From Ravenna to Florence and back with Dante’s Train
Tour description
We retrace in this Grand Tour back from the place where the Supreme Poet rests in Ravenna to Florence, place of his birth with the final return with the Dante Train. We will touch most of the historical and naturalistic places that inspired the Divine Comedy. Crossing the Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines we will connect the city of Ravenna to Florence, visiting the most significant places of Dante thanks to the Dante Pass, intercepting all the historical testimonies and the countless villages that will present themselves along this exciting path.
Itinerary details
An itinerary in the footsteps of the great poet Dante Alighieri departing from Ravenna, where he is buried, going to discover villages and cities of art through the places of exile in his pilgrimage between Tuscany and Romagna. A Grand Tour of Dante that crosses territories such as Mugello, Casentino, the Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines, villages such as Brisighella, Bertinoro, Polenta, Bagno di Romagna, the Hermitage of Camaldoli, Poppi, all places that inspired him in the drafting of his Divine Comedy.
Level: Medium, with e-Trek Bike
Daily average distance: 57 km
Total distance: 200 km
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 Ravenna-Bertinoro
Meeting place and starting point in Ravenna, the city where Dante is buried for seven centuries. In Ravenna (with the DantePass) it is possible to visit numerous events at special terms organized on the occasion of the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death. The ride set off to Forlì, where this year there is the official exhibition on Dante as he lived there twice during his exile. A short ride diversion leads to Terra del Sole, a jewel of Renaissance town planning commissioned by Cosimo de’ Medici in 1564 as an example of perfect urban planning, Terra del Sole was also a fortress defending the northern borders. From there the tour ends in Bertinoro, a beautiful Medieval village.
Distance: 58 km.
Day 2 Bertinoro-Bagno di Romagna
The day begins visiting Bertinoro, “Town of Hospitality” even mentioned in the 14th canto of the Purgatorio to evoke the ideal of chivalrous living. The ride heads to the small town of Polenta. Guido da Polenta was one of Dante’s main patrons, as well as the father of Francesca da Rimini, mentioned by Dante in the famous episode of the lovers Paolo and Francesca. The tour then goes uphill towards the Apennines, where it is possible to stop in the tiny village of Civorio, whose centre revolves around a renowned local trattoria. The ride continues towards Bagno di Romagna, the overnight stay will be in a beautiful spa hotel, a worthy conclusion to this difficult day.
Distance: 68 km.
Day 3 Bagno di Romagna-Poppi
The tour goes deeper and deeper inside the Tuscan-Romagna Appennine “selva oscura” [dark forest] characterised by dense forests and hidden hermitages. The first stage is the Sacro Eremo of Camaldoli, an ancient monastery still inhabited by monks. A long descent leads to Pratovecchio.Those who still have energy can climb for 5km to the Abbey of Romena built in 1152 and the nearby castle that hosted Dante in his first years of exile. Another short diversion leads to Porciano Castle, where Dante was a guest of the Guidi family. During his stay he wrote three of his famous Latin epistles. The route continues on to Poppi, a must-see on a route through Dante’s places, dominated by the Castle of the Guidi counts, near which the famous battle of Campaldino took place. Dante fought in this battle on the Guelph side and it is still remembered by the ‘Column of Dante’, which can be seen along the way.
Distance 56 km.
Day 4 Poppi-Florence
The route heads towards Dante’s birthplace, Florence, stopping at Vallombrosa Abbey, whose cloister contains a medal depicting Dante and Beatrice. From here, a pleasant descent leads to the plain area between Florence, Prato and Pistoia “Piana Fiorentina”, then crosses Pontassieve and finally reaches Dante’s hometown, where a lot of places recall Dante’s life.
Distance 70 km
Day 5 Florence - Ravenna with Dante Train
After visiting the birthplace of Dante thanks to the Dante Pass, we leave Florence returning to Ravenna with the Dante Train that will stop’ along the Lamone valley touching countries like Ronta, a small village surrounded by forests that were inspired to Dante, Marradi, Brisighella that are worth a visit, before returning to Ravenna.
Type of itinerary
linear, self guided
Duration
5 days, 4 nights
Number participants
minimum 2 people
Departing calendar
every Wednesday or Thursday
from 8 April to 4 June
and from 2 September to 1 November
Departure
Ravenna
Arrival
Ravenna
Price per person in double room
400€
Included services
- 4 overnight stays in a double room in a 3-star hotel or similar accommodation, breakfast included
- Ticket “Train of Dante” (* use of the regional train if the Train of Dante is not yet active)
- Dante Pass
- APP and GPX tracks
Services not included
- tourist tax
- medical/luggage insurance
- bike rental and bike fitting
- anything not specified under “included services”
Bike rental price per day
e-bike trekking: € 47
trekking: €28
strada premium titanio: €43
tandem: € 55
Extra services:
Single room supplement
Support VAN with driver and lugguage transfer included
Extra night supplement in Ravenna
Code
DB-TAT5 / itbs4158