A "flavors of fall" dream trip for all food lovers... visit to the Piedmont Region of Northern Italy during the height of the truffle season and attend the world-famous International Alba White Truffle Fair!

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And special for garden lovers... we'll experience a remarkable day being the special guests to have a private tour of the gardens at Villa Silvio Pellico, designed by renowned British landscape/garden architect Russell Page, followed by lunch at the villa.

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We'll meet in Turin, Piedmont's capital city with its baroque architecture, grand boulevards and public squares, where we'll stay our first night in a luxury city hotel located in the city centre... followed by five nights in Piedmont's beautiful and historic Langhe-Roero Region -- a foodie's paradise!

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Piedmont's deeply rooted, traditional and wholesome autumn cuisine... white truffles... slow food cooking with local fresh ingredients... game, meat & poultry... garlic... crisp vegetables... tajarin and plin pasta... rice/risotto... world-class cheeses, Gorgonzola and Castelmagno... antipasti and desserts... hazelnut chocolate... Piedmont's three "B"s of pedigreed wines - Barolo, Barbaresco and Barbera... all Piedmont specialties we'll enjoy on this extraordinary culinary trip.

 

​With our Barolo hills born local food & wine guide, we'll tour through the majestic vineyard landscape of Piedmont's Langhe-Roero and Monferrato regions, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, learning about the history, culture and gastronomic significance of different villages.

 

We'll immerse ourselves in the Piedmont authentic gastronomic history and wine-making traditions. We'll have two days of private cooking classes, visits to two historic winemakers to taste vintage wines, attend the International Alba White Truffle Fair, and go on an authentic truffle hunt.

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This is a Piedmont adventure you'll never forget!

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Itinerary Summary:

• Mon - Welcome Reception with Piedmont Wines & Antipasti

• Tue - "Barolo Secrets" & Cooking Class Day

• Wed - Local Piedmont Life Day - Chocolate Tasting & Perfume Making

• Thu - Piedmont Gardens Day - Villa Silvio Pellico

• Fri - "Barbaresco Secrets" & Cooking Class Day 

• Sat - Alba Truffle Fair & Alba Farmers Market Day ● Truffle Hunt

• Sun - Say Our Goodbyes... Travel Home or to Onward Destinations

 

"Barolo Secrets" & Cooking Class Day

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For this Barolo-focused day, we will depart our hotel at 9:00am and make our way to an appointment with a passionate professional Piedmont chef, meeting in his restaurant hidden in the less touristic part of the Langhe Hills. Here a hands-on cooking class will disclose us the secrets of the traditional Piedmontese cuisine. We’ll prepare a real Piedmont Sunday lunch, four delicious courses, including homemade local “grandma” pasta. During the lesson we will take a short break to enjoy a tasty aperitif. After the cooking class, we will delight our palates by tasting what we have prepared, accompanied by fine local wine.

 

After the relaxing lunch we will travel to a small charming hamlet to enjoy a private cellar visit and comprehensive wine tasting with a premium Barolo producer in the most well-bodied, structured and well-known Barolo area.

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Experiencing Local Piedmont Life Day - Chocolates / Perfume / Textiles

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With our local guide we'll spend the day in the historic center of her home town, Cherasco, experiencing non-touristy local Piedmont life. We'll visit the town's beautiful church, Madonna del Poplo, and visit family-owned specialty shops, including - a chocolate artisan shop, with everything is handmade, where we'll have a tasting session... local textile shops that sell silk cloths, local textiles and home spun textiles... and a perfume artisan shop where we'll each make our own unique fragrance. Plus, we'll take time to enjoy a leisurely delicious lunch made with fresh ingredients and local cheese.

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Turin & Villa Silvio Pellico Garden Day

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Piedmont is home of extraordinary Italian gardens and villas. We'll spend the day visiting one of Italy's most famous private gardens, Villa Silvio Pellico, where we'll be the special guests of the owner. The garden was designed by world-famous landscape architect Russell Page. The garden has been described in the book “The Gardens of Russell Page” as - "No other classical garden made by Page in Europe better illustrates his extraordinary ability to interpret the nature of a site than the Villa Silvio Pellico." and "The Villa Silvio Pellico was the pleasurable proof of Page’s understanding of the classical Italian garden”.

 

This will be a memorable day garden lovers will relish!

 

After our tour we'll enjoy lunch at the villa hosted by the owner.

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"Barbaresco Secrets" & Cooking Class Day

 

In the morning we will attend an exclusive cooking class in the kitchen of a local Italian "cooking mamma" in the heart of historic Langhe region. Aprons on, following our chef’s skilled instructions, we will learn how to prepare multiple “antipasti,” including the popular “bagna caoda,” hand-rolled pasta, and dessert, too. We'll measure, mince, mix and stir (and taste, of course, to get the seasonings right!)... and finally sit down with a glass of Nebbiolo wine and relish a delicious Piedmont  meal. During the class we will relax with a glass of wine and crispy snacks. The recipes will be sent by email to allow guests to reproduce the Italian traditional lunch for family and friends.       

 

In the afternoon we'll visit a traditional premium Barbaresco cellar in the southern part of the Langhe Hills where the soil is sandier and wines more approachable. After the cellar visit we’ll enjoy a comprehensive tasting including both different traditional local wines and Barbaresco.

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Alba Truffle Fair & Alba Farmer's Market... and Truffle Hunt Day

 

With our local guide we'll attend the world-famous Alba Truffle Fair, Alba's Farmer's Market and the village's most ancient truffle shop, for a full immersion in the local history, traditions and truffle-based products. While truffle fairs are held in many northern and central regions of Italy, and truffles can also be found in other counties (France, Croatia & Slovenia)... Italian white truffles found in the Piedmont region are the most valuable on the market... and the International Alba White Truffle Fair is the world's best truffle fair.

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In Alba we'll go a sensorial journey of the fair and market, devouring delicacies and expanding our senses. We'll spend the morning tasting truffle products and specialties from the Alta Langa (High Langhe) region -- local cheeses, cured meats, honey, wine, olive oil and hazelnut products. 

 

For lunch we'll travel to a unique restaurant on top of a Barolo hill, in the middle of the Nebbiolo vineyards, for a leisurely and extensive formal Piedmontese weekend luncheon.

In the afternoon we will take part on an authentic "Truffle Hunt.” This is an adventure you'll want to tell your friends back home about! We’ll follow our local guide's good friend, Giovanni, a professional “trifolao” (truffle hunter,) in his search for the highly sought-after tuber magnatum, white truffle, with his trusty dog. A two-hour experience in the world of truffle hunting which will take us in the woods. It’s the real deal! What truly makes the experience all the more worthwhile is discovering all the tips and tricks about dog training and night hunting.

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Guests not wanting to go on the truffle hunt, we'll visit a local traditional cellar, meet the wine producer to learn about their winemaking philosophy, and enjoy an afternoon tasting session. 

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We'll stay in one of Piedmont's loveliest luxury country boutique hotels. Each evening on-your-own group dinners will be arranged at hotel's restaurant or at a nearby trattoria to enjoy delicious and relaxing local cuisine meals.

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Optional before breakfast group pleasure walks are organized for travelers who want some morning exercise before starting their vacation day.

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Bravissimo... this is a not to miss trip for all lovers of Italian food and wine!

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The Piedmont Culinary, Wine & Garden Tour Is Designed To Provide:

• A fabulous vacation experience exploring Piedmont villages and viewing the majestic vineyard countryside...  discovering the region's history, culture, architecture, natural beauty, cuisine and wine.

• Friendly and fun small group environment limited to 15 persons. Enjoy the camaraderie and begin friendships with like-minded travelers.

• Many activities -- visiting historic Piedmont hamlets with a local culinary & wine guide... learning about Piedmont  cuisine, enjoying delicious gastronomic meals, having hands-on cooking classes with local chefs... visiting historic winemakers and having tasting sessions... attending the International Alba White Truffle Fair & Alba Farmer's Market... touring beautiful Piedmont gardens... and much more!

• Free personal time for individual sightseeing... relaxing... shopping.

• Optional group morning pleasure walks led by WalkEurope president, Tom Harter.

• Recommended restaurants to explore on your own, yet everyone is invited to join local-cuisine group meals.

• Concierge service & support – fully escorted tour, personal & customized service for a fun and WORRY-FREE vacation!​ 

 

What's Included:​

• An authentic Piedmont experience - touring with a local Piedmont culinary & wine guide, visiting small hamlets in the Barolo and Barbaresco regions, seeing the majestic vineyard landscapes of the Piedmont's Langhe-Roero and Monferrato districts, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• Visit to International Alba White Truffle Fair and to the Alba Farmer's Market.

• Six nights in premier/luxury hotels -- elegant environments to relax and enjoy your Piedmont visit. 

• Six daily Piedmont breakfasts at the hotel.

• Welcome Reception with Piedmont antipasti and wines.

• Four lunches to include:

  • Two Piedmontese Cooking Classes with Lunch

    • ​Traditional Piedmontese Cuisine Cooking Class - hands-on class learning the secrets of traditional Piedmont cuisine with a local chef, preparing a Piedmont four-course lunch, including homemade pasta; followed by an aperitif, lunch & wine.​

    • Antipasti Cooking Class - learning about and making a variety of Piedmont antipasti delicacies, followed by lunch

  • Formal Piedmontese Weekend Lunch - an extensive traditional local cuisine lunch at a specially-selected restaurant in the Barolo hills.

  • Lunch at Villa Silvio Pellico.

• Farewell Gala Dinner with traditional Piedmontese cuisine and local wines.

• Two Piedmont Traditional Winery Visits:

  • Visit to a historic premium Barolo wine cellar & wine tasting session.

  • Visit to a historic premium Barbaresco wine cellar & wine tasting session.

• Aperitif tasting session.

• Chocolate tasting session.

• Perfume making session.

• Truffle hunt with a professional “trifolao” and his dog.

• Day trip for private tour the garden at Villa Silvio Pellico.

• Morning pleasure walks - optional before breakfast group walks.

• Ground transportation for all group activities and day trips.

• Concierge service & support.

 

Arrival & Departure Cities:

Arrival City: Turin, Italy

Departure City: Manera, Italy

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Nearest Major Airports:

Turin/Torino (TRN) 

Milan/Milano (MXP or LIN)

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Trip Cost:

Premiere/Luxury Hotels:

• $6,350 – 7 days / 6 nights per person in double occupancy shared hotel room. Tour cost does not include airfare.

• Added cost for private single room hotel accommodation option - $1,725

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Space Is Limited -- Recommend to Reserve Early!

Limited to 15 persons.