Start and end in two of Italy’s most famous cities on this self-guided holiday from Venice to Florence. Cycle through attractive natural landscapes as follow the Rivers Adige and Po along the route. Explore the port city of Ravenna, the natural park of Delta del Po and the many ancient buildings of this region.
This enchanting tour combines the bustle of Venice and Florence with the relaxed pace of smaller rural towns and villages, mountain tracks and lush farmlands.
Day 1: Arrival in Venice / Mestre / Marghera
The hotel is on the mainland before Venice and has excellent bus links to the iconic lagoon city. Not far from Marcus square, at the beginning of your tour, you can enjoy a little Grappa tasting session.
Day 2: Marghera / Mestre / Venice – Chioggia/Sottomarina approx. 35 km
In the morning, there will be a tour briefing. You will then begin your riding with a cycle on the bike path over the Liberty Bridge to Venice. Afterwards, you will take the ferry to Lido, before riding, via Pellestrina, to Chioggia, on a ride where you can enjoy stunning views of the sea. Chioggia is a quiet, traditional town, reminiscent of the Venetian naval supremacy. Here you can rest in one of the typical fish restaurants. Tonight, you will stay in Chioggia/Sottomarina, where you will find a wide sandy beach.
Day 3: Chioggia/Sottomarina – Adria approx. 50 km
Today, you will cycle back to the river Adige, on quiet roads, which will lead you through fertile fields, melon plantations, and tranquil villages to Adria. This small, friendly city is packed with charm.Because of its proximity to the rivers Adige and Po, and the quiet, narrow streets, with cosy cafes, and friendly people, this city, founded by the Etruscans attracts many visitors.
Day 4: Adria – Comacchio approx. 65 km
You will cycle a short part of today’s route along the longest river in Italy, the river Po. Then, one of its branches, called Po di Goro, will lead you right through its delta towards the sea. Perhaps you want to cool off in the Adriatic Sea before you get to the charming town of Comacchio? Magnificent palazzi, ornate churches, and numerous bridges still bear witness of the prosperity once gained by salt production.
Day 5: Comacchio – Ravenna approx. 65 km
The first half of today is dedicated to discovering the “Delta del Po” natural park, with its unique flora and fauna. As you ride along a dam, you will feel as if you are cycling straight through the water, while you see flamingos nesting only a few metres away. A short ferry ride (tickets not included in the tour price, about € 2)will bring you to the Adriatic Sea. You will see bright, wide beaches on the way to Ravenna, where you will be enchanted by the art and culture of the port city.
Day 6: Ravenna – Brisighella approx. 55 km
Soon, the landscape changes, as the foothills of the Apennines form gently rolling hills. Earlier, on the edge of the vast plains, you will reach Faenza; an enchanting little city where famous for its production of ceramics. The artists will be happy to let you watch while they are painting the artefacts. From here, it is not far to Brisighella, an idyllic, medieval village, overlooked by the Rocca Veneziana and the Torre Orologgio. Tranquillity and pure relaxation await.
Day 7: Brisighella – Florence approx. 35 km + Train Journey
A wonderful train journey, through the wild mountain world of the Apennines, begins the day, and will take you to Borgo San Lorenzo. Today, you will cycle up two short climbs. Your reward will be a fantastic descent via Fiesole to Florence, the history-charged and absolutely iconic capital of Tuscany.
Day 8: Departure or extension
This tour can be combined with the tours: Bolzano – Venice, Florence – Rome, or Tuscany.
Difficulty: Medium
You cycle to and from the bakery, but only when the sun is shining. Cycling has to be fun and is not a method of fitness in your eyes. Nevertheless, gentle hills or longer sections on gravel tracks don’t pose any problems for you. You pedal along enjoying the lovely views in the countryside as you go.
Venice to Florence from Freewheel Holidays on Vimeo.
Until the fifth day, you will cycle on flat terrain. On the sixth day, the route will lead over three to four small hills. On the seventh day, there will be two short climbs and a long descent. You will cycle on dams, farm tracks, and side roads with little traffic. Only very short sections have to be cycled on roads with more traffic. Nearly all of the roads are asphalted. A bike tour for everyone!
Total distance cycled: 305 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 tour: Mestre
Route Overview (For guidance only):
Stage | Kilometres | Special notes regarding the route |
Venice/Mestre – Chioggia/Sottomarina | 35 km | Completely flat route. Three ferry crossings. Take care at Ponte della Libertà (Freedom Bridge), there is often heavy traffic for 800m. If you wish to explore Venice today, we recommend leaving the bikes carefully locked up at Piazzale Roma. Ferry from Venice to Lido: duration approx. 35 minutesFerry from Lido to Palestrina: Departures approx. every 30 minutes (takes approx. 10 minutes) Ferry (vaporetto) from Palestrina to Chioggia: Departs approx. every 30 minutes (duration approx. 15 minutes)Ticket: handed out during the welcome briefing, valid for all ferries. Note that the ticket has to be validated for the first boat. Please buy a ticket for your bike directly on the ferry (costs approx. €1 per bike). |
Chioggia/Sottomarina – Adria | 50 km | Flat route along the Adige River and quiet little canals |
Adria – Comacchio | 65 km | Completely flat route. Please pay attention if you cross the Po River bridge, as there is heavy traffic for approx. 4km. Unfortunately, there is no alternative route available. |
Comacchio – Ravenna | 65 km | Completely flat route. From the 4.5km point you will follow a gravel road for approx. 6km, often the surface is very poor. Another gravel road for approx. 10km goes through the nature reserve Podelta from the 28.2km point. Ferry crossings: from Adria to Marina Ravenna. The ferry runs continuously across the short distance so no real waiting times need to be expected. It costs approx. €2 including bikes (not included in the tour price). |
Ravenna – Brisighella | 55 km | Mainly flat route until Faenza, afterwards a few gentle climbs. At the exit of Ravenna, expect heavy traffic for a short period. |
Brisighella - Florence | 35 km + train | A steep climb of approx. 1.5km and a longer climb of approx. 3km are to be managed today, however the majority of the day is downhill. To Borgo San Lorenzo and also when arriving in Florence, expect some heavy traffic. The day starts with a train transfer to Borgo San Lorenzo. |
We recommend flying to Venice region airports to reach the starting point of this cycling holiday.
By Train: Venice-Mestre station Both the Hotel Elite and Hotel President are about 1.5 km from the station. Take ACTV bus no. 9 towards Campalto and disembark at bus stop Via Forte Marghera (cost approx. 2 Euro). Hotel President is only 50m from the train station, Hotel Elite is about 200m from the train station. Alternatively, a taxi should cost approx. €7. By Plane Venice Marco Polo Airport: You may catch the shuttle bus ATVO from the airport to Mestre train station (costs approx. €8 per person, duration approx. 30 minutes) Treviso Canova Airport: By ATVO shuttle bus to Mestre train station (cost approx. €12 per person, duration approx. 1 hour) Verona Catullo Airport: By ATV shuttle bus to Verona Porta Nuova train station (costs approx. €6 per person, duration approx. 15 minutes), then continue by train to Venice/Mestre (cost approx. €9 to €26 per person, duration approx. 1 hour) 4
By Car: Further information on request! Please keep in mind that toll stickers are compulsory on Austrian motorways! The price for a 10-day toll sticker is €9, a 2-month sticker costs €26,20. An extra toll is levied for cars on the Austrian Brenner motorway, costing €9. A further toll on the Italian motorway from Brennero to Venice costs approx. €29.20
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 Rail Europe 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 0161 703 8161 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 Venice to Florence 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)
Rental 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 0161 703 8161.
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 0161 703 8161 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.
Venice to Florence | SAMPLE HOTEL LiST |
Venice/Mestre | Hotel Mercure 4**** www.mercure.com |
Chioggia/Sottomarina |
Hotel Grande Italia 4**** |
Adria |
Hotel Stella d’ Italia 4**** |
Comacchio | Locanda La Comacina 3*** www.lacomacina.it |
Ravenna | Hotel Centrale Byron 3*** www.hotelbyron.com |
Brisighella | La Meridiana 3*** www.lameridianahotel.it |
Firenze | Hotel Una Vittoria 4*** www.unahotels.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 0161 703 8161 to speak to one of the team.
Season | Date Band | Arrival Day |
Season 1: | 27.03. - 16.04.2021 | 25.09. - 09.10.2021 | Saturdays |
Season 2: | 17.04. - 21.05.2021 | 04.09. - 24.09.2021 | Saturdays |
Season 3: | 22.05. - 03.09.2021 | Saturdays |
Category Type | Accommodation Overview |
Category A: | 3* / 4* hotels |
Season | Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 |
Double | £880.00 | £925.00 | £975.00 |
Single Supplement | £265.00 | £265.00 | £265.00 |
Bike Type | |
21-gear incl. rental bike insurance | £80.00 |
7-gear incl. rental bike insurance | £80.00 |
rental bike PLUS incl. rental bike insurance | £125.00 |
Electric bike incl. rental bike insurance | £180.00 |
Location | Price DBL/BB | Single Room Supplement SGL/BB |
Venice/Mestre | £65.00 | £110.00 |
Florence | £110.00 | £195.00 |
Date From | Date To |
---|---|
27 March 2021 | 09 October 2021 |