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PROGRAM

 

1st day – ARRIVAL IN ITALY

The arrival can be scheduled at the Turin airport/the Milan airport/Venice airport/Rome airport, where you will be welcomed by our professional driver who will be with you during your entire stay.

You will be taken on a tour of Piedmont and the outstanding winegrowing areas of Le Langhe and Monferrato, famous for its breathtaking hilly landscapes and its vineyard country side. More than half of the wines produced in Piedmont can be listed as DOC (Denominazione d’Origine Controllata) or DOCG (Denominazione d’Origine Controllata Garantita), the Italian certification given to high quality food products. This region is also worldwide known for being the land of the famous brand Martini.

You will be transferred by coach to the hotel in Alessandria, an industrial city located in the heart of the precious Piedmont wine area, where dinner will be served. Overnight stay

 

2nd day – BAROLO & LA MORRA

After breakfast you will be led to Barolo, a quaint small village renowned for its long wine tradition and

its magnificent Medieval castle. You will visit its interiors which have been simply decorated by the Marchesi Falletti, the former owners of the fortress, and its cellars which nowadays host the Enoteca Regionale del Barolo.

The Enoteca is both a museum, an art and display gallery whose aim is to protect and promote the local wine production distributed within the eleven small villages of the Barolo surroundings.

You will be able to taste the refined flavor of a great variety of wines which has been carefully selected by a local stuff of sommeliers. You will also be invited to try the excellent Barolo red wine, which is worldwide renowned for its DOCG certification, its golden reflections and its blend of aromas.

You will then stop for free lunch at a local restaurant where you can chose a large assortment of local foods and wines.

In the afternoon you will be accompanied by the tour leader to visit the cozy hilly village of La Morra, famous for its Nebbiolo wine. This red wine’s name comes from the Italian word nebbia (fog) which perfectly depicts the foggy weather of this thrillingly beautiful landscape located in the heart of Le Langhe area. You will be taken on a sightseeing tour of the place and enjoy the astonishing view of its vineyards. You will then be welcomed to have a sip of the Nebbiolo wine whose aromatic flavor can perfectly be served with any kind of meals and desserts.

In the evening you will return to the hotel in Alessandria where dinner will be served. Overnight stay.

 

3rd day – ALBA & TRUFFLES TOUR

After breakfast at the hotel, you will leave for Alba, the most outstanding town of the hilly Langhe area, which is worldwide famous for its white truffle and its great wine production.

Alba is also the hometown of the Ferrero food group whose international success is awarded to Nutella, its best selling product.

You will be taken on a sightseeing tour of the town where you will be able to admire its historical center, whose Medieval splendour is greatly perceived in its surrounding walls, its watching towers, its elegant churches and its fortresses.

You will visit the Gothic church of San Domenico and the Romanesque Duomo di San Lorenzo where you will be greatly amazed by its Baroque wall frescos and the refined inlaid wood work of the choir chairs that surrounds the altar. You will walk through via Maestra, Alba’s main street, where the weekly local food market takes place, and visit the Galleria della Maddalena, an indoor trade center. You will then stop for free lunch.

In the afternoon, excursion in search of truffles. Our excursions begin with a welcome from a viewpoint in “La Morra”. The 2 hours of the tour begin with a brief introduction to the world of truffles, using explanatory panels. During the walk towards the forest passing through vineyards and hazelnut groves, we find time to tell you some anecdotes from the times of the grandfather and the history of the truffle. At the entrance to the truffle ground the dog becomes the leader! It is to him that we must devote our attention, following him and trusting his nose. Up and down the paths of the woods in search of the precious underground mushroom, trying to avoid the competition.

It is also impressive to see the enthusiasm of the dog and the trifolao when the truffle (black or white) is finally found, and the delicate work to extract it without damaging the nature of the undergrowth and above all the precious truffle.

In the evening you will return to the hotel in Alessandria where dinner will be served. Overnight stay.

 

 

4th day – CHERASCO & GRINZANE CAVOUR

After breakfast, you will be led to Cherasco, a small town of Roman origins, which has been the hometown of an influential Jewish community for over three centuries. You will be taken on a walking tour of the place where you will be able to see: Palazzo Salmatoris, a very important historical sight of the Italian history, the 14th century Castello dei Visconti, the ancient residence of the Visconti noble family, the Baroque church of Saint Augustine, the remarkable Arco del Belvedere and the Jewish Synagogue. You will stop for free lunch.

In the afternoon, you will be accompanied to Grinzane Cavour, a small town whose name has been dedicated to the first Italian prime minister Camillo Benzo Conte di Cavour. He had been the town’s mayor for seventeen years. You will visit its splendid castle which is located in the heart of Cavour family estate. Nowadays the fortress hosts the Enoteca Regionale where a great variety of local wines are displayed. You will then be headed to a local food factory where torrone (nougat), the famous sugar brittle nut bar, is made. In the evening you will return to the hotel where dinner will be served.

 

5th day – TURIN & EGYPTIAN MUSEUM

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure by bus with a morning dedicated to a guided tour of the historic center of Turin and its monuments the most important, from Piazza San Carlo, the Academy of Sciences Palace, Palazzo Madama, Palazzo Reale free lunch. In the afternoon we continue with a scheduled visit to the Egyptian museum considered for the importance of the finds the most important after that of Cairo. After the visit, return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

 

6th day – COOKING CLASS & ASTI

This morning we leave for the farmhouse that hosts us for lunch, where we prepare for a cooking class of local specialties in the company of a renowned chef.

In the afternoon, you will be accompanied to Asti. Guided tour of the city. Renowned for its famous sparkling wine, truffles and sausage risotto, Asti is a picturesque town, rich in history (it was a city of 100 towers, some of which can be seen today). After the visit you will return to the hotel. Overnight stay.

 

 

7th day - MONFERRATO & CANELLI

After breakfast you will be led to Nizza Monferrato, the historical hometown of the Barbera d’Asti red wine. You will be taken on a walking tour of the historical centre whose narrow streets, Medieval churches and fortifications greatly represent the traditional splendour of this quaint town.

You will visit the 18th century Palazzo Crova, a former noble residence, which nowadays hosts: the town library, the Enoteca Regionale, display gallery and restaurant where local specialities are served, and the Slow Food movement branch of the Colline Nicesi (Nizza Hills) area whose aim is to protect and promote the food and wine production of these particular surroundings.

You will stop for free lunch.

In the afternoon, you will be accompanied to Canelli, which is worldwide noted for its wide production of sparkling wines. The town is in fact the hometown of the famous Gancia brand whose spumante, together with Asti, can be considered the largest competitors of the French champagne.

You will visit one of the many Cantine Sotterranee (underground cellars), outstanding examples of wine storage, where millions of sparkling wine bottles are left to age.

You will have a sip of the local Moscato d’Asti whose delicate and aromatic flavor can be the delightful ending of a multicourse meal. In the evening, you will return to the hotel where dinner will be served. Overnight stay.

 

8th day – DEPARTURE

After breakfast, you will leave Piedmont and its vineyards and be transferred to the airport for your departure.