Just about 60 km south of Turin, the Langhe region is an extraordinary wine district rich in noble vineyards, exceptional sceneries, ancient castles, and outstanding cuisine. Some of Italy’s greatest wines are produced here: Barolo, Barbaresco, and Nebbiolo.

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I’m pretty sure that the first thing that comes to your mind when dreaming of wine tasting in Italy is Chianti in Tuscany. But Italy is home to other equally charming wine regions producing excellent grapes and offering fantastic sceneries. One of these is the Langhe region in Piemonte. A Unesco World Heritage site since 2014, this area is dotted with pretty hilltop villages with lots of wineries and wine cellars that offer excellent tastings.

Here’s a list of the best towns and villages to visit during your trip to Langhe:

Alba

Considered the capital of the Langhe, Alba is a hotspot for gourmet travelers who flock to town for its excellent wines and divine white truffles (and those of you with a sweet tooth will be pleased to know that Nutella is produced here!). Alba is often nicknamed the “town of 100 towers” due to the numerous towers that dominated its skyline in medieval times, although there are only a few left nowadays. Today it is an elegant town dominated by a pink-bricked cathedral, with lively streets and yummy shops. 

Neive

Named one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, Neive is a charming place frozen in time. Its walled medieval heart sits at the top of the hill, with charming cobblestone alleys and ancient stone buildings. Lovely treasures to explore here include Casa Cotto, the oldest house in the village, the XIII-century clock tower and the XVI-century chapels of San Rocco and San Sebastiano.

Barbaresco

This picturesque village is the heart of the production of the world-famous Barbaresco wine, which is often nicknamed Barolo’s younger brother (since it requires a shorter aging process). Its symbol is an XI-century tower that was originally part of a fortified complex built to defend the village from foreign invaders. There is also a fantastic sundial painted on the wall of a house, depicting the winemaking process.

Grinzane di Cavour

Grinzane is a medieval hamlet whose name pays tribute to Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour, the statesman that played a key role in the unification of Italy. The must-see here is the imposing castle where Cavour lived while serving as the local mayor between 1832 and 1849. Today the castle is home to an ethnographic museum and the Cavour Regional Enoteca, established in 1967 to showcase the famous wines of this region. Inside the castle, there is also a Michelin Star restaurant. You’ll be able to enjoy striking views of the surrounding vineyards. The castle hosts a prestigious truffle auction in November.

La Morra

Often referred to as the “balcony of Langhe” due to its panoramic position on top of the highest hill in the area, La Morra is a sleepy village with a lot of atmosphere. Its heart is Piazza Castello, the square where you can see a 31m-high bell tower built in the XVIII century on the remains of the ancient castle that was destroyed in 1544 by the French troops. Just outside the village, there are two interesting sights not to be missed: the Chapel of Barolo, a deconsecrated little church that was painted it in strikingly bold colors American artists David Tremlett and Sol Lewitt, and the giant Lebanon Cedar tree at the top of the Monfalletto hill, which was planted here in 1856 by a young couple to seal its love and still today witnesses hundreds of marriage vows.

Barolo

A short but steep drive from La Morra leads to Barolo, the place that gives its name to one of Italy’s greatest wines. It’s a small village of colorful houses and charmingly-decorated balconies set in the heart of the Langhe region. Wine lovers come here for the WiMu, an innovative museum dedicated to the history and culture of wine, and some serious tasting at the Enoteca Regionale del Barolo. For a quirkier experience, head to the Corkscrew Museum, a unique showcase of 600 corkscrews, from antique pieces to more modern samples.

Monforte d’Alba

This pretty village hides a precious historic center in its upper side, with a stunning natural amphitheater and a 13th-century bell tower. The climb up through the narrow streets is rewarded with gorgeous views over vineyards and the Alps in the distance. Monforte d’Alba is said to be one of the liveliest places in the Langhe region, with fancy restaurants, gourmet botteghe and a fantastic jazz festival that takes place in the summer.

It is also worth stopping by Castiglione Falletto to see the castle and Serralunga d’Alba to visit Fontanafredda, which was officially awarded the title of “European Winery of the Year”.

Wineries to visit 

Wine enthusiasts will be spoilt for choice with so many places offering tours and tastings, from old cellars to family-run boutique wineries. Most of the wineries can be visited by appointment but some of the more famous may be a bit harder to get into, so it’s better to plan in advance.

I can recommend the following:

USEFUL TIPS

  • The closest airports are in Turin, Milan, and Genoa and a car rental is the easiest way to get to the area, especially if you are planning to visit the wineries scattered throughout the countryside. However, you may want to consider hiring a driver or join an organized tour, since roads are steep and winding and you’ll be drinking lots of wine…      
  • I stayed at Hotel Le Torri in the hilltop village of Castiglione Falletto, with a fantastic restaurant next door where I enjoyed a delicious tasting menù  
  • Regarding eateries, I can suggest Osteria More e Macine in La Morra, Tra Arte e Querce in Monchiero, just south of Monforte d’Alba and the homey atmosphere of La Terrazza di Renza in Castiglione Falsetto
  • Autumn is the best time of year to visit the Langhe, with the grape harvest season bringing lots of local festivals and key events like the Alba White Truffle Fair between October and November. Other important events throughout the year include the Collisioni Music Festival in Barolo (July) and Monfortinjazz in Monforte d’Alba (July-August)

 

 

 Confession: not many pictures available for this article, I was too busy tasting wines – sorry!

 

Until next time,

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32 Comments

Diana 30 March 2018 at 16:09

I’m pretty embarrassed to say I’ve never heard of any of these places before. I would love to do a road trip around the region, although I might have to hire a driver to make the winery visits more enjoyable 😉 Saving this post for my next opportunity to visit Italy!

    admin 30 March 2018 at 16:48

    Unfortunately its’s not as famous as Chianti, but I promise you that it’s just as enchanting!

Kelly Keegan 30 March 2018 at 18:56

Oh Nutella and a pink cathedral in one place? Sounds like my slice of paradise. I need to get to Alba!

    admin 30 March 2018 at 20:49

    Ahahaha, I know, a little piece of heaven!

Kay 31 March 2018 at 14:59

I’ve never heard of….any of these places!! And I’ve been looking for cool wineries…so I guess I found a new destination!

    admin 2 April 2018 at 14:08

    Definitely worth checking them out and spend some time driving through these amazing vineyards, it’s beautiful!

Ha 31 March 2018 at 15:34

I wish I had read this before visiting Italy. I went to Italy twice but haven’t heard of these places. I hope that I can do a road trip around this wine region and enjoy the finest glass of wine here. Thanks for sharing!

    admin 2 April 2018 at 14:07

    I’m sure you’ll love a road trip around here 🙂

Clarice Lao | Camping for Women 31 March 2018 at 16:56

It would be a dream to visit this Northern part of Italy. I am suprised that Nutella was fromt his place since I had no idea its from Alba.

I would also love to see these wonderful structures and wineries. It would be an awesome experience. Will definitely consider adding this to our itinerary for our next trip to Italy.

    admin 2 April 2018 at 14:07

    Yay, a lesser-known region full of surprises 🙂

Heidi 1 April 2018 at 06:00

Awww, beautiful Italian vino. I love wines from this region but haven’t had the chance to visit here yet. Didn’t realize that Nutella came from here as well. But do love white truffles from Alba, so tasty and delicious. Love your photos, even if it is only a few. Your excuse of sampling wine over photography is one of the best excuses I’ve heard in a while.

    admin 2 April 2018 at 14:05

    Ahahaha, I had to admit it!

Mitali 1 April 2018 at 15:49

Not a fan of drinking wine but a huge fan of watching and spending time at the Wineries around the world.. I only got to see Italians Wineries from the bus and never really got an opportunity to visit. Let’s hope it happens soon

    admin 2 April 2018 at 14:04

    Oh no, that’s such a shame! There’s so much to see and do apart rom drinking wine – beautiful sceneries, amazing food, chats with the lovely locals!

Tammy Bronfen 6 April 2018 at 15:06

Thank you! Definitely going on my wanderlust wishlist!

    admin 10 April 2018 at 08:46

    Yay!! 🙂

Stella Jane 7 April 2018 at 06:09

Italy has so many amazing small towns. I think it would be impossible to see them all. I would love to try the wine in the Langhe region for sure. As I don’t know how to drive, it would have to be through an organized tour, but those can be a lot of fun. And then I can drink what I want and not worry about driving.

    admin 10 April 2018 at 08:44

    Exactly, you wouldn’t have to worry about anything and just enjoy the wine and food! 😀

Jas 7 April 2018 at 08:23

Definitely didn’t know Nutella was produced in Alba!!! I’ve actually been thinking about visiting Italy during summer but guess I’ll have to change that to autumn to match the grape harvest season because I loveeeee wine. Thanks for the awesome tips!

    admin 10 April 2018 at 08:44

    Autumn is a great time to visit Italy, less crowds and still fantastic festivals to attend!

Denny George 7 April 2018 at 09:31

I’ve been to Turin, twice. However, both times it was on work, and I was unable to take some time off to explore the Piemonte countryside. Now I realize that it was a huge mistake. On the bright side, I have a reason to return!

    admin 10 April 2018 at 08:43

    And it’s a very good reason! 😉

Nicola 7 April 2018 at 21:11

Haha, sometimes you’ve just got to enjoy yourself and forget about taking too many pictures! What a great idea for a self-guided little wine tour through the Langhe region. I love Italian wine but that’s one area of Italy which I haven’t been to yet. The jazz and music festivals sounds really fun as well so maybe I will try and combine a trip with one of them sometime.

    admin 10 April 2018 at 08:41

    That would be the best option! 🙂

Allison Judkins 9 April 2018 at 03:16

This is so helpful for my next trip to Italy. All the wineries sound perfect to me. You provided so many great options. Loved reading this.

    admin 10 April 2018 at 08:40

    Thanks so much Allison, I hope you’ll be able to visit this great corner of Italy!

Martha 9 April 2018 at 20:42

I’m a huge wine fan, so I knew of this wine region. I’ve been hesitant to visit Italy for this particular reason, though. I wouldn’t want to skip a single region! I think I’ll just need to move to Italy for like 3 years in order to experience all of it!

    admin 10 April 2018 at 08:39

    That would be a good plan 😀

Nathan 10 April 2018 at 13:46

Looks like you had a great time tasting and sampling wine there – it means something when travellers put sown their cameras! 🙂 Seems like a great getaway and try out some great wine!

    admin 12 April 2018 at 16:12

    That place truly made me forget about photos and social media for a while 🙂

PETER 10 October 2019 at 10:59

Ciao Valentina,

I will be in this region in June next year. I will spend 2 days in Turin and 3 days, 3 nights in Le Langhe. It sounds really beautiful, but I can’t decide where to stay in Langhe. Nieve, La Morra, Montfort Di Alba and all the towns you mention tick the boxes for me. Which one did you like the best?
Also I have seen photos of Cuneo but have yet to see any stories on it. Is that a good place to stay.

    Val 21 October 2019 at 08:51

    Ciao Peter, Le Langhe region is really beautiful and you’ll find beautiful spots pretty much anywhere you go – which makes the decision of where to stay even more difficult, I know. I’ll connect via email to share some ideas 🙂

Comments are closed.

Ciao! I'm Val, an Italian blogger with a huge passion for my country, its culture and traditions. My Italian Diaries is the online space where I share itineraries, activities and off-the-beaten path places to help you experience the best of Italy like a local!

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