Tuscany by bike - the Guzzi tour of Montalcino and Pienza

 Today we decide to do our own version of one of the tours we have seen in a brochure, usually costing €38 per person if taken by minivan, or €90 if going by Vespa. It is th trip from Siena to Montalcino for lunch, and then Pienza for cheese tasting, returning via the Val D’Orcia.  Montalcino apparently has great wines (Brunello, and Chianti and starting at about €20 a bottle, with vintages from €700 a bottle.

We fuel up the bike with €5 at a self service machine that only takes €5 or €10 notes, after managing to change a €10 with another customer – this would be too much petrol for us! Departing at around 1030, we are in Montepulciano by 1230, since we stopped at several points along to way to take photographs of sunflowers, and rolling Tuscan scenery. 

I have to say, that this stunning ride is up there with touring a bike around the Bavarian Alps in Germany, and in some ways even better.

The ride is winding and full of twists and turns and hills, and the town of Montalcino  is the highest points in this area of Tuscany, with amazing views. There are lots of bikers on the twisting road up to the fortress, and finding parking is tricky; we opt to park outside a cafe on the edge of the hilltop town.

Our lunch is taken from this cafe, which looks pretty ordinary, but with a lovely view, and the food is excellent. Carol has a delicious Lasagne made with amazing cheese, and a pesto richly decorated with garlic.

I opt for meatballs, and we soak up all the excess oil with the bread on offer, and have coffee for afters, before wandering around the picturesque town.

I have an afternoon siesta in the fortress enclosure, While Carol climbs the stairs to the top for the view.

After a suitable tour of the town, we ride off to Pienza, (famous for its' cheese and the views) It is full of cheese shops, wine shops, pottery and art. A small plate is €25.

We settle for coffees again which is all we can afford! The walk is free, fortunately.

And the view from the town walls of Pienza is over the Orcia valley, which goes on forever.

The ride home to Siena takes us exactly an hour, although it is only 60 km. We stop briefly for a photograph, and the Vespa tour (starting at €90 for a rider, and €70 for a pillion passenger) which does the same thing that we have done, (but much quicker), goes past en-convoy with the tour guide taking up the rear. How the other half live hey?