270 miles
Rides range from 30–70 miles with rolling hills of three miles average. Our days on hilly Elba will be concentrated on the more scenic and less busy western side. There are some very challenging climbs traversing the island for riders who seek a bit of extra climbing.

Terrain

Tuscany and Elba are both very hilly with plenty of challenges for those who want them; however, we plan an accessible riding itinerary with a lot of options to extend our routes on many days, on both the mainland and the island. You can do as much or as little riding as you desire.

Who is this trip best suited to?

This trip is ideal for a range of cycling abilities as well as for non-cyclists, and a splendid introduction to Tuscany and its maritime pleasures. There is plenty of hard riding for those who want it, medium miles for those who desire less of a workout, and world-class lounging along the beautiful Mediterranean for all.

Elba is best known for its beaches and sea culture, but its varied inland terrain lends itself to microclimates and amazing rock formations that make for fascinating hikes.

Further possibilities including sailing, windsurfing, snorkeling, swimming, and exploring towns on historic Elba. The seafood pastas will be a perfect reward to our full days on the island.

Mileage

400-km/244 miles
Rides range from 30 – 60 miles with rolling hills of 3 miles average, some are steep.

Where do we go?

This trip will start with a morning drive to Castagento Carducci from Pisa.

After lunch and an introduction talk we will ride for 80 minutes to the ferry to Elba, then another 90 minutes ride to our hotel. We will enjoy four days on Elba, then a nice ride back to our wonderful mainland hotel, Zi’ Martino, in Castagneto Carducci.

During our next four days in Castagneto we will be guests at Chicca Maoine’s famous kitchen for her delightful cooking lessons.

This trip is a perfect introduction to the culture of Tuscany’s mainland and the delights of one of the Mediterranean’s most scenic islands. Elba has a history of trade going back to ancient times and now is a popular vacation destination. We will avoid the bulk of the tourists who flock to this gem by staying on the more scenic and quieter western side of the island. Our time in Tuscany will take us on world-class loop rides encompassing our favorite, less visited villages.

Cultural Highlights

Our rides on Elba will focus on the spectacular road circumnavigating the western side. Napoleon engineered this road during his short but productive stay as Elba’s governor and had a favorite spot overlooking Corsica where he would do much of his sulking ("Napoleon’s armchair").

For stronger riders craving extra miles, there is the option of climbing up Monte Pomone. Fausto Coppi did it often – we can fill our water bottles at the same spring he used.

Most of what we see on Elba is based on the demand for its beautiful beaches. Inland, however, there are still many remains of the older civilizations, including roman granite quarries where we can view massive columns carved out of outcroppings, still waiting for the final touches before being shipped off to Rome.

We will visit small towns that have pleasant shopping, bars and restaurants, with lovely harbors and spectacular views at every turn.

Introduction to Elba
History of Elba

Travel Details

The Elba & Tuscany trip starts Thursday, September 25 at 9:00am at the Pisa airport. We will drive one hour to Castagneto Carducci, assemble our bikes or pick up rental bikes, and have lunch. That afternoon we will ride to the ferry, and continue riding to our hotel on Elba. Trip ends on Friday, October 3 in Castagneto Carducci with morning transportation to Pisa or a local train station. We recommend flying into Pisa if possible – please see our Travel Help page for details.

Cinghiale Shuttle Schedule

Pick up (Pisa-Castagneto)

Thursday, September 25 9:00am Pisa airport arrival door

Drop off (Castagneto-Pisa)

Friday, October 3 6:30am Pisa airport
Friday, October 3 9:00am Pisa airport

Or transportation to a local train station.

Drive time between Pisa and Castagneto Carducci is approximately one hour.

Please do not book flights until we respond to your booking form.

Details

Included in price:

Eight nights and eight days fully guided and supported riding (the ninth day of our tours is a travel day)
Hotel rooms for eight nights with eight breakfasts, seven lunches, and seven dinners with wine and riding food provided
Transportation and admission to scheduled sightseeing events and special events
Pick-up and drop-off at Pisa airport as per our shuttle schedule or a regional train station for those already in Italy

Not included in price: Airfare

Single rooms: $500 extra

Please request a single room on your booking form.

Deposit: $1,000 per person

Please wait for us to respond to your booking form before sending in your deposit.

Final Payment: $3,000 due by June 25, 2008 (If you are joining us after this date please contact our office and we will work out a payment schedule).

Confirmation and Communication: Once you have booked, you can expect the following communications and requests from us*

Reservation email - Andy and/or Julia acknowledge receipt of your booking form, let you know about availability, and request a deposit of $1,000 per person to confirm your space.
Deposit email - We acknowledge receipt of your deposit, confirm your space on the trip and provide a balance and due date reminder.
Travel plans - At this point you can begin making your travel arrangements. We refer you to the Travel Help page of the website to help you plan your trip. Please contact the Cinghiale office with tour-related travel questions, or Heather Ross, our friendly travel agent, for help booking flights.
Bike rentals - Ciclosport bike shop in Castagneto will have rentals for as many people as needed.

€220 in cash for the week is their base rate. Some of the shop’s older bikes are €180.

To reserve a bike just send Elaine your seat height measured from the center of the bottom bracket to the top of the seat.
Balance email - We acknowledge receipt of your balance payment and remind you to send us your itinerary so we can arrange transportation with you in Tuscany.
Travel confirmation - Send your travel plans to our travel coordinator one month before the trip. Elaine Lauterbach, will confirm your travel plans via email. Note to type A’s and procrastinators: Send us your info in plenty of time, and relax while waiting for a response. See the transportation schedule from Florence airport.
Trip Files - A month before your trip, we send a final official email with several files of information attached, including an agreement to sign, contact info for each day of your trip, and a short list of what you'll want to bring and other important instructions.

We are available for other questions about the trips. One of us will return your email within a few days of receipt, or please call us:

Contact Us

We are available for other questions about the trips. One of us will return your email within a few days of receipt, or please call us:

Julia in Seattle          206-931-7407 (cell)
Andy in Colorado       720-565-0346 (home)
                                   303-506-1788 ( cell)

Booking Air Travel

Specific information for your tour is contained in the Travel Details above, so please read that section carefully. You can also visit our Travel Help and FAQ's page for answers to common questions about booking travel for our tours.

NOTE: Please check our shuttle schedule for Milan (see Travel Details, above) before booking your flights.

Elaine Lauterbach is our travel coordinator elaine@cinghiale.com She will confirm your travel plans with you and arrange bike rentals if you are not bringing your own ride.

For bike rental information, see our Travel Help page on the right hand side.

Finally, Elaine will need your final itinerary at least one month before the trip. Please send to elaine@cinghiale.com and copy to info@cinghiale.com

Heather Ross at the Travel Society in Boulder is very familiar with our tours and is delighted to help you book your air travel and help you plan your itinerary.

*CANCELLATION POLICY

If you decide not to come or cannot come for any reason, the amount you have paid so far is fully refundable up to 90 days before the trip. Cancellations after that time forfeit the whole amount paid. We do not overbook and strongly recommend TRAVEL INSURANCE. Please purchase travel insurance that covers an unforeseen trip cancellation or misadventure to you or your luggage while in Italy.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Visit www.InsureMyTrip.com for a comparison of travel insurance companies and available options. This site quotes a $4,000 trip coverage policy for between $113 and $300.

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