Turin and The Langhe in Piemonte

Food Wine and History

Turin traces its origins to the 3^rd Century BC. Located along the Po River and surrounded by the Alps, this city boasts numerous art galleries, theaters, libraries, museums and palaces in the baroque, rococo and neoclassical styles.

A Walking Tour of Turin’s elegant streets and squares includes Palazzo Carignano and the Academy of Science, with the Egyptian Museum and the Galleria Sabauda. Piazza Castello, the heart of the city, contains the Royal Palace, San Lorenzo Church, the Royal Library, the Armory and the Royal Theater.

Nearby: Venaria Castle, one of Italy’s most visited cultural sites, the Martini Museum and Factory, and Cascina Balbiano’s private museum containing ancient wine making tools.

Food and Wine Turin is famous for its use of aromatic herbs, fish, extra virgin olive oil and no less than 69 traditional local starters. It is also known as the “capital of sweets”, including Revigliasco cherries and scrumptious chocolate.

Po River Cruises Medieval towns along the Po river and a panoramic boat trip. Island Hopping Stresa and the Borromee Islands, a motorboat cruise to Isola Madre, Isola Bella and the Isola dei Pescatori - Fishermen’s Island.

Points of Interest in the Langhe Region

Alba, the city of 100 towers, is home to white truffles and the Dolcetto red wine.

Serralunga Castle and Regional Winery

Barolo Wine and Corkscrew Museums, Cheese Factory

Grinzane Cavour Regional Wine Cellar and Castle

Torrone Factory

Fontanafredda over 100 hectares of vineyards in the heart of the Langhe hills.

Land Water and Countryside Landscapes in the Po River Valley

The Countryside around the Po River is now a huge expanse of fields, but once was a vast brughiera of swamps and forests. The village of Trino, at the crossroad between the old Roman military camps and the medieval towns of Milan, Turin, Vercelli and Asti, was a sacred forest called Lucedio (Lucus Dei), where the Cistercian monks settled in 1123 and built an abbey.

Near the Settlement, there is still a forest - Bosco delle Sorti della Partecipanza di Trino - managed with sustainable socio-criteria since 1202 and from 1991 a public park under FSC protection. Elsewhere in the Po Valley, the monks slowly reclaimed and brought the land under cultivation creating a new eco-environmental system, the Pianura Padana. 

In the Monferrato area by the Po river, the Pianura is an expanse of rice fields divided by canals and flooded in spring time, the so-called Terre d'Acqua, a water-land populated by many migrant animals - herons, storks, swallows. In between the fields there are many old and unique farmhouses, the so-called grange, built by the monks at a distance of half a day’s walk from each other. The reflections of sun rays and moon lights on the still water that covers the flat fields design a very particular landscape, which has been also captured by many artists. 

The Parco Fluviale del Po e dell’Orba is a park with conservation and environmental protection of the cultivated lands is assigned to the EcoMuseo delle Terre d’Acqua located in the Antica Riseria San Giovanni, founded in the 15^th Century, which preserves the original plant and a 17^th Century watermill. It also houses the Museo delle Macchine da Riso.

Palazzo Mossi (Mossi Palace) in Frassineto Po is where the Centro di Interpretazione del Paesaggio del Po shows environmental changes, the many historical, natural and geological events which over time have changed the landscape and the current configuration of the area.

Po River Tours a travel and education experience for families and groups to discover the history, traditions and cultures of this major waterway: Boat Tours; Culinary Experiences - wineries, breweries and local food; Walking, Biking, Canoeing Horseback Riding; Museums and Cultural Attractions; Accommodations and Transfers.

Italian Food and Wine Itineraries

Venice and Veneto

Venice our expert cook will teach you how to prepare the local dishes and entertain you by analyzing the intriguing fragrances, the exotic origins of some ingredients, the cooking processes as well as answer your questions about the products being used. Classes are held in a Palazzo apartment in Venice or in a Liberty Villa at the Lido beach, a fascinating bathing resort with tall trees and gardens traversed by several canals.

Euganean Hills enter the fascinating backcountry and discover a natural area dotted with small villages, vineyards and a typical “osterie”. You will visit a family-owned wine cellar and drink its sparkling wines: an extraordinary experience to meet local people and taste genuine products. Experience the amazing ancient village of the Poet Petrarca, unchanged since the 14^th century.

Prosecco Wine Hills visit a wine cellar for a wine tasting and lunch overlooking the hills. Dry, lemony, and bubbling, Italy’s answer to refreshing, sparkling wine. Light, affordable, and fun.

Bolzano & the Dolomites the former Austro-Hungarian city of Tyrol is surrounded by vineyards, apple orchards, castles and mountains, Bolzano is one of the most charming cities in Italy. Everyone seems to live peacefully, no hurry or chaos. The city is crossed by the Adige River and by green beautiful gardens adorned with colored flowers. A drive along the South Tyrolean Wine Road with stops for exclusive wine tastings!

Milan Turin Alba and Langhe

Milan has a proud culinary tradition. Classic local dishes: cotoletta alla milanese, a breaded veal (pork and turkey can be used) cutlet pan-fried in butter, cassoeula (stewed pork rib chops and sausage with cabbage), ossobuco (stewed veal shank), risotto alla milanese (saffron and beef marrow), busecca (stewed tripe and beans) and brasato (beef or pork with wine and potatoes). Also, salami milano and gorgonzola cheese. Sweets: chiacchiere, panettone and tortelli.  World-renowned restaurants and cafés can be found in the historic center, Brera and Navigli districts.

Turin is famous for its use of aromatic herbs, fish, extra virgin olive oil and no less than 69 traditional local starters. It is also known as the “capital of sweets”, including Revigliasco cherries and scrumptious chocolate.

Alba & Langhe a hilly area in Cuneo province famous for its wines, cheeses, and truffles—particularly the white truffles of Alba – and the birthplace of slow food. Of interest: Serralunga Castle and Regional Winery; Barolo Wine and Corkscrew Museums, Cheese Factory; Grinzane Cavour Regional Wine Cellar and Castle; Torrone Factory; Fontanafredda’s 100 hectares of vineyards in the heart of the Langhe hills.

Salento Cuisine: Tradition, innovation and Creativity

Salento is a major agricultural center specializing in olive oil and wine, hence, numerous opportunities to experience the famed local wines and traditional cuisine.

Local Food specialties trace their origin to the successive invasions over the course of Salento’s history: Tiella – a rice dish with potatoes and mussels similar to the Spanish Paella, the Fava Beans Puree has Arab origins and in Gallipoli a variety of chowders with clear Greek roots.  

Unique Dishes puccia, friseddhre, pittule, rustici, pasticciotti, sweets made ​​of almond paste accompanied by the local wines: Negramaro, Primitivo and Malvasia! Come along for one of our food and wine tasting events, join a local cooking class and food shopping.