Cortona e-bike tour: Villa Bramasole, fortress, basilica

Two to four hours on an e-bike through Cortona's hills, farmhouse, fortress and basilica

This half-day e-bike tour around Cortona takes you through Tuscany's countryside and hilltop town on an electric bike, with stops at Villa Bramasole (the restored farmhouse from "Under the Tuscan Sun"), Fortezza del Girifalco built by Cosimo de Medici, and the Basilica of Santa Margherita. A local guide in English or Italian leads the route, which includes the Etruscan walls and takes two to four hours total. Helmet, bike and guide are included. Children from age six are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

E-bike tour exploring Cortona highlights

• Visit Under the Tuscan Sun farmhouse
• Explore Fortezza del Girifalco fortress
• Tour Basilica of Santa Margherita
• Experience Saint Francis spiritual site
• Ride e-bike atop Etruscan walls

The experience

The e-bike does the climbing for you, so you can focus on the landscape and the stops themselves rather than the effort of Cortona's steep terrain. You'll ride through the town's charming streets and up onto the Etruscan walls that ring the hilltop, then head out to Villa Bramasole: the 200-year-old farmhouse that Frances Mayes restored and wrote about in "Under the Tuscan Sun." The guide shares the story of the place and the region as you move between sites.

From there the route takes you to Fortezza del Girifalco, the fortress Cosimo de Medici built to command the Val di Chiana below, where the view opens across the valley. The final stop is the Basilica of Santa Margherita, a place of artistic and spiritual riches built into Cortona's history. The total time, two to four hours, includes travel between each destination, so you're not rushing between stops or sitting on a bus. You're moving through the landscape on the bike itself.

You'll need to be able to ride a bike, and the tour works for families with children from age six onward. Specialized infant seats are available if you're bringing younger riders. Public transportation options are nearby if you need them before or after, and trailers are available for small animals.

What’s included

• E-bike with electric motor.
• safety helmet.
• authorized local guide in English or Italian.
• stops at Villa Bramasole, Fortezza del Girifalco and the Basilica of Santa Margherita.
• specialized infant seats available on request.
• trailers available for small animals.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:00

AgesAdult (18 to 80 years) · Youth (14 to 17 years) · Child (6 to 13 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Vertigo Experiences

Is this one for you?This tour is shared and led by a guide, so you're riding with others and following a set route rather than exploring on your own. Choose it if you want the stories and context a local guide brings to each stop, and if you'd rather have the e-bike motor handle the hills than pedal them yourself.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (14 to 17 years); Child (6 to 13 years). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Villa Bramasole and why is it on this tour?

Villa Bramasole is the 200-year-old Tuscan farmhouse that travel author Frances Mayes restored and wrote about in her book "Under the Tuscan Sun." It's a stop on the tour because of its literary and cultural significance to the region, and the guide explains its story as part of the day.

How steep is the terrain around Cortona on this e-bike tour?

Cortona sits on a hilltop with charming but steep streets, and the tour includes riding up onto the Etruscan walls. The e-bike motor handles the climbing, so you don't have to pedal uphill yourself. The bike does that work for you.

What's included in the tour price?

The e-bike, helmet and local guide are all included. The total time covers travel between each destination, so you're not paying separately for transport between stops.