Fort Collins, CO. October 16, 2024: ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours, a trailblazer in cycling vacations and leader in active travel, is looking back to the beginning, to 1972 when its founders, Rick and Paola Malpezzi-Price (parents to current co-owners Maria Elena and Monica Price), ran the company’s very first cycling trip – Bike Across Italy – which traveled from Pisa to Paola’s hometown of Forli.
While the company has grown significantly over the past 52 years, expanding throughout Europe and into the Caribbean and South America to offer its many guided and self-guided cycling adventures, at its core, ExperiencePlus! has remained fundamentally the same since day one and the current iteration of that original tour – Bike Across Italy – Venice to Pisa – reflects that.
“This is, and has always been, one of our most popular cycling tours,” says Maria Elena Price, co-owner of ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours. “We believe that travel by bike is one of the most immersive and intimate ways to experience a destination, and our classic Venice to Pisa tour is the perfect example of that. It’s an unforgettable experience.”
Taking travelers a little further than those first 25 guests in 1972, this 12-day guided trip starts in Venice and makes stops in the great art cities of Ferrara, Ravenna, and Florence, before wrapping up with a ride to Pisa’s Mediterranean coast. Along the way, cyclists enjoy gourmet meals in two of Italy’s best culinary regions – Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany – take in local markets and discover a side of Italy seldom seen by tourists. They’ll also have a chance to visit “the Hub,” the company’s European headquarters, for a light lunch and a close-up look at its operations.
Other highlights of the tour include:
- Pedal via the Lidos of Venice and Pellestrina, natural levees that protect the Venetian lagoon from the Adriatic Sea.
- Enjoy lunch in Chioggia, the “other” Venice of the lagoon.
- Ride directly under the finest example of Renaissance walls remaining in Italy upon entering Ferrara, a UNESCO World Heritage town and home to many palaces of the Este court from the 14th and 15th centuries.
- Discover the old port town of Comacchio and the rich bird habitats of the Po’s Delta.
- Enjoy an olive oil tasting in the medieval village of Brisighella before heading into the Apennines.
- Discover Florence via a guided walking tour.
- Overnight in town of Vinci, the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci.
- Climb the stairway to the Medici villa in Cerreto Guidi.
- Spend two nights in beautiful Lucca, a former Roman town that was once one of medieval Italy’s most prosperous city-states.
“We’re incredibly proud of how ExperiencePlus! has grown over the years, but at its core, it has remained true to the values my parents founded it on,” continues Price. “While we now offer trips across three continents, the focus on delivering high-quality, immersive experiences, with a commitment to sustainability and authentic local connections, has never changed. It’s that same dedication to thoughtful travel that continues to guide everything we do today.”
Continue reading below for more information about ExperiencePlus’ classic tours.
“Get on a bike. Follow the arrows. Leave your cares behind.”
For those who like to pedal point-to-point on paved roads and explore classic cycling destinations and hidden gems only the locals know, ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours’ classic style bike tours makes it easy. Following unique chalk arrows, cyclists explore small villages and world-class cities while traveling at their own pace, yet in the company of local tour leaders who support each guest’s ride while also bringing a deeper understanding to the area’s history, traditions, and culture.
Some of the company’s other classic style bike tours include:
- Bike Across Portugal – This eight-day trip traverses the fascinating landscapes and villages of one of Portugal’s most interesting regions, the Alentejo. Explore the south-central lands and west coast, complete with undulating wheat fields, cork and eucalyptus trees, olive orchards and vineyards.
- Grand Cycling Tour of Andalucía – A new take on one of the company’s favorite bicycle tours in Spain, this 13-day tour takes guests from Seville, through the Sierra to Córdoba, and then on to Granada.
- Cycling Southwestern Sicily’s Ancient Mediterranean Cities – Spend seven days exploring the best of traditional southern Italy, traveling from Agrigento to Trapani.
- Cycling Ancient Greece: Sparta to Kardamyli – This eight-day tour of the Southern Peloponnese starts in ancient Sparta and covers the regions of Laconia and Messinia, focusing on the Mani Peninsula, an area bursting with ancient and mythological history.
- Bicycling the Islands of the Dalmatian Coast – Kicking off in Split, this eight-day tour explores this spectacular limestone coastline up close, including rides on two of the Mediterranean’s most picturesque islands – Brač and Havr.
- Bicycling Provence to the Pyrenees – On this eight-day tour, guests explore classical Roman Provence, the Cévennes, and the Languedoc regions of France.
- Bicycling Patagonia’s Lakes District – This seven-day adventure is a great introduction to Chile’s Lake District and a region of Argentina and Chile that is still unique due to its remote location and stunning natural beauty.
For the full list of classic style bike tours, click here.
For more information about any of the above tours, and for details on all ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours’ guided and self-guided cycling adventures in Europe, the Caribbean, and South America, visit ExperiencePlus.com.
