Cycling the Via Francigena: Lucca to Radicofani

bike setup, briefing, and ride to San Miniato

The first stage starts on flat terrain, riding past historic and religious landmarks: the city walls and amphitheater of Lucca, the Pieve di Capannori, the Badia di Pozzeveri, the church of San Jacopo, and the old town of Altopascio.

Shortly after San Miniato, the route winds through the hills of the Val d’Elsa: vines, woods, and farmhouses in a landscape that changes at every turn. If you need a stop, we recommend the Santuario di Pancole — and even if you don’t need one, stop anyway, you don’t want to miss it. Arriving in San Gimignano by bike is one of those unforgettable moments on this trip: emerging from a narrow lane, the medieval towers appear one after another, with their improbable, precise geometry. Yes, this is the final stop of the day.

From San Gimignano you ride toward Siena. The road to the castle of Monteriggioni rolls through a string of villages that are worth seeing. Behind a small hill, the unmistakable crown of towers of Monteriggioni appears.
And the arrival in the heart of Siena? You walk the last stretch, bike in hand, into Piazza del Campo. Yes, a photo here is a must.

After leaving Siena behind, the landscape shifts again — into the realm of white gravel roads and the Crete Senesi, the clay hills south of Siena known for their pale, sculpted ridges.
You’ve seen these landscapes in photographs. Now, you’re riding through them.

No riding today!
The order of the day: sun, thermal baths, a good book, and great food to recharge.

The ride resumes. More Crete Senesi today, and open views over the Val d’Orcia — abbeys, parish churches, and medieval villages all the way to Pienza.

The last stage doesn’t let up. You ride a stretch of white gravel road through the heart of the Val d’Orcia — the landscape Ridley Scott chose for scenes in Gladiator — then a long flat section to the final climb up to Radicofani: from the top, the view takes in Monte Amiata and the Maremma.
A finish worthy of the journey — and one that might make you want to keep riding.