Cycling in the most remote areas of Romagna and Tuscany, wide forests in the Foresti Casentinesi National Park, typical tiny and ancient villages, welcoming local people, excellent local food and wine mainly homemade, mostly family run accommodations very simple but comfortable, a touch of the Italian life-styte “La Dolce Vita” in Ravenna and Florence, culture and of course amazing art masterpieces : the Unesco Mosaics and Renaissance Monuments.

An exciting off-road route which follows Dante Alighieri’s footsteps mainly through forests and almost always off the beaten paths!  The tour starts from Ravenna the city where the poet is buried and ends in Florence where he was born.  The tour aims at discovering villages and art cities in Romagna and Tuscany where Dante wandered during his exile.  
A Grand Tour which crosses territories such as Mugello, Casentino Valley, Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines, Lamone Valley and little historic villages such as Poppi, Romena, Pratovecchio, Camaldoli, Portico di Romagna, San Benedetto in Alpe, Castrocaro Terme and Terra del Sole, places that inspired Dante writing his Divine Comedy.
This itinerary, away from traffic and any kind of air pollution, crosses the Apennines ridge characterized by an exciting alternation of ascents and descents. The route is mainly on dirt roads, technically never too difficult (no singletrack) to ride but challenging if considering the elevation gain  :  4 stages with an elevation gain over 1000mt and 3 below 1000mt.

• Duration: 8 days/7 nights
• Length: 279 km / average daily distance 46,5 km
• Surface: a balanced mix of unpaved (mainly dirt and gravel roads) and paved backroads with low traffic (46%  unpaved/ 54% paved). There are two short more demanding tracks: one with rocky surface of about 100 mt length and the other where it is necessary to wading in a creek on foot.
• Difficulty: Level 4 on a e-gravel / level 5 on a push bike 
• Type of tour: Guided tour   

Day 1
Ravenna - Arrival in Ravenna

Spare time to visit the city center on your own, use the Dante Pass for a discounted access to museums/monuments/ attractions . Check  the updated list here www.dantebike.it/en/dante-pass/

In the afternoon meeting with  our guide for a welcome briefing together and the bike fitting. 

• We will enjoy an inaugural dinner together. 
• Overnight Hotel Diana ***  or similar

Day 2
Ravenna-Forlì-Castrocaro- 57 km / elevation gain  + 254  mt  (gravel 36km /Paved 21 km) 
Alternative route 57 km / ascent +447 mt (Gravel  27 km /Paved  30 km)

The first day of riding is almost entirely along the river and flat till Castrocaro in a mixture of gravel on the river levee and asphalt terrain which will never be technical then it will climb lightly to get to Castrocaro. Along the way we will ride first to Classe where you can visit the Basilica of Sant Apollinare in Classe , a mosaic masterpiece, then we’ll continue through   Forlì, where Dante lived twice during his exile. The trip moves to Terra del Sole, a jewel of Renaissance town planning commissioned by Cosimo de’ Medici in 1564 as an example of perfect urban planning, Terra del Sole was also a fortress defending the northern borders and Castrocaro with its fortress and spa.  
Light lunch along the route, I would leave this on their own as it can happen easily either in Forli’ or Castrocaro, depending on their speed.

• Dinner in Castrocaro 
• Overnight at Hotel Pierina   ***  or similar

Day 3
Castrocaro – Portico di Romagna-39 km/ elevation gain  + 1066 mt  (Gravel 14 km/ Paved 25 km)

From today no more flat terrain but good climbs. From Castrocaro, we climb through vineyards and olive groves along the ridge of the spungone (literally ‘sponge’) a special geological formation typical of the area that was used in the construction of  the imposing tower of the Castle of Guido Guerra, a member of the Guidi family who was mentioned by Dante in the 16th canto of the Inferno. The tour later on climbs to a ridge that leads to the famous Vulcanello of Monte Busca, a burning fountain of methane gas that comes out of the subsoil and is constantly combusting. From here, a pleasant descent on asphalt leads to the overnight stop, the lovely Portico di Romagna, known for its characteristic humpback bridge.

• Packed lunch along the route
• Dinner in Portico di Romagna 
• Overnight Hotel Vecchio Convento***

Day 4
Portico di Romagna –Campigna -41 km /elevation gain + 1300 mt (Gravel 17 km /Paved 25 km)

The tour goes into the Tuscan-Romagna Appennine “selva oscura” [Dante’s dark forest] characterized by thick woods and hidden hermitages.                                                                
Then the tour continues into other forests climbing the Appennine and then descending towards San Benedetto in Alpe, a town known for its Abbey. If you like here you can leave the bikes and walking up to to the Acquacheta falls (9km round trip) whose beautiful scenery was described by Dante Alighieri in his Divine Comedy. The tour continues discovering the territory of Casentinesi Forests National Park where an alternation of steep ascents and descents leads to Campigna with its century old forest. Most of the time we will be immersed in the forest with beautiful overviews over the valleys below!

• Light lunch along the route 
• Overnight & Dinner at Hotel lo Scoiattolo***/Hotel Grand Duca***  or similar

Day 5
Campigna- Camaldoli-Poppi 53 km / elevation gain + 1089  mt (Gravel 21 km /Paved 32 km)

The first stage of the tour is the Sacro Eremo of Camaldoli, where we’ll get to through a thick forest. The ancient monastery is still inhabited by monks. The tour continues along a steep descent on asphalt and then still down but more gradual and off road to the plains of Pratovecchio. It is worth the   climb for 5km to the Abbey of Romena built in 1152 and the nearby castle that hosted Dante in his first years of exile (optional) . Another short diversion leads to Porciano Castle, where Dante was a guest of the Guidi family. During his stay he wrote three of his famous Latin epistles. The route continues along the river towards Poppi which is a must-see on a route through Dante’s places. Poppi is dominated by the Castle of the Guidi counts, near which the famous battle of Campaldino took place. Dante fought in this battle on the Guelph side. His participation is remembered by the “Column of Dante” in Poppi.  

• Light lunch along the route
• Dinner in Poppi. 
• Overnight at Hotel Ristorante La Torricella*** or similar Casentino

Day 6
Poppi –Saltino/Vallombrosa 38  km/elevation gain + 1200  mt (Gravel  26 km /Paved 12 km)

Today we cycle up the slopes of Pratomagno (meaning grand meadow) where will enjoy the amazing views over the beautiful meadows overlooking the plains of Florence and Arezzo. We’ll  get closer and closer to Florence by stopping at the dominant Vallombrosa Abbey surrounded by forests of beech and firs. The monastery is open to tourists and its “Antica Farmacia” sells local products such as herbal teas ana liqueurs made following antique recipes. Among these is the rare and legendary Dry Gin of Vallombrosa.  

• Light lunch along the route (Rifugio Secchieta)
• Dinner and Overnight at GH Vallombrosa o Croce di Savoia ***  or similar

Day 7
Saltino/Vallombrosa-Florence- 51 km/ elevation gain + 600  mt (Gravel 15 km /Paved 36 km)

Today’s is our last  ride leading   towards Dante’s birthplace, Florence. We’ll start enjoying a rather long and thrilling descent through the ‘Polverosa’ path, a pretty famous gravel   itinerary which leads down to the Sieve Valley where, having reached the Arno river, the challenging ups and downs are resumed between vineyards and olive groves to then finally reach the city of Dante, Florence.

• Light  lunch along the route
• Dinner together  in a restaurant in Florence 
• Overnight at Hotel Vasari *** or similar

Day 8
End of the tour!  Arrivederci 

Lodging:

Mostly 3-star (some 2-star) hotels, B&Bs or farmhouse stays, often family-operated, without frills but still clean, charming and with local character. Considering that across the Apennine there are not many options since we are often “off the beaten-paths”. 

Included

• 7 overnight stays in a double room in 2-3  star hotel or Farmhouse
• 7 breakfasts    
• 4 dinners
• 1 Packed lunch
• Dante Pass (benefit and discounts in museum/ shops) 
• Luggage transport
• APP RWGPS and GPX tracks
• English speaking cycling guide (Lodging & meals included)

• Welcome meeting and personalized bike fitting at tour start
• Bike delivery in Ravenna and collection in Florence
• Support Van (driver lodging & meals included)

 
Not Included

• Tourist tax
• Transport to the starting point and/or end point of the tour
• Entraces to momuments and places of interest
• Medical/luggage insurance
• Meals not indicated in “what’s included”
• Drinks at meals
• Anything not specified under “what’s included ”

• Gravel bike and GPS device available for rental