Piedmont Villages & Vineyards

Our journey begins at 09:00 as we set off towards the mountains. Our first destination is the impressive Filatoio di Caraglio, a castle-like structure that stands as Europe's oldest silk manufacturing complex. Built between 1676 and 1678, this recently restored mill offers a window into the past. We'll enjoy a private hour-long tour before continuing our adventure into the valley. As we drive deeper, the road narrows, following the rushing Maira River. A sharp right turn takes us up a steep incline to the "Locanda del Silenzio," the first of three charming family-run boutique hotels we'll experience this week. From our mountain inn, we'll embark on an easy hike, revealing your first views of stone villages dotting the steep valley sides and the nearby mountain peaks. Our gentle path leads to a lovely trattoria for a delicious lunch. Afterward, you can choose to hike uphill back to the Locanda or relax in the village until your guide returns to retrieve you in about 90 minutes. Before dinner, we'll enjoy a low-key wine tasting, introducing you to some excellent local wines you'll encounter throughout the week. The day concludes with a delightful dinner in the inn's cozy flagstone courtyard. Overnight: Locanda del Silenzio The Hike: 8.5 km / 5.3 miles | Elevation gain/loss: 400m / 1,312 ft | Duration: 2h15m Included: Hotel, breakfast, lunch, and dinner

After a hearty breakfast, we embark on a short 25-minute van ride to our hiking starting point. Our path weaves through a lush forest of beech and oak, leading us to a forgotten stone village slowly being reclaimed by nature. Abandoned just 50 years ago, this cluster of sturdy stone houses with wooden balconies and slate roofs stands as a testament to time. The village holds haunting remnants of its past life—a stack of firewood, a wooden crib on a balcony, an old leather boot beside an empty wine bottle—each telling silent stories of those who once called this place home. Emerging from the woods, we're greeted by open pastures offering breathtaking views of sharp valleys and distant mountains. Our hike continues to a village that's been given new life by visionary individuals who've restored old homes, barns, and mills. Here, we'll enjoy a delicious lunch in a cozy, recently revived Locanda. The afternoon trail leads mostly downhill, passing a quaint frescoed chapel and another picturesque stone hamlet adorned with flowers. We return to the tranquil Locanda di Silenzio to relax and soak in the garden views before indulging in another delightful dinner. Overnight: Locanda del Silenzio The Hike: 8.1 km / 5 miles | Elevation gain/loss: 514m / 1,644 ft | Duration: 3.5 hrs Included: Hotel, breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Transfer northwest this morning, out of the alpine valley and into the lower central part of the region. A 1.5-hour drive will take you to the hilltop town of Monteu, in the heart of the Rocche, a specific area of Roero where the clay terrain strongly influenced local agriculture, especially wine production. Our walk today is a short loop into the clay gorges between the medieval hilltop villages and along the Roero vineyards. Back in Monteu, visit the small winery Bajaj, where our friend Adriano will help us understand more about the winemaking in this region and tell us about his experimental productions. His mother, Mirella, will prepare a fabulous lunch with their homegrown organic produce. After lunch, visit the fascinating Castello di Monteu, whose history starts in 1041. History has of course left its trace on the castle, and amazingly it was a private residence until the 1950s. The area is also honeycombed with tunnels that were excavated by the locals, both for storage and as hideaways in times of banditry and war. Following the visit, a short transfer takes you to our hotel for the next two nights, a magnificent 18th century villa that offers sweeping views over the rolling vineyards. The villa was accompanied by a barn and a farm manager's house, all of which was purchased by the neighboring Malvira winery and transformed into a chic boutique hotel with multiple terraces and a swimming pool. It is the perfect place to soak up the beauty of the surrounding countryside. Overnight at the Villa Tiboldi, near Canale. The Hike: 6 km/3.6 mi. Elev. gain/loss 178m/ 584ft 2h00’. Included: Hotel, breakfast, lunch and dinner.

A short transfer this morning takes you to the neighboring territory of Vezza d’Alba, one of the many hilltop towns of the Roero. Our walk starts in the low part of the valley along a forest track which goes up and down the hills of Vezza and along its slopes which have been transformed through the centuries into carefully maintained vineyards. Our morning 3-hour walk ends with a final steep push up the hill to the historical center of Vezza, where we will enjoy a relaxing lunch at a local Osteria. After lunch you have just over an hour of easy terrain through stunning landscapes to get back to the van. Return to the warm embrace of the Villa Tiboldi this afternoon to enjoy a visit and tasting in their cellars before a fancy gourmet dinner at the villa’s restaurant. Overnight Villa Tiboldi. The Hike: 9.6 km/5.9 mi. Elev. gain/loss 255m/ 836ft 3h00’.  Included: Hotel, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Say good-bye to the Roero this morning and head into the heart of the Langhe region. Feast your eyes and your senses as you walk through the vineyards surrounding the world-famous town of Barolo. Our trail takes you above the town for spectacular views onto its brightly painted medieval castle and colorful houses. After skirting the valleys around the castle, we gradually walk down into the village to tuck into a delicious lunch paired with (of course!) a glass of Barolo wine. Afterwards, continue south to our elegant historical hotel in Verduno, which offers a magical atmosphere and commanding views over the countryside beyond. After a bit of downtime, embark on another culinary adventure as we have a fabulous cooking class at a nearby winery. Overnight at the Real Castello di Verduno. The Hike: 7.5 km/ 4.6 mi; elevation gain/loss 295m/967ft;  moving time 2h. Included: Hotel, breakfast and dinner.

A twenty-minute drive takes us to the beautiful medieval town of Monforte, where we will have time for a short visit of its historical centre before starting our walk past vineyards and farmhouses to meet today’s special guest, a friendly truffle-hunting dog who will show us the secrets of finding this rare culinary treasure. Prized since ancient times, these underground "tubers" live in symbiosis with the roots of the local trees and develop a heady aroma and flavor that evoke the richness of the earth itself. The precious white truffle is so rare (it can't be cultivated) that it sells for around $5,000 per pound! So of course a friendly canine with a sensitive snout is necessary for locating them under the layers of leaves and moss, and we'll accompany our four-legged friend as she roams the woods in search of treasure. After the walk, settle in for a home-cooked meal featuring Piedmont's signature dish, homemade egg tagliatelle with shavings of truffle. Hopefully the truffle will be from today's hunt. In the afternoon you can choose to relax at the hotel or head back out with your guide for a final drive along the roads of the Langhe, maybe to visit some new hilltop gems like La Morra or to have more time in Barolo. Enjoy a final dinner at the fascinating restaurant of our hotel. Overnight Verduno. The Hike: 8.7 km/ 5.4 mi; elevation gain/loss 182m/597ft;  moving time 2h30’.  Included: Hotel, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
 

After breakfast, we offer a transfer departing at 9:30 from the hotel to Alba train station to correspond with trains departing after 10:00 am, specifically the train to Torino Portanuova (Torino Center) and Torino Caselle Airport that departs Alba at 10:07. This is a direct train (no change of train) and it arrives at Torino airport at 11:56. The ticket costs 10 Euros. If you need to be at Torino airport earlier, there are earlier trains from Alba starting at 06:07 and departing every hour at seven minutes past the hour. Travel time from Alba train station to the airport is 1 hour and 49 minutes. So, if you need an earlier transfer than the one we provide, we can make arrangements for you, but the transfer would be at your expense. As of January 2025, a taxi costs about 30 Euros to get to Alba train station. Alternatively, we could arrange a transfer for you from the Verduno hotel straight to the Torino airport and that would cost about 150 Euros. Travel time by car from Verduno to Torino airport is 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Please note: Some details of the itinerary may change according to the departure date of your tour. Whenever we run a tour we make new discoveries. Sometimes they are good discoveries, like a wonderful new trattoria, and sometimes they are bad, like a trail has been washed away. The result is that we sometimes change our itinerary to improve it by adding new wonderful elements to the tour or by removing something that does not work anymore. Rest assured, our goal is to always provide you with the best possible experience. We will advise you of any changes to the original itinerary prior to departure.  

Getting to the start of the trip: The most convenient airport to the beginning of the trip is Torino (Turin in English), but Milan is a good option if you’re flying directly from overseas. Both of these airports have regular flights to and from other European gateway airports such as London, Frankfurt and Paris, and Milan is 2.5-3 hrs from Cuneo by train.

Getting away at the end of the trip: we provide one group transfer to the Alba train station for connections to Torino or Milan, timed for 10 a.m. departures.

Day 1: Phi Principe Cuneo– A comfortable four star hotel in the heart of Cuneo with 24 hour reception.

Day 2 & 3 Locanda Del Silenzio – This is an “albergo difusso”, meaning a hotel where guest rooms are spread out in various buildings within the hamlet. The concept was launched in Italy in the early 1980s as a means of reviving small, historic Italian villages, hamlets, and towns off the usual tourist track. In the case of the Locanda Del Silenzio, the rooms are in renovated stone cottages, hay-barns, and pig sties! 😊 

Day 4 & 5: Villa Tiboldi - A small boutique hotel (ten rooms) that is part of the Malvira winery. Born as a farmhouse in the 18th century, at the beginning of the 20th century it became the vacation home of a wealthy Genoese family. The last century was a dark period for this building, which was totally abandoned until it was purchased in 1995 and underwent a four year long renovation and restoration. The Villa received its first guests in 2003. 

Day 6 & 7: Real Castello di Verduno - Construction of the Castello started in the 1500s. It evolved from a defensive castle to a Manor house and farm over the centuries. In 1953, the estate began producing Barolo wines, and the castle was converted into a hotel. To maintain its original charm, the owners made a conscious choice not to insert an elevator or have televisions in the rooms. We trust you will appreciate its timeless charm and peaceful character.