The mesmeric landscape and the treasures it cultivates are cherished by residents and loved by visitors, who have what seems like endless miles of postcard-pretty land to discover. Between the cushions of green and buried in valleys or sitting atop hills are medieval castles and their surrounding villages, which have retained their charm over hundreds of years.
A region so sprawling and open may seem a little overwhelming, so here’s where to start…
What to see:
The entire region is beautiful, and if you’re an avid fan of pretty vistas, you’ll be happy just driving around, stopping momentarily at particularly scenic peaks. But, landscapes aren’t the only things on offer in Piedmont. Visit one of the many villages and explore its rustic, antiquated shops and winding, flower-punctuated streets.
Barolo, home to the world-famous tipple, has an impressive wine museum with interactive features enough to entertain children and slightly intoxicated adults alike. It’s a vine-based education like no other, with entire rooms dedicated to singular components in the wine-making process. Start at the top and work your way through areas dedicated to time, sunlight and water, drinking your fill of information before entering into a surreal room filled with partially animated cardboard cut-outs and a computer-generated feast.
Govone is among the livelier villages – though still sublimely sleepy in comparison to any city – and holds a range of events throughout the year. Its centrepiece is a pretty 18th century castle, which has been named a UNESCO world heritage site. The pastel-peach castle is encircled by beautiful gardens, including a story book-like rose garden which one could easily while away an hour or so enjoying. During the winter months, Govone is also home to a magical Christmas village.
Where to stay:
Villa d’Amelia is a secluded, perfectly manicured luxury hotel in the Langhe region. The tourist board are currently working to restore all of the charming buildings across the territory so that they can be used to their full potential, and this hotel is a wonderful example. The original aesthetic has been thoroughly respected, and it still looks as it would have done many years ago. It sits high in the hills, amid undulating blankets of green. There are elegantly designed rooms and suites with spacious bathrooms and, if you’re lucky, a window that looks out onto the enchanting landscape.
Perhaps the overall highlight of Villa d’Amelia is its pool, which is heated in the cooler months and sits at the tip of the cascading countryside, much like an infinity pool. When it’s colder, you could swim under the little cave at the back and find yourself in the spa area, which is complete with sauna, loungers and a hot tub. The hotel also has its own Michelin Star-awarded restaurant, and an amply stocked bar boasting local wines and a range of cocktails.
An overnight stay starts from £91 per person* including accommodation in a superior room, breakfast and Wi-Fi.
What to eat:
A visit to Piedmont is a sensory experience, and the sense that will be impressed above all others is taste. Barolo, the ‘king’ of wines, is produced in abundance, and in its eponymous town, you can tour cellars and sample bottles from years gone by. With wine comes cheese, and this is an area extremely proud of its cow, sheep and goat’s milk-based goods.
Then, of course, sample the hazelnuts, which are farmed and prepared locally for a superior taste and texture. Papa Dei Boschi, owned by José Noé, is a family-run hazelnut farm that sits high on the hills of Atla Langa. The family do everything, from planting the trees to hand-selecting the very best nuts from thousands to sell in organic form, grind down to flour, or turn into a rich spread – sort of like an artisan Nutella.
Piedmont is home to Ferrero and in recent months celebrated the 50th anniversary of Nutella in Alba. The next of the area’s plethora of gastronomic treats? Truffles. Black and white truffles are sniffed out by carefully trained dogs in Piedmont, who cause far less damage to the precious product than the traditional snout-nosed treasure seekers. The white truffles are a speciality of the region, and have a lighter, more buttery taste than their black counterparts.
Michelin Star restaurants are available by the plateful, and all of them are likely to include some, if not all, of the local delicacies on their menus, so you’ll be spoiled for choice come evening.
Flights to Turin-Caselle Airport from the UK are available with various airlines. Turin is around a one-hour drive from the Langhe region.
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