Planned Route Notes
The route departs La Spezia and immediately turns its back on the Ligurian coastline, climbing inland into Lunigiana rather than following the A12 south. The sea disappears quickly, replaced by stone villages, narrow valley roads and the first tightening curves of the Northern Apennines.
Through Sarzana and into the backroads of Lunigiana, the ride becomes deliberate and compact. The terrain rises in steps toward Casola and Minucciano, where ridgelines open wide views across forested slopes. Traffic thins. The scale shifts from maritime to mountainous.
Beyond Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, the stage enters the Serchio Valley and climbs again toward the higher crossings near Abetone. Elevation changes are constant. Roads narrow, switchbacks stack tightly, and forest corridors define the rhythm of the ride. This is not transit. It is continuous mountain structure.
The final descent toward Pistoia softens the gradient before Florence appears beyond the hills, marking re-entry into Tuscany’s cultural and architectural landscape. After a full inland Apennine traverse, arrival in Florence feels earned rather than approached.
This stage prioritizes terrain over efficiency and mountain flow over highway speed.