FLORENCE - IMPRUNETA - FLORENCE

Distance: 28- 35 km
Suggested time: Half day
Difficulty: Medium to difficult
Attractions: Chianti vineyards and olive groves, Basilica of Impruneta
Impruneta Tourist office : This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
http://www.proimpruneta.rtd.it

Leaving Florence by bike, turn first right (Via delle Ruote), first right (Via Santa Reparata) and first right again on Via XXVII Aprile, then turn left at the traffic lights into via Nazionale, that will lead you to the train station square. On your left follow the roundabout and turn right beside the church Santa Maria Novella. Proceed over, get into Piazza Goldoni, ride along Via dè Fossi and cross the river Arno on the bridge Ponte alla Carraia.
Go straight on until the end of Via dei Serragli, and pass under the arch (one of the ancient gates of Florence). You are now in Porta Romana square, get into the roundabout and take the center uphill road, via del Poggio Imperiale. At the end of Via del Poggio Imperiale there is a big building (Poggio Imperiale Palace), turn right and follow the road. You will find a small roundabout after a couple of km, turn left following signs to Impruneta. You will pass the villages of Pozzolatico (uphill!), Mezzomonte, Monteoriolo and then you will get to Impruneta.

Alternatively you may follow directions displayed on the map. Once you exit Florence by bike shop turn right in Via delle Ruote and at the end of it left along Via San Gallo. At the end you will cross the bike lane: turn left and stay on the bike lane until your reach the river. You will have to cross the main boulevard and head left towards Piazza Ferrucci, from where you will head to Piazzale Michelangelo ridinf on the gentle hill of Viale Michelangiolo. From the Piazzale just go over the church of San Miniato al Monte and then downhill until you find Viale Torricelli on your left. Turn left and left again to reach the top of Poggio Imperiale.

A nice way to come back is riding back the same way you came for a while and turn left following signs to Quintole – Baruffi - Le Rose. A nice downhill will lead you to Bottai, and following signs to Florence, you will be taken on Via del Gelsomino, which ends into Via del Poggio Imperiale. Turn left and you will ride downhill to Porta Romana.
Once you reach the roundabout, pass under the arch, and ride along via Romana, that becomes via Maggio and leads to the bridge Ponte Santa Trinita. Cross the bridge and go straight through via Tornabuoni, that gets narrow when becoming via Rondinelli and brings you to Via Cerretani. Turn right towards piazza del Duomo and then turn left in via Martelli. Straight on you will find via Cavour and the square Piazza San Marco. Turn around the square and after the traffic lights get into via degli Arazzieri, that becomes via XXVII aprile. The third street on your right right is via San Zanobi, where Florence by bike is.