Tuscany arouses many different emotions for an endless number of reasons: it is a region perfumed by wine, seasoned with natural flavours, coloured by an enchanting landscape and refined by squares, towers, villas and castles that pass on its important past. But the Terre di Siena manage to evoke thousands of other emotions, sometimes even more strongly rooted in universal culture. Each part of this region is a unique icon, a formidable microcosm of people, nature, history and atmospheres, combined together in exceptional harmony, which con- tribute to the creation of a distinct identity.
Val di Merse is one of these “Terre di Siena”, perhaps the quietest but also the most surprising, crossed by roads drawn in its nature, just like the lymphatic vessels that silently bring life to a plant.
Pedalling through Nature, Art and Culture, in one of the most charming “Terre di Siena”, filled with treasures that are waiting to be discovered.
• DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL POINT: Sovicille
• DIRT TRACK: 12 km
• DISTANCE: about 147
• HEIGHT DIFFERENCE: 2500 m
Several days of pure cycle pleasure, this itinerary is recommended for experienced cyclists. The route covers a vast area, passing through the heart of the Montagnola Senese before arriving at the southern foothills of the Elsa and Cecina valleys, then rolling southwards to the Ombrone valley which briefly touches the Maremma Grossetana, before going back up to skirt the northern part of the Crete, the magnificent gateway to Siena, a typically hilly territory characterised by a surprising variety of natural environments. Another distinctive feature of this great itinerary is that of travelling only on minor roads with an almost total absence of traffic. It will be a real surprise to discover Val di Merse by bicycle, the authentic and secret heart of the most intimate and unexplored part of Tuscany.