Italy is one country with multiple countries inside. Piemonte is certainly a hidden gem with legendary red wines, cafe culture, medieval towns, and mountain ranges. Melted&Moved offers itineraries for the Piemonte region for clients who are typically repeat visitors to Italy or prefer a less touristic experience.

Journey in Piemonte, walking through beautiful Torino.  

The first capital of Italy, the Baroque architecture and elegant buildings commissioned by the Savoy royal family are enchanting. Lesser known to English speaking tourist, but this just adds to the magic.  Producing some of the world’s best wine and a chocolate shop on just about every corner.  

The Savoy Royal Family was responsible for the 17^th and 18^th century palaces and buildings you’ll find along the many piazzas. Only one family in power so you can see all buildings are rather symmetrical since they stuck with a style they liked.

Piazza’s not to miss: Piazza Castello,  San Carlo (living room of Torino), & Carignano

Cafe Culture

We can learn a lot about a city from its history when visiting cathedrals and museums, but equally important is the cafe culture. 

The locals embrace the chance to stop for a coffee in one of the many piazza’s each time they walk through, even if that’s 10+ times in a day.  Italians love of coffee is world renown, but Torino may be one of the best places in Italy to get your caffeine fix.  

We rested and refuel at Baratti & Milano.  This cafe remains a venue of choice for Torino’s intellectual and artistic crowd.  I had to taste Torino’s signature drink, bicerin.  Made with layers of espresso, chocolate, and cream.  It’s the perfect pick me up for a cool autumn day.  ? 

Tip: do not mix, supposed to drink in layers

Did you know? Lavazza started in Torino and the headquarters in still in the city. Originally a grocery store but still family owned today.

A private dinner in the home restaurant of Chef Luca. 

A Michelin star Chef who works closely with local farmers to seek out the finest regional produce.  This 18th century building has exposed beam ceilings, warm lighting, and was the perfect set up to enjoy top cuisine in a relaxed setting.  

This is one of the many experiences I can offer that you cannot google. If you’d like to set up a dinner party for a group or romantic evening as a couple, we can design the menu to your preferences.  

Go to my contact page to inquire about this or other incredible experiences.  

Guido Gobino, Chocolate Factory & Tasting 

About 10 minutes outside of the city center, we visited the factory of Guido Gobino and met the man himself!

I was asked to keep factory tour private but it was a very educational experience. I noticed a machine that sole purpose is to shake the chocolate, since this removes the acidity and you could smell the acid in the air. The chocolate here is still hand tempered and the tour truly makes you appreciate the art and science behind a true chocolatier.

The tour made the tasting that much more sweet, my favorite’s were classic cremino (layer in between) and gianduja (hazelnut chocolate). Added flavors are the highest quality, extracting oil from local hazelnut trees and ordering oranges for the zest from Sicily. 

Hilltop Towns & Truffles

Visit to Neive 

The medieval village of Neive is a quaint hilltop village with a rich history.  I spent the day wandering the cobblestone streets and stopping in local spots for a glass of wine. 

Located within what’s considered the land of four wines, Barbaresco, Barbera, Dolcetto d’Alba and Moscato d’Asti. 

The beauty of this town plus lack of crowds is what makes this town a Piemontese jewel. 

White Truffle Festival and Sensory Analysis 

One of the rarest and most expensive foods on the planet, the white truffle is showcased at this world-famous and highly-anticipated event. Cooking shows, wine, and the chance to buy your very own truffle. Hosted in Alba every Autumn. 

Ready to go?  Already booking up for next year. While this region is not well known for International travelers, it’s very popular amongst the locals and neighboring countries.

After my truffle lesson and visit to the fair, I stopped into the city center in Alba to try it myself.

Look what Dori found!!

We met a local trifolao (truffle hunter) and taboj (truffle dog) on an early morning hunt. Dori has been expertly trained and we followed her through the hazelnut trees until she started digging up gold.  She did such a good job, we found a black and a white truffle. Some tiny truffles as well, too small to sell but they use them to train the pups.  

Truffle hunting tends to be a family business with secrets passed down, I can’t wait to send clients to these expert guides. They made us feel like part of the family. 

My absolute favorite part of the trip so far, and truly #offthebeatenpath 

Wine Time: Barrell Tasting in the Aging Room

I was able to try wine directly from the French Oak Barrels in order of aging.  You could tell the flavor components were highly tannic with a separation in flavor when the wine was still a year away from being bottled. The wine that was to be bottled in the next three months had a blended flavor. It was a great experiences to see the way the same wine can change with proper aging. 

Giovanni Rosso wine can be found all over the globe on the shelves of most exclusive wine merchants. Family-run, dating back to the XIX century. 

Where to Stay

I Checked into a charming 18th century farmhouse with oak beams and painted walls that took the owners 20 years to complete.  It’s very welcoming and each room is unique with a garden and pool view. 

With just 7 rooms, this is the perfect luxury boutique property for a family or group to buyout for their stay. Wonderfully resorted with a sauna, wine cellar, and tranquil setting. 

Straight out of a fairytale ? isn’t it dreamy?!