A trip to Italy will always be a memorable experience for anyone seeking to get immersed in a country’s famous cuisine, wine, fashion, historical landmarks and the arts. However, oftentimes we simply miss out on visiting great places because we don’t know enough about a specific travel destination. Narrowing down your next trip to Italy may be simpler than you think when you consider everything Piedmont, the region that borders France in northwestern Italy has to offer. Here is 5 Incredible Reasons to Travel to Piedmont.
Did you know the Piedmont region has the country’s most tradition-bound and exquisite cuisine that perfectly complements the rivers of pedigreed red wines all produced in the region? Piedmont is home to Barolo, Barbera and Barbaresco wines. Parallel to this, the abundant natural beauty all around the region is unlike anywhere else you’ve ever visited so be ready to get all your human senses activated with the experience of a lifetime.
Consider these additional reasons why you should travel to Piedmont for your next vacation:
Chocolate was first developed here
The first Piedmontese family (Ferrero Rocher) started the business in the region and today the third generational family continues to delight people with its sweet creations that have captured the hearts and taste buds of many around the world. Chocolate is a specialty of Piedmont and there are many artisan producers of hazelnut creams and chocolates which will transport you to heaven.
Vineyard Landscape
World heritage Langhe wine region (UNESCO) consists of five select and distinct winegrowing areas that bring to life the perfect combination of different soils and grape varieties that are often native and sustainable winemaking processes. Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, Asti and Dogliani. The scenery is surrounded by cultivated hillsides, castles and Romanesque churches.
White Truffles
The most desired and aromatic white truffles around the world come from Alba, a town of Piedmont – the distinct flavor, knobby shape, firm flesh and pale golden color make their way into a variety of pasta, risotto, eggs and meat dishes. White truffle season is from late September until early December when they invade the forests of the Langhe, which is a very fertile area composed of clay and marl soil that allows truffles to grow larger around the roots of oak, poplar and linden trees.
Cheeses
A long storied history of producing some of the finest cheeses found in the world but also in Italy. Piedmont is home to over 9 DOP Cheeses! The elevated hills, unique microclimate coupled with a diverse landscape creates the foundation for great milk from cows, sheep and goats. These cheeses include Robiola, Castelmagno, Bra, Raschera, Toma, Murazzano, Taleggio, Gorgonzola, and Grana Padano.
World Class Restaurants
Europeans have known for hundreds of years what a culinary epicenter Piemonte is. Napoleon would ship weekly to France the breadsticks known as grissini along with hazelnuts and various cheeses. The bountiful products which are available to the locals along with some of the most expensive wines in the world give the local chefs access to fantastic ingredients to use in their restaurants. Piemonte is home to over 24 Michelin restaurants! One of the top 10 in the world is Piazza Duomo in Alba city center.
Make your time in Piedmont worth your while and take advantage of everything the region has to offer.
Our BackToBarolo Tour is a unique curated experience by one of Italy’s leading travel, food and wine experts: Roger Bissell. His personally curated weeklong adventure will have you creating exclusive memories that will last a lifetime. Some of the highlights include private dinner/meetings with exclusive vineyard owners, Michelin restaurants, private chef classes, UNESCO world heritage sites and many of the afore mentioned artisans. Pro Tip: Have you ever been on a truffle hunt and then ate the truffles you found? Learn more here.