GUARANTEED DEPARTURE This scheduled guided tour is guaranteed to run even if we receive no further reservations! Book with confidence that your vacation will not be cancelled due to low enrollment. Contact larry@cycleitalia.com for more details.

If ever there was a trip for lovers of Italian food, wine and cycling - this is it. Piemonte restaurants regularly feature several hundred wines -- most of them local. Barolo and Barbaresco are not just the names of great wines -- they are real towns that we will explore. From the autostrada, Piemonte looks like nothing more than a flat patchwork of rice paddies and wheat fields, but turn off the highway and just past Bra, the flatland falls away to a landscape of rolling hills, dotted by castles, and covered in vineyards. You'll feel as if you've discovered your own private Tuscany -- except there are fewer tourists, quieter roads, a greater variety of wine and richer culinary heritage.

June 10 - Overnight flight to Milan.

June 11 - Benvenuto! We’ll pick you up at Malpensa and shuttle you to Hotel Ariotto, in the Monferrato hills. Assemble your bike and take a test ride through rolling wine country or visit with new friends at the panoramic pool before our sumptuous welcome dinner.

June 12 - The Roads of Champions await as we depart Ariotto among rolling hills, then string together historic villages in the Po river valley on our way to the historic wine town of Gavi. A shady road carved into a verdant hillside leads us to l’Ostellerie, a charming lodging nestled into the famous Villa Sparina wine estate. Take in the peaceful vineyard vista before we gather for a welcome drink and authentic local cena.

June 13 - Make a pilgrimage to Fausto Coppi's birthplace over the "Strade Coppi" - hometown training roads of the Campionissimo himself. We’ll visit the monument and reliquary and perhaps be greeted by town mayor (and Coppi’s first cousin) Piero. After lunch at a local trattoria we’ll return to the hotel, then head to nearby Novi for a tour of the Museum of Champions and an open night for dinner in the historic center.

Piero Coppi (Ann Petlin photo)

June 14 - Breakfast with a view begins this busy day. Our ride begins on the rollercoaster roads of the Alto Monferrato then crosses into Le Langhe. Two peaceful but challenging climbs then take us to the walled hamlet Roccaverano, famous for its robiola cheese. A wild descent lands us in Cortemilia at Villa San Carlo where our enthusiastic host, Carlo Zarri, will show off the flavors of his region at our dinner in the garden. (To the left is a picture of Carlo pouring the wine.)

June 15 - The switchback climb to Mombarcaro is among the steepest roads we've seen. It's just one of the features of today's scenic loop along the crestline roads of Alta Langa. Pause for an outdoor lunch then return to the hotel in time to relax with a book in the hotel's poolside garden. Open night to discover more local specialties either with Carlo or in the nearby artistic village of Bergolo.

June 16 - Barbaresco is a name synonymous with great wine, it is also a charming town that makes a perfect stop on today's winding route through the heart of Piemonte wine country. Visit the enoteca housed in a beautifully frescoed church and sample the local nectar. Spend the afternoon winding through the rolling hills of Roero, before a final uphill push takes you to our Castle-hotel in Santa Vittoria d'Alba where we'll enjoy a group dinner on the panoramic terrace overlooking wine country.

June 17 - Today's route winds through Barolo country, visiting the town itself and rolling by most of the famous vineyards. Stop at the Trattoria d'Amicizia for lunch of local meats and cheeses with "Papa's" own Dolcetto, or browse the museum of wine and truffles at the castle-enoteca in Grinzane Cavour. Make an afternoon visit to Atlante - among the best bike shops in Italy. Cap the evening with dinner in a traditional osteria.

June 18 - Cruise the crests of scenic Tanaro Hills as we head north through Roero and into Monferrato, a quiet farm country of gentle hills typical in every way except that the farmers grow grapes for some of the best wines in the world. You'll recover quickly from the challenging ride as you relax with a refreshing glass of Malvasia in our hotel's shaded courtyard before sampling the incredible Carpaccio Ariotto and Risotto al Tartufo Chef Garrone has prepared for our group dinner.

June 19 - Morning airport shuttles.

 

Elevation Profile