1. Northern Italy: Alba and the Langhe Hills, walking in Piedmont

This is a Grade 4 walk.  The trails are well-marked and generally follow unsealed country lanes over rolling hills often through vineyards and orchards. There are the occasional rougher sections and some asphalt walking into and out of the larger towns.  The walks on Day 5 is 17 kms and on Day 6 is 19 km, which will take around 5 hours walking.  With notice, both walks can be shortened.  Full details on each walk are on the itinerary.  Click here.

The self-guided itineraries are rewalked and the notes updated each year.

Alba and the Langhe have a long history of hospitality and offer a range of very comfortable and welcoming accommodation.  During the walk you will stay in a variety of accommodation including 4-star hotels (in Alba on Days 1 and 7 and on Day 5); an ex-castle/vineyard which once belonged to the king of Italy (Day 2); a lovely small hotel in the heart of the prettiest village in the district (Day 6) and an agriturismo outside a small hilltop village, which has a pool and an excellent restaurant  (Day 4).  All the accommodation has ensuite services.

Alba and the Langhe is one of Italy’s gastronomic and wine capitals so you will eat and drink very well during this tour (just as well there are some long walks!).  According to Pliny the Elder and Strabo, this area was producing fine wines in Roman times.  It’s modern manifestation started in the mid-1800s with the introduction of production techniques from nearby France.  Big, bold Barolo, the flagship wine, is recognised as one of the finest reds in Europe. 

The area is also famous for its food:  the white truffles; cheeses like toma and castelmagno; Carru beef and traditional dishes such as agnolotti (local ravioli); tajarin (‘angel hair’ pasta usually served with truffles or porcini mushrooms); bagna caoda (boiled meats); vitello tonnato; brasato al Barolo (beef stewed in Barolo); coniglio con pepperoni (rabbit slow cooked in white wine with bell peppers) and bonet (a rich chocolate pudding).

Generous breakfasts are included each day (you'll need them for your walks).  Hidden Italy will provide you with a curated list with descriptions and locations of three to four restaurants for each town/village you visit (from fancy to more relaxed).  This information will be on the Hidden Italy walking App and you will be able to book your meals directly through the App.

To guide you through this wonderful walk, you will receive:  the Hidden Italy roadbook (an eighty-page A5 booklet that includes comprehensive daily walking notes accompanied by detailed maps, updated and revised each year):  access to the exclusive Hidden Italy App to complement the roadbook (the App is downloadable to Apple and Android devices and features information about the routes: maps, GPS tracks, altimetric profiles, etc; GPS navigation on all the routes; an alert function if you stray off the track; and an emergency function);  twenty-four-hour phone support from our Florence-based Operations Manager.