Food and Wine Tour in Piedmont

Day 1 – Welcome to the Food and Wine Tour in Piedmont

Meals included: dinner

Welcome to the Food and Wine Tour in Piedmont ! Today at 2 pm, meet our guide and driver in the city center of Milan (near the Central train station) and transfer to the hills of Piedmont.

See below the section Flights, Transfers & On-Tour Luggage for more information. If you fly from overseas, we strongly recommend to arrive to Milan the day before, to avoid airline disruption and recover from jet lag.

Crossing the plains of the Po River in less than two hours you will reach the Monferrato and Langhe Hills in southern Piedmont your home for the next four nights.

Charming Countryside Hotel in Piedmont

Nestled in the picturesque landscapes of the Langhe and Monferrato wine regions, the hotel is surrounded by stunning views of vineyards and rolling hills.

One can relax in these country-chic rooms, showcasing traditional and contemporary design. Alternatively, enjoy a spa treatment or sit by the outdoor pool and read a book. The hotel delivers the peaceful vibe of Piedmont’s wine region and is the perfect base to explore the area.  

Tonight we get an introduction to the refined cuisine of Piedmont in a local restaurant overlooking the hills. Known as trattoria or osteria, these casual restaurants mainly focus on traditional menus showcasing the best ingredients of Piedmont’s cuisine. A 4-course menu is included with local wines.

Day 2 – Alba, Barolo Winery and Cooking Class

Meals included: breakfast and dinner

After breakfast meet your tour guide and the driver at the hotel and transfer to the town of Alba (a 20-minute drive).

A leisurely, informal walk through the Roman-founded streets is set to explore the medieval architecture and other highlights. We step inside the Cathedral for a closer look at the wooden inlaid choir and discover the original exterior frames and other details of shops and private doorways.

Home of Nutella – invented here decades ago and still produced in the first and oldest Ferrero factory – Alba surprises for the elegant shopping streets dotted with truffle shops*.

* Tickets to access the International Truffle Fair are included for the October departure.

Enjoy some leisure time and lunch on your own as the guide is there to assist you.

Exploring Piedmont’s Barolo Wine Region and Vineyards

The afternoon continues with a panoramic drive through some of the eleven municipalities where the Barolo Wine is produced.

The Food and Wine Tour in Piedmont takes you to the idyllic Langhe Hills where you’ll be in awe of the beauty of the landscape, a Unesco World Heritage Site.

No journey through Piedmont is complete without exploring its renowned wine region and vineyards. The Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato Hills are home to some of Italy’s most prestigious wines, and visiting a winery is a feast for the senses. As you venture into the vineyards, you’ll be greeted by endless rows of grapevines, gently swaying in the breeze, and breathtaking panoramic views of the rolling hills.

This afternoon, embark on an exclusive wine tasting led by a passionate winemaker eager to share his knowledge and expertise. Learn about the winemaking process, from grape to bottle, and sample a variety of wines, including some exclusive single-vineyard Barolo. Each hillside has unique characteristics, influenced by the region’s terroir, making every sip a delight for the palate.

Cooking Class with Piedmont’s Food and Wine

In the late afternoon, gather in the private kitchen of a local host for a friendly, engaging, and informative hands-on cooking class focused on Piedmont’s traditional recipes. 

As one gets familiar with pasta making, baking dessert, braised meats techniques, and how to handle fresh vegetables, learn the recipes’ historical roots, and take home a long-lasting memory of your trip to Italy.

From antipasti to thin egg pasta, from slowly-cooked meats and succulent chocolate and hazelnut-based desserts, the cooking class takes place near Alba, home of one of the most refined cuisines of Italy.

Tonight sit at the table and taste the results of your hard work, topped with the local wines coming from the host family’s winery.

Day 3 – Chocolate, Cheese and the Barbera d’Asti Wine Region

Meals included: breakfast, chocolate tasting, cheese tasting, and farmer’s dinner

Mid morning transfer to Asti and visit a family-owned chocolate and nougat producer, whose historical facility is located in the heart of the city.

Delve into the secrets of mixing cocoa beans, vanilla and other high-quality ingredients with a look at the modern workshop and an appreciation for the older techniques and tools well-kept in the family’s museum.

We end the experience with a generous tasting of local thin chocolate-coated breadsticks, various pralines, nougat produced with local hazelnuts and a glass of Moscato wine.

Next, is the farmhouse of a passionate cheese refiner. This is not an ordinary dairy farm but it is all about an ancient art brought from France. 

Piedmont offers a plethora of unique food experiences that go beyond the typical restaurant meal. Today’s cheese refiner experience is a chance to immerse yourself in the local culture by visiting an artisan dedicated to preserving the culinary traditions of the region. Take a guided tour of his aging cellar and learn about the intricate process of elevating the texture and taste of cheeses through the controlling of temperature, molds, and other exterior elements. Learn more about cheese refining on our blog. 

Piedmont’s famous cheeses, such as the creamy Robiola and the pungent Castelmagno will be introduced in a guided tasting of twelve cheeses paired with jams, honey, and a glass of wine.

Relaxing Afternoon and the Farmer’s Dinner

A vacation to Italy is made of small things that will stay in your memory for a long time: people watching, a walk through the vineyards, reading a book in the hotel’s spa with a view over the rolling hills. 

This afternoon is yours to regenerate at the hotel at your pace and soak in the quiet vibe of the Italian countryside before the next food and wine tour experience in Piedmont.

We end the day with a local family who opens the doors of their winery set in the Asti wine region. While in the past Asti was known for sweet or sparkling wines only, in the last decades this wine region has attracted international wine critics because of the great results of full-bodied red Barbera d’Asti wine, aged in oak.

A full presentation of the food and wine of this part of Piedmont is provided and you’ll gain a new interest for the Barbera grape and its great potential for being aged with the same technique like Nebbiolo.

Partake in a traditional farmer’s dinner consisting in homemade pickles, seasonal products, appetizers and a plate of ravioli, just like farmers used to eat at the end of a day of work in the vineyards. Paired with local wines, including the Nizza DOCG, this is a rustic but authentic experience shared with a local passionate family.

Day 4 – Lunch with Truffle Hunter and Michelin-Star Dinner

Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner

The first part of the day is focused on truffles and the opportunity to participate in a truffle hunting excursion, a must for adventurous food lovers.  

As one of the iconic ingredients of Piedmont’s cuisine, the truffle of Alba is known as the “diamond of the kitchen” and adds a unique and earthy flavor to many traditional fat-based dishes like fried eggs, cheese fondue, creamy risotto, and more.  A symphony of flavors that will leave you craving for more.

If the aroma of truffles is unique, even more so is the hunt to unearth them as truffles cannot be cultivated. Accompanied by a truffle hunter and their trusty dog, we venture into the forests near Alba in search of these elusive treasures. Experience the thrill of seeing the dog in action and learn about the age-old techniques for finding these precious fungi. In summer only black truffles can be found, while white truffles are in season from October until January.

At lunchtime, we sit in the hunter’s farmhouse and enjoy a homemade lunch in a rustic but cozy and authentic setting. We taste a selection of appetizers and starters, egg pasta served with melted butter, and the traditional fried egg, all topped with freshly shaved black truffles.

In the afternoon return to the hotel for some time off and prepare for tonight’s fine-dining experience.

From the rustic hunter’s farmhouse to an elegant Michelin-star restaurant in the area, where five-star service frames a full-tasting menu consisting of at least five courses. Tonight wine is not included as each guest can decide to order a full wine pairing or just a glass based on the mood of the moment.

Day 5 – Food And Wine Tour in Piedmont from the Hills to Turin

Meals included: breakfast and lunch

After breakfast, check out.

Onboard our luxury van or minibus drive from the Langhe Hills to the vibrant city of Turin, the former capital of Italy in 1861 and today the capital of Piedmont.

The drive takes just over one hour and the first stop will be in one of the luxury hotels in the heart of the city center where each guest will check in after lunch. Luggage is left in storage there.

The timeless elegance of this hotel combined with well-appointed rooms and one of the largest breakfast buffets in the city is home for the final night of our Food and Wine Tour in Piedmont.

Turin and The Royal Palace, one of the roots of Piedmont’s Cuisine

Meet a local expert for a walk through some of the highlights of Turin’s city center like the opulent architecture of masters such as Guarino Guarini and Filippo Juvarra. On the way to the Royal Palace, we get access to hidden treasures of Turin, often concealed behind severe-looking façades of palaces and doorways. 

Today’s private tour of the Royal Palace begins with the grandeur of some of the apartments and the unique Shroud Chapel, with its Baroque dome-like no other in the world.

The palace was originally built in the 16th century and underwent several expansions and renovations over the centuries. It was the primary residence of the House of Savoy until the capital of Italy was moved from Turin to Florence in 1865.

The rich culinary history of Piedmont finds in this palace some of its historic roots as the Savoy family influenced the region’s food and social etiquette for centuries. From their French-revised recipes to the art of banqueting and display food, our Food and Wine Tour in Piedmont get to an end in one of the iconic landmarks of the region.

Farewell Lunch in Turin and a Free Afternoon

Celebrate the end of our tour with a 3-course lunch steps away from the Royal Palace and toast with your guide to mouthwatering experiences shared in the past days.

The tour will be over around 2:30 pm and the rest of the day is at leisure.

Our guide is available to take guests back to the hotel to check in, where one can rest before going out again. Or take full advantage of Turin’s attractions.

From riding the glass elevator to the top of the iconic Mole Antonelliana for a 360°-view from one of the highest rises of the city to endless shopping to the second largest Egyptian Museum in the world, Turin has it all.

Day 6 – Arrivederci

Meals included: breakfast 

Breakfast and check out.

The tour ends in Turin. Airport transfers are available for an extra charge. See below the section Flights, Transfers & On-Tour Luggage for more information.