Since our trip is only 13 months away I was wondering what are your favorite towns in Piemonte wine region. We will be staying in La Morra, and I've been compiling info on the towns in the region (I'm up to about 3,000). We will be there for 3 1/2 days before heading to Turin for three days and Lake Maggiore for our final three days.

Check out Neive. Gorgeous and great food.

In my view the towns of Piemonte's wine region are not particularly interesting in & of themselves (hey are mostly interesting for their food specialties (cheese. chocolate, hazelnuts, pastries). Driving around Piemonte is slow going, so owns like Saluzzo or Moncalvo or Mondavi might not be convenient "day trips" you might look them up to see if you're interested. Torino is terrifically interesting

"In my view the towns of Piemonte's wine region are not particularly interesting in & of themselves (hey are mostly interesting for their food specialties (cheese. chocolate, hazelnuts, pastries)."

Maybe I should cut back a day. I get bored easily

I really enjoyed shopping, exploring and eating in Acqui Terme.

Some people arrange for specific activities, like truffle hunts or winery visits, bike riding. Cooking classes.

This website might give you some ideas

https://tipspiemonte.com/

I remember the castles in the Piemonte. For some reason my tiny little brain never associated castles with Italy. Here's an interesting piece.

http://www.turinitalyguide.com/castles-in-piedmont/

Wait, you're planning your next trip instead of writing up your Scotland report?��

See if you can get into Domori Chocolate for a tour.

my emoji didn't work. need a lesson
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Gail, I'm attempting to multi-task, something at which I am fairly woeful.

I think these towns will likely never be the same after your visit, maitaitom! Can't wait for the report.

Torino, Cuneo, Pallanza, Biella, Vercelli, Asti, Alagna Valsesia, Orta San Giulio, Macugnaga, Cannobio ........

Barbaresco. Acqui Terme. Alba.

Truffle hunt is a good idea too.

Some of the Piemonte towns we enjoyed are Monforte d'Alba, Alba, Barolo, Bra, La Morra, Grizane Cavour, Nieve, Madonna di Como, Treiso. The whole area is beautiful with hills, ridges, vineyards and charming towns.
One of our favorite restaurants was in Treiso, Profumo di Vino.
A small boutique winery outside of Alba, Pietro Rinaldi, welcomes visitors.
Contact them through their website.

I'm going to Bra just for the possibility of some terrible, low brow humor. I'm sure my cup runneth over there.

Is Asti on anyone's places to visit? In looking at it, there seems to be a few interesting attractions to see.

Thanks.

maitai... as a college student my husband traveled to Europe with a buddy right after the end of WW11. The friend's father had been a US Army officer who was "in charge" of an area that included Asti. Because of the father's connection, the two kids were invited to stay with a local countess.. Needless to say, my husband never forgot the experience. When we traveled to Piemonte that was the first stop on his list. He couldn't find any trace of the Countess' property.... and other than that quest I don't remember much about Asti other than it wasn't very interesting..tho I'm certain there are lots of wine venues to be examined. I remember Alba more fondly.

(as a side note, it's taken me forever to type this bit... screen keeps jumping back to the top. One of many quirks these days. Sure hope Fodors gets its act together soon.)

Tom, Bra is the center of the Slow Food Movement.

I paid a visit to Asti on one of ways through Piemonte. The main church is rather lovely, sort of French in style, with massive painted columns. After that I had trouble eeking out things to "see". Amusingly, there was some sort of comic book Goth-horror convention taking place in the town. I'm might be the only person on the planet who wouldn't instantly recognize why people under 30 were meandering the streets with lurdily dyed hair, death makeup, fake blood all over themselves, wearing leather gear with metal spikes all over it or velvet dripping with gold brocade & cobwebs, purple platform shoes -- anyway, I think it wasn't a typical Sunday in Asti!

Despite the weird visitors (I'm sure they weren't locals), the town was otherwise as quiet as a tomb. I caught a taxi to the train station and remarked to the taxi driver that probably a weekday was livelier, and he told me Asti was always very quiet. (There is one area of high-end stores & I imagine that does buzz later in the day.

It's always a risk daytripping to Italian towns during the "pausa". Even in the north, they can feel abandoned during the day. Were I to return to Asti area, I might visit the "cathedrals" for spumante, and somewhere near there is one of the most beautiful synagogues in Italy -- I'm not sure it's still used for services. If I can find the name of the town, I'll post i.

Do you think four nights in this region is one night too many? Thanks.