Best of Italy

Nine nights through the middle of Italy, from Rome up to Tuscany, taking in a genuinely independent country along the way. San Marino is not an Italian town but a republic in its own right, the oldest surviving one in the world, perched on a limestone crag with its own roads to climb.

Assisi comes first out of Rome, then San Marino, then the Mugello racetrack in the Apennine foothills, which Formula One and MotoGP fans will want to detour for. Florence provides the first rest day, with optional rides into the hills or out to Pisa for the obvious reason.

Tuscany is the heart of the trip. Volterra arrives by way of Chianti, and the overnight stops take in Siena and Pienza, with Cortona, Urbino, San Gimignano, Montalcino, the Abbazia Sant’Antimo, Lake Trasimeno, Orvieto and the thermal pools at Bagno Vignoni all on the route. These are cypress-lined ridge roads between hill towns, which makes for slow average speeds and a great deal of stopping, and that is rather the point of coming here on a motorcycle instead of driving.

Edelweiss include a choice of BMW motorcycle, nine nights in hotels with several in historic buildings, a guide and a tour book. Flights are separate, and a guided city tour of Rome can be added for 350 euros per person with a 65 euro single supplement. Prices are per person for 2026. For a first Italian tour, this covers more of what people actually come to Italy for than the Alpine itineraries do, and the riding is undemanding enough to leave energy for the towns.