Northern Italy Going to Piemonte this summer

[BEERMAN]

Hmmmm, looked at our rental agency records and don't see the "free flow" tolls itemized? could be we will be seeing a bill in the mail at some point....I received a traffic ticket in the mail several months after returning a few years ago, apparently I moved into the bike lane too early when making a right hand turn leaving Florence. If possible, we'll make sure to rent an easy pass device this month, would speed up some of our travels! If no device at least the rental company can explain how to pay these in a timely manner.

 

[Maureen]

Thanks for the information about the Telepass. I'm fine with normal tolls – I, too, pay cash and that has been just fine.

I was actually referring to my experience this past summer. We were driving from the Dolomites to Malpensa (stayed at the Villa Malpensa the night before departure, which I would highly recommend) and in the area north of Milan between Como and Malpensa, I started seeing signs on the highway saying that motorists were responsible for toll charges being assessed as they drove through that area on that highway. I'm sure it's only on some roads, but we were on them without knowing the rules. I didn't quite understand how it works so I asked at the hotel and they explained that I could pay the way I described - going to the toll organization website, entering your license plate number, and then paying online by credit card. I suppose that the car rental company could have charged me after the fact if they received a bill, but I just thought I would take care of it then and there, since I could.

Of topic but I noticed you stayed at Villa Malpensa. I may have written the first review of it on the original SlowTrav site. Possibly in 1998? I love it!

 

[David]

Of topic but I noticed you stayed at Villa Malpensa. I may have written the first review of it on the original SlowTrav site. Possibly in 1998? I love it!

Maureen! You know.... when I booked it, the name was not unfamiliar to me, but I didn't think to have a look and see why that was. It must have been from you! Yah - it's the perfect place to stay when you have an early departure from Malpensa. I think it's a whole kilometer away, but not in any of the flight paths, right? Comfortable and reasonably priced, good parking lot, with a certain old world charm, right? Take care.

 

[David]

Hello everyone. I've been meaning to post for... uh... 7 months and I finally am - to follow up on our trip to Piemonte last summer. We had a terrific 9 days in the Langhe - tooled around to what seemed like every hill town in the area, ate really well, saw some wonderful sights, etc..I have some recommendations to report:

1 - a FABULOUS Airbnb in Diano d'Alba: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/3288624?source_impression_id=p3_1710029018_weCLfTa7aYhxYYDx This is a large place and not cheap, but oh so worth it. Paola, the host, is wonderful. The house itself was fantastic, furnishings are the real deal, not just "for the guests," wonderful views, location excellent for getting around the Langhe, Alba is a great town to have just down the hill. We couldn't have been happier there. If anyone ends up booking it, say hi to Paola - she is very dear.

2 - Restaurant in Monforte D'Alba - Le Case Della Saracca. Totally worth it. And a wonderful story - the owner basically carved a restaurant into the hill and the excavation is part of the restaurant. The bathrooms are quite something. And the food is great.

3 - Restaurant in La Morra - L'Osteria di Vignaiolo (Osteria di Marengo) - great food, lovely outdoor seating with a wonderful view.

4 - Ristorante L'Argaj in Castiglione Falletto - totally lovely. Creative cuisine - really recommend.

5 - A huge splurge - Piazza Duomo in Alba. Yes, the name of the restaurant is Piazza Duomo (and it's basically on the piazza, but the entrance is on the side street - kind of not so easy to find). This was one of "those" memorable meals. Very expensive and, again, memorable. Waitstaff was extremely high end, but also relaxed. We joked around with them plenty. Enrico Crippa, the chef is quite well known in Italy and beyond.

I just wanted to thank everyone for their input when I was planning the trip. Much appreciated. I hope you all are doing well.

David

 

[Ian Sutton]

Thanks for posting David.

Yes Piazza Duomo very popular on wine forums. High end food, wine and naturally pricing. I do appreciate humanity/humour alongside professionalism, as the alternative (a formal servant) sits very uncomfortably with me. Glad to hear they do that so well.

We made it to Le Case Della Saracca not long after they opened. A lovely cosy feel, and was very good for aperitivi. An early adopter of enomatic wine dispensers in the region, and I recall having a pinot noir (vinified white) there, just because it's such an oddity, not just there, but anywhere.

Diano d'Alba a super location to explore both Barolo and Barbaresco communes, and I do like Alba a lot (I oddly never took as well to Asti, though its market is superb).

 

[David]

I agree about Asti, Ian. We didn't spend a lot of time there, but I found that Alba had much more charm.

 

[Fioridave]

Hello everyone! I've been reading this thread as well as Beerman's other one - it's great to get some ideas for our upcoming trip to Piemonte this summer.

2022 Liguria, Piemonte, Lake Como

Northern Italy 2022, (September 3-14) Let me start by saying thank you to members of this forum, very helpful information! So, this trip was planned very last minute, started just 6 weeks out in mid July to be precise! When the stress of covid testing restrictions were removed our family...

www.sloweurope.com

I'll be in Emilia-Romagna for 5 weeks prior to meeting Bruce, my husband, and our friend Mary. They'll fly into Milan from the US, I'll train up to Milan, get a rental car and pick them up, and then we'll have 13 nights in the region. Before we head to Piemonte, we're going to spend a few nights at Lake Como or Maggiore (suggestions welcome - I loved seeing your pics, Beerman, of your Como trip). Then we'll want to be in Langhe for 6 or 7 nights (we are major food and wine people and, even if it's more touristy than, say, Alta Langa, I still think we want to be somewhere not too far from Alba or Asti or Bra) and we'll have 2 or 3 nights left over for... something else?

One idea is to hang out in Torino for a couple of days. Another idea is to go up to the mountains - Val d'Aosta - for just a couple of days. I do understand that would be a bit of a drive.

We'll fly back to the US from Milan.

Pauline, are you guys in Piemonte right now? Or are you back?

Anyway, any and all advice welcome. BTW, hi Ian! Your recommendations are terrific.

Thanks much,

David

Turin is a great city. Check out the film museum. Best one I have ever seen and I grew up in Hollywood

Personally, I found Comò a mediocre city. I’ve been to lake town, but avoid them now. Many American tourists. Also, I avoid nature sites. We have lots on natural sites in the US, lakes, mountains, and forests. When I go to Europe, I want to see what we don’t have here, like Gothic cathedrals, Roman ruins, renaissance palaces, walled Medieval towns, etc.

If you are in Milan, check out Pavia or Brescia. You won’t see anything like them here.

 

[jan]

We had one of our most memorable dining experiences ever at ANT in Novello:

ANT

www.antnovello.com

We spent 3 nights in their apartment and had a wonderful stay.
I wrote about it in my blog. link in signature.