Liguria & Toscana: Mountains & Sea. An undiscovered, epic blend of Tuscany and the Ligurian Coast: Riviera to Garfagnana LIGURIA AND TOSCANA 2018

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1 Liguria & Toscana: Mountains & Sea An undiscovered, epic blend of Tuscany and the Ligurian Coast: Riviera to Garfagnana This exclusive Ciclismo adventure traverses the Italian regions of Liguria and Toscana, highlighting the very best of these two distinctly different yet strikingly gorgeous portions of Italy. We experience coastal rides along seaside villas and exclusive marinas like Portofino, and the Bay of Poets. We also delve into the Alpi Apuane Mountains to immerse ourselves in wild Tuscany and experience the Cinque Terre. This trip is a beautiful combination of sea and mountain views, with great cuisine and culture to top it all off! ITINERARY OUTLINE Trip Essence / Page 2 Daily Itinerary / Page 3-6 Arrival & Departure / Page 7 Bike Information / Page 7 Terms & Conditions / Page 8 Reserve Your Space! / Page 8 Ciclismo Classico info@ciclismoclassico.com 1

2 TRIP ESSENCE Cycle a mix of challenging, coastal rides and mountainous bike treks Ride and hike through the famous Cinque Terre villages and mountains Experience two very distinctly different regions that offer diverse food, wine, history, traditions and culture Enjoy visits to fascinating towns like Lucca and Volterra Take in the wild nature in Garfagnana WHAT S INCLUDED Use of a carbon road bike (see page 7 for details) Service of local, professional guides throughout the program Ciclismo jersey All accommodations All breakfasts, 8 dinners and 4 lunches Advanced cycling clinics TRIP DETAILS 2018 Trip Dates Jun Jul 1-11 Sep 2-12 Check website for departure dates Ability Level Advanced Summary of Daily Distances Day 1: 10 miles Day 2: 44/52 miles Day 3: 4 hour hike Day 4: 49 miles Day 5: 59 miles Day 6: 43/71 miles Day 7: 41 miles Day 8: 63 miles Day 9: 43/58 miles Day 10: 49/61 miles Day 11: Arrivederci! Total: 401 miles (without extra loops) Trip Price $6,495 Single Supplement: $1,000 Guided visits of Lucca and Volterra Wine tasting Van support and luggage transfer Shuttle to Grosseto Train Station Ciclismo Classico info@ciclismoclassico.com 2

3 DAY 1 ARRIVAL: RAPALLO Daily Mileage - 10 miles Elevation Gain ft Terrain - Hilly Hotel - Excelsior Palace Hotel Location: Rapallo, GE Meals - L, D DAY 2 LEVANTO Daily Mileage - 44 miles; extra loop: 52 miles Elevation Gain - 2,760 ft; extra loop: 4,360 ft We will meet at 1 PM in Rapallo for lunch before fitting everyone on bikes and taking a warm-up ride to Portofino, which offers expansive views over the promontory to the vast Ligurian Sea. Here we ll be surrounded by splashy pastel-colored houses decorated in trompe l oeil, elegant boutiques, fisheries and yacht-filled marinas. The Excelsior Palace Hotel offers wonderful views of Rapallo Bay and is a short walk from the water. Enjoy elegant rooms, satellite TV, and other amenities. With seaviews abound, we travel south from Rapallo with much of the ride following the beaches of the Ligurian Sea. Eventually we ll arrive to the bustling, lively town of Levanto. After cooling our feet at the small beach in town, we ll settle in for the evening. Park Hotel Argento is a 4-star hotel boasting a beautiful outdoor pool as well as a sauna, turkish bath, and emotionally illuminated shower. The rooms are spacious and comfortable with many enjoyable amenities. Hotel - Park Hotel Argento Location: Levanto Duration: 2 Nights DAY 3 CINQUE TERRE HIKE Daily Mileage - Hike: 4 hours, stone step path along cliffs Elevation Gain ft After breakfast in the morning, we ll start our hike from Levanto so we can hike the grandiose Cinque Terre, or Five Lands. This region offers magnificent, rugged terrain with awe-inspiring views from the dramatic cliffs above the five colorful villages. We ll hike through the Cinque Terre National Park with breathtaking views of the Italian Riviera. We ll have lunch in Monterosso, then we ll take a ferry from there to Riomaggiore and a train back to Levanto in the afternoon. Hotel - See Day 2 Ciclismo Classico info@ciclismoclassico.com 3

4 DAY 4 LEVANTO TO LERICI Daily Mileage - 49 miles Elevation Gain - 4,760 ft Hotel - Europa Grand Hotel Location: Lerici europa/ita Meals - B DAY 5 BARGA Daily Mileage - 59 miles Elevation Gain - 6,730 ft Hotel - Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Location: Barga Duration: 2 Nights com/hotels/travel/lcvbrrenaissance-tuscany-il-cioccoresort-and-spa/ Meals - B, L, D DAY 6 GARFAGNANA LOOP Daily Mileage - 43 miles; extra loop: 71 miles Elevation Gain - 5,700 ft; extra loop: 7,510 ft Hotel - See Day 4 We ll pedal through the Cinque Terre along gorgeous roads lined with aloe plants, macchia and other flora common near the Mediterranean. Our midday highlights the beautiful coastal town of Porto Venere where we ll stop for lunch. Afterwards we pass the busy port of La Spezia into the castle-village of Lerici where we ll spend the night. The ride today consists of a long ascent to start followed by alternating climbs until we arrive in Lerici. The Europa Grand Hotel is situated between the coast and Castello di Lerici, a beautiful 12th-century fort. It is surrounded by olive groves, and has free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs, among other amenities. Today we move inland and into the province of Lucca to our destination village, Barga. We are now riding through the Alpi Apuanes so expect longer, steeper inclines before reaching this fabulous little outpost in the densely wooded, lesser known agricultural area called the Garfagnana. The Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco is nestled into a mountain backdrop with 1500 acres of land surrounding it making it a truly beautiful retreat with stunning views of the Tuscan landscape. It is the perfect place to unwind after a long ride. We will have access to Wi-Fi, top-of-the-line amenities and two outdoor pools. Get ready to ride up one of the most challenging climbs in Italy: San Pellegrino d Alpe. It s a long climb and the last 5 km are steep. The climb ends after the highest village in the Apennines, San Pellegrino in Alpe. The ride starts in Tuscany in the Province of Lucca and takes us to Emilia Romagna in the province of Modena. If you have strong legs the loop will take you up the mountain resort of the Passo dell Abetone. Otherwise there will be the option to shorten the ride and return to the hotel to relax. The rest of the ride beyond Abetone is very nice with a beautiful downhill followed by long, rolling terrain. Ciclismo Classico info@ciclismoclassico.com 4

5 DAY 7 BARGA TO LUCCA Daily Mileage - 41 miles Elevation Gain - 4,600 ft Today we ll travel to the farming mill-towns of the Garfagnana, making our way to the spectacular walled city of Lucca. Be sure to take a ride around those walls! Tonight we ll have an optional visit to Lucca. The 4-star Hotel San Luca Palace is a modern hotel built into a building originally constructed in It offers you a great look at the intriguing cultural allure of Lucca from within its ancient walls. Hotel - Hotel San Luca Palace Location: Lucca Meals - B, L DAY 8 VOLTERRA Daily Mileage - 63 miles Elevation Gain - 4,560 ft Terrain - Rolling hills Hotel - Park Hotel Le Fonti Location: Volterra Meals - B, L, D DAY 9 CASTAGNETO CARDUCCI Daily Mileage - 43 miles; extra loop: 58 miles Elevation Gain - 1,610 ft; extra loop: 2,600 ft We continue riding today with a more than memorable stop in Italy s most gorgeous Etruscan jewel-town: Volterra. We ll roam the alleyways of this incredible town built on volcanic tufo stone, with a first-class celebration evening on rustic Tuscan dishes paired with some unique locally produced wines. We ll also have a guided walking tour of Volterra to learn more of the town s rich history. Park Hotel le Fonti is set on a hillside overlooking Montecatini Val de Cecina, which provides the elegant benefits of a 4-star hotel with access to medieval Tuscan culture. As we leave Volterra, we have a stunning ride in the hills of Tuscany where the superb Tuscan Ornellaia, Sassicaia, and Antinori wines are produced. We ll stop for lunch in the charming little town of Bolgheri, then end the ride at the beautiful hotel facing the Mediterranean in Castagneto Carducci. The Tombolo Talasso Resort is a 5-star hotel has wonderful Etruscan beauty, containing vineyards and olive groves right between where the hills meet the sea. The resort has a magnificent private beach and outdoor pool as well as a high quality spa. This resort has all the modern amenities you would expect. Hotel - Tombolo Talasso Resort Location: Castagneto Carducci Ciclismo Classico info@ciclismoclassico.com 5

6 DAY 10 PUNTA ALA Daily Mileage - 49 miles; extra loop: 61 miles Elevation Gain - 2,330 ft; extra loop: 5,050 ft Terrain - Rolling hills Hotel - Baglioni Hotel Cala del Porto Location: Punta Ala category/punta-ala-it/caladel-porto DAY 11 ARRIVEDERCI! These quiet roads of Tuscany are our guide on our final day of riding! After the first climb, the terrain will become flat and rolling hills until we reach our final destination, the famous and exclusive resort town of Punta Ala right on coast. If you d like to extend your stay here you can enjoy the beach, go sailing, or play golf at one of the best courses in Italy. The 5-star Baglioni Hotel Cala del Porto is situated on the elegant port of Punta Ala, boasting beautiful bay scener and views of Elba Island. On clear days you can see Corsica in the distance. There is also a pool and spa for you to rest and relax for your last night here in Tuscany. After breakfast around 9 am, we offer a group shuttle to Grosseto Train Station (approximately 45 minutes). From there you can take the train to Florence or Rome. Ciclismo Classico info@ciclismoclassico.com 6

7 ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE GETTING TO RAPALLO Fly to Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport (GOA) and then take a taxi or shuttle to the hotel (approximately 35 minutes). Please plan to arrive in Rapallo before 1:00 pm for the start of the trip. DEPARTING FROM PUNTA ALA After breakfast, we offer a group shuttle from Punta Ala to the Grosseto Train Station (approximately 45 minutes). From there you can take trains to either Florence (2 hours 40 minutes) or Rome (2 hours 30 minutes). Both run frequently. BIKE INFORMATION Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Bianchi carbon fork, Shimano 105 triple groupset, an adjustable stem, and a wheel set laced with 32 spokes and 25mm tires. Included on all tours. Aluminum Hybrid More relaxed riding at a look-around-you pace, this is our custom-built, high-performance aluminum hybrid bicycles with straight handlebars. We also have a woman-specific frame. Included on all tours. Bianchi Intenso and Vertigo The carbon frame guarantees maximum performance with minimum stress for the riders, thanks to Bianchi s special C2C (Coast to Coast) frame design/ geometry and different material combination. Carbon bikes are equipped with compact crank and 11/32 cassette. Available for $250. Bianchi Intenso or Vertigo with Shimano included on all intermediate and advanced tours at no extra charge. Tandems Cannondale road or hybrid: racing posture with 700c wheels, or a more straight up position and 26 inch wheels. Available for $400. Co-motion Periscope: accommodates smaller team or even children. Available for $400. Honey tandem: light and responsive and perfect for experienced tandem riders. Available for $400. ebikes Available on all easy and athletic beginner tours, some intermediate and advanced tours. Please contact us for more information. Available for $400. OTHER INFORMATION For Flight Reservations: Valerie Wilson Travel Call: or ciclismoair@vwti.com Travel Insurance: MH Ross Call: Transportation: Rome2rio ON THE BIKE Included Ciclismo Classico water bottle Two water bottle holders Map holder on handlebars and Garmin Edge GPS Handlebar bag Tire pump Combination bike lock Gel-padded saddle Choice of pedals Card with your tour leaders mobile phone numbers Garmin Edge GPS Included on all bikes Pedal Options Flat pedals Half-toe pedals (without straps) Toe cage pedals Things to Bring Helmet Optional: clipless pedals with shoes Optional: your own saddle Bike type outside of Europe may vary, please contact us at for more information. Ciclismo Classico info@ciclismoclassico.com 7

8 INSURANCE, TERMS & CONDITIONS Insurance Ciclismo Classico will not assume responsibility or liability for any loss or damage of personal effects or for any injury or loss during the duration of the tour. Therefore, we highly recommend that you obtain travel insurance. Information on travel insurance will be sent to you via once trip deposit is received. We recommend MH Ross, but travelers may choose the insurance carrier of their choice. Cancellations and Refunds All requests for refunds must be submitted in writing as soon as possible to Ciclismo Classico. Exceptions to their cancellation policy cannot be made for any reason, including weather or personal emergencies. There is no refund for unexpectedly leaving a trip early or arriving late. The purchase of a short-term travel insurance policy is strongly recommended. Cancellation fees are determined as follows: Days before departure Cancellation fee 121+ days - 100% of the deposit days - 30% of the trip price days - 50% of the trip price days - 75% of the trip price 0-30 days - 100% of the trip price Alterations to the tour itinerary Sometimes modifications may be made to the itinerary. We will notify you of any changes that may affect your arrival, departure or lodging. Any changes to the program are made in the best interest and safety of the group. To review our policies, please visit RESERVE YOUR SPACE! To reserve a space, call Lauren at Or, mail your deposit and contact information to: Ciclismo Classico attn: Rosa 30 Marathon St Arlington, MA At the time of registration, a deposit of $600 per person is due, payable by Visa, MasterCard, American Express or check, made payable to Ciclismo Classico, along with your full name, mailing address, phone number(s) and address. We cannot confirm reservations without a deposit. Final payment is due 120 days before departure payable by check, credit card, wire transfer or money order. All travelers must review and sign a terms and conditions statement and a waiver form. Ciclismo Classico info@ciclismoclassico.com 8