The most interesting bike routes to discover Val d’Elsa, starting from its most exclusive destination … Colle Val d’Elsa
Crossed by the Via Francigena, the Valdelsa is a land of millenary passage, where the commercial routes of the merchants intersected with the spiritual ones of pilgrims heading to Rome. The gentle hilly landscape is a perfect oasis for cyclists who can find large expanses of woodland that alternate with areas planted with vineyards and olive groves which, especially in summer, color the area a bright yellow, made even more intense by the huge expanses of sunflowers. To make this strip of Tuscany even more fascinating, the dense network of historical and archaeological testimonies scattered throughout the Valdelsa that frame the most famous medieval destinations in the region, such as San Gimignano and Monteriggioni. Along this fascinating territory, among churches, parish churches, medieval villages and breathtaking landscapes, there are tables with picnic areas and stations (including free recharging for e-bikes) where you can stop, leave your bike and breathe deeply, to find a healthy contact with nature, with the environment and with oneself.
Verso Monteriggioni
Starting from Colle Val d’Elsa you can reach the charming village of Monteriggioni, without great effort along the main road which is just 10 km away, but for the more adventurous and lovers of white roads you can take an alternative route considered of medium difficulty. . This second route is slightly longer and of higher difficulty especially for those who use muscular bicycles and which from Colle di Val d’Elsa crosses the town of Gracciano before coming across the Via Francigena that leads up to Scarna. Here the dirt road ends and you continue on the asphalt up to Abbadia a Isola and then arrive under the crown of the walls of the village of Monteriggioni.
Departure and arrival: Colle Val d’Elsa – Monteriggioni
Length: 12 Km
Difference in altitude: 170 mt
Road: dirt and asphalt
Bicycle: MTB, e-bike
Difficulty: low
Verso Casole d’Elsa
Un altro interessante percorso, di bassa difficoltà è quello che da Colle di Val d’Elsa porta fino al piccolo borgo di Casole d’Elsa. An interesting track full of curious detours between Pievi and Badie to be reached along dirt roads and uncontaminated woods. From Colle the easiest route is about 15 km to reach Casole, starting from Gracciano, crossing Le Vene along the Via Francigena before arriving in Quartaia. From here you go down for another 4 km or so before you see the fascinating and artistic village of Casole d’Elsa on a hill. In the village, for lovers of assisted pedaling, there are interesting benches with free charging stations for their e-bikes.
Departure and arrival: Colle Val d’Elsa – Casole d’Elsa
Length:15 Km
Difference in altitude: 320 mt
Road: dirt road (optional) and asphalt
Bicycle: MTB, e-bike racing
Difficulty: low
Verso San Gimignano
A particularly interesting itinerary not only from a landscape point of view, for the panoramic suggestions it offers, but also historical, cultural and sporting given the medium difficulty but particularly long route. It starts from Colle Val d’Elsa along the 6 km cycle path that connects with Poggibonsi, the small “metropolis” of Val d’Elsa. Leaving Poggibonsi behind you go to perhaps the most famous Tuscan village for tourism and become an icon of the Italic Middle Ages over the years, San Gimignano. To reach it, we recommend taking the road that leads from Poggibonsi to the hamlet of Ulignano (Municipality of San Gimignano) where, along the side of the road, the eye can be lost in the vineyards of Vernaccia, the first DOP in Italy. Here is also the most demanding stretch of road of the entire itinerary, where the slope reaches peaks of 12%, but the asphalted road allows it to be tackled calmly and without too much difficulty. Once we have left the city of San Gimignano behind us, the route continues back to Colle Val d’Elsa passing through Pietrafitta and going up to the Grazie, the entrance district before Colle Alta.
Departure and arrival: Colle Val d’Elsa – Poggibonsi – San Gimignano
Length:54 Km
Difference in altitude: 380 mt
Road: asphalt with the possibility of choosing dirt
Bicycle: road, e-bike
Difficulty: medium
Advice box
This week for our advice column we talk about the Hotel Palazzo Renieri which reserves surprises for all lovers of two-wheeled tourism. Located in a historic building born at the dawn of the 16th century, at the behest of the influential Renieri family, the Hotel is located in the heart of Colle Alta, easily reachable both by car, for the agile and ample parking below and by bike, thanks to an entrance dedicated specifically to cyclists. Here lovers of two wheels will find every service at their disposal, facilitated access and exit, guarded parking with charging stations for all e-bikes, maps of the territory and illustrated itineraries with a rich overview of the opportunities that the territory of the Val d ‘ Elsa offers. In addition, for those who are in the area without their own bike, thanks to a close collaboration with small local companies, there is the possibility to rent any type of bike at a discounted price, resulting from a close agreement with the Hotel Palazzo Renieri.
