THE SPRING CLASSICS: MILAN-SAN REMO
Most people travel to Liguria for its seashore, which is a virtually uninterrupted string of enchanting coastal resorts that have been a mecca for Italian tourists for a hundred years. The Ligurians have two names for their boomerang-shaped coastline: the half that stretches from France to Genoa is called La Riviera di Ponente, and is the primary battleground for the decisive moves in La Primavera, the first major classic of the cycling season.
Occupying a large area that borders France and Switzerland, Piedmont is the ancient dominion of the Savoys. But Piedmont is a world unto itself. Perhaps it was the thick fogs that often shroud its world-class vineyards - even giving their name, nebbiolo, to the region's premier grape - that cut it off from the rest of the Italian peninsula. With the snow-capped Alps looming magnificently on the eastern and northern borders, the region's picturesque lakes and hills (of which there are more per square mile than in Tuscany), create a distinctly self-sufficient region that is purely, and uniquely Italian.
World-Class Cycling
La Primavera. La Classicisima. Milano-San Remo. No matter what you call it, for the Italians, this is the beginning of the season, and like the Tour of Flanders in Belgium, win this race and you are heralded as a king in this country. Being the longest professional one-day race, Milan-Sanremo is an unusual test of endurance early in the season. It is won often not by the fastest sprinter, but by the one best prepared early. The Cipressa and Poggio have foiled many sprinters who could not stay with the front group. While we won't cover the full 294 km course, this itinerary provides the ideal start to your season. Along with the classic Turchino Pass, the Cipressa and the Poggio and the Tre Capi-Mele, Cervo, Berta - we will venture into France to test ourselves on the Col de la Madone, and the Col d'Eze, always the decisive ascent in the previous week's finale of Paris-Nice. The San Remo-San Remo Gran Fondo is an early season test of endurance, and ensures you'll return home ready to go for the season.
Authentic Culture
Ponente means "spot on the horizon where the sun sets," which in northwestern Italy corresponds to the narrow strip of coast and precipitous alpine foothills that you first encounter upon arriving from Monte Carlo or the French Riviera. This part of Liguria is also known as La Riviera dei Fiori (the Flowering Coastline), cut flowers being among its most lucrative exports. The air is alive with the heady scent of some 20,000 tons of roses, carnations and mimosas, with olive groves and terraced grape vines blanket the hillsides. Piedmont is Italy's gastronomic capital, thanks to the frenzy that surrounds white-truffle season each fall. But it is also here that the grapes for elegant Barolos and Barbarescos (as well as Moscatos) have been cultivated for centuries. It is also known as home to the Slow Food movement-dedicated to preserving the tradition of handmade, artisanal cuisine.
Exemplary Service
The 5-star Relais San Maurizio is an elegant hotel nestled amidst the gentle hillside of Langhe, a land where some of Piedmont's most highly prized wines are produced and is also known throughout the world for its exquisite white truffles. It is also home to Da Guido, a Michelin 2-star restaurant offering exquisite Piedmontese cuisine. The Royal Hotel in San Remo is a former aristocratic mansion, and is set in a private park overlooking the Ligurian coast. The evenings are spent relaxing, enjoying fresh pesto and seafood, endless vistas over the Mediterranean and across rolling vineyards. With us, first class luxury is not an option, it's the norm.