Challenge and reward yourself on our cycling tours of Italy
For us, pure Italian riding is about challenge and reward. You get to test yourself on Italy’s most exhilarating landscapes (yes, and the climbs), while immersing yourself in the most authentic of Italian hospitality.
Our Italy cycling tours are born out of an absolute love of the spirit of Italian riding and lifestyle. We have personally hand-picked every hotel, villa, trattoria and osteria for each of our Tours, because we know that by lifting the tourist curtain of Italy, you will be touched forever by a real Italian embrace.
It is our attention to detail and the richness of Italian experience that we offer, that makes our cycling tours also immensely absorbing for the many non-rider partners that join our small groups.
Upcoming Tours
L’Eroica & Tuscany
28th September – 5th October 2020
Puglia Cycling Tour
7th – 15th May 2021
Giro d’Italia & The Great Climbs
21st – 29th May 2021
WHERE’S YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE?
An Unforgettable Italian cycling tour of Tuscany, should be on top of every riders’ bike bucket list. It is more than picture perfect. Rolling hills, free flowing descents and mesmerizing landscapes at every turn. And post ride, a different sort of magic plays out. The food and wine takes centre stage, the whole experience becomes an indulgent delight. What’s not to love about cycling tours that unlock the magic of Tuscany?
CREATING AND SHARING AUTHENTIC
CYCLING HOLIDAYS
Frankly, we specialize in Italian cycling holidays because Italy is our love. The sheer joy of our personal discovery adventures when out riding, and developing routes that meander off the beaten track and into the heart of local communities, is something we feel compelled to share.
Our reward is having guests express their delight at having experienced our tours, feeling they have been immersed in life as a local. Sharing a dinner table with our Italian families and friends in locations that you only dream about certainly has its rewards – the gift of the pure heart and soul of Italy.
He has talked about doing a cycling tour of Italy (I wasn’t that keen as – what was I going to do?) He had liked an A’qto cycling Facebook post, I saw this and downloaded the itinerary (as I have always wanted to go to Italy).
I was impressed!!
Meg & Rod
Jen Q
ABOUT US
A’QTO specialises in hosting immersive Italian cycling tours for serious, recreational cyclists.
Led by an Australian-Italian team who are based 6 months in Melbourne, Australia and 6 months in Chianti, Tuscany, we bring together the ultimate holiday for our many international guests who are seeking the exhilaration of superbly designed Italian rides and the indulgence of great local food and wine. Every detail curated to deliver an unforgettable and joyous Italian experience.
OUR COMMITMENT
Our name calls upon us to deliver every moment of our tours with the most discerning of minds – exactly what our Italian heritage and passion for cycling have gifted us to do.
FAQ’s
Our philosophy is that with challenge, you find reward. All of our trips are designed for cyclists and are physically challenging, but some more so than others. From an Italy perspective, the Giro d’Italia tour would be the toughest, with L’Eroica and Piemonte less demanding overall. With our Weekend Escapes and Australian Adventures, we often balance the difficulty level to include one challenging day, followed by a less challenging day – depending on the group. On all of our trips, our guides encourage and support riders to step up to their own challenge and go slightly beyond their usual level of riding. Each individual trip is rated for difficulty and to help you decide if it’s right for you, please talk to us anytime.
When you’re riding with A’QTO, you’ll always have at least one ride guide on the road with the group, and most often, there will be two guides. To manage varying levels of fitness, we often break into two groups with a guide leading each small group. There will also be a mechanic with a full tool kit and spare parts not far away – usually in a support car behind the group and sometimes in a very nearby town. Your guides and mechanics will be able to help you out with ride food and drink, as well as local knowledge, first aid, and even a hand to push you up the hill if you feel you need it. They’ll do everything they can to keep you and your bike on the road but, if for any reason you need it, there will always be a seat in the support vehicle.
Yes, you can either rent or buy a bike through us in Italy.
For our Giro d’Italia and Piemonte tours, we have access to a range of carbon top-specification hire bikes and for L’Eroica, we can also arrange very good quality steel vintage bikes for rent. If you would like to rent a bike, please let us know when you book so we can guarantee the right size is available. Please also send us your fit measurements, so our mechanics can set up the bike for you, ready for the start of your trip. If you’re renting a bike, you need to remember to bring your helmet, pedals and saddle to your trip start.
If you would like to buy a bike in Italy, we can assist with custom made carbon or steel frame bikes by Formigli, a master frame builder in Italy with whom we partner. To have a custom made bike made by Formigli available for pick-up when you’re in Italy, we require 2 months notice to facilitate your bike build.
If you would like to buy a Steel Vintage Bike for L’Eroica, we have a very trusted source whom we recommend highly. Talk to us when booking.
We believe accommodation is a significant factor in your overall enjoyment of a trip so we always ensure high quality accommodation is included, with bathrooms and showers available per room – whether in Australia or Italy, your own bathroom is guaranteed.
Depending on the locations, we stay in very good quality three-star-chalets or villas, through to small boutique hotels and sometimes, grand five-star hotels. We like to also have access to a kitchen so that we can entertain our guests with a blend of home-cooked dinner parties, often co-hosted with our hosts and using beautiful local produce, alongside dining in some superb restaurants.
All of our trips include the option of some off-the-bike activities as we believe a big part of the enjoyment of a trip is to experience and appreciate the local areas we stay in, as well as riding across their amazing terrain. From wine tastings to must see sights and local cultural experiences, to exploring the villages and towns we are in, we like to include options for you to explore should you choose to. On all tours, you will always have free time post-ride and your choice of activity can often also include massages and visiting wellness centres, therapeutic pools and saunas in and around our accommodation.
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