• DAY 4: Asciano For some, this will be a favorite day of riding as we pedal through gently rolling countryside lined with cypress trees. Asciano is full of museums and monuments, and is also a perfect base to reach the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, where monks still produce wine, honey, olive oil and a cure-all herb liquor. Art lovers will not want to miss the frescoes painted by Sodoma and Signorelli that have been preserved here since the 15th century. Our 3-star hotel in Asciano is brand new with all amenities.
  
• DAYS 5+6: Pienza We save the most spectacular riding for last as we visit the tiny villages of Petroio and Castelmuzio on our way to Pienza, full of Renaissance monuments; our hotel here is quietly situated 150 meters from the central plaza and has large comfortable rooms and a casualness that you will enjoy. On our final day of riding, we’ll ride to Montepulciano and Monticchiello riding through a ‘photographers’s paradise’. We’ll complement our final evening meal with bottles of the local wines and toast our time together in Tuscany. Viva dolce!
  

Monday September 24 to Wednesday September 26-Firenze

Wednesday September 26-Milan (see if I can pick up a few designer fashions-cheap)

Milan to Edinburgh

September 27-October 1- Carlisle GB. We'll be spending a few days with my mom's youngest sister and her husband.

Leave Edinburgh to London Gatwick Monday October 1 at 11:35

Monday October 1 at 18:15-Home again