Lucca to Pisa: 33km Bike Tour Along Serchio River

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/7

Duration4h–8h

GroupPrivate

Mobile ticketAccepted

Thirty-three kilometers on flat ground, from one Tuscan city to another, mostly on your own schedule

You rent a bike in Lucca, follow a mapped route along the Serchio River and country roads for 33 flat kilometers, and arrive at Pisa's Leaning Tower on your own schedule. The rental includes the bike, repair kit, lock, app map and a starting briefing. You return either by riding back (26km, about two hours) or by train (22 minutes), with your bike loaded in the bike car.

4h–8h

Step-by-step itinerary

Bike tour from Lucca to Pisa

Rent bike in Lucca
Explore Lucca's historic center
Cycle along river park path
Stop at San Giuliano Terme village
Visit Pisa Leaning Tower
Return to Lucca by train or bike

The Experience

The Leaning Tower sits at the end of a 33-kilometer bike ride that starts from the Walls of Lucca. You rent a bike at the shop, get a map and a phone holder, and then you're on your own — no guide talking at your shoulder, no group waiting for stragglers. The route follows the Serchio River for much of the way, then cuts through country roads and cycle paths, and only the last stretch into San Giuliano Terme and toward Pisa uses regular roads for about 2 kilometers. It's completely flat, which means you're not fighting a hill every ten minutes; it also means the pace is yours to set.

The first part takes you through Lucca's historical center if you want to linger, then onto the river path where the landscape opens up — fields, trees, the occasional village. Around the 20-kilometer mark you'll reach San Giuliano Terme, which has bars and shops if you need water or a sandwich. After that, the route narrows toward Pisa, and then you're standing in Piazza dei Miracoli with the tower in front of you and your bike still underneath you. Most people stop for photos and a walk around the square. Then comes the choice: ride back the way you came (about 26 kilometers, more direct, takes roughly two hours if you're steady) or load the bike onto a train and sit down for 22 minutes back to Lucca.

What you get with the rental is the bike itself, a repair kit, a lock, the app with the route downloaded, and a briefing at the start so you know which way to go. E-bikes are available if you want the pedaling to feel lighter, and they work for anyone over 155 centimeters tall. Regular trekking bikes work for people over 150 centimeters. The whole thing is self-guided, which means no one is timing you or herding you along — you stop when you want, eat when you want, and move at whatever speed feels right for the day.

What’s included

Your bike rental includes the bike itself, a cell-phone holder for navigation, a repair kit and lock, an app with the detailed route downloaded, and a briefing at the shop before you start. You also have the choice to return by train (bike loaded in the prepared wagon) or by bike on the more direct 26-kilometer return route.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by TOURIST CENTER LUCCA SRL

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want to cycle between two Tuscan cities without a guide or a group schedule — the flat 33-kilometer route and self-guided format mean you control the pace, stops and timing, which is what makes a long ride feel manageable instead of rushed.