Turn calls itself the ‘World Capital of Chocolate’, which dates back to the 17th, century, where the Savoy family brought home cocoa beans from the Americas and started to export chocolate to the entire world. To this day, the city has proud traditions around chocolate. Nutella was invented in Turin, and so was the predecessor to the Magnum ice cream: the ‘Pinguino’. The Pinguino ice cream was (and still is) made by…
Barbera d’Asti is one of Italy’s most popular wine grapes, grown not just in Piedmont but in many regions of Italy, including Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio and Campania. In fact, Barbera is the sixth most-planted grape variety in Italy. Read the full story at Decanter.
Piedmont, one of the leading wine-growing regions in the world, a land of hills, ancient villages and castles at the foot of the mountains, a wine-making land becomes a UNESCO World Heritage site. Watch the video from Strada Barolo here. Villa Roccaverano is a luxury rental villa with large private infinity pool, great architecture and breathtaking views. The villa is placed centrally in piedmont / piemonte.
Piemonte has one of Italy’s most varied landscapes: from Alpine foothills to acres of vineyards, from thick forests to fields of rice paddies, they are all a showcase of bright colors in the autumn. Walks and hikes are the best way to enjoy the reds and golden yellows of the season, so we’ve prepared five hikes that explore five different wine zones. And of course, we didn’t forget to recommend…
Piedmont has so much to offer in terms of beautiful landscapes, wonderful wines and delicious food. However, the region has something for everyone, and if you are a football fan you should consider taking in a game at Juventus’ football stadium in Torino. It is a huge and magnificent stadium, and when Torino’s heroic football team is playing, the place is packed and the atmosphere is amazing. Find tickets here….
All over Piedmont you find great wineries. Many wineries also have a restaurant, and one of our favorites is Il Cascinone, which belongs to the Araldica winery in Acqui Terme. The restaurant is located on a hilltop a couple of kilometers from the winery. To get there, you drive up, up, up and along windy roads passing through never-ending wine fields. The view from the restaurant is breathtaking, and the food is…
The main difference in Barolo and Barbaresco is in the soils. The soil in Barbaresco is richer in nutrients and, because of this, the vines don’t produce as much tannin as found in the wines of Barolo. Both wines smell of roses, perfume and cherry sauce — and they both have a very long finish. The difference is in the taste on the mid-palate; the tannin won’t hit you quite…
So, you want to do some Piemonte wine travel? Well, you are in for a treat. From the rolling Langhe hills to the rich, savory red wines the region offers, an Italian wine travel experience is unlike any other. To the uninitiated, a Piemonte wine adventure can be intimidating, but once you have these basic tips down, you’ll feel ready to conquer wine country. Read the full story here.
Piedmont is one of the richest regions in Italy. Landlocked, nestled between Liguria, Val d’Aosta, The Alps (and then France) and Lombardy, the region, with the relatively undiscovered gem that is Turin as its capital and the rolling hills of the wine making area of Monferrato, the rice paddies of Novara and the exquisite white truffle of Alba has it all really. Piedmont is perhaps best known for 3 of…
Located in northwest Italy and bordering Switzerland and France, Piedmont is Italy’s second-largest region, and the most mountainous. The majestic, snow-capped Alps make a stunning backdrop to the rolling, vine-covered hills. And these aren’t just any vineyards. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in June 2014, vineyards in the Langhe, Roero and Monferrato areas are amongst the most celebrated in Italy. They’re home to famed reds made from Nebbiolo,…
In a country known across the world for its food and wine, one region stands out above all others. Nestled in the north-west of Italy, sharing a border with France and Switzerland, Piedmont is hallowed ground for anyone passionate about food. From the regional capital Turin to the towns and villages scattered all over the landscape, food and drink are an integral part of daily life in Piedmont. Home to…
The capital of Piedmont, Turin, is one of the best places where to spend a few days amongst beautiful churches and historic museums, while enjoying delicious traditional dishes. Here are 21 good reasons why you should go to Turin next weekend. Read the full story here.
Piedmont is one of the most famous wine regions in Italy. It has gained this reputation because it is the birthplace of Barolo, (by far the most aristocratic wine of Italy) and Barbaresco, often referred to as Barolo’s younger brother. My good friend Luca Dusi who owns and runs Passione Vino in London recently took me on a wine tour to meet some of his producers in the region. Lusa…
Barolo and Barbaresco wines are both made 100% with the Nebbiolo grape. These northern Italian regions of Piedmont have a cooler climate, and the food of the region tends to be rich, so Nebbiolo pairs well with the hearty fare. Minimum aging requirements for Barbaresco include 26 months in oak for regular wines and 50 months for Riserva wines. In Barolo, minimum aging for regular wines is 38 months and…
From Lombardy to the Aosta Valley, passing by Piedmont, Northern Italy has plenty of beautiful medieval castles, ready to be discovered. So with winter just knocking at our door, Swide thinks this is probably the best moment to enjoy a weekend, visiting one of these breathtaking medieval treasures. Born in Europe and Middle East, during Middle Ages as private fortified residence for nobility they used to have structures with some…
This time of year, when the leaves are falling and we need to put our warm coats back on, it’s nice to think of the good times we had at Villa Roccaverano this past summer. Playing ‘Hole in One’ in the pool is always fun!
In the youtube clip below, you can follow along as the Italian chef, Giorgio Locatelli, goes truffle hunting in Piedmont. Get a sense of the significance of this weird little fungus, and hear how truffle hunting can sometimes become a matter of life and death – at least if you’re a truffle dog! You will also hear what it will cost you to acquire one kilo of perfect white truffle; an information, which will…
Buzz Lightyears famous catchfrase: “To infinity…. and beyond!” comes to mind once in a while, when we are asked “What happens if you fall off the pool’s infinity edge?” Villa Roccaverano is located at an altitude of almost 600 meters, and the view of the deep and vast Bormida valley is quite overwhelming; and since it does look as if you can fall several hundred meters straight down into the valley…
October is high season for truffles in Piedmont, and the truffle festival in Alba draws visitors from near and far. The charming town of Alba is located only 40 km from Villa Roccaverano and perfect for a day trip. Read more about the fair here. However, you can also eat truffles in the local restaurants around Villa Roccaverano, and you might even be lucky to meet truffle dogs ‘at work’ i the area. The picture…
The hilltop, where Villa Roccaverano is situated, used to belong to Roberto and his wife Carla. Carla and Roberto, who is now 75 years old, both grew up in area, and the history of their family is tied to the hills of Roccavarano and extends several generations back in time. Roberto’s uncle lived on the hilltop when Roberto was a boy, and he has told us stories about his childhood adventures in the…
Italy was once again recognized for it’s beauty and history, when landscapes in the Piedmont region were appointed the extremely prestigious title as “UNESCO World Heritage Site” just recently. Italy has the highest number of World Heritage titles in the world, and with this latest recognition, the country reaches an impressive 50 sites. The OUV, which stands for ‘Outstanding Universal Value’, was stated at the entry in the list as…
Piedmont is the region of Italy, which produces the largest number of well-known and prize-winning wines. Some of the most well known are Barolo and Barbaresco. Most of the Piedmontese wines are produced on family estates, consisting of relatively small pieces of land. The most widely grown grape in the area is the Nebbiolo. The Nebbiolo grape is used for producing the famous Barolo wine as well as Barbaresco and…
I know: we talk a lot about the view. But there’s a reason for that. The view from Villa Roccaverano never seizes to amaze us, and the mornings are especially magical. During our winter break in the house, we made this short video from the bedroom, showing the sun rising above the hills while the fog moves slowly through the valley. You almost feel as if your were in a…
The beautiful beaches of the Italian Riviera are only an hour’s drive away from Villa Roccaverano. We usually head for Noli, which is a lovely little fishing village on the coast. The beaches are great, the water is clean and the atmosphere is laid back and absolutely charming. At lunchtime we leave our stuff on the beach and head for the narrow streets of the old town centre, which is…
Drive 20 minutes by car from Villa Roccaverano, and you arrive in Acqui Terme, which is the largest town in the vicinity. It offers an irresistible blend of spas, culinary experiences and Italian small-town charm, with its cobblestone streets, small piazzas and bustling everyday life. Acqui Terme is known for its’ hot springs, which can be found in the centre of the city on the town square. The Romans, who…
If you’re vacationing in Piedmont and in anyway a food-lover, you should take a daytrip to Torino to visit Eataly. Eataly is dedicated to the finest foods and gastronomic traditions of Italy and is a food- and restaurant mall of the very best kind. Here you will find housewives doing their daily food shopping, a couple sharing a seafood dish or a group of business people having a lunch meeting….
The 6 x 12 meter infinity pool in the garden of Villa Roccaverano is a constant source of amazement. It’s location in the garden – on top of a hill right under the changing skies and with the deep Bormida valley along one side – makes up the perfect conditions for one beautiful scenery after another. See the images below, and note the incredible difference.
Piedmont offers a long range of food specialities, and one of them is hazelnuts. The ‘Nocciola Piemonte I.G.P.’ are known as the best hazelnuts in the world, and are primarily grown in the the provinces of Langhe, Cuneo, Asti and Alessandria. The history of hazelnut cultivation has developed along with the evolution of the confectionary industry in Piedmont, and the nuts are primarily used by various chocolate manufacturers in the…
“Cheese” is a free event held in the streets and squares of Bra’s historic center. Here you will find the Market with thematic spaces like the Slow Food stand, the Literary Café and the Biodiversity House. The event also offers a variety of entertainment and education activities. There is a cost for the following activities: tastings in the Great Hall of Cheese and Enoteca,Taste Workshops, Dinner Dates and Master of Food courses.Read more about the…
Watch this absolutely wonderful and very inspirational BBC film about Piemonte and get ready to fall in love!
Many of the traditional stone houses – or cascine – in Piemonte were built 200 – 300 years ago. In the 50ties and 60ties the traditional Piemontese stonehouse went out of fashion, as building in stone was associated with poverty. New houses would now be built in bricks and many people chose to plaster over their old stone walls. As a result, the craftsmen of the region started to lose…
Wine, wine, wine! It’s everywhere in Piedmont. And there are numerous vineyards and Enotecas, where you can see the production of wine and buy the characteristic wines of the region. For 10 days in September, the national wine exhibition Douja d’Or is held in Asti. The festival offers visitors the possibility to try a wide range of high quality, prize-winning wines from all over Italy – as well as from…
Roccaverano is a very small village but it offers all the essentials for living the good life in Piemonte: an alimentare (grocery shop) with local cheeses, wine, sausages and vegetables and of course a bar and a restaurant on the village square. The bar and restaurant is run by a local family and all the staff are locals or relatives – even the young teenage son will be helping out…