We have checked out these 5 Tuscany trails:
And here's another Short interview with Ines Schumann with trail recommendations.
Tuscany Trails No. 1 : Folgorito Trail
The panoramic downhill guarantees a view of the sea, stunts and plenty of baller passages. Explosive - a must-do for freeriders.
The province of Massa-Carrara is home to some top-class trails with little traffic. It is perhaps the spot in Tuscany that few bikers have on their radar. Directly above the town of Massa-Carrara, there are two trail areas that offer plenty of flow. However, the region has a very special highlight in store for gravity riders: the Folgorito downhill. It follows an old military trail from the Second World War over 800 metres downhill.
The Folgorito trail dates back to the war, but two downhill-obsessed brothers have converted it into a downhill route - great! The trail starts at a lonely mountain peak with a 360-degree panorama. First things first: if you want to "take in" all the features, you need airtime experience. The jumps are often fat and challenging (but can be avoided). Only later does the descent become a flow trail, then a fast cart track, leading over perhaps the largest stone field in Tuscany, before finally turning into a technically demanding path that winds its way through the forest. In short: a wild mix of action for lots of riding fun. There are beautiful viewpoints to boot. If you want to combine the descent from Folgorito with a longer tour, start from Massa and ride via Belvedere (tour 2 in our book) and possibly take one or two more trails with you. Unfortunately, there are no shuttle providers here, but you can shuttle yourself to Belvedere by car.
PLUS
- Stunt features
- Panorama
- Variety
MINUS
- no shuttles
- Start and finish of the tour far away
Conclusion on the Folgorito Trail:
800 metres of downhill fun with plenty of variety, sea views, mountain panoramas and official jumps. Exciting for all gravity bikers and our number 1 in Tuscany.
You will find the GPS data for the Folgorito Trail here.
Trail no. 2: Rincine trails
In the hinterland of the cultural city of Florence, trails wind through dense and lonely forests - Jacopo's work, lovingly maintained and combinable at will.
Legal, well-built bike trails in the middle of nowhere without crowds - where can you find something like this? Right here: A trail paradise awaits in the forest area of Rincine, we guarantee it!
Trail builder Jacopo is a master of flow and knows how to play with the terrain like no other. His lovingly created routes are extremely varied and will put a grin on every biker's face. However, the first part of the descent (from the summit of Monte Massicaia) follows old paths and is therefore somewhat wilder, steeper and rougher, until the second half takes you back to Jacopo's hand-built routes. Here, riders can expect ingeniously built trails, real enduro routes, but not technically blocked and without any pitfalls. They are therefore an experience for bikers of all abilities.
The described tour combines several highlights, but the tour can be extended as desired. You can pedal it or be shuttled. We say: a shuttle day with "Freeride Firenze" is worthwhile to get to know the whole area with the locals. The terrain in Rincine is full of trails, all of which are well signposted and marked on the trail map - many extra laps are possible. Combinations are also possible, as the route repeatedly crosses the access road. This means you can get off after each trail and get back on at any point. By the way: the small bike park "Bike Gym" is an hour's drive away and has an altitude difference of 350 metres.
PLUS
- Flow
- Shuttle provider
- Combinations possible
MINUS
- Hardly any stunts
- Poor infrastructure, restaurants, hotels etc.
Conclusion on the Rincine trails:
Ingeniously constructed trails, real enduro routes, but not choppy, with lots of flow and therefore an experience for bikers of all skill levels. Jacopo's trails take 2nd place in our ranking.
Tuscany Trails No. 3: Bonatto Trail
From Monte Arsenti in Massa Marittima, several trails lead down into the valley, but the Bonatto trail is the most fun because it's sooo flowy! Off through the vegetables!
The Trailbrothers from Massa Marittima have created a true trail paradise on Monte Arsenti. Here, descents of varying character, steepness and difficulty wind their way down both sides of the 536 metre high mountain. It is not so easy to decide on a highlight tour. But it's not that important, because all the trails are good.
The Bonatto Trail is just one of many trails here, but definitely a must-do for flow fetishists. The ten-minute descent winds its way through dense undergrowth. At the beginning, the aim is to maintain speed on the rather flat sections. However, with the right line choice and open brakes, you quickly pick up speed due to the hard ground. The singletrail demands your full attention and a foresighted riding style. If you're not on the ball, you'll get lost and quickly catch your handlebars in one of the trees. The trail crosses a road again and again.
The pace picks up later on, and stone fields require you to keep going if you don't want to lose sight of the person in front. We enjoyed this second section of the trail the most because it was so fast and flowy. The more often you ride the trail, the more fun it is - and the more you get into a flow frenzy. Top: If you've had enough of Bonatto, you can switch to one of the other trails - they're just a stone's throw away.
PLUS
- Flow
- Variants
- Weatherproof
MINUS
- few jumps
Conclusion on the Bonatto Trail:
Easy single trail for flow hunters, beginners and advanced riders who like to speedbattle with their mates. There are no stunts or difficult technical passages here.
Tuscany Trails No. 4: Calci Trail
From Monte Pisano in the hinterland of Pisa, technical trails wind down into the valley. The landscape is surreal, as a forest fire has burnt down the trees. The Calci Trail is the master descent.
If you are looking for real flow trails, constantly maintained and swept by trail builders, then Calci is the wrong place for you. The Italian bike scene strangely calls the Calci trails "Calci Flow", but this must be meant ironically. Because the trails are rocky, rough and rugged.
At just over 900 metres, Monte Serra is the highest peak in the Pisan mountain range in the mostly steel-blue Tuscan sky - so you can collect plenty of metres in depth. The downside: there is no shuttle service, so you have to crank up the mountain yourself. From the village, the route climbs up through the olive groves in a narrow, yet picturesque manner, and soon a magnificent view opens up over Pisa as far as Livorno and the sea. Once you reach the road, you follow a pleasant incline up to the summit, where the trail starts. It already offers plenty of action - be sure to check out the jumps beforehand! And be careful: after rainfall, the trail can have deep gullies and therefore become very technically demanding.
We continue through a landscape that was burnt down by a forest fire years ago. We rush through the charred tree trunks that rise into the sky like black Mikado sticks - surreal! If you still haven't had enough, you can do a few extra loops after the descent: There are more enduro trails in the lower part of the first descent. And parallel to the last descent, "Calcifer", you can turn into the more challenging Macine trail.
PLUS
- Variants
- Panorama
- Proximity to the city
MINUS
- Trail condition
- no shuttle provider
Conclusion on the Calci trails:
Fun singletrail action with panoramic views. Rocky, challenging trails that are maintained from time to time, but are not always in good shape. There is no shuttle service.
Tuscany Trails No. 5: Amiata Bike Park
The Amiata Bike Park offers a variety of descents spread over 320 metres of altitude - bike action and perhaps the slowest lift in the world.
Four main trails wind their way down the mountain in the Amiata Bike Park. Although the bike park is a little out of the way, we say: it's worth a visit!
Perhaps the slowest chairlift in Italy or even the world takes you through the treetops of the large beech trees. The lift is slow, but it doesn't matter, because some of the trails run directly under the lift. There's a lot to look at, and you can check out the jumps and mentally prepare yourself for the descent. There are black, blue and green trails - something for every trail biker. A single day is almost too short to test everything out and get to grips with the technical rocks, jumps and drops.
Bike park equipment is obligatory and a bike with plenty of suspension travel makes sense. Our favourite trail is probably the good green one, "8volante". It curves through the terrain in a flowing and varied manner. Stunt freeriders are more likely to choose the "Red Jack", as there are some big jumps with lots of airtime. Good: The routes can be easily combined, as all the descents are close to each other.
PLUS
- Versatile
- well built
- Vibe
MINUS
- off the beaten track, only park in the area
Conclusion on the Amiata Bike Park:
The small 320-metre Amiata bike park offers varied and well-built trails. Assessment: The bike park is slightly above the level of the Osternohe bike park.
Tuscany Trails - Book tip
The former Enduro World. Series racers Ines Thoma and Max Schumann pass on their concentrated knowledge of Tuscany in their book Tuscany Trails. They reveal insider tips, name trail tours and give tips. Price: 34.90 euros with GPS data to download and overview maps of the region.
Ines Thoma and Max Schumann, former racers in the Enduro World Series (EWS), pass on their concentrated knowledge of Tuscany in their book Tuscany Trails. They reveal insider tips, name trail tours and give tips. Price: 34.90 euros with GPS data to download and overview maps of the region.
Ines Thoma on the MTB trails in Tuscany: Everything fits here!
Ines Thoma either rides enduro races or chases super trails. Here she takes some time to answer our questions.
FREERIDE: Ines, if you could only name one favourite trail in Tuscany - which one?
Ines Thoma: Phew, I would probably do the Bonatto Trail (in the Book Tuscany Trails on p. 118) in Massa Marittima: fast, flowing, long. But there are many other trails here that you can combine. The area is also varied and the vibe is right.
Why is Tuscany so popular with us bikers?
Because everything fits here: Culture, history, landscape, climate and good food. And of course lots of trails.
Punta Ala is not included in your selection, why?
Punta Ala is very hyped because of the EWS. Although the former EWS trails used to be well maintained, they haven't been for a long time. So not for flow fans. It is also often overcrowded here, other areas are more worthwhile.
I only have a week - where do I have to go?
I would combine Massa Marittima with Amiata. You're on the right track! Spring and autumn are the best times to visit - it's too hot in summer.
Elba is considered a biking paradise and is part of Tuscany, why is the island not included in the book?
Yes, unfortunately. I've been to Elba, but unfortunately not long enough to name the best trails. We concentrated on the mainland. Maybe Elba will be our next project.
More tips: Trips to Tuscany
Don't feel like searching yourself? The Bucketride.de platform offers Tuscany trips. Including road trips for mountain bikers with campervans. They head for the region's super trails (how could it be otherwise?), including the new spot "Tuscany Coast Park", 20 minutes by car from Piombino. Here there are trails built at an altitude of 500 metres with hips, tables, doubles and step-ups.
