Piedmont – A tale of history and tastes

Arrival in Turin and private transfer to the hotel.

After breakfast, we depart with our private vehicle and English-speaking guide to Vercelli. Here we will visit the city, in particular the Cathedral Museum where we will admire the famous “Vercelli book”. It is a very important and very rare text written in ancient English (so difficult to decipher that, until 1800, it was referred to as ‘of unknown language’). While the circumstance that brought it to Vercelli remains mysterious, it is certain that its value is due to the fact that of the 23 homilies contained within it, 11 are found only in this unique text. After the visit, we can have a break to taste bicciolani, typical Vercelli biscuits. Free lunch in Vercelli. In the afternoon we will discover more about the Vercelli plain with a visit to the “La Colombara” estate. This area have been linked since ancient times to the cultivation of rice. Arriving in these areas you will be enchanted by the unique spectacle of this crop, which acquires all its charm in spring, when the flooded rice fields offer an idyllic spectacle otherwise known as the ‘squared sea’. At the end of the day, transfer to Cioccaro di Penango for the check-in at the hotel. Free dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel, meet with the guide and visit Casale Monferrato, a town full of ancient “palazzi”, porticoes, shops and a special romantic atmosphere. We will start from the Paleologi Castle, an enormous war fortress, to the cathedral dedicated to Saint Evasio, whose origin dates back to the year 1000. Free lunch. We are in the heart of Monferrato, an area of hills and streams, vineyards and nature. Departure by private vehicle to the hills of Monferrato, stop at Cella Monte (listed as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy) to visit the very interesting “Ecomuseo della Pietra da Cantoni”, where you can visit a beautiful example of an Infernot, a unique structure in the area. It is an underground cell, entirely dug into the sandstone and usually adjacent to the cellar, in which the constant temperature and humidity, the absence of light, draughts and noise offer the best conditions for storing the most important bottles of wine. These are small architectural masterpieces created by local builders, testimonies to the peasant knowledge of the past. Then we continue with our vehicle to Asti, known as the city of 100 towers. Its medieval-style skyline is in fact enlivened by the many towers of historic buildings and churches. Here we will also have a visit to the crypt of Sant’Anastasio. At the end of the day, we travel back to our hotel for the overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Then we reach with the guide and our private vehicle, Marchesi Alfieri castle. The visit itinerary runs from the castle park (still inhabited by the family) to the Baroque Orangery, passing through the fermentation and ageing cellars and the historic barrique cellar. At the end of the visit we will have the opportunity to taste the cellar’s most representative wines. Our tour continues in Alba, for a visit of the town “below and above”, a real journey into the past. Since the times of Alba Pompeia (as the town was called in the centuries of Roman times), what is now the historic centre has seen generations of towns succeed one after the other, in the same place. The mediaeval town grew on the remains of the Roman one, the modern one took its place without completely erasing it, and so on, until the present town, which is unknowingly shaped by the urban features of Alba Pompeia. After visiting underground Alba, free time for lunch. The we will have guided tour of the cathedral dedicated to Saint Lawrence and a walk through the narrow streets that still have a medieval feel. Then we reach Roccaverano*, for a guided tour of the highest “Comune” in the Langa Astigiana. Roccaverano is considered the capital of Robiola DOP, an traditional cheese that has gained worldwide fame and recognition in recent decades. Stop at an agri-food company for a visit and tasting. At the end of the day, transfer to the hotel in Sinio for the check-in. Dinner at the hotel and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. After that, we head to Grinzane Cavour. Here we will visit the castle which, with its beauty and unforgettbale architecture, dominates the stupendous panorama of the Langa hills. Over the centuries, the castle has belonged to various noble Piedmontese families, including the Counts Benso di Cavour, whose most famous exponent was Camillo Benso, a famous hero of the Italian Risorgimento, who was mayor of the small village of Grinzane before becoming prime minster. After this visit, we move to Barolo for a walk leading to the castle where WI.MU, the wine museum, is now housed. Then we will move to La Morra, known as the ‘balcony of the Langhe’ for its splendid panorama. Stop at a family farm, visit to the cellar and tasting of their wines with snacks. After lunch, we will enjoy a fun ‘truffle hunt’ with a real truffle hunter with his dog! At the end of the day, we will stop at a local delicatessen workshop where you can taste the famous “torrone” and other delicacies. Return for dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we move from the Langhe area to that of the “Marquisate of Saluzzo” with first stop at Staffarda Abbey, one of the great monuments of the Piedmontese Middle Ages, founded between 1122 and 1138 by Cistercian monks. Time permitting, possible stop at a honey-producing farm to rediscover the original flavours of honey and get closer also to the world of beekeeping. Transfer to Saluzzo for free lunch and a visit of the city. Saluzzo is cited as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy for its medieval architecture, which concentrates within its walls chrisms of composite styles; it stands out as a city of art as it was once the capital of the marquisate of the same name for almost five centuries. At the end of the visit, we will move to the nearby Manta Castle, a medieval fortress with a severe charm, whose baronial hall houses one of the most astonishing examples of late Gothic secular painting, inspired by the themes of chivalric novels. Today it is property of the FAI (Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano). At the end of the day, we reach our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we start with a transfer to Balma Boves, for a visit to the characteristic ecomuseum, built under an enormous rocky outcrop, whose peculiar appearance, with its flat-roofed stone houses, is reminiscent of North American Indian pueblos. The hamlet can be easily reached on foot with a Road Route of about 35 minutes; a Forest Route, on a path, of about 25 minutes or, alternatively, by taking a shuttle bus to be booked at registration. At the end of the visit we move to Rifreddo and Gambasca, today peaceful hamlets that were, in 1495, the scene of atrocious witch persecutions, with trials of some local women held responsible for heresy. Then we move to Cuneo. The city is located on a plateau at the confluence of the Stura river and the Gesso stream. The city was born thanks to its strategic position at the mouth of six valleys, communicating with Liguria and France. For centuries it remained enclosed within its walls, which were only demolished during the Napoleonic occupation. Today Cuneo has a predominantly Baroque 17th-18th century appearance with an important agricultural, commercial and industrial centre for the exchange of products from the valleys and plains. At the end of the visit, we travel back to Turin, where we will have a farewell dinner in a restaurant. Overnight in hotel.

According to the flights, transfer to the airport and end of the services.

From February to December, see scheduled group departures.

More departures upon request and availability.

On request – qutoations from 2 to 12 pax.

For further information on the price or a tailor-made quotation please contact us at info@out-of-italy.com. 

Piedmont has a typically temperate climate with a continental character. In low-lying areas, winters are relatively cold but not very rainy and often sunny, with the possibility of snowfall. Summers, on the other hand, are hot and sultry with local chances of heavy thunderstorms, especially in the areas north of the Po, while in the areas south of the Po, summer rainfall represents the rainfall minimum together with winter rainfall. Rainfall falls mainly in spring and autumn over most of the territory.

As indicated in the itinerary.

We travel in minibus or bus according to number of passengers.

The literal translation of Borgo in English would be “Hamlet” or “Village“ but these words do not fully explains the meaning of “Borgo” is.
A “Borgo” is a fascinating, ancient, small Italian town, generally fortified and dating back to the period from Middle Ages to Renaissance. Walking in a “Borgo” is a step back in time, a walk through history, a typical Italian experience.