Food & Wine of Piedmont – By Bike

12-19 September 2026

Cambridge Alumni Tour Programme’s first ever cycling tour for alumni takes in the scenery, food and wines of Piedmont in Italy, part of the Langhe-Roero and Montferrat viticultural areas which have received worldwide designation from UNESCO. Led by author and wine journalist Tom Bruce-Gardyne, this perfectly paced week in the saddle combines enjoying Piedmont’s charming landscapes on two wheels with discovering its culinary and viticultural treasures, not least the ‘King’ and ‘Queen’ of Italian red wines, Barolo & Barbaresco.

There will also be a wealth of lesser-known wines to enjoy, as well as home-cooked regional cuisine. Cycle through wooded valleys and a mosaic of small vineyards, still largely family-owned. Stay in scenic Agriturismi and carefully chosen private villas, with all meals and wine tastings included throughout.

The pace is nice and steady with stops and picnics along the way, though there will be hills. Distance-wise, the itinerary covers 30-40 miles on cycling days, alternating with a day of rest in-between for wine-tastings and relaxing. Opt to rent a bike (with super-low gearing for the ups and great disc brakes for the downs) or ebike, or bring your own (transport can be arranged from the UK). A support van carries all the baggage (and anyone who needs a rest!), and alongside wine expert Tom, a specialist cycle guide cycles with the group throughout to fix punctures and the like.

Overview

Tour highlights

Delight in the lovely scenery seen from Piedmont’s quiet backroads, from wooded valleys and undulating vineyards to quaint hilltop villages
Enjoy accommodation in carefully chosen boutique hotels, private villas and charming agritourismi
Experience tastings at top wineries such as Ruggeri Corsisni, Marchesi de Gresy and the Pelassa, and wonderful Piedmontese meals with locally sourced produce
Perfectly paced itinerary with rest-days in-between each cycling day, and the option to hire a bike or bring your own.

Itinerary at a glance

Testimonial from Dr Nick Carroll
President & Fellow, Magdalene College, University of Cambridge

“My wife and I were extremely fortunate to join a Tour to Piedmont in 2024 [led by Aiden and Tom]. Our first evening meal proved to be a delight and set the scene for culinary excellence throughout the days ahead, perfectly planned by the team. The route each day was carefully thought out and executed. The odd diversion only added to the fun and friendly banter along the way! The tastings and vineyard visits which were all carefully selected and perfect choices gave a real sense of the depth and breadth of the superb Piedmont wines. Throughout we were brilliantly looked after by Aiden and Tom with necessary bike maintenance and provision of snacks, energy drinks and al fresco lunches making the taxing hill climbs so much easier to cope with.

I can only heartily recommend this wonderful tour.”

Notice about operational control of this tour
Temple World has a long-standing collaboration with the University of Cambridge to plan and operate tours for its Alumni as part of the Alumni Travel Programme. Where minimum numbers are achieved and a tour departs, 10% of the tour cost will be given by Temple World to the University of Cambridge as a donation for each traveller who has a connection to the university (alumni/staff etc). This includes any friends/family travelling with them. However, please note that the University of Cambridge has no control over the operation of the tours in the Programme, which are the sole responsibility of the Operator/s concerned (in this case, Templeworld Limited and our partners, the cycling tour specialists Saddle Grape & Grain).

Itinerary

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Day 1: 12 Sept 2026 Tour starts in Turin/La Morra

The tour starts today in La Morra, a charming, bustling hill-top village, the highest in Barolo at 550m, 65km south of Turin.

Those arriving on flights into Turin Airport today will be collected for the hour and a half’s drive to our specially chosen guesthouse on the edge of the village of La Morra with a pool, secluded among the vines, hopefully in time for a swim and a glass of
wine.

Dinner is a short walk downtown to the Osteria More e Macine – a great introduction to Piedmontese cooking.

Please note, if you book flights arriving before the date the tour starts, we can organise a transfer to meet any flight (private transfer charge applies).

Check in time at the guesthouse is from 15:00. Guests arriving earlier than this may leave baggage securely at reception.

Those hiring bikes will be given their allocated bike today and any adjustments made by our dedicated bike guide, Aiden.

Overnight: Guesthouse accommodation in La Morra | Meals: D

Day 2: 13 Sept 2026 La Morra to Benevello

Cycling Distance: 50km with approx. 1,000m of ascent

After breakfast, begin the first day of cycling by setting off downhill and skirting around the town of Barolo. Join a 5km gravel track through the vineyards to Podere Ruggeri Corsini where Nicola and his family run their wine estate, producing Barolo, Dolcetto, Langhe Nebbiolo among other wines.

After a tour and brief tasting (of the smell, swirl and spit variety) cycle on, climbing gently to Monforte d’Alba and through Dogliani before the main climb of the day on a tiny road towards Bossolasco.

After a picnic lunch near the top, cycle on along quiet roads to our hotel where the rest of the afternoon is at leisure to relax and recuperate.

The Agriturismo Cascina Pajanot has the feel of a luxury ski chalet among the wooded slopes.

Dinner will be onsite, or in a restaurant in Diano d’Alba, a short taxi ride away (that’s enough cycling for one day).

Overnight: Agriturismo Cascina Pajanot or similar | Meals: B, L,D

Day 3: 14 Sept 2026 Wine Tasting at Marchesi di Grésy

Cycling Distance: Approximately 15km gravel/road

After breakfast, cycle to the late 18th century wine estate of Marchesi di Grésy which began bottling its own wines in the 1970’s. There’s only a short ride today, mainly on deserted gravel tracks, much of it downhill.

Marchesi di Grésy is now one of the grandees of Barbaresco. The wines are superb.

After the visit, head back to the hotel in the support van, (bikes will be carried), stopping for a light lunch at the Trattoria Risorgimento in Treiso.

The afternoon is free to relax by the pool before dinner, which will be at the nearby Osteria il Cortile in Diano d’Alba. Probably the highlight of the week’s restaurants, the cooking is exceptional, as is the wine list.

Overnight: Agriturismo Cascina Pajanot or similar | Meals: B, L,D

Day 4: 15 Sept 2026 Benevello to Cascina Bella Relais Villa near Mombaruzzo

Cycling Distance: Just over 50km, 1,000m of ascent

Check out of the Agriturismi and saddle up for the day’s ride after breakfast.

After an initial climb away from the Agriturismo, the route drops down into the valley and up the other side to a coffee stop in Castino. The rest of the ride is undulating, sometimes through woodland,
sometimes out in the wide open. Your cycle guides have designed the route around quiet backroads with often just birdsong and the odd tractor for company.

At the end, there’s a short uphill to the tiny village
of Mombaruzzo and a kilometre beyond to our home for the next two nights, a private villa which the group will have to yourselves. There is a pool, a terrace overlooking a vineyard and a games room with a decent-sized snooker table.

For dinner, the owner and chef, Lucia Pavan, who runs a catering business in Milan will, we hope, cook for us as in previous years.

Overnight: Cascina Bella Relais Villa, Mombaruzzo or similar | Meals: B, L,D

Day 5: 16 Sept 2026 Wine tasting at Locanda Cossetti

Cycling Distance: Approximately 16km – gently undulating.

The morning’s ride is again largely traffic-free on a mix of tarmac and gravel, apart from a short
stretch on a busier road on the approach to Locanda Cossetti for a visit and wine-tasting.

This fourth-generation wine estate-cum-
riding school is run by a septuagenarian matriarch who was a rally driver in her youth. She
still cuts quite a figure, greeting guests in the huge, open-plan dining / tasting room. A wide range
of Monferrato wines are produced, including Nebbiolo, Brachetto and Roero Arneis.

Afterwards, the group will be driven back to the villa in the support van, with time to stroll round the village before dinner.

Overnight: Cascina Bella Relais Villa, Mombaruzzo or similar | Meals: B, L,D

Day 6: 17 Sept 2026 Cycling Mombaruzzo to Montà d’Alba

Cycling Distance: 60km with 800m of ascent

Check out of the lovely villa after breakfast, and hit the road once again. Today’s ride is to Montà d’Alba around 60km away.

Much of the morning’s ride is through wooded valleys and small villages until we reach our picnic
spot.

After lunch there is quite a bit of zigzagging on small tracks to avoid the busy Alba to Asti road, which we
eventually cross to the other side of the valley, before progressing to the picturesque hilltop village of
San Martino Alfieri.

The Alfieri family built a beautiful baroque house in the early 17th century, later adding an orangery and landscaped gardens. We may try the wine here too or buy some bottles for the evening. It’s necessary to navigate a few unavoidable busier sections of road before reaching the backroad up to Montà d’Alba at over 300 metres among the Roero hills.

There are two good hotel options, depending on numbers, but we will all eat at the Belvedere Bike Hotel even if not staying there.

The hotel, perched on the edge of town with commanding views, has been run by the Triverio family since 1927. Marco, the current owner, is very understated and modest considering the delicious
Piedmontese dishes he creates.

Overnight: Belvedere Bike Hotel or similar | Meals: B, L,D

Day 7: 18 September 2026 Tasting at Pelassa

Cycling Distance: No cycling

After a leisurely start and a chance to take in the Langhe hills to the south, today instead of cycling to the wine-tasting, instead there’s a pleasant walk of just a few kilometres to one of the leading producers in the Roero, Pelassa.

Davide and Daniele Pelassa will talk us through the history of their family-run estate of 18 hectares which was started by their father and mother Mario and Maria in 1960. Enjoy a tasting of their Barolos and Barberas, and their particularly elegant whites from the local Arneis.

After lunch there’s an optional walk if the weather is good or a large, open-air lido to visit if the small hotel pool doesn’t afford you enough
exercise.

Marco (the owner of the Belvedere Bike Hotel) will be cooking for our group again in the evening.

Overnight: Belvedere Bike Hotel or similar | Meals: B, L,D

Day 8: 19 Sep 2026 Monta d'Alba back to La Morra

Cycling Distance: 35km – 650m of ascent

Checking out of the final hotel after breakfast, there is a final morning ride back to the tour starting point.

The route is mostly gentle ups and downs with a climb at the end to La Morra.

There will be time for a light lunch, a quick swim or a shower before the tour ends. There is an included group transfer back to the airport at Turin, or to the city for those staying on to explore or to visit the Ligurian coast (we can arrange any additional travel in Italy you may need – please enquire for area/hotel recommendations and prices) .

Important: Before booking flights to depart from Turin on the same day the tour ends, please check with our team as to the earliest recommended departure time.

Overnight: – | Meals: B, L

Price & Essential Info

Dates and Prices
Prices are in UK£, per person, based on double occupancy

12-19 September 2026

Room Type	Price	Single Supplement	Optional Flight from London	Availability
Standard	£3,850	£950	£200-£350 return approx	Rooms available

How many people are travelling in your group? Enquire Now 0

Inclusions
Local transport from Turin airport or rail station to the tour start/end points, accommodation throughout, all meals (including some gourmet/fine dining dinners), support van throughout, to carry baggage (and people, if need be), wine tastings as per the itinerary, water, coffee, tea, sports drinks, and snacks during the day, wine with dinner, entrance fees where applicable, services of expert wine guide and expert cycle guide from our partners, Saddle, Grape & Grain throughout. Bike transport from the UK to Turin and back is also included for those who wish to bring their own bikes (free pickup within the London 25 is included, otherwise a courier can be arranged to get bikes to London from elsewhere in the country, at extra cost). Bike hire available at additional cost, see below.

Exclusions
Transport/Flights/Train to/from Turin, bike hire if required (high spec road bike hire is available for £50 per day – ebikes also available at the same cost if preferred), alcoholic drinks other than wine during tastings and wine during dinner, soft drinks other than water, coffee, tea and sports drinks, travel insurance (must include cycling as main form of transport), Schengen/European visa if applicable, optional gratuities, personal/incidental items such as souvenirs, spa treatments, minibar etc.

Optional flights
The best flights to Turin are with Ryanair from London Stansted direct, as there are two flights daily, however unfortunately it is not possible for agents to book Ryanair flights, so these would need to be booked by clients themselves. See below ‘Booking your own travel’ for information about the Ryanair timings etc.

Temple World can arrange direct flights from London Gatwick to Turin with BA to coordinate with the tour, but BA does not fly daily so the dates of the flights would be Thursday 17 September(two days before the tour starts), returning Sunday 27 September (1 day after the tour ends). We can assist with recommendations and rates for accommodation in/around Turin for the two nights before the the tour and one night at the end. The cost of the BA flights to Turin on these dates starts from around £300 return from London per person (including 23kg hold baggage) including taxes, but the price is likely to rise as the flights become busier.

Alternatively, it’s possible to fly into Milan Malpensa Airport and take a train via central Milan to Turin. We’ll be happy to quote for flights from any UK airport to Milan.

See separate note re how to transport your bike, if you are bringing your own.

Booking your own travel
You are most welcome to book your own flights to coordinate with this tour. The start and end point is Turin, unless adding an optional extension. We can arrange private transfers to meet any flight (supplement applies).

As mentioned above, Ryanair is the airline which has direct flights to Turin daily from London. Clients would need to book these themselves directly with Ryanair as they don’t work with agents, unfortunately.

*Very important! Those who plan to book their own transport to Italy should not make any binding or non-refundable arrangements until their place has been confirmed in writing on the tour and Temple World has confirmed that it is a guaranteed departure.

Bikes, Bikes, Bikes

Option 1: Bring your own
You can bring your own bicycle on this trip, but it is important that it is appropriate for the terrain, safe and well maintained. Whilst some repairs can be carried out en route, it’s important to avoid holding the whole group up due to poor bike maintenance that should have been addressed prior to the start of the trip. Heavily worn tyres should be replaced before a trip, brakes should be working well, gears functioning properly and chains in good condition. The route is partly on gravel roads and you will need tyres of at least 35mm width to be comfortable (although it is possible with narrower tyres, they are not recommended). We can arrange for your bike to be transported to Italy and back from any point within the London M25 at no additional cost. For those who live outside the M25 you can either drop it off or courier it to a designated address within the M25 (we will supply this nearer to the time) for collection and transport.

Option 2: Hire a road bike/ebike
Excellent, high spec road bikes can be hired from our specialist cycling partner Saddle, Grape & Grain who are handling the logistics of this tour. The cost for bike hire is £50 per person per day and the bike will be transported over to Italy and back for use during the tour at no extra cost. Ebikes are also available to hire at the same price, for collection locally in Italy.

Immunisations
Check the latest country-specific information and advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) on the TravelHealthPro website. Vaccines commonly recommended for Italy: Tetanus. Some travellers are recommended to vaccinate against Rabies and Tick-bourne encephalitis. It is recommended that all travellers are up to date with all childhood vaccinations such as the MMR, Diptheria, Tetanus, Polio, and so on, as well as all seasonal vaccinations you may be eligible for, such as Covid and Flu. Please consult your GP or Travel health professional at least 12 weeks before the tour for personal health advice.

Entry Regulations
Italy follows Schengen area rules. Your passport must have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive and an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area. British passport holders can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, which includes Italy, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. As of 12 October 2025, the European Union’s (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES) will begin roll out. This means that when you travel into the Schengen area for short stays, you may need to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photo. You do not need to take any action before you arrive at the border, and there is no cost for EES registration.

Fitness Guideline
We have graded the fitness level required for participation in this tour as High compared to others in the tour programme. Whilst the cycling pace (on cycling days) will be nice and steady with stops and picnics along the way, there will be hills and a certain level of fitness is a must. So you know what to expect distance-wise, the itinerary covers 30-40 miles on cycling days (generally a maximum of 4 hours of cycling), alternating with a day of rest in-between for wine-tastings in the local area (by bike) and relaxing.

There is a backup van for emergencies and repairs, and this will also carry all baggage throughout, so you do not need to cycle laden-down. If you opt to bring or hire an e-bike, this will reduce physical strain on distances and hills to make these more manageable, but you’ll still be pedaling and engaging your muscles for prolonged periods, so it mitigates but doesn’t negate the need to be fairly fit. The terrain will be a mixture of tarred and gravel roads which have been painstakingly been made into a route which stays away from busy routes and traffic much of the time.

If you are not a regular cyclist or have not undertaken distances like this before over consecutive days, it is essential to do some preparatory long rides (ideally on consecutive days/over a weekend with an overnight stop) before commencing this tour, to get your cycling stamina to the right level, and to test out any clothing, saddle or equipment you may want to bring. This way you have time to identify and solve any potential issues beforehand.

Scholar

Trip Leaders
Tom Bruce-Gardyne (Wine expert) & Aiden Prior (Cycle expert)

Tom Bruce-Gardyne has been a drinks writer for almost 20 years and has twice won the Louis Roederer “Drinks Writer of the Year” Award. He has written for the FT, Sunday Times, Decanter and Unfiltered on both whisky and wine (especially Italian), and was the Glasgow Herald’s drinks columnist for seven years. As a sideline, he guided wine and whisky tours for Arblaster & Clarke and now leads his own specialist wine and whisky tours by bike in Scotland, Ireland and Italy.

Aidan Prior rode his first UK bike tour aged 14. He cycled 10,000 miles as a leader on the Four Corners Bike Ride in 1987, the most adventurous section of which was in China. In the last 10 years in addition to tours in the UK and Ireland, he has led or guided on bike trips in Italy, The Alps (Geneva to Nice), in China, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Thailand. Apart from the wonderful West Coast whisky cellars of Scotland and the vineyards of Piedmont in Italy, his favourite routes are through the Pamir mountains In Tajikistan and the incredible gravel routes up the side valleys off the Karakoram Highway in northern Pakistan.

Extensions

Pre/Post-Tour Extensions

For those who are able to arrive a few days early into Turin, we can recommend a selection of city hotels and accommodation in the surrounding area.

In Turin, the 5 star boutique Grand Hotel Sitea is one of our top picks, nestled in central Turin just a stone’s throw away from the boutiques of Via Roma and within walking distance of all the main sights – rooms from around £205 per night including breakfast. For something modern and spacious, the DUPARC Contemporary Suites a little further out by the Parco Valentino have gigantic suites from £178 per night including breakfast.

To continue the wine exploration, why not stay on a few nights after the tour ends, somewhere like the 4* Palazzo Righini, set in a beautiful former convent in the town of Fossano, which lies on the doorstep of the Langhe-Roero and Monferrato wine regions, home of Barolo and Barbaresco wines. Rooms start at just £177 per night including breakfast in September. Or, splurge with a stay at the fabulous contemporary Casa di Langa, a luxury boutique hotel set within 100 acres of rolling estate in Alta Langa (Southern Piedmont). Offering cooking lessons, truffle hunting, an indulgent spa and a superb gastronomic restaurant, rooms from £455 per night including breakfast in September.

We can recommend plenty more city hotels (including in Milan), and rural boltholes with wine connections, please speak to Lia, our tour coordinator for more details, at lia@templeworld.com.