Food and Wine Travel
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Italy — Piedmont & Emilia Romagna
Where truffle-scented vineyards meet centuries of culinary tradition
Duration
8 Days / 9 Nights
Travel Style
Private
Starting In
Milan
Ending In
Bologna
Departures
On request
Reference
ITMXPIPFW
Italy — Piedmont & Emilia Romagna
Where truffle-scented vineyards meet centuries of culinary tradition
Duration
8 Days / 9 Nights
Travel Style
Private
Starting In
Milan
Ending In
Bologna
Departures
On request
Italy, Piedmont & Emilia Romagna - Food & Wine Sampler — 8 Days / 9 Nights
Overview
Experience the soul of Italian food and wine in two of Italy's most celebrated regions. Begin in Piedmont's Langhe, where ancient vineyards roll across hillsides and truffles emerge from the forest floor. Explore historic Alba, visit family-owned wineries, and hunt for truffles with a trained dog before crafting Piedmontese dishes in a traditional kitchen.
From there, travel to Bologna and Emilia Romagna — heartland of Italian gastronomy. Discover the meticulous craft behind Parmigiano Reggiano, traditional balsamic vinegar and celebrated cured meats. Walk Bologna's historic centre with an expert guide, sampling regional delicacies and visiting the iconic Ferrari Museum.
This eight-night journey balances wine education with culinary immersion, offering privileged access to family producers, artisan makers and the landscapes that define these two extraordinary regions. It's a journey for those who believe that the best way to understand Italy is through its food and wine.
Trip Highlights
Day by Day
Upon arrival at Milan Malpensa airport, a private transfer takes you south into the rolling vineyards of Piedmont. Settle into your accommodation in the heart of the Langhe, a landscape sculpted by centuries of winemaking. Rest of the day at leisure.
Private transfer from Milan MXP
Meet your driver at Milan Malpensa airport and travel south through the Piedmont countryside to your accommodation in the Langhe region.
Arrive UVE Rooms and Wine
Check in to your 4-star accommodation in the Langhe. The remainder of the day is at your leisure. (-)
Discover Alba, once the Roman settlement of Alba Pompeia, a layered palimpsest of history resting atop ancient cities. A guided exploration reveals fragments of walls, paved roads and hidden structures that recite millennia of history through the F. Eusebio Museum and the Monumental Archaeological Route — a network of subterranean passages. Rest of the day at leisure.
Guided walking tour of Alba
Explore the historic centre of Alba, where each era of occupation has left its imprint on the landscape and architecture.
F. Eusebio Museum & Archaeological Route
Walk the Monumental Archaeological Route, a network of subterranean passages that brings ancient structures to light — the heritage underpinning Alba today. (B)
Your day begins on the road, where the landscape slowly shows itself through curves lined with vineyards and quiet hilltop villages. Visit a family-owned winery, moving from cellar to tasting room to compare vintages, followed by a traditional lunch at the winery itself. From there, the horizon opens — La Morra appears perched above the hills, offering one of the most expansive views in the region. Later, visit an historical Barolo winery for a guided tour and tasting with regional wines explained through lived experience rather than technicalities.
Private winery visit & tasting
Explore a family-owned winery with a private experience moving from cellar to tasting room, comparing different vintages over a traditional Piedmont lunch at the property.
La Morra panoramic views
Visit the hilltop village of La Morra, perched above the vineyard landscape offering some of the most expansive views in the Langhe.
Historical Barolo winery
Guided tour and tasting at a historic Barolo winery where winemaking traditions are explored through experience rather than technicalities. (B, L)
Follow the quiet choreography between an expert trifulau and their sharp-nosed tabui as you venture into the woods for a private truffle hunt. Among moss, roots and shifting light, witness the instinctive dialogue between hunter and dog. As the forest yields its hidden treasures, your experience continues in the kitchen, where an accomplished cook guides you through the flavours and techniques of Piedmontese cuisine. Here, truffles become stories, aromas become gestures, and recipes unfold through touch and taste. When everything is ready, sit down to enjoy the dishes you've crafted — a lunch that carries the scent of the woods, the warmth of the kitchen, and the unmistakable character of this land.
Private truffle hunt
Experience the ancient art of truffle hunting with an expert trifulau and trained dog, venturing into the Piedmont forest in search of the region's most prized ingredient.
Hands-on Piedmontese cooking
An accomplished cook guides you through traditional Piedmont techniques and recipes in a rustic kitchen setting. Everything you prepare becomes lunch. (B, L)
After breakfast and check-out, travel by private transfer to the train station and board a high-speed train to Bologna. Upon arrival, a private transfer takes you to your accommodation in the city centre. Rest of the day at leisure.
Private transfer to train station
Depart the Langhe region for the high-speed rail journey to Bologna.
High-speed train to Bologna
Travel by rail through the Italian landscape, arriving in Bologna mid-afternoon.
Arrive Corona d'Oro
Check in to your 4-star hotel in Bologna's city centre. The remainder of the day is at your leisure. (B)
Home to the oldest university in the Western world, Bologna carries a cultural pulse forged over centuries of ideas and reinventions. A guided walk takes you through defining landmarks: the imposing Neptune Fountain, the medieval towers, and the immense Basilica of San Petronio. The experience follows the thread of taste, stopping to sample regional specialties and delving into the culinary traditions that have made Bologna a touchstone of Italian gastronomy — from balsamic heritage to local delicacies rooted in long-standing craft and pride.
Guided walking tour of Bologna
Explore the historic centre with an expert guide, visiting the Neptune Fountain, medieval towers, and Basilica of San Petronio.
Regional sampling & culinary traditions
Stop along the route to sample local specialties and learn the stories behind Bologna's celebrated gastronomy. (B)
Discover one of the region's true culinary cornerstones with a visit to a Parmigiano Reggiano farm. Walk through the spaces where this iconic cheese begins its long journey, observing each stage of its meticulous production. The experience culminates in a guided tasting of Parmigiano Reggiano aged to different depths. Then explore Emilia Romagna's most distinctive flavours: a traditional balsamic vinegar producer where the slow evolution of must in wooden barrels gives rise to one of the region's most prized creations, and a renowned salumi factory offering an insider's view of the methods that shape Emilia's celebrated cured meats. The experience comes together over an authentic Emilian lunch, where local specialties are matched with the very ingredients you've just discovered.
Parmigiano Reggiano farm
Walk through the spaces where this iconic cheese is made, observing every stage of meticulous production and tasting aged examples. (B, L)
Traditional balsamic vinegar producer
Explore the slow evolution of must in wooden barrels, learning how one of Italy's most prized creations is born.
Salumi factory visit
Gain an insider's view of traditional methods that shape Emilia's celebrated cured meats.
Step into the Ferrari Museum and enter a world where speed, ambition and engineering nerve have forged an unmistakable legacy. In Maranello, the story of the Prancing Horse comes to life through machines that once roared across circuits and roads: razor-sharp Formula 1 icons, daring sports prototypes, elegant GTs, and the road cars that redefined what performance could be. Moving through the galleries feels like tracing the heartbeat of a brand that has always chased the edge of possibility. At the end, the F1 driving simulation lets you slip — just for a moment — into the tension, focus and exhilaration that live at the core of Ferrari's myth.
Ferrari Museum, Maranello
Explore the legendary machines and history of Ferrari, from Formula 1 icons to road cars that redefined performance.
F1 driving simulation
Experience the tension and exhilaration of Formula 1 racing in the museum's state-of-the-art driving simulator. (B)
After breakfast and check-out, a private transfer takes you to Bologna Marconi airport for your return flight. Arrivederci.
Private transfer to Bologna BLQ airport
Depart your hotel and travel to Bologna airport for your return journey. (B)
What's Included
This itinerary can be tailored to suit different travel dates, group sizes, and preferences. Book a free chat to start the conversation.
Trip at a Glance
Accommodation
UVE Rooms and Wine
4 nights
Piedmont (Langhe region)
A 4-star property in the heart of the Langhe wine region, offering wine-themed rooms and direct access to the surrounding vineyard landscape. The accommodation is designed to immerse guests in the region's viticulture and culinary heritage.
Corona d'Oro
4 nights
Bologna city centre
A 4-star hotel in the heart of Bologna's historic centre, ideally positioned for exploring the city's cultural landmarks and culinary traditions. The property is close to major sights and the region's best restaurants.
Good to Know
iSeasonal best time to visit: September to October (truffle season) or May to June (spring wine season). April and November are also pleasant.
iPhysical requirements: The itinerary includes guided walks on cobblestone streets and through vineyards. Comfortable walking shoes are essential.
iDietary requirements: Please advise at time of booking so dietary needs can be communicated to all catering partners.
iLanguage: English-speaking guides are provided for all activities. Some Italian knowledge is helpful but not required.
iTravel insurance: Strongly recommended, including medical, evacuation and trip cancellation cover.
iCurrency & payments: Euros. Credit cards are widely accepted, though small rural establishments may prefer cash.
iGroup size: Typically 2–8 guests for a more intimate experience.