Top Things To Do in The Piedmont Region

Piedmont is known mostly for its fine cuisine, gourmet food and wine, outdoor sports and museums. This is why most of the region's festivals, fairs and events revolve around food and wine. Here you can know some things to do in Piedmont Italy

1.Wine Tasting

The Langhe, Roero & Monferrato wine regions in Piedmont are home to some of the most famous wineries in the world. The 3 “Bs” are the region's best known wines; Barbera, Barbaresco and Barolo. The landscape of this area is breathtaking, with castles perched on top of rolling hills covered with perfectly manicured vines and if you are lucky, a view of the snowcapped Alps. When visiting this region it is best to make appointments in advance since many of the wineries are small and family run. If you want to book a wine tour, this is a wise choice to help you with the myriad of wineries available to visit.

 2.Eat

If you are a foodie and love tasting local specialties, Piedmont is the place to be. Known for its high concentration of Michelin star restaurants, it also doesn't run short of “trattorias” presenting more traditional homemade family dishes.

The cuisine in Piedmont in simple but with high quality ingredients indigenous to the area. Appetizers are numerous with traditional classics including the grade A “Fassone” veal of Piedmont used for vitello tonnato and carne cruda (tartare). The fresh pastas are heavenly, like the 30-40 egg yolk tajarin (tagliolini), especially when topped with the world famous Alba white truffles. The braised beef in Barolo is just one of the many hearty and delicious specialties of the area, pairing perfectly with the structured and complex Barbaresco and Barolos.

Many locals and restaurants are now offering cooking classes to learn about these recipes and get your hands in the pasta dough.

3.Outdoor Sports

Not only can you hike from village to village in the wine country, but you can also take advantage of the Alps bordering France. More challenging hikes can be done in the beautiful mountain valleys where you can stop at chalets on the way to eat a rustic meal of polenta and cheese and enjoy the magnificent views.

Cycling is a very  popular activity in Piedmont because of the hilly panoramic roads but you must be well trained as they can be very steep. In case you would like the same experience without the fatigue, renting E-bikes can be very useful and a fun way to see the countryside.

4.Visit Food Festivals

The biggest food fair is the Alba White Truffle Fair which goes on during the fall on weekends in October and November. At the fair you can see and smell more truffles than anywhere else, purchase and taste them and participate in special sensory and cooking programs. You can also experience a truffle hunt outside of Alba city.

There are numerous types’ festivals going on from wine festivals in the fall as well as specialty foods like leeks, cheese, chestnuts etc.

 5.Explore the beautiful city of Turin

Once the first capital of Italy and home to the Savoy royal family, the palaces and architecture are marvelous. There are plenty of museums to visit such as the Automobile Museum (Torino is home to FIAT), Egyptian Museum (largest after Cairo), or the Cinema Museum where you can go up to the top of the famous Mole Antonelliana for fantastic views. You can't miss some of the best gelato in Italy or specialty chocolate shops and historical cafes. What makes Turin a favorite, is the absence of mass tour groups and crowds of tourists everywhere.

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Italianna Food and Wine Tours Joined: May 12th, 2020