Tourist Italy mainly consists of cities and towns. There are beaches and lakes, of course, but close your eyes and conjure up an image of an Italian tourist destination, and I bet that it will be the image of a historic town: Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Naples – urban destinations are also Italy’s Big Beasts on the International Market, with each of these Big Five accounting for at least 10 million overnight visitors every year.
Compare this urban vision of Italy to the tourist versions of other countries: Germany, for example – where your imagination will serve you the Black Forest, hilltop castles in the valley of the Rhine, the Alps. You have to dig deep before a city other than Berlin pops up. (Hamburg? Cologne? Frankfurt?)
There is only one Italian landscape that has managed to embed itself in the world’s consciousness to acquire a similarly iconic status, and that is Tuscany.
But on our trip to Alba, we discovered an Italian landscape that can rival Tuscany for its beauty – one which is quite similar, consisting mainly of vineyards and gently rolling hills but has been designed in a slightly different scheme of colours: this is the region called the Langhe.
The Langhe is what you might call Unknown Italy – if there were such thing, that is, whereas in fact, of course, you can “discover” it only in the way that people discover the works of a generally-forgotten-but-still-highly-rated writer (say: Matthew Arnold).
So let us say that the Langhe is Under-appreciated Italy – although even that is a bit of a stretch, since the UNESCO appreciated it sufficiently to bestow its World Heritage Status upon it.
This is what the UNESCO says on its website: “The vineyard landscapes of the Langhe region in Piedmont offer panoramas of carefully cultivated hillsides, … punctuated with buildings that lend structure to the visual space: hilltop villages, castles, …
… Romanesque churches, farms, …
… cellars and warehouses for storing and for the commercial distribution of the fine wines on the margins of the vineyards.”
Today, we are going to tell you how can experience all of that in a single walk – and enjoy some surprises that the Langhe throws in as extras just to keep you amused.
Our pick from the list of Sentieri Albesi trails – the Sentiero del Comandante – begins in Alba and loops you back there as well. It starts, however, about 5 km outside of the town centre.
In principle, 5 km suggest a walkable distance, but – my first tip for those of you who want to follow our route – do not try to reach the trailhead on foot. The decision of slogging up to the trailhead – a long schlep through an array of unattractive landscape and cityscape features – nearly cost me my marriage. (I exaggerate, but only slightly.)
It is far more convenient to take some form of public transport: line no. 2 buses leave hourly in the direction of Castiglione Falletto from Piazza Garibaldi in the town centre of Alba. Descend at the stop called Corso Barolo and then turn left after another 100 metres or so – for your first impression of the serene landscape of the Langhe.
And your first hint that the region has more to offer than its wines – the local hazelnuts have their own Nocciola Piedmonte designation which is considered one of the finest in Western Europe.
Continue on the winding road uphill until you reach the first highlight of the trail.
This is the Ceretto winery, and my second tip is: do not just walk by. Go to the gate of the main building and ring the bell. Someone will come to pick you up and lead you to the administration & distribution centre of an operation that includes 4 vineyards across the region.
On the premises, you can taste and purchase local Barolo and Barbaresco fine wines (prices start at 20 Euros and go quite a long way up from there). Having a look around their shop, however, is for free, and on your way out, you can cast a glance into their cellars.
Leave through the main gate and turn left, walking around the building, to continue the trail on land that is still part of the vineyard. You will be able to enjoy scenic views …
… and learn some more things about the region. We have already seen one or two hazelnut plantations (and will spot more along the way a little later) and now get an introduction to the third member of Southern Piedmonte’s Trinity of Culinary Delights: the white truffle.
The trail passes by what is described as one of the most productive truffle fields in the area. Although you must be more than a little lucky to spot one of the high-priced tubers yourself. (Unless you are a trained dog and have been bred to develop a nose for them.)
Soon after, you will pass the Casa dell’Artista, an ancient farmhouse with views over the area’s vineyards. The Casa was converted (in 2010) into a guest house for artists who are invited to follow the times and the calendar of the wine-growing season.
Over the years, the former farm has welcomed some of the world’s most famous artists such as Marina Abramovic, Werner Herzog, and Anselm Kiefer who designed a four-poster bed for the house. Francesco Clemente, another house guest, created a work for the Piazza Duomo restaurant in Alba, the first three-star eatery in Piedmonte, which is also part of the Ceretto Group of local enterprises.
As I said: the Langhe has more to offer than its fine wines. And this is my third and final tip for the day: keep your eyes open for the odd detail by the side of the trail. The Langhe region is full of surprises – which is not the least of its charms.
