Milan-Turin-Piemonte and the Ligurian coast makes an ideal introduction to Europe’s most beautiful country. In contrast to Rome or Venice – with their overwhelming artistic treasures, organized active tourist base, and the pressure of the must-do lists – the Northwest will help you ease into Italy’s culture step by step. Starting with this corner of Italy – its most developed and ostensibly less classically visited – will help ease the daunting task of domesticating everything Italy has to offer, as long as you think it helpful to break down the world’s largest repository of the works of Western Art and Christian civilization – not just art as such, Italy’s global share will only rise as the definition of ‘art’ is broadened – into more digestible pieces. One manageable short visit at a time, loosely connected into a series of interconnected stays.
The Northwest offers a singular cross section of Italy that stands apart in just about every respect from the rest of this amazing peninsula. This region is artful, stylish, and picturesque – even if the rest of the country is drowning under the weight of mass tourism, and by now tired and no longer able to cope – but it’s also commercially driven and bottom line oriented, to the extent these harsh Anglo-Saxon sounding syllables can be applied to Italy. It concentrates the world’s favorite fashion, design, and cooking, and 50% of the world’s art measured by sheer quantity. And no doubt, more if quality is added to the measurement.
Don’t be fooled by the fact that every town in NW Italy has a piazza Cavour, a via Garibaldi, a via Mazzini, a corso Vittorio Emanuele, or a corso XX Settembre – these headline similarities are promotional, a byproduct of attempted nation-building that proved to be so beneficial to the North. Despite this, each city and village here retains its own unique character – a number of Italian provinces do, thanks to the country’s significant political and cultural fragmentation, which persisted until its fairly recent unification and even after, possibly more so in the North – and staying as local as possible in this part of the country is usually rewarding. The cities of Italy’s NW knew how to capitalize on the commercial investment and industrialization brought about by the unification of this beautiful but chronically fragmented country; finally confident enough to step out from under the shadow of the acquisitive nation states and dynastic empires N of the Alps, they benefitted from Italy’s new found sovereignty the most.
Fragmentation is further enriched by these provinces’ mixed legacy, their culturally formative centuries spent under more powerful neighboring states. Milan is uber-Italian but vast stretches are straight from Maria Theresia’s Austria, and Turin with the court infrastructure of its Savoy dynasty could not be more French. These two cities are Italy’s richest and most Northern European in sentiment if not look, and certainly in wealth, and in outlook on life. It also helps that the region’s infrastructure – like in most of N Italy – is in great shape: its compact geography and local density make it easy to connect by train, car, and along the coast, by boat, and – as the long as the traveling demographic continues to flock to tourist traps of Venice, Florence and Rome – removes the pressure to plan or book hotel rooms ahead.
For most of the trip you will feel a comfortable and near permanent separation from the mindless crowds of that demographic, this region will keep you immersed in a world of unrivaled tastes (Piemonte’s title of ‘king of the wine regions’ is not a trivial accomplishment, after all this is a top producer country associated with 800 grape varieties) and flavors (‘foodie capital’ of Italy is an equally high bar, having invented farm-to-table and ‘slow food,’ it remains anti-fast-food to the core). A world of hard to beat landscapes (Alpine lakes to Mediterranean coast to rolling hills of the wine country to the foothills of the Apennines and Maritime Alps), and stunning detail (Milan’s Duomo and Galleria Vittorio Emmanuel and Turin’s Guarini and Juvarra architecture). And much of this head and shoulders above the rest, unrivaled, even by Italy’s more popular and better known destinations.
More original, richer, and less touristy than most wine regions – Alto Adige excluded – and cheaper and less commercial than Tuscany, Piemonte can deliver against the most demanding expectations. Anchored by the Maritime and Ligurian Alps, it is also one of the easiest to get around: it is compact, has no mountain serpentine roads, no seaside cliffs, no remote lakeside communities, just rolling hills against the backdrop of snow covered peaks of the Maritime Alps. It is also easily accessible for the culinary and wine enthusiast – less than an hour from Milan, Torino, the Italian Lakes, or the Riviera. Welcome to the royalty of the wine regions.
I am talking about the area bounded by the A-4 autostrada and E70 road on the North, E25 on the East, and the natural boundaries of the Maritime Alps on the West and the Apennines on the South. For additional definition, think Torino as your NW corner, Alessandria as the NE, Aqui Terme (or at most Gavi) as the SE, and Cuneo as the SW point. This part of Piemonte is idyllic, industry free, and is all about the culture of artisanal tradition and great food and wine. My Piemonte wine country boundary excludes Gattinara, which is way up North, by Lago di Orta, and is itself well worth a visit, and a taste.
The vineyard landscapes of Piemonte – like the patrician palazzi of Genoa or the royal residences of Torino – got the UNESCO World Heritage status. The region’s countryside is beautiful, the rolling hills and castles are scenic, and hosts dozens of charming ancient towns full of life, character and culinary surprises, and to me just as interesting culturally as larger cities. In most countries small towns tend to be depressing – if that’s is a rule, Italy is decidedly the loudest exception from it. Here sleepy villages can be and as tolerable as larger cities, and generally the more local you go the better – in this region possibly more so than in other parts of the country.
Piemonte has more grape varietals and a greater variety of wines than most regions – Veneto a possible exception due to dominance of big and complex blends. Some great values among older vintages – like 1980s vintage Barolo for EUR 50 – and a bottle of lesser wines often for single digit prices outside of touristy enotecas and centralized commercial cantina communale counters. Best places to taste wine is at the private azienda agricolas (owner occupied wineries), most don’t require an appointment but you may be greeted by a barking dog – don’t let that stop you.
The Piemonte wine country has a split personality – the Northeast, centered on Asti is more rustic; the Southwest, centered on the town of Barolo, a mix of more famous, even commercial hilltop towns. More commonly, it is divided into Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato districts. Wherever you go, don’t settle for anything less than the best local reds, and listen to the recommendations of your local host even if they sound strange. In Europe, pricier does not equal better, and obscure local varietals are often the best match for the well thought out food on offer that day. Especially in Italy.
Food is great even by Italian standards – from Michelin star to gourmet to foodie to traditional local and anything in between – Alba is where they hold the Truffle festival in the fall, Asti has a few top notch restaurants, and Bra is where Slow Food movement began, but the best surprises are waiting in local places across the small towns and free standing eateries in the countryside. When it comes to a combination of food, wine, and scenic countryside, perfectly packaged for effortless consumption, no other region in Italy comes close.
Key towns to keep an eye out for as you are driving around: Monforte d’Alba, Castiglione Tinella, Castiglione Faletto, La Morra, Serralunga d’Alba, Dogliani, and Castelnuovo Calcea. Many of these cluster together, and a number of the hilltop towns border each other. I am deliberately discriminating against plenty of decent larger towns here (one exception is the vibrant and historic Asti) – Novarra, Verceli, Alessandria, even Novi Ligure – this part of the itinerary is not about cities, time is not infinite, and relative value applies even here, so stick to the plan.
I would stay at Alba, Bra or Asti overnight, if I had to. These three – plus Cuneo closer to the French border – offer the best walking and eating options. Plenty of small B&B places in smaller towns, and for the best local food options – foodie, gourmet or otherwise – I would defer to locals, some are in those lesser towns nearby.
Given the bifurcated character of Piemonte wine country, split the tour of the region in half – take Monferrato/Asti/Aqui Terme on the way down to the Ligurian Coast, come back – after the Italian and French Riviera – to Milan/Lago di Como via Cuneo and Dogliani/Langhe. It is also possible to tour the same country on the way down and back up hitting different towns, and picking and choosing among the wineries and enotecas for each leg of the trip. Geography is tough to argue with and favors the former – and that is what we did.
- Monferrato is less well known and more quaint and rustic, it offers better deals and more authentic experiences.
- Asti (+++) E of Torino and on the way to Genoa is the largest medieval town in Piemonte and most interesting from the historical perspective – very rich in medieval palazzi, squares, and towers – this place had 70 such towers at its peak – and is very walkable, offers plenty to see, and has good restaurant infrastructure. Not a bad gateway to the region coming from Torino – Asti provincial info office has all the maps one would need to know what they are doing in the wine country. North of Asti in Vignale Monferato is Vineria dell’enoteca in a baroque palazzo transformed into Enoteca Regionale del Monferato.
- Wine country around Asti (++) is low key compared to the more famous and prominent Langhe region further South and West – wineries here are more local, wines like Barbera d’Asti – Monferrato claim to be the birthplace of Barbera – are simpler than fuller body Barbera d’Alba, this is also Barbaresco country. Local azienda agricole are informal, visit with no appointment, producers likely do not speak English, wine cellars are small, but s bottle of Grignolino or EUR 3 is hard to beat. They make Dolceto, Brachetto, Moscato here as well.
- Acqui Terme (+++), definitely check it out – this Roman thermal spa town Southeast of Asti close to Ligurian border, the oldest hot springs in Italy. No need to look for a mud bath but the town is stylish, centered on piazza delle Bollente, civilized, aesthetically pleasing, relaxed and well-restored, good as a stop for lunch – La Curia – or fine dining – I Caffi – and has plenty of quality, inexpensive shopping options. And, importantly, not at all touristy.
- Gavi (+/=), famous for the Gavi white wines but worth the detour only if you pass by Casteletto d’Orba on your way and, once in Gavi, climb up to the massive castle, one of the more important in this part of Italy. It is still Piemonte but on the Ligurian border.
- Langhe. This is core Piemonte. The countryside here has more to offer, it may not be the Tuscan landscape of Montalcino or the stunning palatial villas of Valpolicella, but the rolling hills, especially framed by the Maritime Alps are nothing to complain about.
- Quality of construction – wineries, tasting rooms, houses – is very high, there is a general feeling of affluence here. Many wine towns here look so perfect – they are practically fake (Barolo).
- Alba (+++) the capital of the Langhe district, and a place most famous for its white truffle festival in the fall, half the size of Asti and of lesser historical importance, it is compact and very walkable, with decent street life, upscale window shopping, and more expensive. It is a highlight in terms of gastronomy and shopping, try Piazza Duomo gourmet restaurant for creative cooking by a local family of winemakers. It is not without historic value, and was too known as a city of 100 towers in its day, just stay away from modern nondescript blocks on the outskirts. The area immediately around the town has close to 300.
- Bra (+++) attractive small city S of Torino and next to Alba with many palazzi and baroque churches. It is the foodie capital where the Slow Food movement started in the ‘80s and home to University to Gastronomic Science, an international cooking school with a master’s program established two decades later. Plenty of wine bars and osterias, Osteria Boccoldivino Osteria Bocca Buona. Canale, a village between Asti, Alba and Bra has romantic villa Tboldi and nice restaurants – try All’Enoteca or Albergo Leon d’Oro.
- Monforte d’Alba (++), one of the great hilltop wine towns S of Alba, views of rolling hills and snow covered Maritime Alps along the French border. A place Try Trattoria della Posta a few min outside town, a beautiful 140 yr old restaurant and villa serving typical Langhe cuisine including truffles, featured as the first culinary stop in The Trip to Italy. May want to book ahead.
- Barolo, La Morra, Castiglione Faletto, Seralunga d’Alba (+++), this is Nebbiolo/Barolo country and the best concentration of Langhe hilltop towns, each with a population of barely a few thousand. Each of the hills usually comes with a medieval town at its top – one street, a dozen buildings, a thousand year old castle, and panoramic views of half a dozen hilltop towns just like on each side – and vineyards on the slopes. They grow and produce Barolo, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Barbaresco, Dolcetto, Moscato – all the noble wines of the region. In Serralunga, Piemonte’s most scenic hilltop towns, one of the best preserved 14th century castles surrounded by a circle of houses. Spend time visiting wine cellars in winemakers’ azienda agricolas, try to discover the right trattoria/osteria/enoteca/farm house B&B – you can rarely go wrong here. If you venture further West try lunch at Antico Corona Reale.
- Dogliani, Bosolasco (+++), Dogliani a sizable and picturesque town on the S edge of Langhe with Borgo district at the bottom and Castello at the top, most famous for its Dolcetto di Dogliani (the other is Dolcetto d’Alba), and boasts a quaint yet dramatic setting, with many historical sights, Rione castle, an imposing church, and wealthy countryside nearby where the wine producing wealth happens to be displayed tastefully.
