Florence Hills: E-Bike Tour with Gelato & Countryside Views

4.80

(335 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

You know that moment when the city noise drops away? That’s what hit me as our e-bikes hummed out of Florence’s center—just the soft whir of wheels and a little laughter from behind. Our guide, Marco, waved us over near a row of cypresses. He pointed out a tiny vineyard I’d have missed otherwise. The sun was warm but not harsh, and the air smelled like wild herbs and something sweet I couldn’t quite name. Maybe fennel? Or just Tuscany doing its thing.

The climb up to Piazzale Michelangelo was easier than I’d expected (thank you, electric bike), but my heart still thumped when we reached the top—not from effort, but that view. Florence sprawled below, all terracotta roofs and church domes. Marco told us stories about San Miniato al Monte—he even tried singing a bit of Gregorian chant inside the basilica, which made us all grin. There was this old man outside selling postcards; he winked at me when I tried my broken Italian. It felt like time slowed down up there.

We rolled through Arcetri next—quiet lanes where even the dogs seemed half asleep in the sun. Someone mentioned Galileo had lived nearby; I honestly didn’t know that before. The countryside here isn’t dramatic or showy, just gentle hills with olive trees and stone walls that look like they’ve been around forever. By the time we coasted back into town for gelato (I went for pistachio—still thinking about it), my legs felt pleasantly tired and my head kind of clear in that way only being outside can do.