The town of Turin is in the heart of the Piedmont region and has many flight options from a variety of regional airports. You’ll be met at Turin airport (TRN) and transferred the short distance to your hotel in Turin.

Bikes will be fitted and tested for the week’s cycling ahead and your welcome meeting representative will brief you on the riding for the week. A glass of sparkling wine will go down well as an aperitivo before sitting down for your first dinner.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 345 Metres Approx.

Before setting off on your first ride, you may wish to spend a couple of hours visiting Turin’s highlights. Turin is Italy’s fourth-largest city, the first capital of the unified country, home to the FIAT automobile legacy, and boasts the world-renowned Egyptian Museum.

When you‘re ready to set off, you’ll leave Turin, cycling through the lively Parco del Valentino, a popular spot with locals and tourists alike, who you may see sprawled out along the banks of the Po River, taking in some rays. Soon you’ll enter the suburb of Moncalieri, home to one of the Royal Savoy Castle residences, listed as UNESCO World Heritage.

After admiring the imposing turreted building, you’ll leave the town and move onto quiet secondary country roads to Pecetto Torinese, well known for its cherries, and Chieri where you can stop for coffee and pastries and a closer look at the 15th century Duomo.

Passing through Pessione di Chieri, you’ll see the historic Martini & Rossi factory and museum, then continue on to the village of Poirino where you can stop for lunch. From Poirino, you’ll continue on small, traffic-free country roads to your accommodation near Pralormo, on the border with the Roero region.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 690 Metres Approx

Leaving Pralormo, you’ll ride north into the Monferrato hills along quiet country roads, passing the villages of Villanova and Buttigliera d’Asti before climbing gradually to Castelnuovo Don Bosco, the birthplace of Saint Giovanni Bosco (canonised in 1934).

After a lunch stop near the Abbey of Vezzolano, a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture and well worth exploring, you’ll be back on your bikes refreshed and ready for the afternoon’s ride.

Your goal for the day is the medieval hamlet of Cocconato perched on top of a steep hill leading straight into the village. Due to its mild climate, Cocconato is often dubbed as the Riviera of the Monferrato.

After checking in to your hotel, you can enjoy a stroll through the village’s quiet streets, then relax in the square with a drink as local life unfolds around you. Dinner is the perfect opportunity to sample Cocconato’s culinary specialities.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 600 Metres Approx

This morning, you’ll bid farewell to Cocconato as you ride deeper into the Monferrato hills. Soon after setting off, you’ll reach Robella, and its castle, with a small art-deco–style observatory tower that’s well-worth checking out.

On you go to Murisengo and its 16th century castle, now a private property, dominated by the imposing crenellated tower. Murisengo is also the birthplace of Luigi Lavazza, founder of the Lavazza Coffee Empire, and is well-known for its truffle hunters.

You will now descend towards Asti, past the villages of Tonco, Frinco and Castell‘Alfero, where you can stop for lunch. Asti, founded by the Romans as Hasta, is situated in the Tanaro Valley and is renowned for its wines — above all Barbera d’Asti and sparkling Asti Spumante. The town’s medieval centre, with its impressive Duomo and elegant palazzi, is a great place to wander, before enjoying a well-earned aperitivo.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 585 Metres Approx.

On leaving Asti, you’ll head south through the lower reaches of the Roero hills, to the west of the Tanaro River, entering deeper into wine country. Soon you’ll arrive in Govone, a town with Roman origins, best known for the Castello Reale — a Savoy residence and UNESCO World Heritage site. Here you may wish to visit the lavishly decorated castle and have a coffee, before continuing on your way up the Tanaro River.

At the end of your ride today, you’ll arrive at Canale. This village not only produces its fair share of high quality wines, but is also known for the production of peaches. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the vineyards of Canale were at risk due to droughts and parasites, and so peach trees were planted in order to diversify local produce. Although many orchards have since given way to Arneis vineyards, Canale still celebrates its Peach Festival each July. From Canale, a final climb brings you to Montà, overlooking the Tanaro plain. After checking in, relax with an aperitivo before heading out to dinner.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 635 Metres Approx.

After breakfast, you’ll leave Montà and ride into the heart of the Roero wine region. You’ll head south onto the high plateau, cycling through the vineyards of the Arneis grape; a white variety once nearly extinct until a local priest in Santo Stefano Roero rallied farmers to revive it.

On reaching the plateau, you’ll cycle from one little hamlet to the next, passing through Santo Stefano di Roero, Montaldo Roero and Monticello d‘Alba, before reaching Pollenzo and Bra, home to the University of Gastronomic Sciences. This University was established by Carlo Petrini, founder of the Slow Food movement. On its premises, it houses the Banco del Vino (Wine Bank), a must for wine lovers.

After crossing the Tanaro River, you’ll head east to Roddi, famed for its truffle dogs, and to the town of Alba; the capital of the white truffle area, also nicknamed the town of a hundred towers. Though only a handful of its red-brick towers remain, they give Alba a distinctive skyline. Founded as Alba Pompeia by the Romans, with earlier Celtic and Ligurian roots, the town retains its medieval character with winding streets and noble palazzi.

This evening is the perfect chance to indulge in Alba’s culinary crown jewel; dishes enriched with white truffles!

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 840 Metres Approx.

Your final day in the saddle will start with a gentle climb through Verduno, known for Barolo and Pelaverga grapes, continuing up to La Morra. Rolling vineyards, dotted with apricot and peach orchards, provide a picturesque backdrop as you gradually ascend.

La Morra, the so-called ‘balcony of the Langhe,’ offers sweeping views of the vineyards below. Historical records from 1402 show that Nebbiolo grapes were already cultivated here, the same variety behind today’s prestigious Barolo and Barbaresco wines.

Continuing your ride, you will arrive at Barolo, a modest village that has given its name to one of Italy’s most prestigious wines. The Castle of Barolo is home to a unique wine museum, which is well worth a visit. After visiting the museum, you’ll set off again to Monforte d‘Alba. The hamlet is well worth 10 minutes of your time for a short visit, before reaching a wonderful picnic spot next to the little church of la Madonna della Neve. Here you can eat your lunch surrounded by vineyards on all sides.

After lunch, you’ll ride through Serralunga d‘Alba, a delightful little village, dominated by its castle, and one of the cornerstones of Barolo production, before heading back to base in Alba.

Arrivederci Piedmont! After a leisurely breakfast, you are transferred (60 minutes approx) to Turin Airport (TRN) for your onward return journeys. You may alternatively wish to stay and explore some more of the region and sample a few more glasses of its famous wines!