Langhe, Roero & Monferrato
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Overview
Gourmets get ready to indulge: the rolling hills, valleys and townships of southern Piedmont are northern Italy's most redolent pantry, weighed down with sweet hazelnuts, rare white truffles, arborio rice, delicate veal, precious cheeses and Nebbiolo grapes that metamorphose into the magical Barolo and Barbaresco wines. Out here in the damp Po river basin, the food is earthy but sublime, steeped in traditions as old as the towns that foster them. There's Alba, the region's vibrant, pretty capital; Bra, home of the Slow Food Movement; Pollenzo, host to the University of Gastronomic Sciences, and the constellation of charming villages that includes La Morra, Neive, Barolo and Barbaresco. Further north, the Monferrato area occupies a fertile triangle of terrain between Asti, Alessandria and its historical capital, Casale Monferrato. Vineyards fan out in all directions interspersed with castles and celebrated restaurants.
01 / Attractions
Must-see attractions
Langhe, Roero & Monferrato
Alba's winemaking-restaurateuring Ceretti family has commissioned a number of site-specific artworks in the region and this never-consecrated chapel is…
Langhe, Roero & Monferrato
Some 28km south of Asti, the Cantine Bosca is one of several historic wineries that produce the famed sparkling wine of the area (the DOCG Asti Spumante,…
Langhe, Roero & Monferrato
Take the lift to the rooftop of this restored medieval tower for a sublime view over wine country. You'll see the meandering Tanaro River, various other…
Langhe, Roero & Monferrato
Dating back to the early 1700s, La Morra's stolid bell tower soars 31m above Piazza Castello. Make your way up the narrow staircases for fine 360-degree…
Langhe, Roero & Monferrato
A capricious jaunt through the history of viticulture via light, film and installations, care of the imagination of Swiss designer François Confino (who…
Alba
A converted church turned cultural centre, this is a lovely place to catch a choral or chamber music performance, or undertake a bracing hike up 134 steps…
Istituto Internazionale di Elicicoltura
Langhe, Roero & Monferrato
Cherasco is home to the Istituto Internazionale di Elicicoltura, which provides technical advice for snail breeders (heliciculture is edible-snail…
Alba
There's been a cathedral here since the 12th century, though the current terracotta-brick affair is mostly the result of an almost complete neo-Gothic…
02 / Plan with a local
03 / Articles
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