I adore the Piedmont region in the fall.  It's a gorgeous, atmospheric time to be here during the harvest - the fall colors, the grape harvest, truffle season, autumn dishes. It's the perfect fall trip. 

This 6-day PRIVATE tour is a deep-dive into the culinary and wine traditions of this region, lauded as as one of the most refined culinary destinations of Italy.  Get 6 or more of your friends together for this private experience, with a dedicated local tour leader once you arrive in the Piedmont.

This itinerary might be available for alternate dates, please inquire for more information.  We can also arrange pre/post-trip travel in Milan, Lake Como, and/or Turin.

Stay four nights in a charming and luxurious countryside retreat set in the vineyard-clad hills of the Langhe and Monferrato wine regions. 

The last night of the tour is in a luxury hotel in the city center of Turin, the elegant capital city of the Piedmont.

Dine in the the countryside trattorie, the real way to enjoy the culinary treats of this region -  rich tajarin pasta with the shaved truffles, the velvety texture of risotto, delicately stuffed agnolotti pasta, and melt-in-your-mouth tender cuts of renowned Piedmontese beef all paired with the famous wines of the region. 

Enjoy Barolo, Barbera, Barbaresco, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, and sparkling wines. This region also produces some stellar white wines.  You'll make at least two visits to wine-makers for wine tasting, including Barolo.

You'll also dine in a Michelin-star restaurant, enjoying refined cooking and impeccable service.

Along the way, you get to meet with the artisans and food producers who keep Piedmont’s culinary traditions alive.

Terms & Conditions and Liability Waiver coming soon

Meals included: Dinner

Hotel:  Relais Monvì (or similar)

Welcome to Italy!

In the afternoon (~2:00PM), meet your guide and driver in the city center of Milan near the central train station and transfer to the rolling hills of the Piedmont region.

**Please note that guests must fly to arrive in Milan on Day 1 (or before). Guests make their own travel arrangements to Milan.**

If you would like to book hotel/tour/transfers or other activities in Milan and/or Lake Como, let us know and we can arrange your pre-trip travel.**

Depart Milan, and in less than two hours you'll be in the Monferrato and Langhe Hills in southern Piedmont, your home for the next four nights. This charming countryside hotel is surrounded by stunning views of vineyards and rolling hills.

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.  

Dinner:  Local Trattoria

Tonight you'll get an introduction to the refined cuisine of Piedmont in a local restaurant overlooking the hills. Known as trattorie, 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.

Meals included: Breakfast and Dinner

Hotel:  Relais Monvì (or similar)

Morning: Alba & the Truffle Festival!

This morning, meet your guide for a walk through Alba's Roman-founded streets to explore the medieval architecture and other highlights. 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.

After the tour, enjoy some leisure time and lunch on your own.  Truffle festival tickets included - buy souvenirs or try one of the dishes on offer with fresh shaved truffles!

Afternoon:  Barolo Wine Region and Vineyards

The afternoon continues with a panoramic drive through some of the eleven areas where Barolo is produced to a world-class winery.

You will have 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 true taste of place.

Late Afternoon & Evening:  Cooking Class 

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

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.

Meals included: Breakfast, Chocolate tasting/Cheese Tasting and Dinner

Hotel:  Relais Monvì (or similar)

Late Morning:  Chocolate Producer

First stop this morning is a visit to Asti for a visit to a family-owned chocolate and nougat producer, whose historic facility is located in the heart of the city.

Learn 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.

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.

Afternoon:  Cheese Refiner

Next up 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. Cheese refiners are masters at coaxing out the best flavors from cheeses as they carefully shepherd the cheeses through the aging process.

The refiner will take us on 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. 

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.

Late Afternoon:  Relaxing at the hotel

This afternoon is yours to rest and relax (and digest) 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.

Dinner:  Family Winery

This evening,  a local family who opens the doors of their winery set in the Asti wine region. 

The family will serve a delicious and relaxed farm-style dinner with homemade pickles (YES!), 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 full-bodied Barbera D'Asti, this is a rustic but authentic experience shared with a local passionate family.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Hotel:  Relais Monvì (or similar)

Late-Morning and Lunch:  Truffle Hunt

I know many of you KNOW how I feel about mushrooms, so I am so excited for this day for you!  

You will head out to a local wood near Alba, accompanied by a truffle hunter and his trusty dog, in search of these elusive treasures.  It's an incredible experience and a unique thrill to watch the dog in action and to see the relationship between the hunter and his partner. 

At lunchtime, your join the hunter in his family's farmhouse and enjoy a homemade lunch in a rustic but cozy and authentic setting. A selection of appetizers and starters, egg pasta served with melted butter, and the traditional fried egg, all topped with freshly shaved black truffles are served  Note - while you may be eager to take some home, your truffle hunter will keep all these truffles!

Late Afternoon:  Relax time at the hotel

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

Dinner: Michelin-Star Restaurant

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 - each guest can decide to order a full wine pairing or just a glass based on the mood of the moment.  It will be a night to remember!

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Hotel:  Grand Hotel Sitea (or similar)

Late Morning:  Turin

After breakfast, check out and depart for the elegant city of Turin.  A one hour drive takes you through the gorgeous Langhe hills as you say "ciao" to your countryside home for the last 4 nights. 

Drop our luggage at our lovely hotel located in the city center and head out for a final afternoon together. 

Afternoon:  Walking Tour 

Meet a local expert for a walk through some of the highlights of Turin’s city center from the opulent architecture for which the city is famous, to a behind-the-scenes tour of the Savoy Family's Royal Palace 

Late Afternoon: Farewell Lunch 

Celebrate the end of our tour with a 3-course lunch in the city center, and toast your way through the balance of the afternoon. It will be such a pleasure to share a final meal together and reminisce about your time together in Piedmont.

Finish around 2:30 pm and the rest of the day and evening is at your leisure. Your 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, trying the famous chocolate and coffee drink bicerin, or visit the second largest Egyptian Museum in the world, Turin has so much to offer.

Meals included: breakfast 

Breakfast and check out at your leisure. 

Guests make their way to their next destination on their own. Please advise if you need assistance with planning rail travel and a taxi to the station, an airport transfers, or a car to Milan, etc. 

Arrivederci!