Piedmont Truffle Bike Tour

Your guides will meet you at the Turin Porto Nuova train station for a transfer to our boutique hotel in the middle of the Barolo vineyards. Get fitted on your bike and set off through this UNESCO-protected landscape of vineyard-clad ridges topped with castles and fairytale villages. Climb through Serralunga to the cobbled streets of Monforte before descending to lunch with a view. Here you’ll understand why this area is considered the gourmet capital of Italy as we taste the chef’s exquisite take on traditional cuisine. Opt for some extra kilometers after lunch or head back to the hotel to relax at the pool and spa. This evening regroup for dinner at a farm to table restaurant paired with local Barolo wines.  

Our bikes bring us through the heart of Barolo, with famous cru vineyards every mile of the way. The first climb of the day moves through one winemaking town after another, arriving into medieval La Morra. From here on out it’s officially Barolo heaven: our route passes renowned estates on the approach to Barolo, where the castle of the Marchese di Barolo stands as a focal point. Lunch at our favorite local producer isn’t complete without wine pairings, then complete the loop back to our hotel—an estate once owned by the King of Italy. Tonight, head into Alba, the regional capital to explore the local dining scene. Your guides are happy to provide suggestions and reservations.  

Today we ride through the heart of the Langhe hills, descending to the lower slopes where the perfect marriage of soil and sunlight nurture the Nebbiolo grape. Generations of winemakers have refined this world-famous wine on these very hillsides surrounding the ancient tower of Barbaresco. Climb up to the main ridge of the Langhe before we meet a young Barbaresco producer for a relaxed lunch and tasting at a private estate. After lunch, transfer to our next hotel or continue biking to its luxurious front doorstep. This evening savor a truffle-themed dinner at our friend Fabrizio’s classic ristorante. 

Ride into the wilder Alta Langa region today. Though both black and white truffles are found here, the white truffle—with its fleeting season and more pungent flavor and aroma—is considered a treasure, with demand (and a price tag) to match. That makes our mid-morning meeting with our local friend quite literally priceless: we’ll join him and his truffle-sniffing dog on a hunt for these elusive morsels. Then pedal into the wildest parts of the Langhe: narrow roads, crumbling medieval towers, and endless hazelnut trees line our route. The area’s remoteness made it a hotbed of Resistance activity during WWII, and monuments to these partisan fighters still punctuate the hilly landscape. But today is all about nocciole (hazelnuts), and our destination is our friend Isabella’s hazelnut farm. After a hazelnut-themed lunch of sweet and savory dishes, a ridgeline ride serves up some of the best views in all of Piedmont. Back at San Maurizio, retreat to the bar or soak in the spa before regrouping for dinner here at their renowned ristorante. 

While Piedmont is famous for its reds like Barolo, Barbaresco and Barbera, it is also home to one of Italy’s top sparkling wine regions as well. The little town of Canelli punches above its weight both in terms of producing specialized winemaking equipment that is sold all over the world and in producing top Champagne-method bubbly. We’ll pedal to this historic town where bottles are stored in deep caves and hand-turned according to long-standing traditions. Climb into the hills out of town for lunch with a local producer before returning to the hotel. Tonight we’ll say farewell in style with a final dinner at the renowned 2-star Michelin Ciau del Tornavento.  

Challenge yourself with an optional morning loop ride or take a stroll through the estate before enjoying one last breakfast on-property. Your guides will then transfer you to the train station in Asti as you head on to your next destination.