Discovering the Piedmont Hills

Find yourself being catapulted into a reality ofbeautiful villages, green hills, vineyards as far as the eye can see and starred restaurants. It would seem like paradise and instead it is the Langhe, a beautiful area of Piedmont situated between the provinces of Cuneo and Asti.

Traveling in the Langhe is very easy; the area can be reached from all over Italy thanks to the airports in Turin and Cuneo. From there just rent a car and off you go, discovering this area.

Probably two days is a short time to discover the treasures of this part of Piedmont, but it can be the right compromise to be able to savor its beauty and to have a good excuse to return a second time (but also a third!).

Every season is suitable for traveling in the Langhe, but perhaps the most pleasant and ideal one for fully discovering the full range of the area's richness is autumn, the time of year when the colors of the hills and vineyards take on the most varied hues and the spectacle of foliage

is staged.

 

We begin our tour of the Langhe.

Neive

Neive has been included in its own right among the most beautiful villages in Italy. It is a small town perched on a hillock, in which the historic center with a clear medieval imprint is developed. The more modern part, on the other hand, stands out at its foot. Neive is a melting pot of narrow streets, made up of the characteristic red-roofed houses covered in ivy, arches, small balconies, lordly mansions, and period buildings. Nothing is lacking, in short, not even good food. Before you leave to move on to your next stop, don't forget to try the green anchovies and vitello tonnato. On a full stomach you travel better!

Alba

Truffle lovers this is the place for you. In Alba, in fact, the famous International White Truffle Fair is held every year in the fall. During this time the town is all abuzz with truffle hunters, the trifolau, who roam around in search of the most prized product. On Saturday mornings it is also possible to take a tour of the market, which is usually very crowded, full of delicacies, local products, including, needless to say, truffles, and much, much more. Alba is also called "the city of a hundred towers," although there are only a few left now, the best known being Torre Sineo, Torre Bonino, and Torre Astesiano which can be seen well from the Piazza del Duomo.

Probably the best thing to do to visit this center is simply to wander through its alleys, its arcades, pay a visit to the Duomo and simply breathe in its quiet yet lively atmosphere.

Grinzane Cavour

Following Provincial Road 157, one arrives at the castle of the same name, the site of the World White Truffle Auction every year. It is also home to the Ethnographic Museum, which naturally chronicles what is the excellence of the area. The castle belonged to Count Benso di Cavour and dates back to the 13th century. In addition to the museum there is also a wine shop, for those who want to stop for a taste of the many excellent wines that are at home here, and a restaurant with a splendid view of the vineyards.

Barolo

About wine, you can't travel to the Langhe and not make a stop in Barolo: here so many tourists from all over the world come every year to taste, buy and see how this all-Piedmontese excellence is produced. A stroll through the center is a must, with its stores, its bottiglierie, its traditional restaurants, the Castello Falletti home to the interesting Wine Museum and the Enoteca Regionale, and, finally, the Corkscrew Museum. Of course, don't miss the tastings and visits to the many wineries dotted around Barolo. Before you leave the village, however, stop at one of the many restaurants to try the local cured meats, including boar and truffle sausage and tajarin with roast gravy. All accompanied by a good Barolo, of course.

La Morra

Our two-day tour ends in La Morra, the terrace of the Langhe. This village is located, in fact, on a 500-meter rise from which you can enjoy a wonderful panorama of the entire surrounding area. The center is developed on its main square, Castle Square, with its beautiful 18th-century bell tower, from which it is then possible to reach the parish church of San Martino, with its preponderant Baroque facade. A short distance from the town center is the now super-photographed Chapel of Our Lady of Grace. Nestled in the Barolo vineyards, the church owes its distinctiveness to its bright colors by artists David Tremlett and Sol LeWitt whose work in 1999 made it a must-see for those passing through the area.

 

We are at the end of our journey in this wonderful land, where the scent of wine and its cellars meets and joins with the beauty of its landscapes and with that history that the villages continue to whisper to visitors from all backgrounds.

You just have to express through our interactive form your preferences, your tastes, tell us what activities and services you cannot miss to make you experience this area in the best possible way. Our Local Experts are ready to formulate a customized package that can give you an authentic and unforgettable experience.