Gratis gids 10 verborgen natuurplekken in Europa
Gratis gids 10 verborgen natuurplekken in Europa. Meld je aan voor onze nieuwsbrief en ontvang inspirerende reistips en routes voor je volgende groene reis.
Piedmont
Piedmont literally means “at the foot of the mountain,” and that name fits perfectly. To the west, the Alps rise to over four thousand meters. To the south, the Langhe hills—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—undulate, dotted with vineyards and hazelnut groves. In between lie valleys that most travelers never reach: the Valle Maira, quiet and unspoiled, where Occitan culture is still very much alive.
This is a region for those who want to look beyond Turin and Barolo. Hike the Alta Via del Sale along the ancient Alpine salt route to the Ligurian coast. Go gravel biking through the Langhe in the fall, when the vineyards turn golden and the air smells of truffles. Or simply disappear into a mountain valley that hasn’t yet been discovered by the masses.
Nature Travel Lab explores Piedmont. With accommodations you book direct with the owner, hiking and biking trails for every skill level, and a train journey that takes you from the Netherlands deep into the region.
All about nature in Italy
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The most beautiful regions for nature lovers
South Tyrol
Tuscany
Abruzzo
Piedmont
Valle d'Aosta
Sardinia
Sicily
Umbria
Molise
Le Marche
Veneto
Friuli-Venezia-Giulia
Liguria
Trentino
Puglia
Lake Como
Lake Garda
Lazio
Emilia-Romagna
Campania
Basilicata
Small-scale nature stays Italy
Choose your favorite region and discover our tips for the best small-scale Nature stays with a sustainable focus. You book directly with the owner, so you are guaranteed the lowest price.
Special accommodation in Italian nature
Find unique small-scale Nature stays in Italy. From glamping to luxury boutique hotel and from B&B to vacation home or agriturismo. They are all special and different, but they all have an eye for sustainability.
Our sustainability criteria for overnight stays
Using these sustainability icons, you can easily see in what area an overnight stay is active with its sustainability policy.
Zero footprint
Architecture
sustainable/local construction
Food
organic/local cuisine
Social
family/local runned/social projects
Wellbeing
Sauna/yoga/wellness/treatments
Surroundings
Environment/recycling
Choose your region
Sicily
Tuscany
Valle d’Aosta
Piedmont
Basilicata
Puglia
Campania
Veneto
Lombardy
Lombardy
Lake Garda
South Tyrol
Sardinia
Emilia-Romagna
Umbria
Le Marche
Trentino
Abruzzo
Liguria
Friuli-Venezia-Giulia
Lazio
Nature in Piedmont
Piedmont literally means “at the foot of the mountain,” and that says it all. In addition to its national parks, the region has more than fifty regional parks and nature reserves. Mountain lovers can head to Monte Rosa, Monviso, and the Gran Paradiso National Park—the roof of Italy—which is beautiful in every season.
In the north, Monte Rosa rises as Piedmont’s highest mountain range, with the Dufourspitze at 4,634 meters marking the region’s highest point. In the southwest, the Alps wind their way toward the Mediterranean Sea, where the Alpi Marittime and the Parco del Marguareis have a character all their own: hiking among rolling slopes full of unique flowers, spectacular waterfalls, and steep rock faces reminiscent of the Dolomites, while chamois, wolves, and grouse inhabit the mountains.
In the south, the landscape changes: the rolling Langhe hills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are dotted with vineyards and hazelnut plantations. The forests are home to centuries-old sweet chestnut trees, as well as roe deer, wild boars, and squirrels. Piedmont is the region that effortlessly combines mountains and terroir—and serves up the wine to go with it.
Hiking in Piedmont
Piedmont presents hikers with a pleasant dilemma. In the mountains, the Valle Maira is the absolute highlight if you really want to get away from it all. It’s a valley about 45 kilometers long in the province of Cuneo—a surprisingly beautiful and peaceful area with quaint villages perched on steep slopes, authentic architecture, and excellent local cuisine. The Percorsi Occitani is a multi-day trek consisting of fourteen stages that explores the alpine pastures and mountain villages of the Valle Maira; it’s also great for families, with optional luggage transport.
A little further to the west runs the Alta Via del Sale: the legendary salt route across the Cuneo Alps, where mules once carried the “white gold” from the Ligurian coast to the interior. Today, the route offers panoramic views of cliffs, alpine meadows, and distant peaks, allowing you to experience the transition from the Alps to the Mediterranean in a single day.
If you’d rather walk among vineyards than along mountain ridges, choose the Langhe. Nature Travel Lab offers an eight-day hiking trip from Alba to Cortemilia: through Barolo country, past medieval villages, and along hill trails with views of snow-capped Alpine peaks on the horizon. The hiking trip can also be booked through NTL’s local partner, including luggage transport.
Where to Stay in Piedmont
Piedmont has more facets than most travelers realize. And Nature Travel Lab selects a base for each of these facets.
In the Valle Maira, you’ll find three unique accommodations right next to each other. Sagna Rotonda is a restored hamlet near Marmora, transformed into ten vacation homes in a beautifully secluded mountain area, ideal for hiking and skiing in the winter. Locanda Mistral is run by Renato—a mountain guide for over twenty years—and Manuela, an excellent chef: nature and fine dining under one roof. A 15-minute drive away is Camping Mistral, located in the heart of a Natura 2000 area—part of the Maritime Alps Park—with twelve tent sites and six RV sites.
The Baudinet Mountain Lodge, which offers rooms, is located in the mountains (accessible only on foot) and provides endless hiking enjoyment as well as delicious cuisine.In the Langhe region, Vineho in Barolo offers luxury vacation rentals for two nestled among the vineyards, with the hills of the UNESCO landscape stretching to the horizon. And in the UNESCO-designated Roero region, you’ll find Lindhouse: apartments for two people with ideal cycling opportunities, just an hour from Turin.
Multiple addresses, three landscapes, one region. Book direct with the owner via NatureTravelLab.com.
“Nature is our greatest ally and inspiration.”
– Sir David Attenborough
Special spots in nature
We select the nicest accommodations with all a focus on sustainability policies. Think luxury Treehouses in the middle of nature or a boutique hotel in the countryside. Sustainability categories range from organic cuisine and mindfull focus to waste separation and zero-waist policy.
Luxury overnight stay in nature
The accommodations all have something unique and of course a location in or near nature. Spending the night in nature does not always mean sleeping in a tent. Find special and luxurious nature stays for your active vacation or just for your slow travel experience.
Comfortable overnight stay in nature
The overnight focus on sustainability policy gives attention to comfort and quality.
They often use their own vegetable garden or local cuisine. Much attention is paid to the quality of the accommodation, the environment and the guest.