Piedmont Bicycle Tour Itinerary

Day One: Alessandria - Acqui Terme

Welcome to Piedmont. After our meeting at the Alessandria train station our guides will transfer you to the newly restored 19th Century villa, Roma Imperiale, where we’ll toast your arrival with a traditional Piedmontese spumante. After your bike fitting, safety talk and map review, we’ll head off on a ride through the center of town past thermal springs where ancient Roman elites came to soak in the hot sulfurous waters.  Though the magnificent arches of the aqueduct from this ancient heyday show some wear, the town of Acqui Terme is still very much alive. The historic center boasts an architectural kaleidescope ranging from Romanesque cathedrals to Belle Epoque villas. Leaving Acqui, we’ll ride through the vineyards overlooking the town before looping back to the hotel.  Tonight our elegant dinner at La Curia will feature several of the wines from these vineyards, each paired with a different course. You will spend the following two nights at Roma Imperiale, an exclusive environment where you too can treat yourself to thermal waters and spa services.

Meals: Dinner at La Curia
Accommodation: Hotel Roma Imperiale
Accomplished: 21 km/13 miles

Day Two: Orsara Bormida Loop

Cycling out of Acqui, you will make for the sleepy village of Orsara Bormida, perched precariously on a ridge overlooking the Bormida Valley. Here, our friend Beppe, Orsara's mayor, will greet us and proudly lead a personal tour of the village's peasant museum.  After saying goodbye to Beppe, you will continue riding down the road to our next stop at Villa Delfini.  Graziella will be our host at this family-run winery where she and her siblings produce top-notch wines.  After a tour of the cellar, the family will prepare a fantastic lunch comprised of seasonal dishes and a selection of their best wines ranging from sparkling whites to their whimsically named yet extraordinarily complex Sacro e Profano, a mixture of Barbera (sacred to Piemontese) and Cabernet Sauvignon (there isn’t a lot of love lost between them and their French cousins!).    After lunch, cycle back to the villa to enjoy some time in the spa, or add on some extra miles by riding along the ridge to the enchanting hilltop town of Cremolino.  We’ll cap off the day with an included dinner at our friend Guido's private restaurant, located in the family farmhouse in the middle of his vineyards above Acqui.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch at Winery/Dinner at Winery.
Accommodation: Hotel Roma Imperiale
Accomplished: 32 km/20 miles

Day Three: Acqui Terme to Relais & Chateaux San Maurizio

Today you will cycle over the famous Langhe hills, an intimate landscape filled with vineyards, truffles, gracious medieval towns like Montabone and Rocchetta Palafea, and stunning panoramas of an ancient landscape.  On clear days, views extend all the way to the Matterhorn in the Alps to the north as you are ringed on three sides by glimmering peaks and it is clear why the region is called Piedmont, "at the foot of the mountains".  We will have lunch along the way with Gianni and Mina at their highly-regarded, yet out-of-the-way, ristorante before arriving at the converted monastery of San Maurizio, a luxurious Relais & Chateaux property. You are in for an unforgettable stay, as you will enjoy unsurpassed vistas over Dolcetto and Moscato vineyards, finely manicured grounds, and unique salt therapy treatments at the hotel’s Via del Sale Spa. Tonight we will dine at the Michelin-starred Ristorante Da Guido, accompanied by an assortment of fine local wines.

Meals: Breakfast/Dinner
Accommodation: Relais & Chateaux San Maurizio
Accomplished: 40 km/24.9 miles

Day Four: Santo Stefano Belbo to Monforte d’Alba

Today’s cycling is yet another magical ride, through prestigious Piedmont vineyards, hazel groves and truffle-filled chestnut forests.  The grapevine is queen of the Langhe, and Barolo is king. We are entering the realm of the birthplace of the Slow Food movement, which prides itself on artisan cuisine using the freshest of ingredients: small production cheeses, meats and produce, and of course the white truffle, which flourishes in the region each autumn. Angelo Gaja, producer of the mythic Barbaresco, who considers himself a simple artisan, is the perfect example of this mentality. Perhaps you can meet him having lunch at a local trattoria.  Our ride, which we like to call the "hazelnut route", takes us up and down along the Langhe's main ridgeline through the hazelnut groves that produce the main ingredient for Nutella, a local invention. Along the way, we will stop for a gourmet picnic with views out over the surrounding vineyards. Upon arrival in Monforte you will be received in an 18th century mansion, where you will spend the following two nights.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Beccaris
Accomplished: 40 km/24.9

Day Five: Monforte to Barolo Loop

Leaving our hotel, we will wind our way through the village below and pedal out of town.  As you cruise through the vineyards, stop to chat with a friendly local winemaker or snap a photo of a landscape devoted to wine.  The day's first climb will take you into the world-renowned wine village of La Morra.  Stop here to sample some Barolo or follow your guides to one of Italy's top pizzerias.   Riding back to Monforte, we'll pass through the town of Barolo itself and some of areas most prestigious cru vineyards.  There’s no better way to cap off your Piedmont trip than with a visit to the cellar of Domenico Clerico. You will enjoy a private wine tasting with him, where he will introduce you to his Barolo region, his viticultural friends, and some of the greatest Barolo, Barbera and Nebbiolo you will ever sample.  Domenico is an ultra-modernist, using only small French barrique barrels.  At dinner you will be welcomed like family at Monforte’s hidden and sophisticated osteria, La Salita.

Meals: Breakfast/Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Beccaris
Accomplished: 32 km/19 miles

Day Six: Monforte d’Alba - Asti

After breakfast on the terrace of the limonaia, say goodbye to Piedmont however you see fit. Challenge yourself with an optional morning loop ride or finish your shopping in Monforte. We will transfer you to the train station in Asti as you head to your next destination.

Meals: Breakfast
Accomplished: Total Satisfaction!

TRIP TOTAL: 165 KM/ 100 MILES, averaging 25-40 km/ 15-30 miles per day.

Optional longer rides available each day.  Hilly, villages on top of hills, vineyards