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StayCation — Piemonte

September 27-October 7, 2022

Tucked into the northwest corner of Italy, Piemonte is one of the most prosperous and less visited regions in Italy. Castle-topped hill towns will delight you with stunning view of farms, fields and vineyards and the magnificent mountains that surround much of the area (pied=foot and monte=mountain) will beckon to you to gaze at their natural beauty and visit hidden sanctuaries. During our week together we will enjoy walks in the countryside, visit a cheese farm, enjoy some local wineries, exquisite food, visit the largest elliptical cupola in the world at the Sanctuary of Vicoforte and delve into the rich history of the region. The home base for our tour will be the lively and liveable city of Cuneo.

Why Cuneo?  This city is lovely, comfortable, not at all touristy, has great food and one of the largest weekly markets in northern Italy.  Cuneo also has about 8 Km of porticoed streets and lively pedestrian zone which makes it a great place to stay rain or shine to experience la dolce vita.

More lunches than dinners…working a marvellous lunch into a fun filled day is an important part of Italian culture, especially while on vacation or on weekends.  It also gives your body more time to digest and sleep better which makes for a happy holiday. By including more typical lunches than dinners you can decide whether you simply want a light meal or to wine and dine in the evening too.  Cuneo, has many bars where apericenas (drinks plus light food) are all the rage.  

We have enjoyed our small groups so much that we will continue to keep numbers low and personal attention high. This tour is very boutique and will have a maximum of 10 guests.

If you would like to book this tour just for your own group of friends or family (minimum 6 people), we can offer a private tour with different dates to suit your travel needs.

Tour Guide: Lisa Anderson

Sign up for the September tour by clicking the Book Now button


Day One

Overnight: Turin

Welcome to Piemonte

Upon arrival at our hotel in Turin we will gather our small group for an introduction of this tour with an Aperitivo and a quick walking tour of our neighborhood.


Day Two

Overnight: Turin

An Elegant Introduction

After breakfast we will start our day with a guided walking tour of this magnificent city stopping to sample the chocolate and coffee it’s famous for, followed by a visit to Turin’s impressive Palazzo Reale. This afternoon you will be free to explore the many shops and museums at your own pace before meeting up again this evening for a Piemontese feast.


Day Three

Overnight: Turin

Cars and Cinema

The Fiat Automobile company was founded in Torino and opened its first manufacturing facility in 1899. This morning will visit the Museo dell’Automobile and explore the evolution of cars in this magnificent city. After visiting the museum, we will wander over to the original Eataly where you will be free to explore and find lunch before we make our way to the National Museum of Cinema where you can spend as much time as you like exploring the museum. Free evening and dinner on your own


Day Four

Overnight: Cuneo

Royal Treatment

We pack our bags and will depart on a private bus for Cuneo with a stop on the way to the beautifully restored Veneria Reale, one of the Savoy family hunting palaces where we’ll have a guided tour of the museum and a walk in its extensive garden. Lunch will be on your own before we depart for Cuneo and get checked in to what will be your home for the next 7 days as we explore the region. We’ll have a quick orientation walk on arrival and dine together in a local trattoria..


Day Five

Overnight: Cuneo

Market Day

Market Day in Cuneo (Tuesday or Friday). Morning with a local guide to learn more about the town of Cuneo and enjoy the many flavors that the market has to offer. You’ll have free time to explore the market on your own and we will end our day with a visit to a cioccolateria to learn about the Cuneese al Rhum chocolates that the city is known for.


Day Six

Overnight: Cuneo

Wine Country and Castles

Wonderful walks, food, and wine. After breakfast, board our private bus and head towards the Langhe, home to some of the most influential wineries in Italy. After a morning walk with splendid views, enjoy a multi-course lunch in a medieval castle followed by a visit to a grappa distillery and learn to appreciate the many nuances of this digestive liquor. Arrive back in Cuneo in the evening where you can explore more or relax as you like.


Day Seven

Overnight: Cuneo

Folk Culture and cheese

Cheese, and Pinocchio. Today will include a tour of a local caseificio (cheese farm) where we will meet the cows and learn why the cheese in Piemonte is so delicious. We will also visit the mountain town of Vernante for a visual journey of Pinocchio through the towns many murals.


Day Eight

Overnight: Cuneo

Truffle hunt, slow food and wine

Truffles, wine, and a tasting lunch. Another great gastronomic experience today as we once again head to the Langhe for a truffle hunting experience, lunch in a local trattoria, and a visit to a local winery to explore the complexities of the Nebbiolo grape.


Day Nine

Overnight: Cuneo

Sanctuary, Comfort Food and Mountain air

Outstanding architecture is on our agenda today as we visit the largest elliptical dome in the world at the Sanctuary of Vicoforte. After our morning tour, lunch will be in one of your guides favorite trattorias; the place she goes to celebrate birthdays and baptisms and sometimes just because. After lunch head into the mountains for a walk in the woods and visit a partisan cemetery before heading back to Cuneo for a free evening.


Day Ten

Overnight: Cuneo

Trust Me

A day to play, one day of our tour will be given to whimsy and can really fall anytime during the last week of our tour depending on what’s happening in the area. It might be a local fair or a charming town…whatever it is will be fun!

Tour Dates: September 13th – 20th, 2021

Price: $3550 (Air not included). Single Supplement is $600. We welcome singles and can try to pair you with another single to room with, but the single supplement will be required if we can’t.

What’s included: 4 dinners and 4 lunches (wine included), 10 nights lodging in a clean, comfortable, and centrally located hotel. Wine tasting in local cantina, tastings of cheese, truffles, chocolate, and locally produced beer and grappa. Locally guided tours of the Sanctuary of Vicoforte and the Racconigi Castle and Park.  Walks in the countryside and mountain (not overly strenuous) Transport and private guide

You can reserve a spot on this tour with a deposit of $600.

Tour begins and ends in Turin/Torino. International airport there is TRN.