Piedmont and the Poetry of the North

The City That Conceals More Than It Reveals

The first leg of the adventure started in Turin.

“Turin is a city that conceals more than it reveals”.

Nietzsche’s words have some truth in them. The endless porticoes, Baroque symmetry and elusive grandeur withhold deep ties to understated aristocracies. Turin is often called ‘the cradle of Italy’, as it was the birthplace of Italian unification led by the royal Savoy family, whose presence can ultimately be felt in the city.

We brunched together upon arrival, and then settled into our first place of stay: a historic 18th-century building with a muse-worthy inner courtyard, which feels like an island of tranquility amid the city’s energy.

Ancient Egypt and Royal Doors After Dark 

Our first afternoon was spent combing through Museo Egizio, the world’s oldest museum dedicated to Egyptian culture. The ‘Gallery of Kings’ ended up becoming a site of introspection toward the ancient past and modern design, as it was recently re-imagined by two architects in which the previous black walls of the gallery were stripped to be replaced by floor-to-ceiling anodized aluminium so that the refractions of light would let you see every small detail of the statues. We chalked it up to some soul-stirring design: it was like being enclasped into a pearl along with these ancient sculptures… 
An early dinner was relished at our residence, which is where the night could have ended. But we were aching with excitement to lead our advisors to the doors of the Palazzo Reale, which by this time are closed to the public. It’s always a treat to be able to usher the doors open for them, where you can have the rare privilege of wandering through the gilded apartments of the House of Savoy, the glittering Royal Armory, and the Daniel Gallery in hushed, private calm.

Chocolate, Art and the Po River

The next morning we found ourselves to be characters against a constant backdrop of grand arcades and Liberty-era cafes, with their luminous, dreamlike architecture and fixings. Our private Food and Art Tour was underway, where we traced Turin’s long-standing, world-renowned devotion to chocolate. Gianduiotti were tasted slowly and ceremonially. Sips of the luscious Bicerin- the city’s signature drink of layered coffee and cream favoured by Cavour- were taken.
By afternoon, the pace softened. We drifted toward the crisp air of the Po River, where Parco del Valentino stretches out like a sanctuary. We walked past the Borgo Medievale -a careful 19th-century recreation of a medieval village- before the path opened up along the riverbank.

Time for a change of scenery.

The soft, hypnotic hills of the Langhe were ripe with potential.
We departed from Turin and watched the cityscape give way to open stretches of countryside. On the way to ‘Piedmont’s wine country’ we paused at Juvarra’s masterpiece: the Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi. Crowned by its unmistakable bronze stag, the UNESCO-listed former hunting lodge stands as a pinnacle of Rococo architecture: ornate, theatrical, and slightly surreal in its symmetry.
A brief site inspection followed at a nearby villa accommodation, and then by afternoon we found ourselves in Alba to immerse ourselves in truffle culture. As with the ‘Gallery of Kings’ re-design, we wanted to make sure that our advisors were able to explore new, exciting and contemporary innovations in Italian cultural spaces, which is why we took them to the newly inaugurated MUDET- Truffle Museum. The two-floor building celebrates the white truffle especially, in gastronomy, for environmental health, as cultural heritage, and even as a symbol of seduction.

A Monastery Among the Vines

Afterwards we arrived and checked into our next accommodation, a meticulously restored 17th-century Cistercian monastery. This is more than a hotel; it is a retreat for the soul, surrounded by ancient herb gardens -both medicinal and sacred- and UNESCO-protected vineyards. Its site inspection followed the scent of these plants, and the cool, century-old stone. It’s the kind of place that gives you butterflies in your stomach.

Barolo, Barbaresco and the Privilege of Access

After a tranquil night’s sleep we woke up to traverse the Crus of Barolo, winding through misty, vine-clad hills and internalizing the deep, almost mystical atmosphere. A private tasting at an estate winery demonstrated how it is here that the Nebbiolo grapes find their most powerful voice in bottles of Barolo, often described as “king of wine, wine of kings”. They are complex, tannic, and built for long aging.
Lunch came as a pause in Neive, one of the Borghi più belli d’Italia (Most Beautiful Villages of Italy), where medieval intimacy lingers in the narrow streets and sun-warmed stone.
While we ate, a frenetic anticipation had begun to build within us that was getting hard to contain.
We knew what was waiting for us in Barbaresco: Gaja. This is one of the most prestigious wineries in the world, known for revolutionizing Italian wine globally. Its doors were opened exclusively for this FAM trip and Italy With Class, which admittedly made us feel like rockstars! It was a deep privilege that we couldn’t stop gushing over.

As the day began to draw in, we descended into the depths of Canelli, where the UNESCO-listed Underground Wine Cathedrals lie hidden beneath the earth. Cathedral-like vaults stretched out in every direction, carved into tuff rock, holding within them miles of tunnels. Here, we tasted world-class sparkling wines that were aged in silence. Dinner at a countryside restaurant nearby satiated us for the evening. 
For the last leg of our journey through the North, we decided to trade some of our views for Lombardy’s lakes and Franciacorta’s wines.

Bergamo and the Road to Franciacorta

Before the lakes we paused for a private tour of Bergamo Alta- a city elevated on higher grounds and enclosed within Venetian walls. There is something very surreal about how it feels so separate from the modern city below. You feel as if its labyrinth of cobblestone streets and Romanesque churches (and you, as its visitor) exist slightly out of time. For lunch we tried their local casoncelli (a Bergamo specialty), stuffed with meat, breadcrumbs and sometimes amaretti or pear that brings an unexpected sweetness to its savoury depth. The dish shouldn’t work… but somehow it does.

By afternoon we arrived at an ivy-draped villa in Franciacorta for a private tour and an introduction to the traditional “Bellavista Method” invented here: a rival to champagne in its process of producing some of Italy’s finest sparkling wines. Another site inspection was then followed by a family-style dinner at a restaurant.

Lake Maggiore and the Baroque Dream of Isola Bella 

At dawn, we were ready to be around water. The stillness of Lake Maggiore was beckoning us.
Its surroundings -including the Borromean Islands- are less dramatic than Como, and more aristocratic: they are historically known for being visited by European nobility. It has also captured the imaginations of artists and writers. Ernest Hemingway, writing from the nearby Stresa, described it as one of the most beautiful Italian lakes and set his novel “A Farewell to Arms” here.

We arrived at a villa in Stresa, which is a true jewel of Lake Maggiore and offered us unmatched views of the expansive Borromean Gulf. By afternoon, we set out on our own boat to glide over the barely disturbed, glistening water surface to approach Isola Bella.
Ethereal doesn’t even begin to describe the Baroque island-palace’s design. The gardens are built in layers, ascending out of the water into a vision of terraces and stone. White peacocks wandered freely, as though they, too, belonged to another time. There, within the gardens we were offered an aperitivo, after which we headed back to our villa for dinner and a wrap on our shared journey. 
It’s been a memorable few weeks, and a strong start to the season ahead!