Location
Via Don Sebastiano Leone, 65, Pratoranieri, Follonica (GR) Italy
Around Follonica, within just a few kilometres, you go from the flat seafront cycle path to the mountain bike trails of the Bandite di Scarlino, where the very first stage in the history of the Enduro World Series started in 2013, and on to the climbs and white gravel roads of the Colline Metallifere. From Golfo del Sole you set off straight from the beach, with bikes and guides from the resort’s Bike Station.
The Gulf of Follonica is one of the most varied places in Tuscany for cycling. If you just want a relaxed ride, you’ll find kilometres of flat cycle path along the sea and the pine forest. If you’re after trails, two large wooded areas with hundreds of kilometres of tracks lie less than half an hour away. If you love the road, you can climb up to the inland villages, among vineyards, olive groves and old mines.
In this guide you’ll find the main routes, by level, and how to plan your rides from Golfo del Sole Hotel & Holiday Resort.
The beauty of cycling in Follonica is that everything is close by. The coast is flat and sandy, shaded by the pine forest; behind it, after just a few kilometres, the hills begin, covered in Mediterranean scrub and holm oak woods, with proper climbs and views over the gulf and Elba.
The climate does the rest: in spring and autumn temperatures are mild and the cycling is good for months, even when the season is over in the rest of Europe.
Along Follonica’s seafront runs a stretch of about five kilometres of the Ciclovia Tirrenica, the cycle route that follows the coast. It starts at the border with Piombino, passes through Pratoranieri, the resort’s neighbourhood, and the town centre, and continues as far as the border with Scarlino. It is completely flat: ideal for families, children and anyone who uses a bike simply to get around.
Beyond the municipal border the Follonica–Puntone cycle path continues, easy and flat, skirting the pine forest of the Tomboli di Follonica State Nature Reserve as far as the Puntone di Scarlino and its marina. From Golfo del Sole it is about 20 km there and back, in the shade of the pines and with no climbs.
At the resort’s reception you can also hire city bikes, children’s bikes and rickshaws. To discover the town along the way, you’ll find everything in the guide to Follonica.
The Bandite di Scarlino are a large forest area of about 8,700 hectares between Scarlino, Follonica, Gavorrano and Castiglione della Pescaia, owned by the Region of Tuscany. Within it lies a network of about 200 km of trails open to walkers, mountain bikers and horse riders.
The waymarked routes mix forest roads and mule tracks, singletrack and firebreaks, with something for everyone: from easy cross-country to the most technical enduro trails. Some of the best-known trails, such as Rock oh and Quercia Numerata, are famous among bikers all over Europe. It was here, in May 2013, that the very first stage of the Enduro World Series was raced: the Punta Ala round.
Riding through the Bandite you cross the Mediterranean scrub until you emerge by the sea: these are the hills of Cala Violina and Cala Martina. Trail maps are available at the Scarlino tourist office; detailed GPS tracks are also on Trailforks.
Behind Follonica stretches the Montioni Interprovincial Park, about seven thousand hectares of hills and holm oak woods between Follonica, Massa Marittima, Suvereto, Piombino and Campiglia Marittima. The routes are forest roads, old mule tracks, singletrack and firebreaks, generally of easy or medium difficulty: ideal if you want to mountain bike without overly technical sections.
The entrance is just a few kilometres from the centre of Follonica: the park begins at the Centro Accoglienza Pratini di Valle visitor centre. Along the trails you come across medieval towers, the remains of Montioni castle and the Baciocca baths, built around 1809 for Elisa Bonaparte.
Photo: Alessandro Corsoni, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
If you prefer a road bike or gravel bike, the hinterland is within easy pedalling distance. The Colline Metallifere take their name from the mines that made them wealthy for centuries: today they form the Colline Metallifere National Park, recognised since 2010 as a UNESCO geopark (Tuscan Mining UNESCO Global Geopark).
The classic destinations:
Massa Marittima is also the destination of the Bike Station’s full-day guided tours.
At the resort you’ll find the Golfo del Sole Bike Station, the bike centre with workshop and hire next to reception. You can hire MTBs, e-MTBs and road bikes; the secure bike room with video surveillance stores the bikes of those who arrive with their own.
Mountain bike expert Simon Zmoos and his team of Swiss bike guides organise guided tours for all levels, for individual guests or groups, as well as week-long cycling packages in spring and autumn. All the details are on the Bike Station page.
On your first day, ride the cycle path to the Puntone: it’s flat and shaded, and a good way to get used to the bike and the area. From the second day, if you want to climb, ask the Bike Station guides: they know every trail in the Bandite and choose the ride to suit the group.
The best times are spring and autumn, from March to June and from September to October: mild temperatures, dry trails and little traffic. In summer it’s best to ride early in the morning and towards evening, avoiding the middle of the day.
In late May or early June Follonica hosts La Leopoldina, a non-competitive vintage cycling event on period bikes, with three routes between Follonica, Scarlino, Gavorrano and Massa Marittima. The dates change every year.
Yes. Within a few kilometres of Follonica you’ll find everything a cyclist could want: the seafront cycle path for families, the Bandite trails for those looking for fun, and the climbs up to the villages for those who want to train. And after the ride there’s the sea, just a few steps from the bike room.
At Golfo del Sole you can choose between the hotel rooms, the bungalows in the pine forest and the apartments, all just a stone’s throw from the private beach at Pratoranieri.
At Golfo del Sole there is the Golfo del Sole Bike Station, with MTB, e-MTB and road bike hire, a workshop and guided tours. City bikes, children’s bikes and rickshaws can also be hired at reception.
Yes. Follonica’s seafront cycle path and the Follonica–Puntone cycle path are flat and largely shaded by the pine forest: about 20 km there and back from the resort.
In the Bandite di Scarlino, with about 200 km of waymarked trails for all levels, and in Montioni Park, with easy and intermediate routes through the holm oak woods.
Yes, the routes are waymarked. Maps are available at the Scarlino tourist office and detailed GPS tracks can be found on Trailforks.
Yes. Massa Marittima is about 24 km from the resort, with a demanding climb on the final stretch. It is the full-day destination of the Bike Station’s guided tours.
Spring and autumn, when the climate is mild. In summer it’s best to ride early in the morning or towards evening.
Not for the cycle path and the flat routes. For the hills and trails an e-MTB helps a lot, especially if you’re not in training: you can hire them at the Bike Station.
Via Don Sebastiano Leone, 65, Pratoranieri, Follonica (GR) Italy
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