Published on: 2 February 2014 | Last updated: 25 December 2019
Toscana - Cycleway near Follonica
Overview
A relaxed 317-kilometre tour along the coast of Toscana using a combination of quiet roads and cycleways. Very little climbing. A good way to start if you need a bit of a warm-up before tackling the more hillier terrain of inland Toscana and Lazio. Or you might use it as a chance to get some time at the beach - possibly on the island of Elba - before returning home. There’s also a more challenging option taking in the hilltop towns a little way inland.
This is an enjoyable and varied route. There are some pretty decent stretches of traffic-free cycleway along the way - holiday like to ride their bike to the beach so local authorities have been more willing to invest in cycleways. However, there are a couple of shortish stretches where, while the road isn’t very busy, the traffic is pretty fast-moving, but in both cases, the scenery makes up for the cars speeding by. The first part of the main route is mainly flat, but later on it gets a more hilly, although there are no big climbs.
Although this route hugs the coast, you won’t actually see much of the sea (unless you specifically detour to the beach). The reasons for this are mainly positive as long stretches of the coast, are now nature reserves with the coastal pine woodland (pinetas) protecting the sand dunes from erosion. The pinetas themselves with their magnificent pini marittime are glorious.
What to see
- the stylish resort of Viareggio with its Liberty (Art Nouveau) architecture.
- Pisa - Campo dei Miracoli (field of miracles) World Heritage site.
- Populonia - another evocative Etruscan necropolis
- Elba
- Monte Argentario
- Bolgheri - a 5-kilometre road lined with cypress trees leading to the Bolgheri where they produce some very good wine - there’s more to Tuscan wines than Chianti
- Capalbio
Cycleway near San Vicenzo (Toscana)
As well as the coast, with its cliffs and beaches and mountainous headlands, the tour also takes you to Populonia, and one of the most evocative Etruscan sites in all of Italy. If you take to the hills for at least part of the way you will be rewarded with hilltop towns that are every bit as attractive and interesting as anything you’ll find in inland Toscana.
Note that this area is a major tourist destination both for Italians and tourists from northern Europe drawn by the combination of Tuscany and the sea. Personally, I would avoid it in August.
A note on the Via Aurelia (SS1)
The Via Aurelia is one of the ancient vie consulare along which Rome established its domination over the Italian peninsula. These roads still form a key part of the Italian road system. Long stretches of the SS1 have been upgraded to motorway status - the only difference between this and the autostrade is that motorists don’t have to pay tolls to use it. These stretches are of course off-limits to bikes. There are some stretches where you can use the strada statale but the route avoids it unless the alternative would be a long detour.
The positive aspect of the upgrading of the SS1 is that long sections of the old road have been left in place. As most traffic now opts for the faster road this means that the old road is a generally a quiet alternative.
Map showing main tour and suggested options
Map: FT-maps-tuscan-coast-show map in overlay | FT-maps-tuscan-coast-show map in new window
Distances
| Start- to Viareggio | 30 kms |
| Start to Pisa | 56 kms |
| Pisa to Livorno | 30 kms |
| Livorno to Vada | 28 kms |
| Vada to Bolgheri | 25 kms |
| Bolgheri to San Vicenzo | 30 kms |
| San Vicenzo to Follonica | 35 kms |
| Follonica to Marina di Grosseto | 32 kms |
| Follonica to Grosseto | 46 kms |
| Grosseto to Magliano in Toscana | 26 km |
| Magliano in Toscana to Capalbio | 24 kms |
| Capalbio to Chiarone Scalo (end) | 13 kms |
Options
The route here follows stretches of the Ciclovia Tirrenica (Bicitalia 16) cycle route. This route continues north-east to Parma and then to Verona (from where you can connect with the ciclopista del Sole (eurovelo 7) as it heads along the Adige river towards the border with Austria. Heading south the intention is that the route will continue on to Rome, but this section has still to be mapped.
I would highly recommend a side-trip to the island of Elba. I missed out the Monte Argentario, but if you have time this would also a be a very scenic detour.
You could head southwards towards the Lago di Bolsena and the Lago di Bracciano and from there to Rome. Or you could explore southern Toscana, the Val d’Orcia and on towards Siena and Firenze.
Heading north you can continue on along the coast following the Greenway del Arco Ligure towards the Cinque Terre, Genova and the border with France or the Moncenisio variant of the Ciclovia Francigena (until recently called the Ciclovia dei Pellegrini) as it heads northwest into Piemonte.
Toscana coast - windmill on the Laguna di Orbetello
Downloads
Maps to print out or view offline
GPS files
Bike on the beach near Follonica - Toscana
More information
Places to stay
Transport and services
Resources
Toscana coastline near Follonica
Articles in this series
- The Tuscan coast: overview
- The Tuscan coast – Part 1: from the border with Liguria to Viareggio and Pisa
- The Tuscan coast – option: taking the high road
- The Tuscan coast Part 2: Pisa to Livorno and Populonia
- The Tuscan coast – Part 3: from Populonia to Marina di Grosseto
- The Tuscan coast – Part 4: through the Maremma to Capalbio
- The Tuscan coast – option: a tour of Elba
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Please get in touch if you find any errors in the information, or if there’s anything, good or bad, that you’d want other cyclists to know.
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