Grand Canal in Venice, Veneto, Italy. Flickr:Pedro Szekely

Marvelous Florence in Tuscany, Italy. Flickr:Rosino

Venice to Florence Bike Tour

Italy Bike Tours

Bike Italy’s Art Cities from the Venetial Lagoon to Florence

  • Your bike tour in Italy begins in a Venitian lagoon, in the picturesque port of Chioggia and leads through Italian romance, art, and history, to end in the heart of Tuscany. From the bridges of Comacchio and the early Christian mosaics of Ravenna to the Renaissance architecture of Florence, this tour features six days of pedaling through the heart of Italian culture and cuisine. Vineyards, idyllic landscapes, and the Apennines mountains backdrop add to the sheer joy of cycling.

    From the colorful ceramics in Faenza to the Etruscan ruins in Fiesole, cycling from the plains to the mountains, you will discover hidden gems all along your way.

    And of course, we have to mention the culinary fame of Emilia-Romagna, Italy's foremost pasta region!

    Highlights:

    • Venetian Lagoon
    • Po River delta, wetlands and wildlife
    • The mosaics of Ravenna
    • Ceramics of Faenza
    • Quiet country roads
    • Art of Florence
    • Unique accommodations

    Want to explore more? We have many bicycle tours in Italy or bicycle tours in Europe to offer you.

  • Twin/double: $ 2325 £ 1211 $ 2,108 € 1410 $ 2422 kr 15102 $ 1,590 Single supplement: $ 429 £ 223 $ 389 € 260 $ 447 kr 2785 $ 293 Solo travelers (total, including single supplement): $ 1237 £ 644 $ 1,121 € 750 $ 1288 kr 8033 $ 846 *High season supplement (September): $ 247 £ 129 $ 224 € 150 $ 258 kr 1607 $ 169  

    *High season supplement may apply as well to May bookings. This fee may be waived depending on number of participants on specific date.

    extra options

    Electric bike: $ 264 £ 137 $ 239 € 160 $ 275 kr 1714 $ 180

    Extra nights

    Twin/double:

    Chioggia, from: $ 148 £ 77 $ 135 € 90 $ 155 kr 964 $ 102 Ravena, from: $ 107 £ 56 $ 97 € 65 $ 112 kr 696 $ 73 Faenza, from: $ 99 £ 52 $ 90 € 60 $ 103 kr 643 $ 68 :  Florence, from: $ 99 £ 52 $ 90 € 60 $ 103 kr 643 $ 68

    The price depends on season of booking. Single pricing on request.

    Dinners

    Gourmet dinner in Chioggia: $ 69 £ 36 $ 63 € 42 $ 72 kr 450 $ 47 Dinner on Day 2: 
    Pizza menu: $ 30 £ 15 $ 27 € 18 $ 31 kr 193 $ 20 3-course menu: $ 45 £ 23 $ 40 € 27 $ 46 kr 289 $ 30 Dinner in Ravena, Faenza, or Ronta, Day 4, 5, 6:
    Per dinner:  $ 49 £ 26 $ 45 € 30 $ 52 kr 321 $ 34 Dinner in Florence: $ 41 £ 21 $ 37 € 25 $ 43 kr 268 $ 28 Guided visit of Ravenna:
    1 person: $ 198 £ 103 $ 179 € 120 $ 206 kr 1285 $ 135 2 ppl. sharing cost: $ 231 £ 120 $ 209 € 140 $ 241 kr 1499 $ 158 3 - 6 ppl. sharing cost: $ 297 £ 155 $ 269 € 180 $ 309 kr 1928 $ 203

    Activities

    Olive oil tasting in  Brisighella: $ 8 £ 4 $ 7 € 5 $ 9 kr 54 $ 6 Guided visit of Florence:
    Per group, up to 12 ppl. sharing cost: $ 247 £ 129 $ 224 € 150 $ 258 kr 1607 $ 169 Cooking class:
    From 2 ppl, sharing costs: $ 132 £ 69 $ 120 € 80 $ 137 kr 857 $ 90

    Airport transfers


    Venice airport to Chioggia:
    1 - 6 ppl, sharing costs: $ 190 £ 99 $ 172 € 115 $ 198 kr 1232 $ 130 7 - 12 ppl, sharing costs: $ 379 £ 198 $ 344 € 230 $ 395 kr 2463 $ 259 Florence to Florence airport: 
    1 - 3 ppl, sharing costs: $ 82 £ 43 $ 75 € 50 $ 86 kr 536 $ 56 4 - 6 ppl, sharing costs: $ 91 £ 47 $ 82 € 55 $ 94 kr 589 $ 62

     

    please note

    Rates are per person based on double occupancy.

    Information to read before you book.

    We recommend purchasing bike trip insurance.

    Please see our FAQ.

  • Travel

    Most convenient and closest airports: Fly to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) and depart from Florence Airport (FLR) or Pisa. It is also possible to fly into Bologna, Milan, or Rome.

    Local Travel

    For your arrival, Chioggia is easily accessible from Venice or other Italian destinations by train. If you are spending time in Venice before your tour, and most will, you can take a ferry to Chioggia which is on the south side of the lagoon. You can as well book a private transfer from the Venice Airport to your hotel in Chioggia. Let us know your travel plans and we can more fully inform you in regard to how to arrive to your first hotel.

    Climate

    Venice has a Mediterranean climate with hot weather in July and August accompanied by high humidity and Florence experiences a transitional Mediterranean climate with mild winters and hot, sunny, summers. Peak (and best) travel months are April, May, June, September, and into October. A good website to visit to research average high/low temperatures, average rainfall, and other weather-related facts is weatherbase.com.

    Recommended

    We recommend booking extra nights in Venice before your tour and in Florence after your tour. However, Chioggia, from which you start your tour, is actually a wonderful base from which to explore Venice as it offers less expensive accommodations. There’s a summer tourist boat that runs between Chioggia and Saint Mark’s Square in Venice, from early June until late September. Another option would be to take a bus from Chioggia to Piazzale Roma in Venice. You can request extra nights in either city!

    Remarks

    Your luggage will be collected from 09.00 at the reception of the hotel and is delivered to the following hotel by 15.30. Each piece of luggage must be marked with a visible luggage tag. If your luggage is not ready by the time the driver comes to collect it, you may need to have to pay directly for a local taxi for the service.

    Documents

    Before you travel, please check your country's passport and visa requirements and the passport and visa requirements of the country/countries you plan to visit. For US citizens, the US Department of State website is a good source of information. The Country Information tab in the International Travel section provides details about passport validity, blank passport pages required, etc. For our other international clients, please be sure that you research your own country's travel requirements. It is each traveler's responsibility to ensure proper documentation.

    *Important note: Beginning July 1, 2021, additional documentation from the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will be required to visit any of the 26 Schengen-member countries for tourism, business, medical, or transit. This is an additional check on security rather than a visa.

    Optional activities

    Optional activities are available throughout your tour. See day to day for options and pricing. The dinners you book through us consist of 3-course set menus (though some restaurants allow multiple-choice menu). Drinks are not included. Please check the scheduled time of your dinner, as some restaurants in Italy open for dinner as late as 7:30 or 8:00 pm.

Skill Level

You will be cycling on gentle terrain down to the Adriatic Coast with more challenging rides as you enter the Apennines. The first five days are flat but the last few days include climbs. However there is the option to take a train. Total distance is 305-362 km (190-226 miles) with daily distances between 15 - 83 km.

Where You’ll Stay

Please see each day’s detailed itinerary for the accommodations that are generally used. Of course in the event of lack of availability, our partner will search for a comparable alternative. Most of the accommodations are in 3 and 4-star establishments. Upgrades are possible in some hotels. Just ask.

What’s Included

  • 7 nights accommodations in 3 and 4-star hotels
  • Breakfast
  • Detailed welcome briefing by local, professional staff
  • High-quality titanium touring bicycle with straight handlebars or titanium road bike with drop down handlebars
  • GPs with preloaded tracks
  • Roadbook and maps with detailed step by step cue sheets
  • Tourist information
  • Luggage transfer
  • Emergency number

What’s Not Included

Venice to Florence Map

TourBike
TypeSelf Guided
SkillEasy
Length8 days
From€1410 Rates
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Tour Dates

2020

Tour is offered April through September.
Suggested tour start day is Saturday but you can begin the tour on any day except for Monday.

Day-To-Day Itinerary

Venice to Florence Map

Day 1: Chioggia
Day 2: Po River Delta, 36 - 63 mi. (58 - 101 km)
Day 3: Comacchio, 46 mi. (74 km)
Day 4: Ravenna, 31 mi. (49 km)
Day 5: Ravenna - Faenza, 32 mi. (51 km)
Day 6: Over the Apennines, 9 - 39 mi. (15 - 63 km)
Day 7: Florence, 26 mi.  (41 km)
Day 8:  Departure

Due to organizational reasons, weather conditions or provisions issued by local authorities, the itinerary may be subject to some changes before and/or during your holiday. For example, along the way you may find temporary deviations caused by roadworks, which cannot be foreseen.

Day 1: Chioggia
On the southern end of the Venetian Lagoon, lies the busy fishing port of Chioggia, the start of your bike tour in Italy. Your hotel is located in the historic city center. Our local partner will meet you in the afternoon to fit your bicycles and go over the route details. This is usually scheduled between 2 and 4 pm so please inform us of your travel planes and arrival time in Chioggia. After checking in, you can take a stroll around the center of Chioggia and admire the canals, bridges, and main pedestrian walking street. If you arrive early, you can even cycle along one of the islands in the lagoon.
Accommodation: Hotel Grande Italia
Optional activity: Gourmet dinner in Chioggia
 

Day 2: Chioggia - Po River Delta, 36 - 63 mi. (58 - 101 km)
Today you cycle towards the Po River Delta, Italy's wildest and most fertile plane, the home to a variety of wildlife; flamingoes, bull, horses, and thousands of water birds. Grab some picnic supplies from the local grocery store and take your time,  or stop at a local cafe. Those who want extra mileage can enjoy a great ride into the Delta in the afternoon. Your destination this evening is a small country bed and breakfast. 
Accommodation: Agriturismo Forzello
Optional activity: Dinner near the agriturismo. Either a pizza menu or a 3-course meal.

Day 3: Comacchio, 46 mi. (74 km)
Today is another day of easy riding. The destination is a small lagoon town, Comacchio, full of character and history. At one point in history, this port was more powerful than Venice. Built on thirteen islands, the town is now landlocked but surrounded by the Po River and freshwater wetlands. Comacchio has a fabulous museum that showcases a Roman boat and its cargo that was excavated from one of the canals.  You may enjoy a boat ride through the extensive maze of canals on a traditional batane, a small flat-keeled boat which was the usual means of transport for the inhabitants until a few decades ago.
Accommodation: Hotel La Comancina or B & B Al Ponticello
 

Day 4: Ravenna, 31 mi. (49 km)
You pedal along the Valley of Comacchio wetlands towards Ravenna. This city was the last capital of the Western Roman Empire and home to more early Christian mosaics than any other city in Western Europe. You can walk to Dante's Tomb and the mosaics of San Vitale, Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia this afternoon, as your hotel is near all the city sights.
Accommodation: Ostello Galletti Abbiosi
Optional activity:
Guided visit of Ravenna (approx. 3 hours)
Dinner

Day 5: Ravenna - Faenza, 32 mi. (51 km)
Exiting Ravenna you have the choice to visit another very important Byzantine masterpiece, Sant'Apollinare in Classe. After crossing the plains, you pedal through fruit plantations and arrive to Faenza, located in the region of Emilia-Romagna. Your hotel is a restored convent near the central square of this regional market center and famous ceramics town. Enjoy the bustle in the market square and the main "piazza" which is always full of bicycle riders of all ages. Faenza is world-renowned for its hand-decorated ceramics and a visit to the International Ceramics Museum is highly recommended as well as several of the local artists' studios specialized in this colorful pottery.
Accommodation: Hotel Vittoria
Optional activity: Dinner
 

Day 6: Faenza - Ronta, over the Apennines, 9 - 39 mi. (15 - 63 km)
You head into the Apennines today, passing first through the medieval village of Brisighella. This is a good place to take a break and pick up some snacks for the climb ahead. If you want to tackle the entire mountain, you can do so. Your route descriptions provide options. The climb is quite easy at first as you begin the ascent. Remember to look around as you pedal since the scenery changes dramatically as you leave the plains and enter the mountains. Just before the toughest part of the climb, there is a conveniently located train station which allows you a choice in how you reach your destination! 
Accommodation: Albergo La Rosa
Optional activity:
Olive oil tasting in Brisighella
Dinner at the hotel in Ronta

Day 7: Florence, 26 mi.  (41 km)
There's a small climb this morning to Vetta le Croci, then it's downhill to the old Etruscan city of Fiesole, where you'll enjoy a great view of Florence rising from the valley floor. We recommend waiting until after lunch to ride into town and the rest of the afternoon is yours to explore this capital of Renaissance Italy. 
Accommodation: Hotel Silla
Optional activity: Dinner 

Day 8: Departure
After a buffet breakfast in the hotel, you're ready to become a tourist again. Visit Michelangelo's David at the Accademia, Botticelli's Birth of Venus and the other masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery, and more.
Optional activity: Guided visit of Florence

Cooking class is available in more than one location along the way and includes tasting the meal as well. 

The class is run by Le Cesarine, a company that organizes culinary experiences at local people’s houses. Your class will last about 3 hours, during which you will help the Cesarina prepare 3 courses. In the 4th and final hour, you will enjoy a meal (lunch or dinner) made of the courses you prepared during the class. Water and one bottle of house wine every 3 people are included.

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