Piedmont Walking & Wine

Tour Type:

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.

Activity:

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.

Activity Level & Terrain

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 4, and then moderate on days 5-7. The longest and most challenging of the walks is on day 5 (18kms/11mi), 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 doing this walk. There are regular elevation gains and losses (but few greater than 400m). 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.

Navigation

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.

• Accommodation in en suite rooms in charming hotels, guesthouses and agriturismos on a twin share basis
• Daily breakfasts
• Door to door baggage transfers as per your itinerary
• Transfers as per your itinerary
• Access to maps, GPX tracks and daily route information with the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
• All your trip documents including a detailed information pack provided digitally through your online Macs “My Account”
• Telephone support from our offices and local partners in the event of a problem

• Travel insurance (required) and personal equipment
• Travel to/from Alba
• Lunches, dinners, drinks, and snacks
• Public transport (e.g train fares)
• Tourist taxes (charged locally at hotels)
• Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage

• Additional nights before, during or after the walk
• Private transfers to the start and from the end points of the tour

When To Go

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

Peak Season Availability

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. 

Time of Year

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.

Getting to the Start

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.

Getting from the End

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.

Luggage Transfer

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.

General Information

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

Equipment

The tour information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes, and a day pack.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.