Piedmont: Land of Barolo and Barbera

Today you will make your own way to the first hotel in Alba. Alba is the heart of Piedmont wine country. It is a captivating medieval city of a “hundred towers” and a treasure trove of flavours and aromas. After checking in, go out for a walk to explore the town and perhaps stop in one of its many pastry shops to treat yourself to the sweet tastes of the region.

This morning you will be transferred to Roddi, where you will start your walk. Today you will cross several hills until you reach the rustic hilltop village of La Morra. En route there are several wine tasting options. On clear days you can see the Alps and Mt Monviso that stays snow-capped until the beginning of summer. In La Morra you can visit the Ratti Museum to learn about the history, tradition and art of the good wine. You can stop at Cantina Comunale (closed on Tuesdays) which has a wide selection of wines to taste and buy, and also a lot of videos on local wines and gastronomy. From La Morra you continue to the hamlet of Vergne. Today's walk can be shortened by about 4km by taking a transfer to Verduno (additional cost) instead of Roddi. Depending on hotel availability you will stay overnight in either the hamlet of Vergne or Barolo. This will be confirmed in your hotel list. Walk: overnight Vergne 15km/9.5mi, +522m/1712ft, -426m /1397ft, Surf/Unsurf 48/52% or overnight Barolo 18.5km/11.5mi, +522m/1712ft, -426m /1397ft

On today’s walk from Vergne to Monforte d’Alba you’ll pass by the old village of Novello, with its Middle Aged tower, and the wine capital Barolo. Spend some time exploring the recently opened WiMu Wine Museum located in the Castello dei Marchesi Faletti, and you can stop for lunch at one of the great local trattorias. From here the walk continues through vineyards and forests and leads you to Monforte d’Alba, a nice hilltop village where you will stay overnight. Walk: 11km/6.8mi, +440m/1443ft, -415m/1361ft, Surf/Unsurf 45/55%

The landscape today is far more varied than on the previous days as you leave the vineyards behind. As you walk you'll climb through tidy hazelnut forests and wild woods surrounding the ancient hamlet of Serralunga d’Alba. From here a steep climb brings you to Roddino, then a long descent takes you to the final climb up to Cissone. Overnight in Cissone. Walk: 15km/9.3mi, +806m/2644ft, -665m/2181ft. Surf/Unsurf 64/36%

Today you can choose to relax in the centre of the village and enjoy a glass or two of local wine from a traditional cantina. Or you can choose to take a short circular walk in the surroundings of Cissone. As you walk you can unwind and admire the splendid views from the farms. The scenery is embroidered with vineyards and dotted with towers and castles. Overnight in Cissone. Walk: 8km/5mi, +300m/984ft, -300m/984ft, Surf/Unsurf 47/53%

Today you will walk in the spectacular high Langhe area. The landscape of this area around Cissone is characterised by hazelnut forests and oak trees. This is also the area where the most precious of the local treasures can be found - the ‘Tuber Magnatum’, also known as ‘the white truffle of Alba’. If you don’t find any underground, you are sure to find these delicious truffles in a local restaurant. Overnight in Cravanzana. Walk: 17.5km/10.9mi, +650/2132ft, -870m/2854ft. Surf/Unsurf 53/47% Option to shorten by 6.5km with a transfer (arranged and payable locally).

Both the landscape and the walk today are varied. En route you will visit the villages of Torre Bormida and Bergolo. The walk to these villages is through hazelnut plantations and dense chestnut woods, and you'll walk on broad forest paths, small grassy trails and narrow cobbled streets until you reach the town of Cortemilia. Overnight in Cortemilia. Walk: 12km/7.4mi, +485m/1591ft, -755ft/2477ft. Surf/Unsurf 45/55%

The trip concludes this morning in Cortemilia after breakfast. We can assist with a private transfer from Cortemilia to Alba station, or to Turin airport on request, please ask for our rates. Note: buses do not operate from Cortemilia on Sundays and a private transfer is required.