The Langhe: One of the World's Greatest Wine Landscapes
Just outside Turin lies one of the most beautiful and astonishing wine-making regions in the world. The Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato is the official name of a UNESCO World Heritage Site — awarded the designation in 2014 and celebrated as Italy's 50th UNESCO site — comprising six distinct wine-growing areas with outstanding landscapes, including the historic Castle of Grinzane Cavour, in the region of Piedmont, Italy.
What makes the Langhe so extraordinary is not just the wine, but the landscape itself. Rolling hills, their name said to derive from a Celtic word meaning "tongues of land", cascade in every direction, draped in orderly rows of vines that turn gold and amber in autumn and vivid green in spring and summer. Between them sit ancient farmhouses, centuries-old wine cellars carved directly into the earth, and medieval villages crowned with towers and castles. This is a place where, as UNESCO itself has described it, humanity's interaction with the natural environment has produced something of universal, outstanding value.
The Langhe is divided into several distinct areas, each with its own identity. The Langa del Barolo and the hills of Barbaresco are arguably the most celebrated: it is here that the Nebbiolo grape, notoriously difficult to grow anywhere else in the world, with roughly 80% of all Nebbiolo vineyards on earth concentrated in the Langhe, produces two of Italy's most revered wines. Barolo, long dubbed "the king of wines and the wine of kings," and Barbaresco, its elegant counterpart, are wines that rival the finest bottles from Burgundy and Bordeaux. A glass of aged Barolo, with its aromas of rose petals, tar, ripe cherries, and earthy truffle, is not merely a drink — it is an encounter with centuries of winemaking tradition.
But the Langhe is far more than wine. The towns and villages scattered across these hills are among the most charming in all of Italy. Alba, the main city of the area, is a pedestrian-friendly medieval gem — home to the world-famous International White Truffle Fair, held every October and November. The white truffle (tartufo bianco), hunted by trained dogs in the surrounding countryside, is one of the most prized gastronomic ingredients in the world, and Alba is its undisputed capital. Beyond Alba, the medieval village of Barbaresco rises dramatically above the Tanaro River, while Barolo, Serralunga d'Alba, and Monforte d'Alba each offer stunning views, historic cellars open for tasting, and the particular, unhurried pace of life that the Langhe seems to insist upon. Country roads here are narrow and winding by design: this is a place built not for passing through, but for slowing down.
Whether you are a wine enthusiast, a lover of medieval history, a food traveller, or simply someone looking for an authentic Italian experience far from the well-worn tourist routes, the Langhe will not disappoint.
Arriving from Turin
Easily reachable in roughly one hour from Turin by car, it is one of the most rewarding day trips or weekend escapes from the Piedmontese capital, Turin, and, for many visitors, the unexpected highlight of their entire journey to Italy.
Le Marne Relais
A great option for relaxation when traveling as a couple, or with friends, in this region of Italy, is definitely a relais. Although this last word historically referred to a posting station where travelers could rest and swap tired horses for fresh ones, today a relais is typically considered to be a charming, often high-end hotel or country inn.
After checking through different traveller websites such as Hilton Honors and Booking, we ended up at Le Marne Relais, a pleasant relais overlooking the marvelous rolling hills of the Langhe. To arrive at the relais, we drove through numerous small towns and on some of the craziest roads I have ever driven on. It reminded me of those small roads on the smallest islands. So, in other words, having a big car is not ideal. However, the views involved were breathtaking, to say the least.
On arrival, we entered a massive gate which led us to the canteen of the relais, where red and white wine was produced, which we managed to get a taste of. After that, we drove to the reserved parking and completed the check-in procedures.
Our room was extremely large! Probably larger than the student house I rented in Turin to attend my university. In this relais, every room takes on the name of a poet, whose poem is used to describe the interior design of the room. In our case, we had the pleasure of residing in the "Non possiamo saperlo" suite, inspired by Natalia Ginzburg. You can take a look at it through the relais's website: (our room).
Le Marne Relais offers a wide variety of amenities which come in really handy if your goal is to relax and enjoy a weekend off as a couple. The relais offers a full spa with massage rooms, relaxation areas, as well as a 25-meter pool, a jacuzzi, a cold-plunge, and a sauna.
This establishment also offers a wide variety of activities which one can enjoy outside, along with astonishing views and sips of red Mura Mura wine produced by them. These activities include: bicycle tracks, wine tasting, and canteen viewings.
During the late evening of our stay, we decided to enjoy an aperitif on the terrace overlooking the marvelous rolling hills of the Langhe region.
Overall, our stay was an enjoyable one. However, we did end up having a few issues which did ultimately change my opinion about this place. Hence, I will most definitely be looking elsewhere next time. Hoping they solve the issues we raised to management, I hope they will go back to becoming one of those places I will highly recommend to anybody who asks me about my experience in the Langhe. My review of Le Marne Relais is available to read through the following link on Google Maps.
Dinner in Agliano Terme
On the first night of our stay, we decided to hop into our car and proceed to a neighboring town called Agliano Terme, where our relais had booked us a restaurant for the night.
Due to a very high influx of people in this region of Italy during the weekends, reserving a place in almost any restaurant is close to impossible. It is for this reason that I would advise everyone to book their activities in advance when traveling close to a weekend in this region of Italy. Especially when it comes to meals, as there are really no alternatives unless you are okay with driving an hour towards the closest city.
It is also very important to stress that having access to a car is of utmost importance. The restaurant we visited is located in this small town called Agliano Terme, and is called Al Gatto Verde. We ended up eating some Ravioli del Plin (a typical local fresh egg-pasta dish) and an Orecchia di Elefante (a delicious cut of meat which is deep fried and typical of the region of Lombardy). Paired with some red Mura Mura wine, the overall cost of the dinner was much lower than our expectations, underscoring the amazing experience we had at this restaurant.
