Six Memories You’ll Bring Home From a Ciclismo Bike Tour of Piedmont

Not only does Ciclismo Classico have eight native Piemontese guides but we also has a local office in Piedmont. This gives us the unique ability to craft and tweak our Piedmont tours on the ground:  finding the best routes, adding hidden gems, introducing you to some of the locals we interact with on a daily basis. With our unique connections and comfort with Piedmont, our Land of Barolo and Truffles and More Miles for Less tours make you feel like you are visiting old friends in the region. Piedmont offer not only natural beauty but some of Italy’s finest culinary and wine experiences. The stuff memories are made of… 

1. Traversing the stunning, varied terrain every cyclist dreams of…Climb the mountains of the Alps and the Apennines that crown the west and south; pedal through the rolling hills and scenic vineyards of the Langhe, Monferrato and Lake Orta; daydream on the endless quiet, flat roads of the Po Valley.

 2.  Joining the hunt for the venerated white truffle and sampling this rare delicacy … The prized Tuber magnatum is so rare – it grows in only three places on Earth – it sells for nearly $7,000 per pound. Where it can be found in Piedmont is a secret most truffle hunters take to their graves but on our Land of Barolo and Truffles tour, you will meet a local hunter and his dogs and have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to taste these very special truffles.

 3.  Tasting Barolo, the king of Italian wines, in some of Italy’s most-prized vineyards… Rich, tannen-y  Barolo is made from the Nebbiola grape which grows in the special micro-climate of northern Piedmont.  As we pedal through the towns of Barolo, La Morra and Monforte, we will enjoy tastings of Barolo and cousins Barbaresco and Barbara as we stop at local vineyards.

 4. Enjoying fresh, local, traditional foods in the region where Slow Food was born… This Each dining experience on one of our Piedmont cycling tours showcases regional culinary heritage and the products of small, sustainable farms. Try the Piedmont speciality bagna cauda, a hot dip made from garlic, anchovies and extra virgin olive oil.

5. Sharing the Piemontese passion for cycling… Our first stop on the Land of Barolo and Truffles tour is the new cycling museum dedicated to champions Fausto Coppi and Costante Girardengo.  Local cyclists keep the passion alive with regular organized such as the Fausto Coppi Gran Fondo in July –  covering 15,000 feet in elevation in one day – which you can experience with a 3-day add-on offered by Ciclismo.

6. Sampling rich chocolates made with local hazelnuts … Did you know that Nutella hails from Piedmont? This world-famous chocolate/hazelnut combo is based on gianduja, a chocolate with 30% hazelnut paste that was born in Torino, during Napoleon’s reign.  We cycle through the town of Cortemilia, where Piedmont’s famous hazelnuts are grown.

Italy travel expert Kathy McCabe contributed to this post. Read more about Piedmont Italy at her site Dream of Italy