Long Monte Amiata

The route first passes Montichiello, one of the many very interesting villages in this area. Then the route descends to the Orcia valley, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. You first visit Bagno Vignoni, another small very interesting village (or hamlet), known for its hot springs: the central square of the hamlet is a hot water bath fed by a volcanic layer deep underground! Then the route heads towards the mountain massif of Monte Amiata and the roads become quiet. The real climb starts in Seggiano, you then take the northwestern side which partly goes over a narrow road through a dark beech forest. The western side from Castel del Piano is better known, but whether it can match the northwestern side via Seggiano is unknown.

The Monte Amiata is heavily forested with beech, birch and chestnut trees. So you hardly have any views, unless the leaves are falling in autumn. Above 1250 metres the road surface is somewhat worse. You do not cycle to the top via the shortest route, but follow the ring road below the top (to avoid the same route there and back in the upper part as much as possible). The top is, after 21 kilometres of climbing, at almost 1700 metres altitude. Then it is downhill, with sometimes worse road surface in the upper part (!). Via the old mining town of Abbadia San Salvatore, the route goes towards the Orcia valley. Before you reach the valley you will get the road from Le Conie to Contignano, which offers you many beautiful views. The last 3 km you climb via a gravel road to the end point of the route on the SP88, which is also used by normal traffic.

The roads on this route are generally quiet to fairly quiet in terms of traffic.