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8-Day Hiking Tour of Piedmont Through the Barolo Wine Region
A Leisurely Walking Vacation in Piedmont: Through the Barolo and Barbera Wine Country
Hiking in Piedmont through famous vineyards and medieval villages. Discover Piedmont on foot during this 8-day independent hiking trip from Alba to Cortemilia. Enjoy hiking, wine, white truffles, small-scale accommodations, and stunning views of the Alps.
Piedmont is a hiker’s paradise—especially if you love fine dining, tranquility, and rolling landscapes. We describe this 8-day route, which you can plan on your own or take as part of an organized tour led by a local specialist. Read more about that below.
You’ll travel from village to village through the heart of the Langhe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its Barolo wines, hazelnuts, white truffles, and views of the snow-capped Alps.
Combine nature and culture
Along the way, you’ll sample local specialties, stay in charming family-run hotels, and walk along old mule trails, vineyard paths, and quiet strade bianche. The route is easy to moderately challenging and perfect if you want to combine culture and nature.
Hiking Highlights in Piedmont
Vineyards, hazelnut trees, and medieval villages
View of the Alps and the picturesque hills of the Langhe
Local delicacies such as Barolo, white truffles, and tajarin pasta
Small-scale accommodations, often with excellent restaurants
Welcoming and proud residents
The tranquility of Piedmont outside the peak season
8-Day Itinerary: From Alba to Cortemilia
Day 1 – Hiking in Piedmont: Arrival in Alba
You’ll arrive in Alba on your own. Take a stroll through the historic center, known for its white truffle market, numerous medieval towers, and charming piazzas. Be sure to stop by one of the many small pastry shops.
Overnight stay in Alba
Day 2 – Hike from Roddi to Barolo, the capital of Barolo wine
15 km / 522 meters of climbing / 426 meters of descent
After a short transfer, you’ll hike through vineyards and hills to the famous wine town of Barolo. You’ll cross several hills and pass through the authentic village of Morra. You’ll continue on to the hamlet of Vergne. Along the way, there are several opportunities to taste local wine. On a clear day, you can see the Alps and Mount Monviso. In La Morra, you can visit the Ratti Museum, which offers a wealth of information about Barolo wine and its history. Be sure to also visit the Cantina Comunale (closed on Tuesdays), which offers a wide selection of wines to taste or purchase.
Note: Today’s hike can be shortened by about 4 km by starting in Verduno instead of Roddi. Depending on where you’re staying, you’ll end the hike in Vergne or Barolo.
Overnight stay in Vergne or Barolo
Day 3 – Hike from Barolo to Monforte d’Alba
11 km / 440 meters of climbing / 415 meters of descent
A leisurely hike with stunning views of the Langhe. Monforte is a charming village with a beautiful amphitheater and excellent restaurants. Passing through the old village of Novello with its medieval tower, you’ll reach Barolo, the wine capital where the famous Barolo wine is produced. Take some time to visit the recently opened WiMu Wine Museum, located in the Castello dei Marchesi Faletti. Have lunch at one of the wonderful local trattorias. Afterward, continue your walk through vineyards and forests toward Monforte d’Alba, a beautifully situated hilltop village.
Overnight stay in Monforte d’Alba
Day 4 – From Monforte to Cissone, hiking uphill through a hazelnut forest
15 km / 806 meters of climbing / 665 meters of descent
Today, the landscape becomes much more varied. You’ll leave the vineyards behind and climb through beautiful hazelnut groves and wild forests around the old hamlet of Serralunga d’Alba. A steep climb then takes you to Roddino, followed by a long descent and a final climb to Cissone. Here, an agriturismo with panoramic views and local cuisine awaits you.
Overnight stay in Cissone
Day 5 – Cissone Loop Hike or a Day of Rest
8 km / 300 meters of climbing and descending / optional rest day
An optional rest day or a short loop hike in the hills around Cissone. The perfect day to enjoy the view and a good book. Savor a delicious glass of local wine from a cantina in the center of Cissone. After a short walk around the area, you can relax and enjoy the beautiful view from the farm. The landscape is unique: many vineyards, towers, and castles.
Overnight stay in Cissone
Day 6 – From Cissone to Cravanzana: along the trails of the white truffle
17.5 km / 650 meters of climbing / 870 meters of descent
The landscape of the upper Langhe around Cissone is characterized by hazelnut groves and steep slopes covered with oak trees. This is also the area where you can find one of the most prized local treasures: the Tuber Magnatum, also known as the white truffle of Alba. If you don’t find it underground, you’re sure to find it on the menu at a local restaurant.
Overnight stay in Cravanzana
Day 7 – From Cravanzana to Cortemilia, the hazelnut capital
12 km / 485 meters of climbing / 755 meters of descent
Today, both the hike and the scenery are very varied. You’ll visit the villages of Torre Bormida and Bergolo, which you’ll reach through hazelnut plantations and dense chestnut forests, along wide forest trails, narrow grassy paths, and cobblestone streets. Eventually, you’ll reach the town of Cortemilia, the “hazelnut capital.” On a clear day, the views of the hills and the Alps are once again breathtaking. Round out your trip with a good glass of local wine.
Overnight stay in Cortemilia
Day 8 – Departure from Cortemilia
Your hiking trip ends after breakfast. From Cortemilia, you can take the bus back to Alba or Asti and continue by train to Turin or Milan. There is no bus service on Sundays, so you’ll need to book a transfer or make other arrangements.
Tip: Slow travel Hiking in Piedmont
You can book an extra night at any of the locations along the way.
Would you like to combine this hiking trip with a culinary city break? Then add a few days in Turin or Milan. That way, you’ll get the best of both worlds: nature and city, tranquility and culture.
Accommodations for Hiking in Piedmont
If you take this organized tour, you’ll stay at carefully selected family-run hotels, B&Bs, and agriturismi, all with private bathrooms. Here are a few examples:
Hotel Calissano (Alba): A modern city hotel within walking distance of downtown.
Agriturismo Ca’ San Ponzio (Barolo): An authentic farmhouse overlooking the hills.
Hotel Grappolo d’Oro (Monforte): A cozy hotel on the main square (the restaurant and bar are closed on Tuesdays).
Balcone sulle Langhe (Cissone): Agriturismo with panoramic views and a restaurant.
Hotel Da Maurizio (Cravanzana): A hotel in a quiet location with excellent cuisine.
Villa San Carlo (Cortemilia): A family-run hotel with a pool and a gourmet restaurant.
Practical Information for Hiking in Piedmont
Travel period: Available daily between April 1 and November 15
Starting point: Alba
End point: Cortemilia
Difficulty level: This hiking trip is suitable for people with an average level of fitness
Directions: By car, it’s about 1,185 kilometers to Alba. You can park your car in Alba at Hotel Calissano (€50 for a week, payable on site). You can also take the train to Alba (via Asti or Cavallermaggiore). You can fly into Turin or Milan.
Return trip to Alba: Take the bus from Cortemilia to Alba or Asti, then possibly the train to the airport. Note: There is no bus service on Sundays.
Luggage Transport: Arranged daily between accommodations
Navigation: Digital directions + GUIBO navigation app
Prices for the 8-day hiking tour in Piedmont
Price per person from October 1 to November 15*
Based on a double room: €831
Single room: €1,315
Triple room: €691
* From September through mid-November, you’ll pay an additional €45 per room for the hotel in Alba when staying on the weekend
Organized walking tour included
7 nights with breakfast
Luggage transport from Day 2 through Day 7
Transfer from Alba to Roddi on Day 2
Digital directions and maps (also via app)
24/7 phone support
Not included:
The trip to Alba and the return trip from Cortemilia
Would you like to book this trip through a local specialist? If so, please fill out the form below. You’ll save a little money compared to booking directly, and we’ll receive a small commission.
Request a quote: Hiking in Piedmont, the Barolo and Barbera Wine Region
When you request a quote, we’ll forward it to our local partner, who will confirm it directly with you if approved. You’ll handle the rest of the reservation and payment directly with the local provider (with whom we have a good working relationship and established agreements). We’re always available to answer any questions you may have.
With a passion for travel and photography and over 30 years of experience in the travel industry, I love to share my special nature travel tips. Travel is wonderful and important, you meet new people and cultures and it opens your view of the world.
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A really beautiful six-day hike from Bologna to Florence. Communication with NatureTravelLab and the local agent was excellent. The information packet was waiting for us at the hotel in Bologna, and the app with the route worked great. Luggage transport was well organized every day, and our bags were waiting for us each time we arrived at our new room! We covered more than 1,400 meters of elevation gain, but unfortunately didn’t always get the views we’d hoped for due to cloud cover and some drizzle. Most days had great hiking weather. It was wonderful to walk into Florence on foot and stay there an extra day.
We experienced the Walk of the Gods as a great adventure. Our start in Bologna didn’t go quite as planned because our app wasn’t working yet and we couldn’t find a single sign for Via degli Dei in the square. Fortunately, we were quickly able to join two young hikers from Florence who were also doing the hike. After a wonderful night’s stay at the beautiful Rio Verde agritourism farm, Day 2 went much better with the help of the hiking app. Along the way, we enjoyed stunning views, met some great fellow hikers, and sampled delicious local dishes. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t always on our side, and we had a day of heavy rain, which made the trail very slippery and required us to be careful. It’s a real treat when, on the last day, you can already see Florence in the distance and walk into this beautiful city a few hours later. Thank you so much for your quick and friendly responses to all our questions.
We enjoyed the trip. We also made some changes to our itinerary, and the email correspondence went very smoothly. We started in Mantera; the next day, our first and only hike was a really beautiful one. The taxi picked us up right on time. Unfortunately, the second day’s route was almost the same when we cycled to Ostuni. The bikes were well-maintained, including panniers and helmets (these were simply included). You could even bring your own water bottle!!! We found the route very scenic and varied. There were charming little villages where we could stop for lunch or coffee. The app worked great. All the hotels ranged from good to excellent, though we didn’t think the hotel in Leuca was worthy of 4 stars. We followed your advice for the two nights we stayed there. We found Leuca a bit underwhelming for a two-day stay. We would have preferred to stay in Gallipoli or Lecce for two days. We took this trip in April and were very lucky with the weather. It’s still a quiet time of year, but we didn’t mind that. We definitely recommend it!!!
Thanks to a great tip from Nature Travel Lab, we had a wonderful week in Italy. Fattoria di Maiano, just outside Florence, was a beautiful and peaceful place. And the suggested road trips were a great guide for exploring the region. We’ll definitely check here for tips for our next vacation, too. Highly recommended!
We spent a divine week in Italy: we walked the Path of the Gods, from Bologna to Florence—about 135 km spread over 6 days of hiking. Challenging distances and climbs, amazing views, nature, and a warm welcome every time we arrived at the agriturismo or albergo/hotel. All of this was perfectly organized by the Italian company Slow Active Tours, entirely in line with Nature Travel Lab’s itinerary proposal: upon arrival in Bologna, an information packet was waiting for us, complete with a hiking map, a booklet, and passports for the stamps. And the hiking app was very practical for along the way! Our luggage was transported every day and was always waiting for us when we arrived at the next location. Communication was smooth and clear. In short, highly recommended, well worth it, and well-organized.
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Looks fantastic! I'm definitely going to book a trip with this company... they're committed to sustainability and personalized advice. Definitely worth it.
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If you’re looking for travel itineraries, the most beautiful hikes, and destinations, you can find it all here. You’ll find endless inspiration for your next trip. Beautiful cities are interspersed with nature. You’ll find everything you need to know about practical matters. Plus, there are plenty of tips for sustainable travel. That way, you’ll get the most out of your trip.
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