Guides

A day in Acqui Terme — hot springs, Roman stones & Brachetto

Sulphurous water at 75°C in the middle of town, Roman arches across the valley, and the sweet red they only make well around here …

A day in Agliano Terme — Barbera, a long lunch and the thermal baths

Coffee with Giovanna, a Barbera tasting with the man who grew the grapes, a hearty lunch, and an afternoon soak in the sulphur wat…

A day in Casale Monferrato — the Monferrato capital: Duomo, synagogue, castle & Krumiri

One unhurried day in the old capital of the Monferrato — the Romanesque Duomo, a gilded synagogue hidden behind a plain door, the …

A day in Castagnole Monferrato — the home of Ruchè

The hilltop village at the heart of Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG, built for a slow day around one aromatic red: the grape's…

A day in Costigliole d'Asti — the castle, Barbera and a long lunch

One unhurried day in the Barbera capital of the Astigiano: coffee under the castle, a cellar tasting in the vineyards, a long lunc…

A day in Incisa Scapaccino — Barbera, Nizza DOCG & the Belbo hills

Three family cellars, one hunchbacked cardoon, and a borgo on the ridge above the Belbo — how we'd spend a slow day in Incisa Scap…

A day in Molare — the Green Canyon, a castle and the Orba

Molare sits off the Monferrato wine trail, where the Orba comes down out of the Apennines — a morning in a small hilltop village, …

A day in Mombaruzzo — amaretti, grappa & Barbera

One hilltop, three things worth the drive — the soft amaretto at the source, a morning of Barbera in the cellars, and an afternoon…

A day in Moncalvo — the hilltop city, Bue Grasso and truffles

One of Italy's smallest cities, up on its hill: the castle square and its towers, a cellar tasting out among the vines, a long Pie…

A day in Montemagno Monferrato — the castle, twelve lanes and Ruchè

A hilltop borgo you climb rather than stroll: twelve numbered medieval lanes up to the castle, a theatrical Baroque staircase off …

A day in Nizza Monferrato

A first-timer's day in the capital of Barbera country — the arcaded old town on a market morning, a cellar tasting, a long Piedmon…

A day in San Marzano Oliveto

A morning tasting among the donkeys and the Barbera, a long Piedmontese lunch with the meat cart, then the castle piazza, a vineya…

A day in Vignale Monferrato — Grignolino, palazzi and the big bench

A hilltop wine village in the Casalese Monferrato, built for a slow day: coffee on the ridge, a cellar or two of Grignolino and Ba…

A quiet day in Grazzano Badoglio — Aleramo's abbey, Grignolino and the big bench

A tiny hilltop village with an outsized past: the tomb of Aleramo, who gave Monferrato its name, a butcher who grills your lunch t…

One perfect day in Calamandrana

A hilltop old town with its castle and Baroque church, a cellar tour at one of Piedmont's benchmark wineries, a long lunch among t…

Canelli with kids

Castle gardens you can do with a stroller, gelato in the piazza, and a family-run restaurant that welcomes a whole table of childr…

Do as the locals in Canelli

Espresso on your feet, wine by the glass under the trees, and an aperitivo that turns into dinner — how to spend a day in Canelli …

Nizza for wine lovers: Barbera & bagna cauda

A day for Barbera devotees: the top Nizza DOCG cellars, a long session at the regional enoteca, and — in the cold months — the rit…

One perfect day in Canelli

Coffee in the piazza, the underground "wine cathedrals", a climb to the castle gardens, a long Piedmontese lunch and a Coppo cella…