Some rides are about endurance. Some are about survival. This one is about living. A 15-day luxury motorcycle tour through two of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean — Corsica (France) and Sardinia (Italy) — with Renaissance cities, ancient castles, and roads carved into cliffsides along the way.
The Mediterranean awaits — turquoise waters and cliffs carved by centuries.
I found this tour through Adventure Motorcycle Tours Europe, a BMW Motorrad travel partner based in Romania. They've been running guided motorcycle tours since 2005 and were featured on Travel Channel. This is the tour I'm saving up for — and the one that represents everything the Motorcycle Diaries spirit stands for: the open road, unforgettable landscapes, and the Italian concept of Dolce far Niente — the sweetness of doing nothing.
"There are no straight roads on Corsica, making it corner paradise." That single line from the tour description sealed the deal for me.
The Full Itinerary
15-Day Route — Florence to Florence
- Day 1-2: Florence — Arrive in the art capital of the world. Stay in a 15th-century palace with Murano-glass chandeliers. Welcome dinner.
- Day 3: Florence → Pisa — 100 km through Tuscan roads to the Leaning Tower and Piazza dei Miracoli.
- Day 4: Pisa → Corsica — Ferry from Livorno across the Tyrrhenian Sea to Bastia, Corsica.
- Day 5: Bastia → Porto — 140 km. Ruda Canyon and the foot of Monte Cinto. The real riding begins.
- Day 6: Porto → Ajaccio — 50 km of pure bliss. Calanques de Piana — a balcony road cut into the rock with views over the Gulf of Porto. One of the best rides in the world.
- Day 7: Ajaccio → Porto Vecchio — 131 km of twists, turns, and a view after every corner.
- Day 8: Corsica → Sardinia — Ferry across the Strait of Bonifacio to Sardinia. The Emerald Coast. 183 km to Alghero.
- Day 9: Alghero → Bari Sardo — 220 km on the coastal road toward Bosa. The scent of jasmine, the immensity of the sea.
- Day 10: SS125 Orientale Sarda — 175 km on one of the best motorcycle roads in the world. A Sardinian balcony road of twists and fabulous countryside.
- Day 11: Sardinia → Rome — Ferry across the Tyrrhenian Sea to mainland Italy. Evening arrival in the Eternal City.
- Day 12: Rome — Free day. The Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Vatican City. History on every corner.
- Day 13: Rome → Chianti — 240 km through Siena to a castle on a hilltop in the heart of Chianti Classico. Wine cellar tour.
- Day 14: Chiantigiana → Florence — 80 km on the wine route of Chianti. Tuscany reveals its best on this final ride.
- Day 15: Florence — Pack the memories. Flight home.
Tuscany — where the ride begins and ends, through vineyards and castles.
Why This Tour
The Roads
Two roads on this itinerary are consistently ranked among the best motorcycle roads in the world. Calanques de Piana in Corsica is a narrow road carved into granite cliffs above the Mediterranean — described as a "balcony road" where every meter brings a more impossible view. SS125 Orientale Sarda in Sardinia is legendary among touring riders — a winding mountain road through the eastern Sardinian highlands with hairpins, elevation changes, and zero traffic.
The Islands
Corsica belongs to France but feels like its own country. Mountains drop straight into the sea. Villages cling to hillsides. The roads twist through maquis scrubland and alpine forests. Sardinia is Italy at its most untouched — crystal-clear water, ancient ruins, and a wildness that mainland Italy lost decades ago.
The Experience
This isn't a budget adventure. It's a luxury tour with stays in ancient palaces, villas with swimming pools, and a castle in Chianti. Three ferry crossings — Livorno to Corsica, Corsica to Sardinia, Sardinia to mainland Italy. A support car carries the luggage. Riding days are between 50-240 km — relaxed, stress-free, island pace.
Tour Details
Operator: Adventure Motorcycle Tours Europe (BMW Motorrad Travel Partner, est. 2005)
Duration: 15 days, 11 riding days
Total Distance: ~1,360 km / 845 miles
Bike Options: BMW F750GS, F850GS, R1200GS, R1250GS
Skill Level: Intermediate
Group Size: 1-6 riders
Includes: 14 nights accommodation, 14 breakfasts, welcome dinner, English-speaking guide, support car, all ferry tickets, fuel, road taxes
Start/End: Florence, Italy
What I Need to Save For
The tour starts at around €9,800-10,500 depending on the bike choice. Plus flights to Florence. It's not cheap — but you're riding two Mediterranean islands on a BMW GS with a professional guide, staying in XV century palaces, and eating Tuscan cuisine for two weeks. Some things in life are worth the save.
Rome — the Eternal City. A free day to explore 3,000 years of history.
My Game Plan
This is a "when, not if" tour for me. I'm targeting the next available departure date. The plan is to book a BMW R1250GS — the flagship — because if you're going to ride Corsica and Sardinia, you do it properly. Intermediate skill level suits me. The riding days are short enough to enjoy the scenery instead of racing through it.
The Chiantigiana (SR222) on the final day — the wine route through Chianti — sounds like the perfect ending. Castles, vineyards, winding roads, and a sunset ride back to Florence. That's how you close a chapter.
Sardinia's Emerald Coast — crystal-clear water and roads that hug the cliffsides.
Sources & Tour Link
- Luxury Motorcycle Tours — Corsica & Sardinia (Adventure Motorcycle Tours Europe) — The tour I plan to join
- Adventure Motorcycle Tours Europe — BMW Motorrad Travel Partner, based in Romania
- SS125 Orientale Sarda — Wikipedia — One of the best motorcycle roads in the world