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Bicycling Venice to Florence
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Bicycle Tours in Italy: Bicycling Venice to Florence

Romance, art, history, and great food come together on our most popular trip for beginning cyclists. From the canals of Venice, the cycle-friendly streets of Ferrara and the early Christian mosaics of Ravenna to the Renaissance architecture of Florence, this tour features seven days of pedaling through the heart of Italian culture and cuisine. Along the way you'll visit the Malpezzi-Price family farm for a picnic lunch and walk through the vineyards, discover colorful ceramics in Faenza, and enjoy gourmet meals in Emilia-Romagna - Italy's foremost pasta region.

***Extend this bicycle tour 4 more days. Click to review our Bike Across Italy: Venice to Pisa tour.***

Day 1: Tour begins in Venice, Italy

Venice at sunset.

Highlights: The Lido of Venice, dinner at a trattoria

Welcome to Venezia! You really should try and come a day or two early to explore this unique city before we begin our bike ride to Florence. We meet this afternoon at our hotel on the Lido of Venice where we'll fit bicycles. We'll enjoy an introductory aperitif before walking to dinner in a small trattoria on the Lido.

Lodging: Hotel Atlanta Augustus

Day 2: Venice to Po River Delta

Cycling along canals.

Highlights: Chioggia, Pellestrina, Po River Delta

The Lidos of Venice and Pellestrina protect the Venetian lagoon from the Adriatic Sea. You'll follow these natural levees this morning as we work our way south via flat roads, ferries and quaint fishing villages to Chioggia, at the south end of the lagoon. Enjoy lunch on your own there before continuing south to Taglio di Po in the Po River delta. Those who want extra mileage can enjoy a great ride into the delta this afternoon. Dinner together. Distance: 59 km (37 miles).

Lodging: Hotel Tessarin

Day 3: Taglio di Po to Ferrara

Farm on the Po Plain

Highlights: bicycle along the Po River, bicycle capital of Italy--Ferrara

It's another day of leisurely riding today as we follow the Po river upstream to the Renaissance city of Ferrara. Entering the city, we'll pass under the 16th century walls, one of the most intact Renaissance walls left in Italy. Other highlights of this UNESCO world heritage site include the many palaces of the Este court from the 14th and 15th century. We'll suggest some great restaurants for dinner on your own this evening. Distance: 73 km (45 miles).

Lodging: Hotel Carlton

Day 4: Ravenna

S.Apollinare Nuovo Basilica in Ravenna.

Highlights: Comacchio, lunch at farm cooperative, mosaics of Ravenna

We shuttle this morning to the nearby lagoon town of Comacchio, once a port town more famous than Venice. After a small float around the canals with a local fisherman as captain, we'll ride across the "valleys of Comacchio", through the Po delta's rich bird habitats. Then it's on to the Anita di Argenta where we'll stop at a local agriturismo (farm cooperative), to enjoy a lunch of homegrown vegetables, homemade ricotta, and other local specialties. A short bike ride later we'll enter Ravenna, the last capital of the Western Roman Empire and home to more early Christian mosaics than any other city in Western Europe. You can walk to Dante's Tomb and the mosaics of San Vitale, Sant'Apollinare Nuovo and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia this afternoon, as our hotel is near all the city's highlights. Distance: 43 km (27 miles).

Lodging: Galletti Abbiosi

Day 5: Ravenna to Faenza

Picnic at the farm.

Highlights: Picnic lunch at ExperiencePlus! Headquarters and family farm, ceramics of Faenza

We'll head west from Ravenna today, stopping at "the farm" for a light lunch together. "The farm" is our European headquarters and is located on land that Paola Malpezzi-Price's family has cultivated for more than 100 years. We continue on to Faenza, where we visit a local ceramist who will introduce us to traditional Faenza designs. Dinner, if you are still hungry, is on your own! Distance: 54 km (34 miles).

Lodging: Hotel Vittoria

Day 6: Over the Apennines

Pedalling on the Appennines.

Highlights: Olive oil tasting, riding through Apennine Mountains, small mountain villages

We head into the Apennines today, passing first through the medieval village of Brisighella for an olive oil tasting in one of Italy's most unique olive oil producing areas. We'll then begin climbing (easily at first!) over the Apennines -- remember to look around as you climb since the scenery changes dramatically as you leave the plains and enter the mountains. Just before we reach the toughest part of our climb to Ronta, there is a very conveniently located train station which allows you a choice in how you reach our destination! We'll enjoy dinner together tonight. Distance: 15 - 63 km (9 - 38 miles)

Lodging: Hotel La Rosa

Day 7: Florence

Ponte Vecchio in Florence.

Highlights: Fiesole and its Etruscan ruins, Renaissance Florence, Uffizi Gallery

There's a small climb this morning to Vetta le Croci, then it's downhill to the old Etruscan city of Fiesole, where you'll enjoy a great view of Florence rising from the valley floor. We'll ride into town together, and the rest of the afternoon is yours to explore this capital of Renaissance Italy. Our hotel lies on the banks of the Arno River, close to the Uffizi Gallery. We'll enjoy a great farewell dinner together this evening. Distance: 41 km (25 miles).

Lodging: Hotel Balestri

Day 8: Guided walk of Florence, Italy

Highlights: Guided walk of Florence, end of trip

After a buffet breakfast in the hotel, we'll have a guided walk of Florence! Be sure to schedule your visits to Michelangelo's David at the Accademia, Botticelli's Birth of Venus and the other masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery after 12:30PM. If you can't stick around we hope you've enjoyed your bicycling vacation.

***Extend this bicycle tour 4 more days. Click to review our Bike Across Italy: Venice to Pisa tour.***

  • Highlights
    Venice, Lunch at ExperiencePlus! Headquarters, Florence, Ravenna, Ceramics of Faenza, Comacchio, Lunch at an agriturismo
  • Includes
    "The Usual" plus... Use of a quality 27-30 speed bicycle; 8 days, 7 nights accommodation; 4 dinners with wine; 2 lunches; all breakfasts; guided walk of Florence
  • Countries
    Italy
  • Begin/End
    Venice-Lido/Florence
  • Arrive/Depart
    Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) / Florence Airport (FLR)
  • Total Distance
    305-362 km (190-226 miles)
  • Daily Distance
    15-83 km (9-52 miles), plus optional mileage
  • What to Expect
    3 regions of Italy, fascinating small towns, a great first bicycling tour and introduction to Italy.
  • Rating
    101
    Gentle terrain down the Adriatic Coast with more challenging rides as we enter the Apennines. A great tour for all cyclists.
  • Notes
    If this sounds great but you'd like a longer tour, check out our Bicycling Venice to Pisa tour, which extends this itinerary by 4 days.
  • Terms
    Terms & Conditions
Dates Price Single
Supplement*		 Notes Next
Step
May 26 - Jun 02, 2013 $3550 $500 Just a Few Spaces Left Book It
Jun 09 - 16, 2013 $3550 $500 Confirmed Departure Book It
Jun 30 - Jul 07, 2013 $3550 $500 Confirmed Departure Book It
Aug 25 - Sep 01, 2013 $3550 $500 Confirmed departure. Confirmed Departure Book It
Sep 15 - 22, 2013 $3550 $500 Sold Out Book It
*We are happy to match solo travelers who would like to share a room with someone of the same gender. If no match exists, due to hotel pricing, we will charge 50% of the single supplement rate. This fee will be collected at the time of the final payment. If a roommate assignment is available this fee will be refunded at the conclusion of the tour.
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Click on the "pins" for details about each day's highlights.

Map Key

Green pinStart
Yellow pinCity (on route)
Red pinEnd
Other city dotCity (not part of route, provided for reference)
Well run, fun, great staff, navigational arrows made biking easy and enjoyable.
Grace & Bob M., Franconia, NH
[What was your favorite experience on this trip?] The ride toward the farm, perfect weather, the mountains in the distance, one of the greatest rides ever. I wanted to slow down to take it all in. This is a special trip in a special country, made even more so by the close ExperiencePlus! ties.
Rob B., Afton, MN
Thanks for a great trip! Loved the chance to visit the European headquarters and have lunch at "the farm". Also loved The day in the mountains. The challenge left us all tired but exhilarated and the scenery was magnificent.
Cammie B., Afton, MN
It was a wonderful trip, one I will remember always.
Theresa R., Mississauga, Ontario
Hard to pick a high point. Good group of people, interesting route, fine food, nice to be able to go at my own pace. Great route marking system. Venice and Florence are obviously wonderful, but I enjoyed Faenza as well, and Ferrara, and Brisighella and .....
Katie F., Fredericton, Canada
What was your favorite experience on this trip? Hard to say -- I really enjoyed the boat ride in Comacchio, the pasta making session at headquarters and the old Italian women at the hotel in the mountains.
Jen S., Washington DC
I'd like first of all to say that my experience with Experience Plus was phenomenal. The bike route, the guides Enrico and Cristina were fantastic and fabulous people, the sites and food along the way...all wonderful.
Degoria W., Cresskill, NJ
Wow - what a wonderful vacation it was! Thanks so much to our wonderful tour leaders, Cristina and Enrico. They were always sooo attentive, concerned about our comfort and entertainment, and just had a wealth of knowledge! And what they didn't know, they found out! Love them both!!!
Juliann M., Ocala, FL
Great Vacation! Many thanks. I enjoyed getting to meet the locals and biking; learning more about the history of Italy on the occasion of its 150th birthday; the food; the camaraderie.
Herb W., Ocala, FL
Great trip, fantastic staff including Monica and the crew at the farm well worth the 29 hours from Australia to Venice to commence the tour. The road bikes were excellent a good choice. We had a great bunch of folks in our group and made some good friendships and as already stated we were blessed with three great tour guides.
George D., Strathdale, VI, Australia
An outstanding tour that I havent stopped raving about since coming home it exceeded my expectations in all areas and I will be back for another tour.
Peter T., Hampton, VI. Australia
This was the second ExperiencePlus! trip my wife, Jackie and I have done. It was equally memorable and will certainly cause us to look for a third trip!
Bo T., St Helena Island, SC
I really liked the small, family-run aspect of the hotels. They were well-located in convenient spots in all the towns/cities, and were very clean and nice without being over-the-top. I especially liked staying on the Arno River in Florence. That was a treat.
Laura E., Tacoma, WA
I love your company and its people.
Marvin D., Denver, CO
My favorite experiences were seeing Italy from a bike, the side tours, meeting new friends, tour leaders and other people on the tour. The meal at the "Farm" (ExperiencePlus! Headquarters) and also the agriturismo farm meal. It was a wonderful experience!!
Mary M., Madison Lake, MN
Thank you for a fantastic trip!
Jeannine M., Rochester, MI
Overall the tour was fabulous and way beyond my high expectations. The accommodations and food were excellent. There were a number of things that were over the top. The lunch at the Malpezzi farm was outstanding and we really appreciated the food, the large amount of work that went into the preparation, and the opportunity to see how pasta is made (and to make some). Much to our surprise we were assigned to the penthouse suite on the beach stay as the honeymoon couple. We were on the sixth floor with a view of the ocean and beach, and there was a huge patio including one off of the bathroom. This is one way to make sure a bike trip has a honeymoon component. The next evening's accommodations were spectacular in another way with tall ceilings, a fresco, lots of marble, and a complimentary bottle of champagne from ExperiencePlus!.
Bob & K-Lynn, Fort Collins, CO
Lunch at the farm (ExperiencePlus's European Headquarters) was great! We surprised ourselves with being able to finish the distances. The rides were beautiful.
Doreen & Michael G., Loveladies, NJ
It was a great trip and good way to see and experience Italy for the first time!
Chris B.
Littleton, CO
Wow! The Venice to Florence was the best trip ever - the routes, the events, the people, the guides! I still am basking in the warm, fuzzy memories - and will for a long time! I've taken 3 bike trips previously and this was by far the best ever! I'll definitely travel with ExperiencePlus again!
Jane R.
High Point, NC
Words can't describe this extraordinary trip. Our leaders became our friends & advisors. We felt as though we were looked after in every way, but at the same time left alone to face our personal challenges. An absolutely perfect balance. At least for us. The marking & sweeping system sets you apart from the rest... Your choice of hotels & hotel locations were right on. Centrally located & spotlessly clean.
Rob and Deirdre L.
Northport, NY
I loved the pre-selected meals, with specialty dishes from each of the regions we visited
Jane R.
High Point, NC
We thought the three leaders were simply brilliant. We liked their upbeat, positive attitudes, their enthusiasm and their approachability. Nothing was too much trouble.
Jane C. and Jeff H.
Lucca, Italy
We had such a wonderful time. In particular, we found everything to be so professional and so well organized, from the chalk marks, to the luggage logistics, to the choice of restaurants and wines. All very, very nice.
Jane C. and Jeff H.
Lucca, Italy
The trip was perfect. What more can we say?? The people we traveled with were all lovely, the food and wines sensational, the accommodation charming and good, and the three guides were just wonderful. They really made the trip so special.
Jane C. and Jeff H.
Lucca, Italy
I LOVED the lunches at the two farms. The first was the farm where they grow everything there -- we had eel, amazing pasta, fresh greens, etc. The second was at the Price family farm. It was fun to meet all of the people that make the company run, taste the great food of the region, see the bike shop, and have the pasta making demo.
Reed C.
Longmont, CO
Our tour guides were one of the top highlights of our trip. We loved traveling with them and will always remember the hard work, laughs, and advice they provided.
Reed C.
Longmont, CO
I loved the Po Delta. I would not have taken much notice of it if I had driven through it. I loved the experience of really being there in it. Although it was exhausting I was thrilled to go over the Apennines and felt exhilarated when we went down the other side. A real sense of accomplishment.
Trish G.
Canberra, AC Australia
We had a very nice time on this tour and particularly enjoyed the tour guides. They were responsive, polite, interesting, and all around very nice folks.
Tom C.
Las Cruces,NM
Tour leaders were fabulous!! I like the fact that you are encouraged to stop and explore things along the route. The fact that you are not required to stay with the group while riding is a BIG plus ... You'll be seeing me again on a tour soon!!
Kathleen S.
Yorba Linda CA
This trip was fantastic. I expected a lot. I got more than I expected. I was asked by someone in our group why someone who rides as far as I do and who rides as fast as I do why I would choose a 101 rated ride. My answer is, "I am on vacation." Before this, I had never been out of the country before. Since I chose to do a tour in Italy, I didn't want to work really hard riding for hours on end. I also didn't want to set any speed records. I wanted a ride that was going to be fun. This tour was that. The mix of people on the tour was great and the tour leaders were fantastic. I stayed behind in Florence for another three days when the rest of the group left for Pisa. Before the guides left, they told me that I had their cell numbers and if I ran into any trouble to just give them a call. I am very impressed with their service and I hope that someday I will get to travel with them again.
Brian B.
Burlington, IA
What I liked most: The entire combination --- biking on scenic routes, nice companionship, excellent food, ability to tour the cities we visited. I found this to be a great new way to travel.
Jill B.
Dearborn, MI
The arrow-approach of marking the road was excellent as it made the ride that much more enjoyable versus trying to have to read a map. Also, I enjoyed the quiet roads and there seemed to be a focus to avoid busy roads as much as possible.
Jill B.
Dearborn, MI
I didn't know what to expect on my tour. I thought I'd see some sights in Italy and meet some new people. What I got was something else. Not only was I blown away by the beauty of Italy, the extraordinary friendliness of it's people, the wonderful hospitality of the guides, and the closeness of the other people on the ride. I kept a journal of my experiences and after the first day I wrote that we all became quick friends, but when it was time to depart, I felt that I was saying goodbye to long lost family members. Thank you to the tour leaders for surpassing everything that I expected.
Brian B.
Burlington, IA
Just came back to Toronto having finished the Venice to Florence bike ride. It was just superb and I wanted to compliment and thank you for a wonderful experience while the euphoria is still fresh. I am already thinking of the next trip. Thanks for everything.
Irwin F.
Toronto, Ontario Canada
The dinners were great experiences, with good food and fabulous discussions about culture, history food, wine and just about everything else under the sun.
John S.
Oak Hill, VA
I chose your company because I wanted a more personal tour experience and the "mom and pop" side of your company seemed to fit the bill. I was very pleased with the experience. It was exactly what you promised and then some. All in all a four star trip.
John S.
Oak Hill, VA
Just a note to laud you for the extraordinary tour I took with ExperiencePlus! through Italy. Our tour leaders went far beyond their duties to make sure we were cared for and had a great time. Again, an amazing experience.
Baron L.
Dallas, TX