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Round
Trip |
Medieval
Asti
|
Asti is the provincial
capital of one of most important wine areas in Italy and lends
its name to some illustrious wines. From the 10-13th Centuries
Asti was a powerful independent city in Italy built on trading
and banking. The Palio
di Asti,
a bareback horse race in the towns centre piazza is the oldest
in Italy dating back to the 13th century. Visit the medieval
section of Asti city, old historic towers, palazzo’s
and crypts, 13th C cathedral and many ancient churches, shopping
in boutiques or at Asti biweekly market. Guided
tour available |
30
km
30 minutes driving
time |
Alba
|
Alba was always the historical
rival city to Asti. Alba's vicinity to the Barolo and Barbaresco
wine areas and with its famous Ferrero-Rocher chocolate factory
has made the city wealthy and thanks to the annual white
truffle fair (started
in 1928) has made Alba an eno-gastronomical byword. Piedmont's
famous white truffles are named after Alba as well as many
important wines. Recent years have seen an influx of tourism,
however the medieval town centre with its historic towers
still maintains its charm. Many elegant boutiques and restaurants
and a big weekly street market. Every year Alba holds a donkey
Palio to mock Asti's Palio. Guided tour available
|
30
km
30
minutes driving time |
The Holy
Grail ,Wine & Chocolate in Monferatto Hills
|
Up to the Northern Monferrato
hills and visit Cocconato, the Bava Winery and chocolate
centre, shop at nearby Conbipel factory outlet, stop at the
hauntingly beautiful Abbazia Di Vezzolana,one
of the best preserved old Romanesque churches, built by Emperor
Charlemagne then return via Colle Don Bosco Basilico
or the Sacro Monte di Crea,
one of Piedmonts sacred mountains and the nearby Tenuta Tenaglia
winery. |
120
km
2.5
hours driving time |
Turin,
the Royal City
|
Visit Italy’s best-kept
secret! Turin with its baroque centre beautified by the Savoy
Royal Family. Check out the Martini Wine Museum;
the Basilica Superga, with its stunning
views of Turin and the Alps; browse the old city with a wide
choice of many museums and galleries, including the famous
Shroud of Turin, the Egyptian, Automobile
or Cinema museums, or the Galleria
Sabaudo. Take a chocolate tour too! |
100
km
1.5
hours driving time (or take a train)
|
The
Dragon's gate; Sacra San Michele
|
The Sacra
di San Michele according to legend is built
on a dragons lair, and is a truly remarkable abbey built on
top of a mountain commanding the entrance to the Val di Susa
near to Turin. Its dedicated to St Michael, slayer of the
dragon and was the setting for the novel and film "The
Name of the Rose". Also you can visit the
nearby Val di Chisone and take in the weekly cheese market
at Giaveno.
|
175
km
2.5
hours driving time.
|
Barolo, King of Wines and Wine of Kings
|
Tour the Barolo valley
home to Italy's best red wines. Visit wineries and castles with
enoteca's (Barolo and Grinzane
Cavour), check out the stunning views at Serralunga
and La Morra and lunch at one of the
incredibly good restaurants in the area. Guided
winery tour available |
100 km
2 hours driving
time
|
Queen Barbera, Piedmont’s favourite wine
|
Tour the scenic hills
of the Barbera heartland with stops at Vinchio-Vaglio,
Nizza, &, Costigliole D’Asti. Tasting
at wineries, wine museums, more incredible trattorie! Guided
winery tour available |
100 km
2 hours driving
time
|
The
Prince and the Princess, Barbaresco and Moscato D’Asti.
|
Tour the incredible panorama
of the high Langhe hills, with stops at Barbaresco,
with a winery tasting followed by lunch, then a spectacular
drive via Mango over the Moscato hills
to Canelli, centre of Asti Spumante
wine, with a visit to one of the “cathedrals
of wine” huge underground cellars carved
into the limestone hill (and more tasting of course). Guided
winery tour available |
90 km
2.5 hours driving
time
|
The
Roero Rocks; Wine, Honey & Castles.
.
|
Our own Roero hills are
famous for not only wine (Red Nebbiolo and white Arneis), but
also honey and peaches as well a string of castles overlooking
the Tanaro valley.. The Roero trail
is a hiking route following the ancient red rocks which gives
Roero its name and also you can hike on a beekeeping
trail around Monta.
Take the castle ridge route with 6 castles or visit the castle
museum at Cisterna d'Asti with stunning
views. Or visit Bra home of Slow
Food movement. More wineries and restaurants of
course. |
50 km
1.5 hours driving
time.
|
Roman
Baths in Acqui Terme
|
A day in the resort town
of Acqui Terme, take in a spa treatment,
and boutique shopping, and return either via scenic vine hills
around Ovada OR visit Roccaverano,
famous for traditional goat cheese and Loazzolo,
home of late harvest Moscato Passito |
160 km (return
via Ovada
2.5 hours driving
time.
|
Magic
Lake Maggiore
|
Our nearest alpine lake
is beautiful Lago Maggiore. Stop and
browse in Stresa and then a boat-ride
to the Borromean Islands; Isola Bella
with its huge palace and ornate terraced gardens resembling
a ship at sail, Isla Pescatore (fisheman's
island) with it's many restaurants and Isola Madre
with the botanical gardens. |
310 km
3.5 hours driving
time.
|
Alpine
Splendour, Val D’Aosta and the Canavese
|
Drive into the mountains
to the beautiful Aosta valley . Visit Aosta
city for lunch and exploring the roman ruins. Then choices of
the nearny Fontina Cheese Centre,
or up to Courmayer in the shadow of
Mt Blanc or up an alpine valley to
the Breuil at the foot of the Matterhorn.
. Return through the old Roman terraced pergola vineyards of
the Canavese and stop and visit Fenis
Castle. |
(Aosta) 400 km
4 hours driving
time.
|
Pesto
al Genovese
|
Visit the old maritime
republic of Genoa, with its palazzi,
old port, aquarium, maritime museum, old villa gardens, and
great seafood. |
250 km
3 hours driving
time or take a train
|
Wines
and Olive Oil in Liguria.
|
A Scenic drive to the
Mediterranean Riveira and then into the hills to visit an olive
oil frontaio and a local winery. Lunch at Albenga,
then drive back along ocean front road with beach time at Noli,
and a stop in Savona |
350 km
4 hours driving
time
|
Cliff-Hanging
Vineyards of Cinque Terre
|
Drive to resort town of
Levanto (or take the train) next to the Cinque
Terre and then explore this world-heritage site
by walking, boat-ride or train between the 5 cliff-side villages. |
400 km
4.5 hours driving
time or take a train.
|
Milan,
Power and Fashion
|
Visit the Duomo,
the Galleria, Da Vinci’s
Last Supper Fresco, Castle Sforza, Brera Gallery
and browse the designer shops |
250 km
3 hours driving
time
|
Hey,
Hey, Feste Time
|
Enjoy one of our many
local festivals
around our area.
Wine,
food, truffles, historical events, music, donkey racing, wine
barrel racing and many more |
|
Truffle
Hunting
|
During the tartufo
season October-November, we can make arrangements for you
to join a trifalau (truffle hunter) at a one of our local
wineries as he hunts for white tartufi with his faithful hound
followed by aperitif and truffle snacks with the opportunity
to but fresh truffles of course. Around 25 € per
person.
|
35 km
40 minutes driving
time
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