Cycling the Wine Villages of Piedmont

• 8 nights hotels, all rooms en suite
• 4 days cycling with 3 optional rides
• 95% quiet tarmac roads, 5% gravel
• Quiet, traffic-free country roads
• E-bike hire available on request (supplement applies)
• Self-guided holiday. Min age 12 yrs
• Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent

All buffet breakfasts 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.

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.

Cycling ConditionsClassification: Self-GuidedAverage daily distance: 35km (22 miles). No. of days cycling: 4 (with 3 optional rides)Terrain 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.