Italy – Piedmont Wine Country E-bike Tour

Arrival to Torino (on your own) for the tour’s start. Torino, an Olympic city, has much to see and explore! You can easily get here by flying to Milan Malpensa Airport and take the 1 hour express coach. You will stay at a deluxe and traditional Italian 4 star hotel in the center of the city, where you shake off the jet lag and begin your Italian experience with the friendly people of Torino. Torino, aka Turin, is the capital of Piedmont and near the source of the Po River, the longest river in Italy. It was also the seat of the royal family and the Kingdom of Italy in the late 1800’s. The royal palace and other remnants of the former era are a close walk from your hotel. The town was the capital of Italy back at the time of the Monarchy. Turin is a wonderful city with 18 kilometers/11 miles of porticoes, palaces, plazas, churches, and interesting museums. Don’t miss to drink the Bicerin, Turin’s traditional hot drink with a layer each of espresso, chocolate, and frothed milk or cream. The drink is said to have originated in the 18th century.

We will pick you up tomorrow morning for your welcome orientation and cycling start. If you can, we recommend at least 1 extra night before, in order to leave time to explore this charming city.

Overnight: Torino

The transfer today will take you east to the UNESCO Monferrato Hills. This is a fertile area of Piedmont, located between the Alps in the north and the Ligurian Appennines in the south. Both technical and economic processes relating to the winegrowing and winemaking are part of the culture of this region, for many centuries. Vine pollen has been found in the area dating from the 5th century BC, when Piedmont was a place of contact and trade between the Etruscans and the Celts. Several medieval castles add to an already perfectly picturesque landscape. Your accommodation for this and the next night is at the modern and comfortable Munfrà Hotel, located on a 16th century property of “Relais Sant’Uffizio.” Here you can have access to the spa for some relaxing treatments and enjoy the multi-Michelin starred cuisine of Chef Enrico Bartolini. Visit the Casa Munfra site for details

We will do an orientation today at Casa Munfra, and get you set up on your bikes for a short warm up ride you can do on your own. We will go over the routes for the week, the navigation, and answer all your questions in a private meeting. The rest of your day is to enjoy on your own!

Meals: breakfast
Distance: 23 km/14 mi +451 m
Highlights: UNESCO Site, beautiful vineyard landscapes, castles
Overnight: near Moncalvo

This is a lovely ride that gives you a taste of the beauty of the Monferrato. Vine pollen has been found in the area dating from the 5th century BC, when Piedmont was a place of contact and trade between the Etruscans and the Celts. Your ride touches some small villages with castles overlooking the routes, witnesses of ancient noble families who lived here.

Meals: breakfast
Distance: 44 km/26 mi +731 m
Highlights: Monferrato
Overnight: near Moncalvo

Today you’ll ride south to Canelli, a village in the province of Asti. The town is strongly connected to the production of wine since the XIII century, when the cultivation of the Moscato Bianco first started. The ride offers beautiful views of the vineyards and, in particular, while you will approach the area around your destination. The hills of Canelli are part of a more complex system of ridges that includes: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato. UNESCO designated the area in 2014 due to the outstanding living testimony to winegrowing, as well as the long history of winemaking traditions here.

Note: Please be aware that this ride has hills, with the last 2 km climbing to get your accommodation. It is a challenge, but it is worth the extra effort! There is an option to shorten the ride to 22 km by adding a train ride. Tickets are quite reasonable and purchased on site. E-bikes may be heavier to take on the train, so please be prepared to manage this.

Meals: breakfast
Distance: 70 km/42 mi +998 m (or 22 km/14 mi, +413 m)
Highlights: long, beautiful ride, Canelli
Overnight: Canelli

Today is a day where you don’t have to pack your suitcase, as you have a loop ride from Canelli. Today’s ride is focused on the Monferrato area; it includes a short uphill on the first section and two longer uphills later. Back in town, you may like to visit one of the underground cellars. Canelli is famous for its underground sparkling wine aging cellars. These are true masterpieces of underground engineering: cathedrals which branch off under the city. In these cellars, millions of bottles are left to ferment at a constant temperature of 12-14 degrees, where they take on the aromas and flavors typical of sparkling wine and Canellese wine. We highly recommend that you take some time to explore the celars!

Meals: breakfast
Distance: 46 km/28 mi +882 m
Highlights: Monferrato, Canelli cellars (optional)
Overnight: Canelli

Today you ride to the beautiful hilltop village of La Morra! In 2014, La Morra was added to the UNESCO heritage list because of the beautiful landscape surrounding the town. The village itself is listed within the classification of “most beautiful villages in Italy,” and for good reason! La Morra is situated at the highest point of the entire Langhe region so from here, you have a most spectacular view. Take a walk in the historic center and make a stop at the viewpoint. La Morra has routes radiating out to the vineyards; most famous is the Barolo! Don’t miss the chance to taste a glass of this full body wine and the Piedmont hazelnuts at the wine bars in town.

Option to add: We can organize a more comprehensive wine tasting at the local winery “Rocche Costamagna.” Cost is ~45 euros per person.

Meals: breakfast
Distance: 51 km/31 mi +946 m
Highlights: UNESCO village: La Morra, Barolo & hazelnuts
Overnight: La Morra

La Morra Loop Ride: Today’s ride is direct into the Langhe Hills: Roddino, Fontanafredda and Barolo. Enjoy the visit in this magic town, very famous for his wine, and maybe a local dish of tagliatelle with more delicious Barolo wine! Some have called Barolo the greatest wine in Italy, and even the King of Wines! No wonder Piedmont is considered the premier wine region among so many great wine regions! Read about the Barolo Wars.

Meals: breakfast
Distance: 38 km/23 mi +771 m
Highlights: loop ride, Langhe Hills, Barolo & tagliatelle
Overnight: La Morra

The trip and our services end after breakfast. Departure transfer services are not included, however, you can easily return by train to several airport cities from nearby Alba, which is the closest train station. To reach Alba, arrange for a taxi from your hotel. From Alba, you can then get to Turin, Milan and other key cities. One suggestion is to visit Cinque Terre – ask us about an extension option!

Meals: breakfast