Piedmont and Liguria - Italy
Special Edition Peloton Magazine Tour
Ride the Wine Region of Piedmont and the Ligurian Riviera
You will ride from the world-famous vineyards of lower Piedmont to the fascinating coastline of Liguria that is bustling with activity. Winemaking and farming traditions will give way to beaches and palm trees for six days of stunning riding that will end in Sanremo.
Tour Dates
2023 & 2024:
- Contact me for departure dates
Tour Details
- Duration: 7-days
- Ride Type: Road
- Difficulty: Athletic (3 of 3)
- Average Daily Mileage: 40 – 65
- Price: $3,750+
On this special edition, 7-day tour inspired by the Peloton Magazine article we explore the best wine production areas of Piedmont and the coastal region of Liguria with a final ride to Sanremo. The ride is also about the Italian race cycling heritage with stops at Castellania (birthplace of Fausto Coppi), at Museo dei Campionissimi, and with a Milano-Sanremo ride. The Langa and Monferrato regions of Piedmont are in one of the most important wine production areas in Italy, and received UNESCO World Heritage status in 2014. The Piedmont portion of the tour will take us to the heart of these regions, over rolling hills covered with endless vineyards and past ancient castles and hidden hilltop hamlets. You’ll see how connected the local people are to the land, and how they take pride in everything they produce.
Vineyards cover most of the hills here and wines such as Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera and Nebbiolo are perfectly paired with dishes that will make each meal a gastronomic event. Towns like Barolo, Monforte, La Morra, and Alba are perfect stops for a taste of what the region has to offer, where strolling through the cobbled streets and sipping a glass of local wine in german-decked piazzas is a great way to end a day on the bike. Liguria is known in Italy as a great destination for cyclists, thanks to its beautiful winding roads, stunning views, and mild weather. Western Liguria is characterized by resort towns such as Finale Ligure and Sanremo (yes, the one of the famous Milano-Sanremo classic cycling races). We explore the gorgeous Riviera delle Palme (Palms Riviera) and Riviera dei Fiori (Flowers Riviera) – major destinations for Italian and European tourists since the early 1950s. This unique region is a beautiful maze of fortified medieval villages and small fishing towns with strong connections to the north and to Piedmont, and deep traditions of sailing, fishing, and trading on the Mediterranean Sea.
Tour Itinerary
DAY 1 – Monterotondo di Gavi – 33 mls – Hilly
DAY 2 – Alba – 68 mls – Hilly
DAY 3 – Barolo Loop – 40 mls – Hilly
DAY 4 – Finale Ligure – 57 mls – Mountains
DAY 5 – Laigueglia – 46 mls – Mountains
DAY 6 – Imperia – San Remo – 36 mls – Hilly
DAY 7 – Transfer to Turin
* Request the full itinerary via the contact form below.
Highlights
- Relax by the stunning beaches of Finale and Laigueglia
- Shop and dine in the Carrugio (tiny inner street), typical of the villages of the Ligurian Riviera
- Ride the coastal bike path from San Lorenzo to Sanremo
- Ride among the vineyards of Gavi and Barolo, the king of wines
- Two wine tastings (Piedmont and Liguria)
- Grand finale in Sanremo
- Visit Castellania, birthplace of Fausto Coppi
- Visit the ‘Museo dei Campionissimi’ cycling museum
- Climb iconic Poggio and Cipressa of the classic Milano-Sanremo race
- One night at a luxurious wine resort in the Gavi area
- The best of the Piedmont and Mediterranean diets prepared with fresh, local ingredients
Inclusions
- Six nights accommodation
- Welcome drinks to introduce the program at award winning winery
- All breakfasts
- All dinners with wine
- Daily guided rides
- Two wine tastings
- Shuttle at the beginning and at the end of the tour
- Support vehicle during the tour and luggage transfer (including bike case)
- Full Tourissimo Cycling kit (made in Italy)
- GPS navigation and maps (digital)
An opportunity to experience Italian culture from atop a bicycle should be embraced with zeal; particularly if it comes in the company of Piemontese who know the place like the back of their hands. Beppe Salerno, owner and operator of Tourissimo; meets me at the terminal in Turin and we head straight for the hills of Gavi. Our first stop is the resort at Villa Sparina in Monterotondo. A breathtaking Tuscan yellow inn, dating to the 18th century, perches above picturesque estate vineyards where the local white grape cortese grows. There are few things that help with jet lag like a ride, so we head out for a short one, following the pedal strokes of a local boy who would become an international icon.
These days the steep climb up toward Castellania is smoothly paved but it’s not too hard to imagine the rough roads of the early 1930s that greeted a young Fausto Coppi pedaling from his family’s home to the butcher shop where he worked in Novi Ligure. The roadside is marked with classic black and white photos of Il Campionissimo and a mural of him and his brother and teammate Serse sits on the road between his family home and a monument to his legacy. Castellania, population ninety-two, is a fair bit sleepier than it was in Fausto’s day, when the population bordered on five hundred. We see maybe two people out on the streets as we head through to the other end of town, towards the Coppi family home; which remains a museum in homage to Italy’s greatest champion.
– Clive Pursehouse – Editor, Peloton Magazine
