Small collection of thoughts scattered on some of my trips with my faithful bicycle in my native country: Tuscany.
From San Giuliano Terme, in the province of Pisa, to Lucca, I take a road below the mountain. For “below the mountain” in these parts we obviously mean Monte Pisano, a mecca for local and non-local cyclists, with the highest point located 917 meters on Monte Serra. This road below the mountain touches Villa di Corliano, which I did not know. Beyond the gate you enter a park with a majestic villa in the background. A secondary road leads to the old village of Corliano: a surprise!!!
Riding around the paved streets of Florence becomes very pleasant and comfortable with a gravel bike. Even more enjoyable if you arrive from the cycle path of Renai, west of the Tuscan capital, and by bike through the entire Cascine Park, especially in the autumn. The only problem I encountered is that between the photos you take and the ones you want to take, time flies!!! …and the notion of time is literally lost…
Travelling by bike in the city is really cool, I would like to live there just for that. Maybe if I really lived in a city like this I wouldn’t even have a car, or I would only have it for my family. For me, commuting by bicycle every day would be great. Florence, however, is truly unique. And not just because I can ride a bike.
While you are riding a bike in Tuscany, you will probabily meet temples, newspaper kiosks or madonnines. Everyone calls them their own way. There are a lot of them here in Tuscany. They are at the intersections, but it is not necessarily said. Certainly in never banal places and often in panoramic places. Those I find in the field intrigue me more, always well cared for and often in the shadow of cypresses. I imagine farmers of the past who stop to pray and ask for protection for their loved ones, for animals or for a good harvest. Or I see them just in the shade to rest for a moment while they take a sip of water or… “divine”.
A month of November like this. A sky like this. A bike. Road and gravel at will, and think it might actually be better, but… it could be even worse. Riding a bike in Tuscany ❤
