The second Tuscan stage, from Volterra’s hilltop to the iconic Pisa

Diego Ghislandi | 27. June 2025

Once again, the day kicks off with an interesting customer visit: this time, we get to know Vitap, a Tuscan company specializing in the design and production of woodworking machinery. For our colleagues Gabriele and Mario, it’s a good opportunity to talk face-to-face about innovative applications that have “igus products inside”. Vitap offers innovative solutions for wooden panels manufacturing and has a certain expertise in machines made for “niche application” such as acoustic panels and garage doors.

After the visit, trying to keep up with Gabriele’s energetic pedaling, we head toward Volterra under a sky that keeps changing with the wind. Volterra is perched on a hilltop, surrounded by medieval walls and famous for its alabaster craftsmanship and Etruscan roots.

The view is spectacular — we decide to lunch in a traditional osteria, where the menu is all about the local flavors. We go for pici al cinghiale (wild boar-based dish), just what we need after the morning’s ride.

We would have liked to stay there for hours but, later that afternoon we have to go to Pisa: with its unmistakable skyline – the Leaning Tower, the Baptistery, and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta – all gathered in the Piazza dei Miracoli, Pisa really seems like a living postcard.

We walk our bikes through the center, soaking in the lively atmosphere of students, tourists, and street performers. The tower leans just as dramatically as you’d expect, and seeing it up close is still surreal, no matter how many times you’ve seen it in photos.

Our riders: 

Gabriele Solfanelli

I’m Gabriele Solfanelli, 36, from Livorno. I’ve worked for 6 months as an external sales technician for bearings and linear systems in Tuscany. In my free time, I play basketball, I go running and biking. I took this tour opportunity to mix work and passion. The igus:bike – with no lubrication and made from recycled materials – is exactly the eco-friendly transport I want to proudly promote.

Map of the tour