Experience Overview
Tucked away in northern Italy, Piedmont is a region brimming with vineyard covered, softly rolling hills, sun-drenched hamlets, world-class wines and incredible hotels.
Your cycling holiday is varied and mainly follows quiet, traffic-free country roads. Starting in the lush hazelnut hills, you'll wind through terraces of swaying vines, verdant pine forests and rippling rivers to discover pretty hilltop hamlets and ancient castles. The region boasts an incredible array of fine wine towns, including Barbaresco and Barolo, both ideal lunch stops on your cycling days or free days. Other highlights include Alba's crimson, cobbled streets (where you can sample the local chocolate), the expansive views as you freewheel out of Mango, and strolling amongst the tangle of streets and geranium-decked houses of Monforte d'Alba's wonderful centre.
Profile
— 8 nights hotels, all rooms en suite — 4 days cycling with 3 optional rides — Luggage transfers — 95% quiet tarmac roads, 5% gravel — Quiet, traffic-free country roads — E-bike hire available on request (supplement applies) — GPS route navigation provided — Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent — Self-guided holiday. Min age 12 yrs
At a Glance
— 8 nights hotels, all rooms en suite — 4 days cycling with 3 optional rides — Luggage transfers — 95% quiet tarmac roads, 5% gravel — Quiet, traffic-free country roads — E-bike hire available on request (supplement applies) — GPS route navigation provided — Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent — Self-guided holiday. Min age 12 yrs
Trip For You
Cycling ConditionsClassification: Self-GuidedAverage daily distance: 35km (22 miles). No. of days cycling: 4 with 3 optional ridesTerrain and route: The suggested cycling mainly follows quiet tarmac roads with a few sections on dirt roads. The terrain is mainly undulating but the distances are kept relatively short to give you lots of time to enjoy the scenery. At one point the route heads to the Langhe Hills which is a hillier region. Alternative routes are available on some days and are detailed in the route notes. Vehicle Support: This is a self-guided trip for those who prefer to cycle independently, but with our assistance to take out the stress of the logistics and planning. We arrange your accommodations, provide you with a map and route notes so that you can cycle at your own pace, while your bags are transported from one hotel to the next. Our local agent will be there to meet you, make sure the bikes are all set up and will be on call throughout the trip should you need. It is important that you are happy reading maps and following route notes, we make these as accurate as possible and they are regularly checked. Where possible we stick to cycle tracks and quiet roads to make the journeys as pleasant as possible, however, on occasion we have to use busier routes. As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. There maybe others on the same departure date as you, but you will not be organised together. The route notes contain a 24-hour emergency assistance telephone number should you need it and in emergencies, the local agent is normally able to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to charge for this service. FamiliesSelf-guided cycling holidays are a perfect option for families as they offer the freedom for you to take your holiday at your own pace. You can stop as and when you want and need, at the cafes and restaurants that suit your family and the sites that interest you. As a guide we have suggested that 12 yrs is the minimum age for this trip, but as it is self-guided and you will be leading your own family we will ultimately leave this decision up to you. The daily distances are all published in the trip notes along with a description of each days cycling so you have a good idea of what to expect. However, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact one of our experts. The principle idea is that these holidays can be as flexible as you like, with logistical support but no group or leader to dictate the daily activities. Please bear in mind the weather when choosing to book, temperatures can be very high in the middle of summer. We therefore recommend going either earlier or later on in the season if you have young children.
Group Description
As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. A local agent is on hand to assist you and will meet you at the beginning of the week to set up your bike and go through the route notes and point out particular places of interest. Your luggage is transferred and route notes and maps are provided. The route notes contain an emergency assistance telephone number. In an emergency, the local agent is normally able to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to charge for this service.
Eating Drinking
All buffet breakfasts and 4 gastronomic dinners included. You'll enjoy gastronomic menus everywhere, either dining at your hotel, or at a specially selected restaurant close by. The cuisine in the Piedmont region is different to most other Italian regions, a fusion of the best of Italian and French food and certainly won't disappoint gastronomes. Regional specialities include white truffles which are found almost exclusively in the woods around Alba. Hazelnuts are another locally produced ingredient that feature heavily on the menu. Cheese is also widely produced in Piedmont, such as Murazzano, made with full-cream sheep's milk. Meals in the region always start with bread, your primo (first course) will usually be a pasta dish, such as agnolotti. Your secondo (main course) will then be something hearty like beef gently braised in Barolo wine. Meats such as pork, beef and veal are the popular choice of the region. Piedmont's wine is famous throughout the world. The most famous are the wines of the Langhe, which produces Barolo, Barbaresco, Dolcetto, Barbera as well as whites such as Asti and Moscato. Other highlights include Alba's crimson, cobbled streets where you can sample the local chocolate.
Transportation
Your luggage will be transported between the hotels by our local agent. They are often able to dispatch a taxi should you need it, but may wish to charge you for this service. You will be pedaling under your own steam but the emergency number for our local operator is in the trip notes if you need assistance.
Joining Instructions
Your trip normally starts at our hotel in Benevello on the afternoon of Day 1 of the itinerary. Hotel check-in times are normally from around 4pm.
Transfer Details
Air prices include our standard flights/transfersOut: British Airways Heathrow to Milan Malpensa then transfer to hotel 2 hours 10 minutes Return: Transfer to airport 2 hours 10 minutes British Airways Milan Malpensa to Heathrow Business/club/first class seats are available on request. Airport transfers are available at a supplement for land only bookings.
Weather Information
The trips run from May through to October. In the early and late departures you will need to be prepared for slightly lower temperatures, with highs of 23 degrees in May and 20 in October. There is more chance of rain in October, but the trip only runs into the early part of the month. In July and August the temperatures are likely to reach highs of 28/9 degrees celcius, there will still be the chance of rain, but it will be reduced. Facilities in some of the hotels such as the pools may not be available for early and late season departures.
Spending Money
— You will only need money for lunches, snacks and drinks and any sites you wish to visit. Lunches can be inexpensive if you buy produce from local markets or shops and make up a picnic. However, if you stop at a café you can easily spend €15. We would recommend budgeting for €5-15 for lunches and allow an additional €10 a day for any extras.
Highlights
- — Scenic cycling in the UNESCO vineyards of Piedmont — Stay in luxury hotels with panoramic pools — Discover historic castles and medieval villages
Trip Details
Product Code: 4153
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Moderate
Transport: sistance.
Guide Language: English
Supplier Code: C08PD
Starts: Benevello, Italy
Finishes: Benevello, Italy
Duration: 9 days
Departures: Not Guaranteed
Physical rating: Average
Includes
- — All breakfasts and 4 gastronomic dinners — All accommodation (see accommodation section) — Luggage transfers — Route notes and maps — High Quality BIkes — Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent — Arrival & departure transfers (if booking a flight inclusive package)
Accommodation
HotelsThe hotels we've chosen are, quite simply, fabulous! In Benevello your 4 star hotel is a stunningly restored 19th century family villa; in Neive you're the guest of Patrizia at her 12-room country house with a breathtaking panoramic pool and in Monforte d'Alba private tastings can be organised in the hotel's vast wine cellar. All prices are based on 2 persons sharing, so if there is an odd number of people travelling in your party or you are travelling alone, there will be a compulsory single room supplement. Please call your sales consultant for prices and availability.
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD 4455 (CAD 495 /day)
Itinerary
Dinner tonight is in the exclusive DaMa restaurant at Villa d'Amelia. You stay at Villa d'Amelia (breakfast and evening meal)
Visit the lovely Mango, with it's beautiful castle rich in WW2 history, then continue to Santo Stefano Belbo, the birthplace of one of Italy's greatest writers. On the way to Neive you'll pass the famous Moscato vineyards, then you'll spend two nights at the Hotel Villa Lauri, with a choice of restaurants within easy walking distance of the hotel.
Officially one of Italy's prettiest villages, you can wander Neive's cobbled streets that are lined with brightly-coloured flower boxes. After a morning spent by the panoramic pool, cycle (optional ride - directions provided) or take a public bus to nearby Barbaresco for lunch and cheese-tasting in the piazza. Enjoy some wine in the enoteca or head across to the spumante capital of Asti, with its quaint cobbled centre.
Cycle through the vineyards to Castagnole delle Lanze before exploring the cobbled streets and bustling piazze of chocolate perfumed Alba, the home of Ferrero Rocher. Continue to Grinzane Cavour with its UNESCO recognised castle before ending the day in Fontanafredda. Stay at Hotel le Case dei Conti Mirafiore (breakfast and evening meal included)
Enjoy wine tasting in the historic wine cellars at your hotel, once owned by Italian royalty, or head to the atmospheric wine village of Serralunga d'Alba. For the best views of the region, cycle to La Morra, 'Balcony of the Langhe', spread out along a panoramic ridge above the vineyards. Stay at Hotel le Case dei Conti Mirafiore (breakfast and evening meal included)
Cycle to Barolo, an ochre-hued village perched above its world-famous vineyards, where you can admire Marchesi Falletti's 11th century castle. Then to Monforte d'Alba and Villa Beccaris, where you'll spend two nights. There are plenty of restaurants in the village to choose from for your mouthwatering evening meal. Stay at Villa Beccaris (breakfast included)
Monforte is a lively medieval town with attractive buildings grouped around the cobbled piazza; or visit Dogliani (optional ride - directions provided), famous for Dolcetto wine production and dominated by its lovely church.
A steady climb takes you to a stunning panoramic ridge. From here, cycle to Serravalle Langhe, a great lunch spot with belvedere views before returning to your country hotel at Benevello, with dinner included in the hotel's Michelin starred restaurant. The chef at Villa d'Amelia trained under Marco Pierre White so you're in for a treat!
After breakfast, depart from Benevello.
Tour Operator
Exodus Travel
It’s all about adventure That is what Exodus was founded upon 50 years ago, and what the company is still all about. Discovering countries, cultures, environments, cities, mountain ranges, deserts, coasts and jungles; exploring this amazing planet we all live on. At Exodus, we know what makes you tick when it comes to holidays. It’s a desire shared by so many others. A yearning to visit new places and come home with a real sense of what they’re all about. This means delving into local traditions, cultures, cuisine, lifestyles – anything that contributes to its unique identity. At the same time, we always remember that we are only guests. So we travel courteously and respectfully, in smaller groups to minimise our impact, to ensure that every Exodus holiday is a beneficial experience for everyone involved. This is a philosophy we take with us around the world, helping you reach some incredible destinations on 500 itineraries across over 90 separate countries. We also strive to provide as much flexibility and choice as we possibly can, making it simple for you to experience a very different holiday. Exodus started life on 4 February 1974 when two friends got together to provide an overland truck to travel to the Minaret of Jam, deep in the heart of the Hindu Kush, the most inaccessible of the world’s great monuments. See our history page for more details about how we began and how we have grown over the past 50 years. Never travelled with Exodus before? Visit our New to Exodus page for some useful, first-timer information.
In Business Since 1974
Reviews
Anton - Traveled, May 2024
Dear Tourradar Team, I would very much like to submit a review of our trip. However, two important issues on our part have not yet been resolved. 1. the reimbursement due to significantly inferior alternative accommodation (Palazzo Boeri instead of Villa Beccaris) 2. reimbursement of the flight costs, as the flights were not used. As soon as these matters have been clarified in our favor, I will be happy to give a good rating. Kind regards Anton Hornburger 0151 - 116 183 51
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/15/2024
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