Piedmont Walking & Wine

Italy is of course well known for its world-class wines and mouthwatering cuisine, but there are still regions that remain relatively undiscovered, and Piedmont is one of them!

If you want to experience a more authentic and quieter area of Italy then this is the tour for you. Also if you are hoping to escape to Italy for a summer walking holiday then unlike a lot of the country, the temperatures here are less hot and make for a pleasant summer walking experience. There's a mix of 'easy to moderate' to 'moderate' walks following routes through this beautiful and quiet wine region, staying in hand-picked accommodation in historical and very appealing towns.

Piedmont in Northern Italy is renowned for its food including truffles, wine, and highly rated gastronomic restaurants.

The walking distances are manageable with the longest walk being 18 km (11 mi), which is an optional loop walk that could be skipped if desired. there are two optional loop walks on this holiday, giving you the freedom to explore as much or as little as you choose. You may decide to skip a walk and simply relax with a glass of Barolo and watch the world go by. The average walking distance is 13 km (8 mi) per day and there are regular elevation gains and losses throughout, but most are below 600 m ascent/descent. During the walks, you visit historic villages that are often perched on a hilltop, which results in a short ascent before being rewarded with great views. This tour is perfect for anyone who walks regularly and wants to explore at their own pace. It’s best ahead of time to do some practice walks including ascents and descents like those you will experience on the trip whilst carrying your day bag.

If time allows, you might like to consider adding an extra night in Alba at the start of your holiday. The walk on day 3 is the longest of the included walks, so depending on your pace you may not get loads of time in Roddi or Barolo to fully explore and visit the museums here. It's possible to get a bus (https://www.gtt.to.it/cms/) from Alba to Gallo taking about 6 minutes and then it's around a 25-minute walk to central Roddi from there. Alternatively, you could jump in a taxi to Roddi. The same bus company also has a route from Alba to Barolo taking around 25 minutes.

Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.

Multi Centre Walking | With a mix of loop and point-to-point walks stay 2 or 3 nights in one place which offers the chance to slow down and really explore a destination.

Solo Travellers, Families with Teens

The minimum age for this tour is: 5 Years

This trip is rated ‘moderate’ overall with daily distances ranging between 9 - 18 km (6 - 11 mi). The walks on the trip start as easy on day 2, then easy to moderate on days 3, and then moderate on days 4-7. The longest and most challenging of the walks is on day 5 (18 km/11 mi), but this is an optional walk, so if desired you can spend the day relaxing, doing local sightseeing or perhaps visiting a vineyard for a wine tasting, instead of walking. There are regular elevation gains and losses (but few greater than 600m). You should be in good physical fitness to fully enjoy the walking on this tour. Most of the route follows either paved paths, vineyard dirt trails, tractor trails, and some short sections on quiet rural roads or trails through the countryside and woodland.

Stay in charming small hotels, guesthouses and agriturismos. We carefully select small and friendly accommodation that offers great value, so you enjoy every minute. All ae located in glorious settings, be it a town, a hamlet, or rolling countryside. Some accommodation is a little more simple due to their location in the heart of the wine country, although you are always guaranteed an authentic experience and a very good night’s sleep. Due to availability challenges, we can’t always secure our preferred accommodation options, however, we will always book you in accommodation of a similar standard.

This trip is based on double occupancy (two people sharing one bed in one room). If you would like to request a twin room (same room with two separate beds), please notify us at the time of booking so we can request this option.

Many of our walkers choose to add extra nights along the walk to sample more of the wonderful walking and attractions available in Piedmont. If time allows, then we would recommend adding an additional night t the beginning of the tour in Alba, to further explore and relax.

This trip is available to solo walkers, although there is a supplement due to the fact that some of the costs (such as transfers) are not shared. Single rooms are available on request and a supplement is payable.

Breakfast will be provided by your accommodation each morning and usually consists of a traditional European style breakfast ranging from coffee, tea, yoghurt, granola, cold meats, cheese, and of course, typically for Italy; baked goods such as pastries.

The food and wine of this region are definitely one of the highlights for many visitors. Piedmont has a great gastronomic reputation and we recommend finding cafés or restaurants located in the towns, or along the walking route. For that reason lunch and dinner are not included, so you are free to choose from the available options.

One of the typical things you will find is Italian ‘cantinas’ which are local, often family-run, wine cellars where you can sample the fantastic regional wine with some light snacks (often charcuterie).

Lunches and dinners are not included in this trip. We recommend finding cafés or restaurants located in the towns or along the walking route, or to purchase snacks and a picnic lunch to bring along on the walks from local supermarkets and markets. Alternatively, most accommodations will be happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or nearby restaurants. Further details can be found within your information pack and the Macs Adventure Smartphone App.

The route is well-maintained and partially waymarked. At times navigation in the vineyards can be more difficult so you will have to remain vigilant when there are no waymarkers. We provide the Macs Adventure Smartphone App making it simple to follow the route using a smartphone. Rest assured that by downloading the route maps in our app, that this will continue to work even in areas without any mobile or internet reception. For extra reassurance there are turn-by-turn route notes within the app too for the majority of walks.

You can start this walking tour anytime between April and October.

The busiest months of the season are May, September and October and accommodation fills up fast at this time as there are a limited number of suitable places to stay in each of the small towns and villages visited. 

The springs months of April, May and June offer warm sunshine, and pleasant walking conditions. May is when most wildflowers are coming into bloom. The autumn months of September and October are also a favourable time of year, boasting cooler weather and a striking landscape made up of autumnal colours. In October there are usually various festivals, as this is the white truffle season. July and August is the warmest time of year, but unlike many parts of Italy, the temperatures for walking are still pleasant (mid 20’s). You may still need to start early to miss the heat of the day on hotter days and carry a lot of water (additional weight) with you. The towns and villages are buzzing at this time of year which is great to see.

You can get to Alba by flying into Turin Airport, taking the bus into the city (45-50 minutes). Buses run daily every 15 - 30 minutes and go to the main train stations in Turin of Torino Porta Nuova and Torino Porta Susa. Most direct trains normally depart from Torrino Porta Susa to Alba (taking around 1 hour 25). If you prefer to be transferred from the airport to Alba by private transfer we can also organise this for you. Please let us know at the time of booking, additional costs apply. Turin Airport is served by many airlines such as Easyjet, KLM, Ryanair, British Airways and Jet2.

It is also possible to fly into Milan Linate Airport, taking a bus line 73 (or a taxi) into the city (25 minutes). Then a train from Milano Porta Garibaldi to Alba via Turin (taking around 2 hours 30 to 3 hours). This airport is served by many airlines such as Easyjet, KLM, American Airlines, British Airways, Delta Airlines, and Jet2.

For more information on the trains in Italy, timetables and fares, please check the Trenitalia website.

A transfer from your accommodation to Alba Train Station is included (45 minutes). From Alba you can return the same way you came. By either taking a direct train to Turin, then a local bus ride (or taxi ride) to Turin Airport. Alternatively, take a train from Turin to Milan, then a local bus (or taxi ride) to Milan Linate Airport. See the 'Getting to the Start' section for further information.

For more information on the trains in Italy, timetables and fares, please check the Trenitalia website.

One bag of up to 20kg per person will be transferred from each accommodation to the next.

At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase.  Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person.  It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.