Manchester to Turin and Monferrato, Piedmont: a city and road-biking travel itinerary for early Autumn
Why Turin & Piedmont?
Piedmont (Piemonte in Italian) is in the north-western corner of Italy and both the Italian and French name for the region roughly translates as ‘foot of the mountain’ which is very apt, as the region’s physical background and border along its western edge, is the Alps. It is a land of lakes, mountains, rivers and rolling hills; it is the land of white truffle, gianduja, Gavi, Barolo and Asti wine. My research has also shown me that the whole region is well setup to receive independent cycle tourists, with a lot of online information to be able to plan an independent trip, with many routes and maps available and downloadable online and in English. The region also seems to cater to all types of biking too - road, touring, leisure cycling, mountain trail and proper trail centres and advanced downhill routes.
My start point for creating this itinerary is a visit to the Fiat Lingotto Factory and the Abarth Works Museum (my boyfriend is a pretty serious petrol-head), both of which can be found in Turin (or Torino, to use its Italian name), the capital city of Piedmont. The city’s reputation is one of industriousness, royalty and opulent cafe culture. It was the first capital of a unified Italy, was once the home of the kings of Savoy, is still the home of Fiat (and the related motoring brands), and Juventus, the Grand Dame of Italian football. Our visit will be centred around my boyfriend’s interest in cars, engines and motorsport……..with a spot of Martini, since vermouth was also invented here. I am expecting a quietly confident city full of grand boulevards and architecture, mixed with regenerated industrial neighbourhoods.
Like many visitors, I considered heading to one of the lakes next - Lake Maggiore or Lake d’Orta. These are both longstanding tourist hotspots and while extraordinarily beautiful, I found the choice of accommodation a bit uninspiring, too old school for my taste, and not the best value for money. I also worried they would feel a bit over-touristed. Instead, we will head to Alessandria province for a rural stay in the rolling vineyard-speckled Monferrato Hills, specifically near the town of Casale Monferrato. This part of the trip will be for relaxing, and cycling around the countryside.
Itinerary At A Glance
Twin-centre independent itinerary for Piedmont; 3 nights in Turin, 7 nights in the Monferrato Hills in Alessandria province.
Based on travelling in late summer or early autumn, flying in and out of Milan from Leeds with a hop in Amsterdam.
Highlights include a tour of the Abarth Factory, a cocktail experience at the home of Martini, indulging in the famed white truffle, staying in a high-spec design accommodation, day bike tours around the rolling green hills of the Monferrato, and an exciting gourmet experience at one of the regions many Michelin-starred restaurants.
Based on a couple travelling, with a focus on leisurely cultural activities and biking, interspersed with time to just relax and soak up the atmosphere.
Itinerary Details
WHEN
Late Summer or early Autumn - either September or October.
A little unexpectedly, October is actually high season in the Monferrato-Langhe due to the harvest and the importance of gastrotourism to this area.
It is a relatively wet place all year round so I’ll be expecting mixed weather. Averages indicate that it is at its driest in the Winter.
TRAVEL MEANS
Flights into Turin are possible, though I found them much more expensive than flights into Milan, which is just a 2hr drive from Turin. Flight options are either of the below:
KLM, from Leeds into Milan, with a 2hr change in Amsterdam
Easyjet, from Manchester direct into Milan
I will hire a car for the entirety of the trip, and a bike for the second part of the trip in the Monferrato Hills
ACCOMMODATION
Turin
I found lots and lots of ‘oldy worldy’ accommodation in Turin, which isn’t really my bag, but something else I noticed in abundant availability were modern conversions of big old industrial spaces. These would be my pick in priority order:
Edit Lofts - this is a former Fiat factory made into funky loft apartments. They also have a restaurant on site recommended by the Michelin Green Travel Guide. Only downside is that it is a 40 minute walk from the centre
Funky loft space smack-bang in the centre
Modern, minimalist and space-maximising design loft a little outside of the historical centre
Monferrato Hills in Alessandria/Asti province
I found many many beautiful places to stay in this whole region, but once I found this Glass House in Terruggia, about 6km from the small historical river city of Casale Monferrato, I knew we had to stay here. The rest of my trip is designed around staying here
SCHEDULE
Turin - Day 1 to 3
Take a guided tour of the Abarth Factory Workshop
Visit the FCA Heritage Hub which opens soon in the Fiat Mirafiori industrial complex, with an exhibition of Fiat, Abarth, Lancia and Alfa Romeo
Go have a look around La Venaria Reale, one of Turin’s famous Savoy residences and one that stood out to me
Visit Castello di Rivoli contemporary art museum
Have coffee and cake at Caffe Mulassano - a grand and traditional cafe
Do as the locals do, with a pre-dinner aperitif and snack at La Drogheria in Piazza Vittorio square.
I’d book into any one of these restaurant recommendations from the Michelin Green Travel Guide
Take an an aperitivo ‘crawl’ in San Salvario - Enò | Via Galliari, 1, Affine | Via Belfiore, 16, Gorilla | Via Galliari, 20, Crumb | Piazza Madama Cristina, 2, Eria San Salvario | Via S. Pio V, 11, La Cuite | Via Baretti, 11
Take a 40 min drive outside the centre to get to know more about vermouth and Martini on this Ultimate Martini Experience at Casa Martini, the historical home of the well-known alcohol producer
Day 4 - driving between Turin & Casale Monferrato
About 75-100km (depending on the route), 1 hr 15 mins driving
Monferrato hills in Alessandria/Asti province - Day 4 to 10
The majority of our time will be spent on the bike, and the following routes and destinations strike my fancy:
Take this circular route from Casale Monferrato to Valenza, the famed City of Gold, which boasts the highest concentration of gold and artisan jewellery businesses in the country - I think we’ll pay a visit to the Museo del Gioello (jewellery museum) while we’re there too (65km route - an all day excursion. Start point is 25 min bike ride from Terruggia)
Take this route or this route for a tour around the Infernot Hills and a stop in Treville for a view of the Alps. (25km route - about 2-3 hours. Start point is 25 min bike ride from Terruggia)
Take this short multi-looping route in and around San Salvatore Monferrato (25km route - about 2-3 hours. Start point is 1 hour bike ride from Terruggia)
Cycle this loop in the lands of San Giovanni Bosco (62km route - an all day excursion)
Drive or bike out to Asti (4 hr bike ride round trip from Terruggia) just for a little wander around the city and a sip of the famous sparkling wine Asti Spumante
Cycle out to the walled medieval miniature city of Moncalvo (2.5 hr round trip from Terruggia) to walk the ramparts, visit the Marc Chagall paintings held in the Civic Museum of Moncalvo and have dinner at sunset
Drive or bike out to Montegrosso d’Asti (4-5 hour round trip from Terruggia)
For a wide variety of cycle routes across the whole of Piedmont that can be downloaded as GPX files, I found PiemontEscape to be superb
Book for dinner at Il Cavallo Scosso in Asti - a young and modern restaurant as recommended by the Michelin Green Guide
Faletto 1881 - a modern restaurant in a farmhouse-come-hotel-and-venue just outside of Casale Monferrato
Accademia Ristorante in Casale Monferrato - local and seasonal Piemontese cuisine, as recommended by the Michelin Green Guide
FOOD AND DRINK - SPECIALITIES & CUSTOMS
Piedmont is extraordinarily rich in food and drink both grown and invented here:
drinks wise, there is Barolo and Gavi wine, bicerin (a coffee mixed with cream), and vermouth.
pasta-wise, there is agnolotti, plin and tajerin.
cheese-wise, there is stracchino (creamy, soft white cheese), toma (a light, semi-hard cow’s milk cheese), robiola (delicate and sweet, often preserved in oil), raschera (made with a combination of cow, goat and sheep’s milk coming from the high pastures of the Monferrato).
other food items include gianduja (chocolate-hazelnut spread), truffles (most famous ones come from Alba), bagna cauda, bonèt pudding, baci di dama, Savoy biscuits, grissini breadsticks and panna cotta.
Traditionally, aperitivo is meant to whet the appetite before dinner and is accompanied by a variety of appetizers (stuzzichini) such as cold cuts, cheeses, salads, olives, bite-sized pizzas and other savouries. However, such is the popularity of this time honoured tradition, a new concept of apericena has been introduced in recent years that closes the gap between aperitivo and dinner and acts as a less formal alternative to eating out in a restaurant. Now, sumptuous buffet tables in bars and cafes all over Turin groan with a mix of the traditional bites plus pasta and rice dishes, grilled and freshly chopped vegetables, couscous and quinoa salads, cakes and more. The buffets usually start at around 7pm and can go on until 9pm/10pm