Tuscany Sardinia Corsica

Here you'll start to experience the fabulous riding which makes Italy famous as a touring destination. As we pass through Bologna, we can stop and tour the Ducati factory and museum. Bologna is famous for its distinctive cuisine, including lasagna and tortellini. After lunch, the road gets nice and twisty through the Apennine Mountains, a range of mostly green and wooded mountains which form the backbone of Italy. Great riding begins here and continues for the next two weeks! In the evening we pull into Florence, a colorful and beautiful city with a rich Renaissance history.

One can ride for what seems like forever, only stopping for lunch in a small village to sample the wonderful fresh farm produce this area has to offer. Or you can spend the rest-day in the fabled city of Florence and see all the attractions that are on offer. Start with a stroll to the Cattadrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, or Duomo, with its famous, colorful, towering cupola. Then take a walk over the city's famous Old Bridge, the Ponte Vecchio. If art interests you, the Galleria Degli Uffizi houses the greatest collection of Renaissance art in the world. And don't miss Michelangelo's 'The David' at the Galleria dell'Accedemia.

Some of the best motorcycle touring can be found here--undulating roads through the scenic vineyards of the Chianti wine-growing region, and through Caprese Michelangelo, the birth place of the famous artist. Along the way, small castles sometimes house a winery or a traditional Tuscan restaurant. Here, it is possible to sample some Chianti with our traditional Tuscan dinner. In the evening we pull into Siena.

Turn after wide turn leads us through the undulating terrain that Tuscany offers. Or you can simply enjoy Siena, one of Italy's most enchanting medieval towns. Stroll in the Piazza del Campo, the sunny main square where the locals gather, or wander the warren of narrow, medieval alleyways.

We'll experience more of the rolling green hills and picturesque farmland that makes the Tuscan countryside legendary. We stop in San Gimignano, where the 15 towers of this walled hill town look like a medieval Manhattan. We then ride to Pisa and take in one of the most delightful oddities in the world, the Leaning Tower. In Livorno, we board an overnight ferry for Sardinia and spend the night on the boat in comfortable cruise cabins.

Geographically distinct from the mainland, Sardinia is made up of vibrantly green gorges and valleys and spectacular stretches of unspoiled coastline. Here you will experience the narrow twisties, hairpin turns, and cliff-hanging precipices of some of the most exciting motorcycle roads in the world. We disembark the ferry at Olbia and then head out to get our first taste of this fantastic riding.

We'll spend a full day here to really explore and truly appreciate the amazing riding. Turn after turn of tight arcs takes us through the mountainous interior, and the views are stunning. Sardinia has a proud history dating back to Paleolithic times, marked by circular stone fortresses called nuraghe. Thousands of these remain, scattered throughout the island, and provide for interesting exploration during rest stops.

Superb asphalt and twisties combined with practically no traffic make Sardinia a rider's paradise. Tonight, seafood is on the menu, and we stay at the beautiful coastal town of Alghero, providing a wonderful and scenic night's rest after a big day of vigorous and memorable touring.

We'll take a walk through the alleyways of the city center up to the Castello, the citadel. We than take a scenic ferry to Corsica, a proud island with an independent identity, now part of France. In contrast to our days in Italy, here we'll ride through villages which have a French feel. We end the day in Bonifacio, a seaside city perched on towering limestone cliffs.

Often known as the Mountain in the Sea, Corsica has more mountains and rivers than any Mediterranean island. From Bonifacio, we ride the mountainous inland, passing through the small village of Piana, its spiky red granite rocks rising up to 440m above the azure sea. We end up the day in Porto, a little seaside resort on the west coast, where luckily you can catch the most dazzling sunset in the Mediterranean.

We head back to the coast to stop in the fishing port and nowadays the popular summer vacation spot of Saint Florent. From here on we continue to Bastia, home of the most famous man in the history of Corsica, Napoleon Bonaparte.

After lunch we'll take a ferry back to the mainland and continue to our destination in Cinque Terre, one of Italy's most scenic treasures.

We'll spend the rest day exploring these great little villages that have been spared from a propagation of T-shirt shops and tacky souvenir stands. Cars and motorbikes are not allowed in the villages. We'll use the boats from which the views are truly spectacular. Or you can choose to hike on scenic footpaths through vineyards and forests.

You can also rent a Ferrari and go for a spin around the town or into the mountains. Take in the last of beautiful Tuscany on our ride home. The sight of this unforgettable landscape will stay with you forever. We ride towards Bologna and end end in romantic Venice.

Spending one or two nights in Venice at the end of the tour is of course a great idea, especially if you have not done so at the beginning. Take a boat ride on the Grand Canal, Venice's main waterway lined with Renaissance palaces. You can disembark at the Piazza San Marco and stop to appreciate the intricate architecture of Basilica di San Marco. Then wander the streets, marveling at the sheer number of tiny arched bridgeways over the many, meandering canals.