A Fun and Scenic E-Bike Experience for All
It’s a May day with near-perfect weather: sunny, occasionally shaded by a few clouds, and the temperature is ideal for being outdoors without breaking a sweat. Lourdes and I are about to try the “E-bike tour in Chianti with wine tasting and light lunch.”
I’m used to cycling around Tuscany, usually on my own or with a friend or two, but I’m curious to discover new routes and to try out an e-bike. Lourdes rides but mostly in the city where most routes are flat, so she was excited to try an e-bike to have that extra help to tackle the hills that surround Florence and take you into Chianti.
Meeting the Group and Getting Set Up
We meet at the designated meeting point at 8:45 a.m. and are immediately introduced to Yo, a young man with Taiwanese-Singaporean parents but completely Florentine, friendly and well-prepared. Our fellow tour participants are an American family who had just arrived in Florence the night before from Utah – a small group of six.
The experience will take up half a day, leaving the afternoon free.
The preparation is thorough: we’re given a detailed explanation of how the e-bikes work and provided with well-fitting helmets, making sure each one is comfortable and secure. We’re also given a bottle of cold water each, though we brought our own water bottles and a jacket in case of rain or wind (which was forecasted for the afternoon).
Getting Comfortable with the E-Bikes
The bikes are good quality hybrid e-bikes, allowing for an upright and comfortable riding position and proving to be perfect for the route ahead. The first stretch on the bike path along the Arno is a good opportunity to get used to the electric assist, which is very helpful and gives a strong boost while pedaling. If you’re used to biking, keeping the assist on the lowest setting is usually enough – otherwise the push might be a bit too much, especially on flat terrain. There’s a bit of a learning curve with gear selection on hills, and when needed, the “+” on the electric motor gives extra help. The climb up to Piazzale Michelangelo provides time for everyone to practice.
Lourdes and Yo at the first stop, at Piazzale MichelangeloThe route is relatively easy and takes us through the hills just outside Florence, with beautiful views, mostly along charming, quiet roads. Some paths we already knew, while others were delightful surprises we’d never explored on a bike.
There are occasional stretches shared with cars, but these are not high-traffic roads, and in trickier spots, our guide is very attentive in helping us move forward safely.
The first stop is Piazzale Michelangelo, a must-see for enjoying panoramic views of Florence and snapping some great city photos from above. Our guide Yo strikes a great balance between sharing interesting facts and giving us time to take pictures and explore briefly.
We continue to the Abbey of San Miniato al Monte, another historical site and scenic viewpoint over Florence (incidentally, the spot I chose for my marriage proposal several years ago!).
The little roads behind San Miniato are picturesque and offer stunning views of the Florentine hills. We pass through Arcetri, home to the observatory and the house where Galileo once lived, now a private museum. Without e-bikes, this would’ve been a tough ride, but with them, the uphill section is easy and pleasant.
We reach Via Imprunetana – a bit more trafficked but still scenic and not too steep. It’s the most challenging part of the ride, yet still manageable even for those not used to biking.
This road brings us to the central square of Impruneta, a town right at the edge of the Chianti region. We have time for a short walk and a cappuccino stop (and a bathroom break at the bar), then we’re off again toward Relais Villa Olmo.
At this villa on the outskirts of Impruneta, we visit the small but charming winery and olive oil mill. Interestingly, their olive crushing system is reminiscent of ancient times, still using two large stone wheels.
Next, we head to the tasting room where we sample olive oil made from the trees surrounding the villa, pressed in the mill we just toured. We taste two types: one with a bold flavor we preferred on bruschetta, and a milder one, perfect for dressing dishes. The sommelier, Stefania, explains the oil production process and the differences between types in a clear and engaging way. She then leads us through a tasting of three wines produced by the estate under the Diadema label: a rosé perfect for an aperitif, a red aged in amphora for meals, and a fine red to pair with bold-flavored dishes.
Tasting quality wines with someone knowledgeable who guides your attention to what you’re experiencing and how to best appreciate each wine is always fascinating.
We then enjoy a light lunch at the Villa Olmo restaurant. We’re all seated together, giving us the chance to get to know the family on the tour and our guide Yo better. Time flies by pleasantly. We’re served a simple pasta with tomato sauce and cheese (vegetarian option; others had meat sauce), a small eggplant parmigiana, and panna cotta for dessert.
Not too full, we get back on our e-bikes for the return ride to Florence.
We take a small road ("la vecchia di Pozzolatico") that is very narrow and very charming, with almost no cars and mostly downhill (and quite steep in parts).
We reach Poggio Imperiale via Galluzzo, and while there would have been time for a quick stop to enjoy the views from this privileged spot, a light rain begins and Yo wisely decides to press on.
We return via Porta Romana, then past Palazzo Pitti and near Ponte Vecchio, finally arriving back at our starting point near the Arno around 2:30 p.m., with the whole afternoon still ahead of us.
It was a very enjoyable experience we would definitely recommend, suitable for anyone who can ride a bike (you don’t need to be a cyclist!), and well-balanced between biking, the guide’s historical and local insights, tastings, and lunch. I also appreciated the choice of route – perhaps it could have been a bit longer (because I enjoy biking!), but that might have pushed us beyond the half-day timeframe.
For someone like me who bikes regularly, the tour is easy and relaxing, a chance to fully enjoy the hidden paths, views, tastings, and good company. Those less used to biking still have time to learn how to handle the gears and electric assist, the hills (not too steep), the descents, and some traffic. The tour pace suits everyone, and even the less experienced participants in our group had no trouble.
Yo told us the route is flexible and he adapts it based on the group – he can include some gravel roads for a more “pro” group or choose even easier routes for less experienced riders.
In case of rain, even light as in our final stretch, the pace is quickened and not all stops are made, or the support van is called in.
The only thing we missed was a final stop for a gelato – but after the tour, having said goodbye to our cycling companions, we quickly fixed that! Around the corner, Gelateria del Neri had a bit too long of a line, so we went instead to Cantina del Gelato on Borgo la Croce.
If you want to book this experience, you can do it from this link (we get a small commission if you book from this link: thank you!)
