Home > Holidays > Walking > Italy > Piedmont

Piedmont's Hills & Vineyards

Through hazelnut groves to the Barolo vineyards

Piedmont’s full-bodied, velvety Barolo wines deservedly rejoice in fame, but less well-known are the eleven idyllic medieval villages where they are produced, the unusual landscape of wave-shaped hills that surround the villages, and the outstanding regional gastronomy based on delicious white truffles, hazelnuts and flavoursome cheeses. With all this, you needn’t be a wine connoisseur to choose Piedmont for a walking holiday. Indeed, our enchanting, very gastronomic holiday here will introduce you to one of Italy’s most alluring landscapes – all the more special because it is so little-known – leading through lush green scenery framed by the majestic peaks of the Alps and guarded by fortresses. The enjoyable routes are gentle and reasonably short, leaving you plenty of time to admire the timeless villages and crumbling castles which you pass and, of course, to call in at wine-producers for tastings if you so wish. Spring, when the vines burst into life, is a delight, while in September, the vines hang heavy with grapes and villagers prepare for the harvest, which is duly followed by lively celebrations.

Nights: 7
Grade: 1-2
Terrain: paths, tracks and some country lanes across lush rolling hills and vineyards
Hotels: two 2-star hotels; one 3-star hotel; one restaurant with rooms
Meals: breakfast each day, dinner on 3 nights, plus 3 picnics
Climate: this sunny region enjoys a warm, dry summer and a mild spring and autumn. Average temperatures range from 16°C in May to 19°C in June and September and 22°C at the height of summer.

Entrance to Marchesi di Barolo wine cellar

Medieval villages crown the hill-tops

Paths across the meadows

Fields of sunflowers

Take in the views

Piedmont's wines are renowned

Starting point: Hotel San Carlo (3*), Cortemilia. This simple but very welcoming hotel is run with great flair by ebullient chef/sommelier Carlo Zarri, whose cellar boasts around 1,000 wines. They make the perfect accompaniment to Carlo's excellent cuisine which draws on local produce.

Day 1: we suggest a good introductory walk for your first day that rises above Cortemilia through chestnut woods and cultivated terraces to Bergolo, a beautiful medieval village built almost entirely of stone. You return along an ancient trail through the Bormida Valley and can spend the rest of the day relaxing by the hotel’s outdoor pool. Alternatively, if you want to spend the day wine tasting, you can ask Carlo to arrange a visit to a local vineyard for you. (14km, 4hrs)

Accommodation: Hotel San Carlo, as above.

Day 2: from Cortemilia you follow a quiet country lane gently uphill, enjoying sweeping views of the Langhe Hills. The second part of the walk leads through woodland (in which numerous species of orchid can be found in spring) and alongside hazelnut groves, passing several small chapels and shrines to reach Cravanzana, whose houses cluster around the 17th-century castle. (9km, 3hrs)

Accommodation: Albergo da Maurizio (2*), Cravanzana. This cosy, simple village inn has been run by the hospitable Robaldo family for over a century. The real focal point is the restaurant, where you savour a superlative seven-course gastronomic dinner of local specialities.

Day 3: the day starts with a short taxi transfer to the 12th-century castle of Grinzane Cavour that houses a small museum and enoteca. There is time to visit this (pay locally) before setting off along tracks and lanes past farmland, vineyards, poplar woods and hazelnut groves. You pass the estates of several wine producers, including one of the oldest in the region, as well as the historic village of Serralunga d’Alba, where you can pause to visit the 14th-century castle. (11km, 4hrs)

Accommodation: Albergo le Torri (2*), Castiglione Falletto. Converted from a nobleman’s mansion with an arcaded central courtyard, the hotel enjoys good views of the village castle’s towers. There is plenty of space to relax, including a panoramic roof terrace. Your stay is on a bed and breakfast basis, leaving you free to take your pick of the village’s restaurants.

Day 4: our suggested circular route leads gently uphill through vineyards to the church of Annunziata, well worth a visit to see its frescoes. As you continue through more vineyards and hazelnut groves to the village of La Morra, you pass an excellent viewpoint which offers panoramas of many of the villages you have visited. At La Morra, take time to admire the views over the Langhe (on a clear day you can even see as far as the Alps) and to sample some wines at the cantina before returning via several small hamlets. (10km, 5.5hrs)

Accommodation: Albergo le Torri, as above.

Day 5: today’s walk leads past more vineyards and chapels and through woodland in which red squirrels are commonly seen. Towards the end of the day you follow a very panoramic track which offers views into the two neighbouring valleys. (10km, 3.5hrs)

Accommodation: Il Giardino da Felicin (restaurant with rooms), Monforte d'Alba. A charming family-run restaurant with rooms, owned by Nino Rocca and his wife Silvia. The comfortable rooms are furnished with period pieces. Choose to dine here – the cuisine is excellent, complemented by an extensive wine list – or at one of the other excellent restaurants nearby (pay locally in both cases).
Upgrade option: Hotel Villa Beccaris (4*), Monforte d’Alba. This elegant, high-quality hotel has been beautifully renovated from an 18th-century villa set in pleasant gardens with a pool. Bedrooms are individually decorated, and many of the public rooms boast ornate ceilings. As the hotel has no restaurant, breakfast only is included – take your pick of the village’s several restaurants.

Day 6: for your final day we recommend that you follow scenic tracks overlooking Novello’s two castles to Barolo, where we include a visit to the Marchesi di Barolo wine cellar followed by a tasting. On your return to Monforte, explore the village with its mansion, several Baroque chapels, 13th-century bell tower, and sundials. (8km, 3hrs)

Accommodation: Il Giardino da Felicin, as above.

Walking chart: the chart gives the distance and an approximation of the ascents and descents involved each day. If comparing holidays, please note the scale of each chart as this can differ.

Recommendations for extra nights: Hotel San Carlo (Cortemilia) and, if you have chosen the upgrade option, Hotel Villa Beccaris (Monforte d'Alba), both make good bases for a day of relaxation or wine tasting.

Extensions: if flying via Genova, relax on the Ligurian Riviera with a three-night stay at the 4-star Cenobio dei Dogi. Located on the edge of Camogli, this high-quality hotel overlooks the sea and boasts an outdoor swimming pool, private beach and superb restaurant (pay locally if you choose to dine here). Alternatively, if flying via Turin, you can enjoy a two-night stay at the stylish 4-star Hotel Boston.

Other information: if you would like to see the brochure page, you can download this (and the pages for any other holidays you are interested in) by using our brochure creation system.

Similar holidays: Hill-Top Towns of Tuscany (grade 1-2), To the Pont du Gard (grade 1-2), Sunflowers & Abbeys (grade 1-2), From the Tarn to the Aveyron (grade 1-2), Villages of the Dordogne (grade 1-2), Paths to Rocamadour (grade 1-2), A Provence Wander (grade 1-2)

Prices & travel

Recommended destination airports: Genova & Turin
Latest flight arrival time: Genova 1700; Turin 1500
Earliest flight departure time: Genova 1230; Turin 1200
*Connecting travel: return rail/taxi from Genova (out 1h45/home 3h30) £62pp;
return rail/taxi from Turin (out 2h40/home 2h10) £68pp
Start: Tue-Sat
Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route, times and price to suit you

Extra night prices 2008 (extra nights can be booked at any hotel):

> Notes on prices

> Personal holiday insurance

< To the top of this page

> Any queries? Let us call you back

> Booking form

< Back