E-bike Camp'n'Ride trip in Tuscany: 245 km of trails, from Carrara to the island of Elba

35 km 1,600 m 1,600 m

We set off straight from the campers. The country road climbs through old hilltop villages, quiet and remote, up to the summits overlooking the plain of Lucca, the Tuscan city still enclosed in its Renaissance walls.

Lunch stop at a welcoming mountain hut with a sea view, then a long descent home, entirely on singletrack: fast sections and tight switchbacks through the forest, demanding at times but never dangerous.

At the end of the day the journey continues at the wheel: about an hour and a half along the Serchio valley, one of those Tuscan roads winding between river and stone villages, to the next spot. Getting there is part of the adventure.

53 km 2,400 m 2,400 m

We ride out from the spot for a long loop through a nature park on the slopes of the Lucca hinterland. The climb alternates singletrack, forest road and quiet back roads, with fine views and traditional villages along the way, punctuated by a ristretto on a terrace.

At midday, lunch at a charming address where the e-bikes recharge while we enjoy a home-made local speciality. Then the last kilometres of climbing to a magnificent ridge, before a rolling descent through pastures, forests and balcony mule tracks, finishing in a pine wood shaped specifically for riding.

Back to the campers by bike, and dinner at the local trattoria.

45 km 1,200 m 1,600 m

The only day with a shuttle: the van drops us at the foot of the range separating the Lucca hinterland from the Massa coast. A fine singletrack climb through the imposing marble quarries of the Apuan Alps, a white, mineral setting with no equivalent anywhere.

Over a pass, picnic at the top, then down a historic trail with a magnificent panorama over the Apuan Alps and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Shuttle back to the campers.

In the afternoon the road takes over: transfer to Piombino, then boarding the ferry with the campers for Elba. Italy's third-largest island is a concentrate of the Mediterranean: 147 kilometres of coastline, coves of white pebbles, and a mountainous interior rising to 1,019 m at Monte Capanne. Its iron-rich hills have been mined since the Etruscans, and this is where Napoleon was exiled in 1814, ruling for ten months before leaving for the Hundred Days.

Night in the wild, with a generator available to recharge bikes and campers.

52 km 2,400 m 2,400 m

Four pedal-powered loops on the eastern side of the island, on trails with a distinctly Mediterranean character and 360-degree views over the sea. They run through the maquis, that dense mix of tree heather, cistus, myrtle and mastic that fills the air as soon as the sun warms it, before reaching the pine woods and chestnut trees higher up.

The climbs are gradual and leave time to take in the old iron mines, the villages clinging to the slopes and the watchtowers left by the Barbary raids.

Lunch at a restaurant, recharging possible, then two more loops on trails typical of the island. Night in the wild.

25 km 1,400 m 1,400 m

Final laps on the western side, the wildest part, dominated by the granite massif of Monte Capanne, where the maquis gives way to rock and to plunging views towards Corsica on a clear day.

The day ends at the table, as it should: antipasti, primi piatti and a generous main course at a good local address.

Back to the campers, heading for Portoferraio, the capital founded by Cosimo de' Medici with its sixteenth-century fortifications, to take the ferry back to the mainland. End of the trip.

Yes, a camper or converted van is the basis of the Camp'n'Ride concept: you travel with your vehicle while we take care of the spots, the routes and the guiding. Pitches are included in the price.

Several options combine: charging at serviced sites in the evening, a 12/220 V inverter to charge during transfers, a generator available on site, and the lunch stops, where charging is often possible. Remember your charger and a long power cable.

In your camper, on pitches chosen in advance: agriturismo, serviced areas or wild spots on Elba. They're included in the price, quiet and well placed relative to the ride starts.

Yes, we regularly stop at serviced areas: you'll be able to fill your fresh water tanks and empty the grey water as the trip goes on, without having to organise those stops yourself.

No, they're paid on the spot, but we strongly recommend eating with the group. The agriturismi and local trattorias we use are quality addresses chosen over the years: antipasti on a terrace, a mountain hut facing the sea, a village trattoria, and that evening at the agriturismo around a dry-aged rib of beef grilled over a wood fire.

It's an essential part of the journey, and it's also what keeps these families going, year after year.

Very varied, from twenty to sixty-five, often couples or friends who already travel by camper and want to combine a road trip with guided riding.

Usually between six and ten riders, a format that keeps things flexible on the spots and lets everyone ride together without losing anyone.

A local professional MTB guide, Swiss Cycling certified, who knows Tuscany, its trails and its good tables. He adapts the pace to the group and handles mechanical support.

Varied routes, between mule tracks, forest singletrack, balcony paths and pine woods shaped for riding. The level is rated 2.5/4: fine descents, demanding at times but never dangerous, with electric assistance for the climbs.

The days start and end at the camper, often in several loops: you can cut a day short, skip a loop or head back early without disrupting the group. The guide adapts as needed.

You ride with your day pack: repair kit, windbreaker, water and snacks. Everything else stays in your camper, which we meet again at the end of the loop or the day.

Every participant must be covered for accidents, including on a mountain bike, and hold all the cover needed for mountain biking in the mountains: accidents, personal liability, as well as search, rescue and evacuation costs. For participants coming from abroad, the cover must be valid in Italy.