16 Day Grand Tour Bella Italia - Premium Guided Motorcycle Tour in Italy

Overview

Get off to a great start with the island of Sardinia, the motorcyclists’ paradise, along wonderful winding roads with a continuous up and down between woods, coasts, and ancient civilizations (Nuragic, Phoenician, and Roman), and then continue with Piedmont through the wonderful hills covered with the UNESCO heritage vineyards of the Langhe, Roero, and Monforte areas (since 2014). From there will begin the descending stretch of your tour along the northwestern coast, first discovering glamorous Liguria and the charming seaside villages of the Cinque Terre Park, which is another UNESCO World Heritage Site, and then entering Tuscany through the Apuan Alps. This motorcycle tour will continue the discovery of enchanting Tuscany, between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, on rolling hills covered with vineyards and fields bordered by cypress trees. You will leave Tuscany with a brief passag

Highlights

• Starts and ends in Rome
• Ride through the island of Sardinia
• Stroll around the charming lanes of Alghero
• Discover 16 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
• Have enough time for self-contained sightseeing or a relaxing poolside aperitif
• Experienced guide for the whole tour
• 14 full days on the go
• 15 nights' accommodation

Itinerary

1. Day 1 - Meeting in Rome

   Participants will meet in the afternoon at the hotel in Rome. They will go and pick up the rental bikes, if any. Right after, the group will have a briefing to give everyone a few simple rules for the greater safety of all. Finally, before dinner, Italy on Motorbike will begin to build the group through a typical Italian aperitivo. - Included meals: Dinner

2. Day 2: Rome - Civitavecchia (215 km / 134 mi)

   The tour will begin at 09:00 with destination Civitavecchia, the port of Rome, where you will embark for Sardinia in the evening. Get off to a great start right away with the discovery of three UNESCO World Heritage Sites - two villas and a necropolis - along with a stretch of Lake Bracciano where you will have lunch at a typical Latium trattoria offering traditional local dishes. - Included meals: Breakfast, lunch

3. Day 3: Olbia - Alghero (300 km / 186 mi)

   After landing in the early morning in Olbia, your tour of Sardinia, a biker's paradise, will begin on this day, with a coast-to-coast ride to the beautiful Catalan city of Alghero. On the way, you shall visit the prehistoric "Tombs of the Giants" and admire the lunar landscape of the Moon Valley. You will also visit one of Sardinia's two most interesting nuraghi. After dinner, a walk through the charming alleys of Alghero's historic center will be a pleasant way to end the day. - Included meals: Breakfast, dinner

4. Day 4: Alghero - Arbatax (300 km / 186 mi)

   This trip on the discovery of Sardinia will go on with one of the 10 most beautiful roads in Italy, which will take you on the coast from one picturesque seaside village to another, and in the beautiful hinterland. It will be a feast for the eyes, among heavenly sea views, woods, and houses adorned with characteristic murals depicting scenes of daily life. The final stop will be a visit to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the most important nuraghe in the world, with its village and a structure completely different from the previous one. - Included meals: Breakfast, dinner

5. Day 5: Arbatax - Porto Torres (330 km / 205 mi)

   On this day, a magnificent motorcycle ride awaits, the longest of the whole tour, which will take you on charming and juicy roads. Set off on the eastern Sardinian freeway, a myth for all motorcyclists, in the direction of Porto Torres, where you’ll embark in the evening. After a break in a coastal village, you will reach the heart of Sardinia for a country lunch cooked by shepherds. After this triumph of ancient flavors, the tour will continue in the afternoon with a thousand turns. You shall cross Sardinia in the center and end up on the northern coast to visit one last seaside village befor

6. Day 6: Genoa - Acqui Terme (230 km / 143 mi)

   After landing in the early morning in Olbia, set off toward the Ligurian Alps to enjoy a splendid view of the entire Ligurian Gulf. The journey will continue with a ride along the alpine ridges up to the Piedmont border. As you enter Piedmont, the landscape will change from mountains to hills for a fantastic ride lulled by gentle turns amidst the UNESCO-protected vineyards and landscapes of Langhe and Roero, wandering through medieval villages such as Barolo and Monforte d'Alba, and their world-famous wineries, before arriving at the hotel. - Included meals: Breakfast, dinner

7. Day 7: Acqui Terme - Sestri Levante (160 km / 99 mi)

   Leave enchanting Piedmont through the forests of a natural park in the Ligurian Alps until you arrive in Genoa for a tour of the historic center. Back in the saddle, discover the beautiful Ligurian Riviera with a break in glamorous Portofino, the heart of Italy's dolce vita. You’ll spend the night at the gates of the Cinque Terre National Park. - Included meals: Breakfast, dinner

8. Day 8: Sestri Levante - Sestri Levante

   This will be a rest day. Italy on Motorbike suggests that you spend it visiting the UNESCO Heritage Site, Cinque Terre Park, with its ancient fishing villages and pretty colorful houses, by hop-on, hop-off train or boat. - Included meals: Breakfast

9. Day 9: Sestri Levante - Lucca (230 km / 143 mi)

   From there on, head south into Tuscany, passing through the Apuan Alps and the quarries of Carrara, where the famous marble at the base of most Renaissance works was extracted from. Then, a tour of the Garfagnana will take you to the gates of the city of Lucca, whose fascinating historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. - Included meals: Breakfast, lunch

10. Day 10: Lucca - Modena (230 km / 143 mi)

    No less than two UNESCO sites await you today. Start with the Leaning Tower of Pisa, then the motorcycle journey will continue wandering through the forests of the Apennine mountains between Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna before reaching the Motor Valley among balsamic vinegar factories and the Ferrari and Pavarotti museums. The delightful old center of Modena and Emilian cuisine will be the epic end to this wonderful day. - Included meals: Breakfast, dinner

11. Day 11: Modena - Florence (200 km / 124 mi)

    The tour in the Motor Valley will continue with the Lamborghini and Ducati museums, as well as the very heart of Bologna, for a nice break at a special Osteria. Then, get back on the bike to cross the legendary Futa, Giogo, and Ratticosa passes and get to the gates of the Mugello Circuit and finally reach amazing Florence (UNESCO site). - Included meals: Breakfast, dinner

12. Day 12: Florence - Florence

    Italy on Motorbike recommends that you devote this day off to the discovery of one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Its unique monuments, gardens, alleys, museums, and markets will enchant you. Unmissable will be an aperitif by sunset on Piazzale Michelangelo, overlooking the awesome Renaissance capital. - Included meals: Breakfast

13. Day 13: Florence - Siena (200 km / 124 mi)

    The motorcycle holiday will continue southward through the enchanting vineyard-covered hills of the Chianti Valley, where you’ll discover wineries and charming villages. The day will continue with a jump back in time to the first UNESCO site of the day, the city with a hundred towers. Ride by rock and rolling on the postcard hills, medieval villages, and fortifications to beautiful Siena (UNESCO site). - Included meals: Breakfast, lunch

14. Day 14: Siena - Orvieto (240 km / 149 mi)

    This day's motorcycle tour will begin on the Crete Senesi (Siena ridges) and continue through the gentle curves of the Val d'Orcia (another UNESCO site), with its postcard views and medieval and Renaissance towns, such as Pienza (UNESCO site) and Montepulciano. The day will continue through forests, hills, and roads carved into the rock by the ancient Etruscans, up to the incredible village of Pitigliano, perched on the edge of a cliff. The day will end with an array in green Umbria, in the beautiful papal city of Orvieto. - Included meals: Breakfast, dinner

15. Day 15: Orvieto - Roma (170 km / 105 mi)

    There'll be more winding roads through the woods for the last day of the motorcycle tour. A spectacular dying city and a pleasant break on the edge of Italy's largest volcanic lake, plus a visit to the second papal city in this tour, will be the last highlights while riding back to Rome. After returning the rented motorcycles, the group will worthily conclude the motorcycling holiday together with a lavish farewell dinner. - Included meals: Breakfast, dinner

16. Day 16: Farewells in Rome

    Say your goodbyes after breakfast. Italy on Motorbike will be at your disposal to organize the extension of your holiday in Italy as you wish. - Included meals: Breakfast

Ride Details

Terrain

Asphalt

Bike

Personal or rental bike

Mileage

2,805 kilometers / 1,743 miles

Daily rides

Between 140 to 260 km (90 to 165 miles)

Meals

13 buffet breakfasts, four lunches, and nine dinners

Accommodation

Your accommodation will be in an ensuite room with buffet breakfast in hand-picked, classy, and charming first-class hotels (four stars) that will satisfy even the most demanding guests, for it is emphasized on all the aspects that go into making a luxury holiday. Wherever possible, Italy on Motorbike will choose high-rated hotels with top facilities and excellent food in historic and scenic settings, often in exquisitely beautiful villages offering inviting backdrops for a romantic dinner or evening walk. On the ferry, you will be accommodated in ensuite cabins with windows.

Food

During this tour, you will be served 13 buffet breakfasts, four lunches in typical restaurants, and nine dinners, as per the itinerary.

Getting There

This tour starts and ends in Rome. During the tour, you will visit 16 UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia, Florence, Genoa, Pienza, Pisa, Portovenere and Cinque Terre, Rome, San Gimignano, Siena, Su Nuraxi di Barumini, Val d’Orcia, and Villa d’Este (Tivoli).