This morning I woke up early as always with a cloudy but not cold day, sorted all the camping stuff, put everything in the bicycle bags and "panniers". Hello, you motorcyclists would also be leaving today for their next adventure.

How wonderful today I will be cycling in another Italian region, Tuscany, who knows what I would have encountered, what my route would have been, I only know that I had to go further south following the sea on the ever travel map!

DESCRIPTION

The region of Tuscany

Tuscany is a central-western region and borders the Tyrrhenian and Ligurian Seas. The capital is Florence and includes the territories of the provinces of Arezzo, Florence, Livorno, Lucca, Massa-Carrara, Prato, Pisa, Pistoia, Siena and Grosseto.

The first stretch - I leave the ITALIA campsite and after about ten kilometers I found a coffee place, I had breakfast, with the usual cappuccino and brioche and this time with chocolate cream inside, I greet the person who served me, wishing me a good trip with the Tuscan accent, finding it very beautiful to listen to!

I started pedaling again and after kilometers I was welcomed by the surprising Versilia cycle path which I certainly didn't know, loving my free spirit in discovering the unknown which makes a day always different and very surprising lived in the moment!

The Versilia Cycle path

The Versilia Cycle Path is dedicated to Fausto Coppi (he was a former Italian professional road cyclist) and almost every year the Giro d'Italia passes through a coastal stretch. It is a 28 kilometer long route, which develops along the entire seafront, starting from Marina di Massa, passing through the decidedly different seaside resort of Forte dei Marmi, an exclusive location with famous clubs and luxury shopping outlets, and ending to the Burlamacca Canal (Viareggio pier), and is part of the Tirrenica Cycle Route.

The second stretch - I cycled on the uncrowded cycle path along a straight and flat coastal stretch of the Versilia cycle route crossing seaside resorts enjoying all the surrounding views of the splendid coastline where not only the sea dominates but there are also the majestic views of the Apuan Alps in the background.

The third stretch - Arrived in Viareggio  "The Pearl of the Tyrrhenian" in the province of Lucca is a small, charming seaside town built along the Versilia coast. Its seafront is famous for its sandy beaches some of which are totally isolated. Viareggio is a seaside city in the province of Lucca is also famous for the Carnival of Viareggio celebration, a parade of floats and masks, renowned in Italy and in Europe. It is a very touristy town but for me it wasn't so because I was there in September when things were quiet, and I was able to see it with peace of mind.

I had taken a break in the lovely town of Viareggio and while I was leaving the laundry to dry on the bicycle I had taken some photographs in a completely beautiful corner of paradise. There were monuments created by Anna Chromy with some poses on the seafront and an incredible large monument of a slice of watermelon, too beautiful! created by Anna Chromy with some poses on the seafront and an incredible large monument of a slice of watermelon, too beautiful!

Description: Viareggio - Regional Natural Park of Migliarino, San Rossore and Massaciuccoli

In Viareggio not only bathing beaches and the sea reign, but it is also home to two paradises of green pine forest parks: The Ponente Pine Forest is a beautiful urban park located to the north, a few turns of the cycle path from the city of Viareggio. The Levante Pine Forest is located south of the city and is one of the seven estates of the Regional Natural Park of Migliarino, San Rossore and Massaciuccoli.

In the park there are thirty wide coastal strips of sandy beaches on the Tyrrhenian Sea side, with protected sand dunes and lined with pine trees providing shade. This route extends from the seaside resorts of Viareggio, to Marina di Pisa, located 12 km from the cities of Pisa, and to the port city of Livorno on the west coast in the Tuscany region.

Inside the park there is also Lago di Massaciuccoli, with the mouths of the rivers the Serchio, the Arno and Fiume Morto. It is an oasis of biodiversity  is home to numerous plant and animal species, including marine.

Within the territory of the park, which falls within the province of Pisa, there are three estates: the San Rossore estate, located in the heart of the park  and the estates of Tombolo and Coltano is a fraction of Pisa.

ROUTE: Viareggio - Pisa  - Livorno - Vada - Marina di Cecina

Ciclying through in the parks of natural and protected oases Migliarino San Rossore Massaciuccoli Park arriving at the known worldwide for its leaning tower of Pisa.

The fourth section - I continue leaving Viareggio by pedaling along the Burlamacco canal and it is the port of Viareggio where there were fishermen who fixed fishing nets and others who sold fish. Then the route leaves the sea along dirt stretches inland, crossing the first park closest to the city and continuing into the large park of Migliarino San Rossore Massaciuccoli. The beauty of cycling in these wonderful pine forest trail parks is that there is always a corner of access to beaches with bathing establishments or wild beaches. Well they were all beautiful and wild with very few people in the low season!

While I was cycling in the oasis of the park I stopped to take some photographs and then met a local cyclist who was taking a break named Daniele, a very nice person, we exchanged a chat and seeing that he was heading towards my route we pedaled for kilometers of paths of vast vegetation up and down little bridges explaining to me about the park which, however, was all new and I didn't know anything since I discovered it by chance. In short, he gave me a lot of information that only a local person could have explained to me. He explained to me that at Lake Massaciutto they organize private guides both in the woods and on boats.

Furthermore, there were various estates within the park, in particular he told me that within San A Rossano there is the Villa del Gombo which was the residence of the King of Italy, then of the President of the Italian Republic and while it is now used for other events in the Tuscany region and is not always accessible, one part is free to access while the other part can be visited with paid tours.

Daniele also told me that the Tomboil estate is a large area with many wooded and partly agricultural ethers and the WWF is located inside.

It was amazing how descriptive he was and how much useful information about the areas and he also showed me the best way to go to Pisa, which is where I was going to visit. Thanks so much Daniele!

The five stretch - Arriving in the city of Pisa at the beautiful Square of Miracles, I had already visited it but this time a selfie photo with my bicycle of leaning tower of Pisa. Since it was low season there were tourists but not like there would have been in high season who could actually take photos without including other people!

ALTERNATE ROUTE - Pisa to Livorno  "The upper Maremma begins just south of Livorno"

There is an alternative to reach Livorno passing from Marina di Pisa on the Trammino cycle path and then to the city of Livorno instead of taking the road via Aurelia Sud. I did not do this alternate route simply because it was not busy both from the time of day in which I was there but above all it wasn't in the summer period.

The sixth stretch - I continued pedaling, reaching the port of Livorno, in Maremma and near a roundabout in the middle of the busiest road the cute Chiosco del Porto (seafood and grilled fish). In this place I took a short break to have an orange juice with a beautiful view of the sea and the boats. Then I continued to Vada arriving at the stage that ended in Marina di Cecina is a seaside town in the Coast In Maremma on the Etruscan Coast n the Province of Livorno.

The last leg - After a day of cycling between the sea and pine forests I had looked for a campsite, one of which was closed and the other was open but I could not get a plug to borrow, which they generally give but not in this case and I would have needed it to charge the my electronic accessories. So to stay in the campsite for one night I would only have had to buy the plug and they sell it there, which I would never have bought due to its size and carrying it on my bike would have been an extra weight to carry. So I left the campsite which was also a large tourist village, there was also a hairdresser inside and I continued pedaling but I certainly wouldn't have stopped there.

I had left the campsite and after a few turns of the bicycle I had found the Parco dei Pini in Marina. It was a large space dedicated to multifunctional associations for parties and events with a bar, pizzeria, restaurant and it was the last day of opening. In addition there was also an area dedicated to parking campers, even here it was the last evening of opening. To cut a long story short, they let me camp near two campers of friendly Italians. When putting up the tent I had to wait a few hours before the restaurant was less crowded and and then I had dinner with a good pizza.

Afterwards I had a chat with the owners telling me that I could use the bathroom which was located outside and they would leave it open for me and he also asked me if I needed soap to wash myself (which I already had) plus he showed me where he would leave my power bank to recharge overnight. Incredible how much kindness they showed me by leaving a corner of the window of their place open and with their charging cable to recharge my power bank. After exchanging phone numbers I went to my tent and had to wait for the place to close because there was a bit of noise and then after my evening routine I went to sleep.

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