You begin cycling from Chiusi railway station, easily reaching the path’s start point. The route begins right where the embankment lies, built following the 1780 settlement between the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and the Papal State.

Once having passed the hill of Chiusi, you soon reach the Torri [Towers] of Beccati Questo and Beccati Quello (or “Quest’altro”). The first one was built in 1427 by the Sienese in order to protect themselves from the expansionist aims of the inhabitants of Perugia, who immediately after, built the second tower. What is absolutely true is that even nowadays, these towers mark the boundary between Tuscany and Umbria and they both give the impression of defending their each and own lands….

The first part of the journey takes you through valuable and important naturalistic environments, cycling in the heart of the green areas around the Lake of Chiusi and, immediately following, the Lake of Montepulciano, perfect places for delightful stopovers. These lakes are the ‘memory’ of the ancient marshes.

At this point, having already traveled about 15 km, the path winds around the broad and sunny Val di Chiana [Chiana Valley] faithfully following the banks of the Canale Maestro. It then soon reaches the villages of Acquaviva and Montepulciano Stazione, while, a little way away, you can see the outline of the hamlet of Montepulciano. Shortly after the 20 km mark, the path almost brushes against the Callone di Valiano, an important 18th century construction built to regulate the flow of the waters coming from the lakes of Chiusi and Montepulciano.

You continue pedaling in the heart of the alluvial valley at the foothills of the hamlet of Valiano (to the right) passing by the “Torrione” built in 1740 to enable the hydraulic experts to observe and keep an eye on, from up above, the works being carried out on the reclaimed land. The final stretch of the Sienese Val di Chiana passes between the areas of the Chianacce to the east and Torrita di Siena and Sinalunga to the west, to then reach the area of Foiano della Chiana, a hamlet which is easy and quick to reach from the cycle path.