Day 6 Pistoia to Siena 55 miles

“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” 

Ernest Hemingway

Kathy checking her Garmin (cycle computer) route.




To see route click on link -  Interactive google map

This will open a new window where you can zoom in and also click on parts of overall route to view different days.

Can you spot her bag?

The 30 mile section between Pistoia and Florence was industrial and fiddly...

...so Peak Tours arranged a coach to take us to the outskirts of Florence...

where we started cycling.

Florence or Firenze is famous for high-quality food and wine; ‘florentine’ being a by-word for quality

Traffic was significant as we criss-crossed our way through the city.

We followed alongside the River Arno...

...contending with every sort of vehicle, pedestrians and runners.

Scooters abounded.

Police seemed low profile in comparison to French cities.

Fabulous renaissance buildings everywhere.

Perfect backdrop for Shakespeare.

‘Ponte Vechio’ or ‘Old Bridge’ was the only bridge in Florence not destroyed by a retreating German Army in WW2 at the express order of Hitler

We doubled back to catch a quick coffee in one of Florence's many cafés. Interestingly, 8 Euros for a coffee outside but only 1.40 at the bar.

Friends also found a lovely spot by the river.

Leaving Florence the route became more scenic.

Rebecca, Can you name the flowers?

Easy I think.

A wide variety of wild flowers decorated our way.

Birdsong in the woodland areas was a real treat.

Climbing in this 'wheelbarrow' tandem is tough.

It's heavy, so hard to get up the hills despite two engines. However, it fabulous at descents. Fran (at the back) was tempted to overtake the descending motorbike, but Chris (at the front) made him see sense.

One of many squares

A superb homemade lunch awaited us at Greve in Chianti. 

Best meal yet!

We continued into the Chianti region and deeper into Tuscany...

...following a hilly but scenic route.

A vantage point from a bridge allowed those ahead to abuse those behind...

How did you get up there?

Brief rest and then on to Siena.

One of many hilltop villages

Kathy wanted to collect the Elderflower.

We approached our final destination

Fabulous Hotel Santa Caterina, just 800m from the central square.

A choice of a rest day in Siena or cycling...

...tempting!