Giro TRE REGIONI (Three Regions Tour)

Dates: May 8 - 19, 2004

This Tour is the perfect way to ride, visit and enjoy the sites and flavors of three different regions - Emilia Romagna, Veneto and Toscana. We'll start out in Emilia-Romagna, widely known in Italy for incredible hand-made pasta specialties such as Tagliatelle and Cappeletti. Less-known is the fact that Romagna is home to one of the most fanatical cycling cultures in the world and there isn’t a day when you won’t see cyclists out enjoying the lightly-travelled farm roads and lush countryside. Our base hotel is run by one such fanatic and is located in the popular Italian spa town, Riolo Terme. After the Airport pick-up and a short transfer, we’ll have time to assemble the bikes and go for a short ride to shake-out the bugs before enjoying our first meal together.

The next morning we’ll do a short ride and enjoy lunch in nearby Brisighella, a spectacular hill top town famous in Romagna for its Medieval festival, Wine and Olive Oil. In the afternoon we’ll travel to Venice where we’ll arrive in time to enjoy a Venetian sunset and dinner in this fascinating city. Day 3 will be open to explore Venice in depth before we head to Verona, a beautiful and dynamic historical city located at the base of the Italian Alps. We’ll spend Day 4 in Verona where we’ll have the opportunity to ride the road course to be used for the 2004 World Championships and visit some of great squares and architectural gems, including the Arena - a smaller version of the Coliseum in Rome.

Day 5 we’ll transfer from Veneto to Toscana for the second half of our Tour. We’ll be staying for two days in a rustic Agriturismo situated in the rolling Chianti landscape where we’ll enjoy many Tuscan dishes and the . Day 6 we have planned a trip to Florence and spend the day visiting the fascinating monuments, galleries and museums of this beautiful Renaissance City. For those who prefer to ride there’s a challenging loop through the Chianti hills. Chianti is the land of the famous Gallo Nero “Black Rooster” – the symbol for Chianti Classico and we’ll take time to sample some at the local wineries. Day 7 we’ll ride from Chianti to Siena where we’ll be staying for the next three nights. Daily activities from Siena include loop rides and excursions to San Gimignano and Montalcino. You’ll have plenty of time to take in all the sights of this spectacular hill town with its famous shell-shaped Piazza and magnificent Duomo.

Day 10 we’ll head back towards Emilia-Romagna where we’ll be spending the night at a splendidly isolated Agriturismo high in the Apennine range. We’ll enjoy a great meal and wine tasting prepared by our host, a former World Class Mountain Biker. This is one you won’t forget - Alessandro makes everything from Pizza to Crostata in the wood burning oven he built himself. Day 11 We’ll ride from our mountain perch back down the valley to Riolo Terme taking the time to visit the pristine town of Palazzuolo sul Senio on the way. This beautiful town has been called the “ideal village of Italy”. Once back at our base hotel in Riolo Terme you’ll have the opportunity to visit the Spa or a nearby Ceramic Studio. We’ll pack up the bikes and enjoy one last “Romagnolo” meal together. Day 12 will be an early morning drop off at Bologna Airport for flights back to the US. For those who want to see and ride routes of the Giro d’Italia stay on for our next Tour, the Giro d'ITALIA!

Itinerary:
5.7: Depart USA for Italy 5.8: Bologna airport pickup - Transfer to Riolo Terme 5.9: Riolo Terme to Venice 5.10: Venice to Verona 5.11: Verona 5.12: Verona to Greve in Chianti 5.13: Greve in Chianti 5.14: Greve in Chianti to Siena 5.15: Siena 5.16: Siena 5.17: Siena to Palazzuolo sul Senio 5.18: Palazzuolo sul Senio to Riolo Terme 5.19: Depart Italy from Bologna

Trip Info:
Mileage: 30 - 40 miles daily with longer options
Length: 11 riding days / 11 nights
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Cost: $2595

Includes:
• Airport pickup and drop-off at Bologna International Airport (BLQ)
• Eleven (11) nights accommodations (two per room) in friendly Agriturismi or 3 and 4 Star Hotels
• All breakfasts and 7 dinners including wine
• Guide services of 1 or 2 guides
• Vehicle support for daily excursions
• Travel planning assistance

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