Start and end in two of Italy’s most famous cities on this self-guided holiday from Florence to Rome. Cycling is one of the best ways to explore this region, and enables you to experience the solitude of the Umbrian countryside and its pretty, unspoilt villages.
You will make your way from Tuscany to the capital via the cities of Assisi and Perugia and enjoy fine food and wine along the way before ending your tour in the enchanting city of Rome with its many attractions.
Day 1: Arrival in Florence
Tour briefing and distribution of the rental bikes. We recommend that you visit Florence’s beautiful centre.
Day 2: Florence – Passignano sul Trasimeno approx. 60 km by bike + train journey
In the morning, you will take the train to Arezzo. There, you can visit the beautiful churches and palaces of the city of antiquities and gold. With your bike you will cycle on beautiful trails through the vast plains of the Val di Chiana, constantly accompanied by hill and mountain silhouettes of the southern Tuscany. You will pass Cortona and you will finally get to Lake Trasimeno, the battlefield of Hannibal against the Romans. Moreover, you will have a gorgeous view of Lake Trasimeno. Tonight, you will spend the night in Passignano.
Day 3: Passignano sul Trasimeno – Perugia approx. 35 km
You will cycle along the lake to Torricella. From there you will continue through open fields, rolling hills and idyllic places to Perugia. Stroll through one of the nicest shopping streets of Italy to the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, the Palazzo dei Priori, or the Arco Etrusco... the Umbrian capital will fascinate you!
Day 4: Perugia – Assisi approx. 30 km
After having crossed the river Tiber, it is only a few kilometres by bike to the birthplace of St. Francis of Assisi. However, before you cycle up to the mystical city, you will take a trip to one of the most beautiful sanctuaries of Umbria: S. M. degli Angeli! In Assisi, you can immerse yourself in the colourful world of medieval frescoes by Giotto.
Day 5: Assisi – Spoleto approx. 55 km
Your way leads you along the foot of the mighty Mount Subasio to the still entirely preserved medieval town Spello. Afterwards, you will continue through the Valle Umbra to Spoleto. Cities, such as Montefalco, Trevi, and Campello can be seen on the surrounding hills. From the more than 80 m high aqueduct you can enjoy a vertiginous view of the Tessino Canyon, Mount Luco, and the Rocca Albornoz (papal fortress).
Day 6: Spoleto –Narni approx. 45 km
Between mountains, accompanied by the beautiful countryside, you will cycle to Terni and further to Narni. Do you want to treat yourself? Terni is known for its excellent pastries and for having the most creative cuisine of the region! Narni and its medieval streets will take you back to ancient times.
Day 7: Narni – Rome approx. 60 km + train journey
In the middle of the green heart of Umbria, you will pass huge mountains until you reach Calvi, the last major town in this region. You can still enjoy the quiet and solitude of the Sabine mountains before you take the train to immerse yourself in the vibrant city of Rome.
Day 8: Departure or extension
Difficulty: Challenging
At least one cycling holiday a year is pretty much compulsory for you! You are a perfect example of one of our typical guests, who regularly goes out for bike rides at the weekends. Now and again, you like to battle with a long, steep hill or a days cycle ride with an undulating profile. But, in order to have time to enjoy the rest of the ride, the route should then become flatter and more leisurely again afterwards.
Florence to Rome from Freewheel Holidays on Vimeo.
You will cycle on a slightly hilly route during the whole tour; in between there are longer flat sections. You will find yourself almost exclusively on field and farm tracks and quiet side streets. Only very short sections are on more trafficked roads, especially when entering or leaving cities.
Total distance cycled: 285 km
Route Map (For guidance only):
Routes maybe subject to change or alteration. All route notes, maps and day-by-day information will be given to you upon arrival at the first hotel or at the welcome meeting. GPS/GPX Files are available for most our the cycling holidays we offer. Please ask us for details.
Starting point of the holiday: Florence
Route Overview (For guidance only):
Stage | Kilometres | Special notes regarding the route |
Florence-Passigano | approx. 60 km + train | Mostly flat cycling, only gentle climbs.Organisation:This stage starts with a train journey from Florence to Arezzo: The journey takes about 60 minutes. You will receive the train tickets at the welcome briefing and if you are using your own bike you will also be given a ticket for your own bike. Please validate your tickets at the station with the yellow ticket boxes. On this stage there are not many places to stop for food apart from in Cortona. We recommend that you buy provisions the day before or in Arezzo Proviant. |
Passignano-Perugia | approx. 35 km | Mostly flat in the beginning, then slightly hilly with a longer climb to Maggione and Perugia in the end. |
Perugia-Assisi | approx. 30 km | Very short stage, mainly flat only a few short climbs beforeS. Egidio and Assisi. We can recommend the visit to the pilgrim’s church Santa Maria degli Angeli.Organisation:The hotel San Francesco and Il Palazzo are situated directly in Assisi nearby the church of San Francesco. Please ask at the reception desk where to leave your bikes. Please note that whilst visiting churches in Assisi you must wear long trousers. |
Assisi-Spoleto | approx. 60 km | The route to Spoleto is undulating, afterwards is generally flat except for two minor climbs. |
Spoleto-Narni | approx. 45km | In the beginning undulating route. Steep 2km long climb (at 10.0km point of the route description) followed by (take care) a steep downhill section on gravel road. To avoid cycling in the heavy traffic of Terni we chose a route around the city, there is still traffic but it’s the best way to get through. |
Narni-Rome | approx. 60 km | Very beautiful trip through the umbrian countryside, most hilly throughout with one longer climb of about 2km at the 30.0km point in the route description.Organisation:Train journey from Poggio Mirteto to Rome Tiburtina: duration approx. 50 min. Tickets are handed out at the welcome briefing - if you are using your own bike you will also be given a ticket for your own bike. Please validate your tickets at the station with the yellow ticket boxes. From Rome Tiburtina hotel, it is about 15 minutes walk to the BluHotel Roma. Alternatively, take bus number 409 „Arco diTravertino“ for 4 stops until you are at the hotel. It costs €1.50. At the train station Roma Tiburtina you’ll also find the station for the metro, taking you into the centre of Rome in a few minutes. Tickets and information at the reception desk in your hotel. |
We recommend flying to Florence airport to reach the starting point of this cycling holiday.
Flights are available with a number of airlines to your required airport or you can travel to the start using alternative methods such as rail or road.
We recommend using Skyscanner to find the best flight prices by date or for European rail travel. There is customer car parking available at most hotels for a supplement. Please contact us for more details.
Please use local transport to arrive at the starting point or call us on 0800 755 5385 for more specific travel advice.
You do not need to go back to the starting point of the cycling holiday as all hire bikes are left at the final hotel.
Important: Please book your flights only after the cycling holiday has been confirmed by invoice or email. Flights and transfers are not included in the advertised holiday price.
The Florence to Rome cycling holiday includes the daily transfer of luggage to the next hotel and local support if required.
Included Services (Subject to confirmation)
About the Rental Bikes
This cycling holiday uses quality crossbar and unisex hybrid bikes based on KTM frame technology, Selle Royal saddles, Shimano components and puncture-proof tyres to ensure that you have an enjoyable cycle tour. The bikes feature modern V-brakes, aluminium frames with mudguards, comfortable saddles and a rack for a supplied waterproof pannier.
You will also receive a handlebar bag and map holder for easy navigation when riding your daily itinerary. Prices advertised on the website include standard bike hire (unless stated). Colour and specification may vary from the image shown.
Unisex Bike (Colour may vary)
Men's Bike (Colour may vary)
Electric Bike (Colour may vary)
Renatal Bike PLUS
For 2020, there is an additional bike rental option available for a supplement. The PLUS hybrid bike now available on most cycling holidays is sportier with higher quality brakes (Magura HS 11) and better specification gears (Shimano Deore XT). The riding position is designed to have a slightly sportier sitting posture and a high quality Suntour suspension fork gives smooth riding on most surfaces. All accessories are compatible with the new PLUS bike rental option.
Accessories
If you would like GPX files for a suitable device, please request them at the time of booking. Devices are not provided and please make sure that you bring along with you any fittings required to attach the Garmin (or similar) to the handlebars. You might want to download maps onto your phone to avoid data charges when roaming.
All bikes are provided with standard flat pedals. You can bring your own cycling pedals, but ensure that you have the correct tools to remove the pedals if the tour does not have a welcome meeting. You may also not be able to travel through airports with the tools if you are carrying hand luggage only.
You can rent a men's bike with a crossbar, unisex/female bike with a sloping tube or an electric bike for a supplement.
Gears
7 speed bikes are equipped with a Shimano Nexus gear hub and 21 speed bikes have a Shimano Alivio derailleur. We request 21 speed bikes for all cycling holidays (when available).
Frame Sizing
When you make a booking with us, we take your height(s) and the appropriate bike size is matched up accordingly. Unisex frame 21-gears with freewheel. Sizes: 56 / 51 / 46 / 43 cm. Unisex 7-gears-bikes with back pedalling brake. Sizes: 56 / 51 / 46 cm. Men’s speed bikes 21-gears with free wheel and crossbar. Sizes: 64 / 60 / 56 "sloping" cm. Helmets are not provided and you will need to bring your own to use.
We always recommend wearing a helmet when on your cycling holiday!
Bike Hire Insurance
This cycle tour benefits from bike insurance against rental bike theft and damage in the holiday price. Please make sure you lock up the bike, leave it where told by the hotel and treat your hire bicycle as if the bike was your own. Any negligent treatment of the bike will exempt you from cover. We advise you to ensure that you have adequate travel insurance for your cycling holiday prior to arrival.
Electric Bike Hire
Why not upgrade your cycling experience to an E-Bike (Electric Bike)? Using a power assisted bike is a great way to go on a cycling holiday and will help you smooth out inclines or longer days in the saddle. Each E-Bike features an LCD display, removable batteries for easy charging and assistance up to 25 km/h with a range of around 120 km for each full charge depending on usage.
E-Bike upgrade prices vary per tour, but if you require any more information about bike hire and electric bikes, please get in-touch with us on +44 (0) 800 7555385.
This cycling holiday stays in good quality hotels with private facilities carefully selected for their proximity to your cycle route and comfort. If you wish to know specific information about the hotel facilities, Wi-Fi and upgrades used on the holidays, please contact us on +44 (0) 800 7555385 for more information.
Please note that the hotel list is subject to change and should be used as a guide only.
We will confirm the exact hotels prior to arrival.
Florence to Rome | sample hotel LIST |
FlorenCE | C-Hotels Florenz 4**** |
www.c-hotels.it | |
Passignano | Hotel La Vela 3*** |
www.hotellavela.it | |
Perugia | Sangallo Palace 4**** |
www.sangallo.it | |
Assisi | Hotel Dei Priori Assisi 3*** |
www.hoteldeipriori.it | |
Spoleto | Hotel Charleston 3*** |
www.hotelcharleston.it | |
Narni | Hotel Dei Priori 3*** |
www.loggiadeipriori.it | |
RomE | Hotel Villafranca 4**** |
www.villafrancaroma.it |
You will receive your final hotel list approximately 4 weeks prior to your arrival date detailing the hotels used on your cycling holiday. If you wish to know more about the hotels prior to completing a booking form, please contact our Customer Services team via email or by phone.
You can find out more about this cycling holiday by completing a Contact Form or call 0800 755 5385 to speak to one of the team.
Season | Date Band | Arrival Day |
Season 1: | 04.04.-08.05.2020 | 26.09.-10.10.2020 | Saturdays |
Season 2: | 09.05.-04.07.2020 | 29.08.-25.09.2019 | Saturdays |
Season | Prices per person including bike hire |
Season 1: | £989 |
Season 2: | £1019 |
Single Room Supplement: | £289 |
Electric Bike Upgrade: | £99 |
Rental Bike PLUS: | £49 |
Category Type | Accommodation Overview |
Category A: | 3* / 4* hotels. |
Location | Price DBL/BB | Single Supplement Price SGL/BB |
Florence: | £109 | £80 |
Rome: | £79 | £50 |
Date From | Date To |
---|---|
04 April 2020 | 10 October 2020 |