In Italy, you can stand in an ancient cave-turned-wine-cellar and taste wine with roots dating back to the Roman Empire. Your handcrafted Piedmont Italy tour of wine and truffles takes you around Piedmont, filling each day with the sumptuous flavors of the region, from food to history. The eclectic aromas of the Truffle Festival mix with the enthusiastic calls of the crowd, each person aching to taste the unique concoctions created simply for the event. A sea of vineyards traipses over the hillside...
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Milan – Fashionable Arrivals
Milan is the embodiment of a modern Italy, home to both the country’s stock exchange and the tastes of world fashion design. The Gothic cathedral stands at the city’s heart towering over the thick, smoothed cobblestones. Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper hangs in the Basilica di Santa Maria delle Grazie and brings in crowds of people year-round to witness the famous work. Upon your arrival in the bustling city, you will be met by a private driver arranged by one of our Italy travel agents. You find the faint aroma of espresso pouring through the streets.
Much of the cityscape dates back to the 19th century with roots as an Imperial Roman capital. When you spot the Duomo, you find 600 years of history set in 135 spires and 3,400 statues decorating the Piazza del Duomo like a crown. You hear the bells of a trolley car riding through the city, traversing the square, and combining a sense of modern-day transportation within the medieval architecture of the 14th century. The marble edifice adds decadence to the skyline standing 356 feet tall. The interior maintains the ethereal grandeur with the largest stained glass windows ever designed and placed in a cathedral. When the sun casts light through the windows, you can see the colors erupt across the gallery. I
What's Included:
Day 2
Alba – Coming Alive
Day 3
Alba – Villages and Vineyards of Piedmont
Day 4
Alba – An Atypical View of Barolo
Day 5
Alba – Land of Castles
Day 6
Alba – Sea of Woods of Vineyards
Day 7
Turin – Urban Elegance
Day 8
Turin – Decadent Farewell
Trip Highlights
- Experience the divine flavors of the Piedmont region in Italy with a visit to the world-famous Truffle Festival
- Indulge in an exquisite three-course truffle menu
- Traverse the Piedmont countryside to enjoy the tours and tastings of the exquisite vineyards
- Sample the treasured tastes of the area including Barolo and Barbaresco wines
- Enjoy the decadent flavors of the regional specialty chocolates and cookies
- Explore the countryside to visit stunning ancient and medieval villages
- Delight in a guided tour of the opulent city of Turin, from its charming cafes to its wealth of palaces
Detailed Description
The splendor of Piedmont emanates from the landscape. Emerald forest and rolling hills encompass medieval towns and ancient villages. Truffles grow underneath the lush canopy. Rich chocolates decorate shop windows. Vineyards practically outnumber people, striping the countryside with stretches of grape bundles. This 8-day Piedmont Italy tour of wine and truffles is best experienced in October during the Truffle Festival and is meant for anyone wishing to indulge in the variety of flavors in a region nestled in the base of the Alps. From celebrated wines to ineffable panoramas, a taste of Piedmont will always leave you wanting more.
Your culinary adventure begins in Milan, the fashion capital of Italy and home to the exquisite work The Last Supper by da Vinci. Your private transfer meets you at the airport and escorts you into the city where the remainder of the day is at your leisure to enjoy the energetic streets and splendid squares around the city. The following day you venture to the charming city of Alba, known as the center for wine and agriculture in the region.
Stroll through the historic Roman settlement and sample your way across the Truffle Festival, letting the earthy flavor take over your palate. Travel to the countryside visiting four villages, each known for a specific culinary tradition. The villages are La Morra, Verduno, Pollenzo, and Cherasco. Verduno is specifically known for its celebrated production of Barolo wines. Your day concludes with a delightful wine tasting and truffle-centric dinner. The countryside is ripe with villages emblematic of the region and showcasing unique history.
Next, make your way to Grinzane Cavour, Barolo, Monforte d’Alba, Castiglione Falleto, and Serralunga d’Alba. Once in Barolo, you will find the ruins of Volta Castle and the exquisite vineyards known to produce the wine of the village’s namesake. The town of Barbaresco dates back to the Roman Empire and has a tower standing over the Tanaro River. Sample the effervescent Barbaresco wine before visiting Neive and Treiso where you can savor the culinary specialties of the village.
Enjoy a leisurely day in the city of Casale Monferrato, an enchanting town known for its outdoor markets and exquisite cookies. Once in Turin, you will have a full day to explore Piedmont’s capital city, glowing with tremendous architecture and wide boulevards. Sample the exquisite flavors of the city embodied in the numerous chocolate shops. The following morning, your private transfer will meet you at the hotel and escort you to Turin Airport for your flight home.
Starting Price
$3,600 per person (excluding international flights)
Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.
What's Included
- Accommodations
- In-country transportation
- Some or all activities and tours
- Expert trip planning
- 24x7 support during your trip
Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.
Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service
4.9 stars based on 5819 reviews.
Zicasso’s travel company was wonderful in planning our trip on short notice and in line with our requests and preferences. Their suggestions of what to do and where to stay were perfect. And when we accidentally got off on the wrong island, the travel company quickly got us new ferry tickets to get to the right place. It was all seamless.
Reviewed By Sherry G.
This trip was the greatest week of our lives! Everything planned was better than I could have imagined. The private drivers being coordinated behind the scenes made the trip so easy and removed all the stress of trying to navigate a new country. Every driver and our tour guide was so nice and I feel like we made friends with all of them.
My favorite part of the trip was definitely the cooking classes and that every tour was private and intimate for my wife and I. The connections Zicasso’s travel agent hooked us up with made the trip the most memorable experience. Our travel agent and the travel company took special care of all the tiny details of the trip; our hotel knew it was my birthday and had a special surprise for me! I’m beyond thankful for the perfect honeymoon they provided my wife and I.
Reviewed By Branson S.
The accommodations and private tours were worth the extra money. Our drivers were professional and helpful.
Reviewed By Claudia R.
The overall trip was great. The weather was terrific and the countries we visited had so much to see. Zicasso's tour company did a good job of balancing relaxation with fun. Each of the guides we had was so pleasant and shared so much information with us. They were very attentive to our needs.
Reviewed By Nisha V.
Wow, where to begin. This trip was an absolute dream.
When I first spoke to Zicasso’s travel consultant, I told her my main travel concern: traveling with nine- and 15-year-old boys as a single mom in Italy. I was excited to take the trip with them, but I really needed something that was meticulously planned to take away the nerves of having to navigate alone with two kids. She listened and executed the most beautiful trip.
She planned activities that captured the attention and imagination of a fourth grader and a teenager. And the experiences were unique. Probably the highlight of the trip was a truffle hunt with the hunter and his dog in the countryside outside of Florence. My oldest wants to move to Florence and start hunting! We had a personalized cooking class, a private Vespa tour of Rome, and a delicious and informative art and food tour, among other amazing experiences. As we were sending photos back home, I got so many requests for our itinerary because it was so special and unique. Both boys were hard-pressed to choose which part they liked best.
The hotels she selected were beautiful, comfortable, and right in the heart of the cities and attractions we wanted to see. When we encountered a small hiccup (by our hotel, not our travel agent), I contacted her and she responded right away, getting us a free room upgrade and free dinner! We felt very taken care of.
Aside from the amazing activities and locations we saw, the trip was fantastic because everything was so seamless. We always had a private driver arranged, pre-booked train tickets, and even someone to make sure we made it on time for our flight home. I never had to worry about a thing. It was also telling that every tour guide we interacted with had only glowing things to say about our travel agent and her keen attention to detail and organization.
If you're planning on visiting Italy, this travel company is the travel agency you need to select. It takes any of the stress and guesswork out of the travel process, and all you have to do is show up and enjoy.
Thank you so much! You helped us make some amazing memories!
Stephanie
Reviewed By Stephanie S.
This was possibly the best vacation we have ever taken. A fitting trip to mark our 25th anniversary, we will remember our days in Positano and Sorrento forever. Everything was perfect and the service and support were extraordinary.
Zicasso's travel specialist and the other people were always super-helpful and friendly. The hotels they chose for us in particular were exactly what we wanted. I can’t think of a single issue. Transport, transfers, etc., were perfect. The only bad part was that we had to return to normal life afterwards! We highly recommend our travel company to anyone! Grazie mille!
Reviewed By Mauro A.