After spending 2 incredible nights in Milan, I met up with several friends at the Linate airport and headed over to Northern Italy for a wedding. We spent most of our time staying in La Morra, but with a car (a must have for this area), you can easily drive short distances to hit other villages in this fabulous region. Of course, the most important things to do while in Piemonte are to eat Italian local fare, drink incredible wines from Alba, Barolo, Barbaresco and more, and be merry! I would highly recommend visiting this area if you are going to Italy and seeking out romance, or else on a small group trip with friends.

Special thanks to @grapesofkath for pointing us in the direction of most of these gems.

Like my other travel maps, you can open the larger map itself to see all the details and locations, but I’ve also written out the text below if you just want a quick roundup.

View larger map

Restaurants:

Ristorante Trattoria Dai Bercau Di Bergamin M. & Cauda G. Snc: A fantastic family-style restaurant located in Verduno, Italy. With a large group, we managed to eat an 8 course menu for 34 Euros per person, excluding drinks. Filled with locals!

Osteria More e Macine: A fantastic small local restaurant in La Morra. Amazing in house gnocchi and specials, written up on a portable blackboard. Simple and stunning Italian favourites, with friendly English-speaking hosts who can recommend beautiful local wines to accommodate your meal.

Timeless: With a beautiful central courtyard, this is a perfect place to enjoy a glass of wine with some antipasti outdoors before heading out for dinner in or around La Morra.

Ristorante Antica Torre: If you’re looking for a simple Italian meal with great food and a beautiful outdoor dining area, make sure to check out this restaurant in Barbaresco. Their tagliatelle with butter and sage was incredible! Head over to Bruno Rocca for a wine tasting before or after, as it’s just down the road!

La Cantinetta de Maurilio e Paolo: If you want to try everything in a real Italian-style meal, and plan on getting as full as possible at the same time, try this great restaurant. Just when you think you’ve had all you can bear, there will be another serving to be had!

Ristorante La Piola: http://www.lapiola-alba.it/it/ The Piazza Duomo in the center of Alba is quite adorable, lined with many restaurants, stylish boutiques and shopping. Ristorante La Piola overlooks the Duomo in the square, and serves delicious local foods and wines (Barolos andd Barbarescos).

Osteria Pizzeria Per Bacco: Sit outside on the terrace and enjoy some of this restaurant’s pizza from their wood-fired oven you can see while dining – make sure to try the truffle one, although they were all good!

Vineria San Giorgio: A little slow in terms of service, but a fun stopover for a single glass of wine or cocktail, if you’re doing a tour through La Morra.

Wineries:

Vietti Srl: An absolutely gorgeous winery with incredible traditional Italian wines that are a must-try in a very historic vineyard! Take a tour and make sure to buy some barolo and arneis at this family-owned and operated gem! Elena Penna Currado is a warm and friendly family member who has incredible memories to share of her life on the vineyard.

Bruno Rocca Winery: A small winery with fantastic barbarescos, take a tour to see how this modern winery is run. Make sure to taste the Lange Rosso Rabajolo DOC! Daughter Luisa Rocca is a darling and made us feel right at home! http://www.brunorocca.it/ Combine this with a visit to Ristorante Antica Torre for lunch or dinner, as it’s just a few minutes away!

Other Sites:

Comune La Morra: The top of the community of La Morra. Next door, you’ll find a beautiful church that you MUST stop in and see while you’re there.

Parrocchia Di San Martino: Beautiful historic church next to the Comune La Morra. Definitely worth a stop inside.

Accommodations:

Corte Gondina Hotel: A beautiful boutique hotel in the hilltop town of La Morra, Piemonte, Corte Gondina has great services, small and beautiful rooms with balconies, and a fantastic salt water swimming pool. Only a 2 minute walk into the main area of La Morra.

Palas Cerequio: A stunning oasis of a hotel with incredibly friendly service, both rustic and modern style rooms. High end and incredible views overlooking the hillsides of Peimonte’s fabulous wineries.