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About Italy
As someone who has done solo bike touring, I can tell you that the
availability of luggage transfer and an emergency contact person makes
this so much better than going on your own and is well worth paying for.
~ Pat Knauss
Rock Port, MO
~ Pat Knauss
Rock Port, MO
View a sample
of our Route
Directions for a biking tour. (one page PDF)
About Self-Guided Adventures
Zephyr Self-Guided Adventures is a new company based in Boulder, CO offering self-guided active travel itineraries (and one self-guided driving tour) in the Tuscany and Umbria regions of Italy. For many years, self-guided touring has been a popular means of vacationing among Europeans. Now, more and more North Americans are finding self guided travel an excellent way to discover Italy's charms - a middle ground between a fully-guided tour and do-it-yourself travel. Watch the short video below to see how it works. Sign up for our Newsletter and Enter to Win a Free Tour! >>Is Self-Guided Touring Right For You?
To answer that question, look at the table below to understand the differences between self-guided, guided and independent travel.| Ways to Travel | Choose your dates | Travel with your companions | Hotel reservations made | Itineraries and routes provided | Cultural information provided | Bikes and equipment | In-country support and baggage port |
| Independent |  | | |||||
| Guided | | | | | | ||
| Self-Guided | | | | | | | |
|---|
Are You Right For Self-Guided Touring?
The answer may be YES, if...- You have done some traveling before and are generally comfortable interacting with people in a foreign country without daily guidance.
- You already have your own traveling companions or prefer to travel on your own.
- You are able to make your way along paths and back roads using detailed directions and road signs.
- You are fit enough to walk 5-10 miles per day, or to bike 30-35 miles per day, for several days in a row, over gently rolling terrain.
- On biking tours, you are comfortable making small repairs such as fixing a flat tire or replacing a derailed chain.
How It Works
In a nutshell, your job is to focus on the experience; our job is to focus on the logistics and the heavy-lifting.| Here's What You Do: | |
|---|---|
| Select one of our biking, hiking, or driving adventures. |
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| Determine when you want to start your trip. |
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| Tailor your trip to suit your needs. (For example, you can rent bikes from us or bring your own; you can have us upgrade your hotel rooms or go with the three-star standard, etc.) |
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| Book your flight to Italy and make arrangements (we'll provide instructions) to arrive at the start city for your tour. |
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| Enjoy your adventure! |
| Here's What We Do: | |
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| Reserve and pay in advance for rooms in your name at excellent hotels along your selected route. |
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| Greet you upon your arrival in Tuscany or Umbria and provide you with detailed route directions which will take you along the most scenic and historic backroads of the area. |
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| Provide helpful information about the cultural and culinary attractions you'll encounter. |
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| Pick up your luggage each morning and port it to the next stop along your trip. |
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| Have a friendly, resourceful voice on the line for you to call in case of emergency. |