Barolo & the Langhe Hills

What sort of weather can I expect?

Meteorological records for the area, taken over a period of more than 10 years, are represented in the Weather Chart provided with each itinerary. It can be very hot in the late
spring, throughout the summer, and early autumn (hats are essential as there is not that much shade). April is variable; May is fresh in the mornings but warmer in the afternoons. October can be fresh with wet afternoons, though mostly the days are bright and crisp. In November there are dramatic mists on the hills and vibrant colours.

What sort of walking can I expect?

The fitness level for this trip is Grade 3 . The walking is moderately challenging. The trip starts in the high wooded hills of the Southern Langhe and moves towards the rolling landscape of Barolo, dotted with vineyards. The walking is over rolling hills: not mountainous, not flat, but there are several ascents and descents. The paths are varied: strade bianche, woodland tracks, vineyards, ridge paths, and tarmac lanes near towns. There are no vertiginous walks.

8-day: Walks are offered on 6 days (or 7 with the optional extension). 5-day: Walks are offered on 3 days (4 with optional extension). The walk lengths vary from 3 hours to a maximum of 7 hours walking. 

Hours of walking, which may vary from individual to individual, means hours of actual walking and does not include stops for lunch, sightseeing or rests. On certain days paths may cross a more rugged terrain or ground that is muddy in wet weather – please make sure that your foot­wear provides sufficient ankle
support. 

What if I don't want to walk?

You don’t have to! You can get a lift with the Route Manager to the next hotel when your bags are moved on, or we can arrange taxis and advise you of local transport options to facilitate shortening the walks.

How do I get to the start of the route?

The recommended airports for this route are Turin and Milan (Linate/Malpensa).

TRAVEL TO ITALY

The recommended destination airports for this route are Turin and Milan (Linate/Malpensa).

TRAVEL TO THE FIRST HOTEL BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT

To Mondovi (8-day route)

To reach Bossolaschetto (5-day route) see below. 

From Turin Airport: 

First make your way to Turin’s Porta Nuova train station. The easiest and quickest way to do so is by direct bus link. Buses (run by SADEM and Terravision) depart every 15/30 mins from outside the arrivals terminal (50 metres up the road to the right on exiting).  Tickets can be bought in the arrivals hall and cost €7, journey time 50 mins. You can also buy them from the bus driver for a slightly higher fee. 

You could also catch a taxi to Torino Porta Nuova and you will find them by exiting the Arrivals hall and turning left – journey time about 30 minutes and cost between €40-€50.

Trains to Mondovi leave every hour  and take either 1 hour direct or 1 hour 15 mins with a change at Fossano and cost €8. Trains that change at Fossano will have Mondovi as their destination. Direct trains stopping at Mondovi will have a destination of Ceva, Savona or Ventimiglia.   Please check www.trenitalia.com for up to date timetables and prices.

From Milan Linate airport:

First make your way to Milan Centrale station.

There are regular bus services offered by various firms from Linate airport to Milan Centrale train station. Buses depart from outside the arrivals terminal.  Tickets can be bought inside the terminal or on the bus. Cost €5, journey time 25 minutes.

From Milan Central station there are regular trains to Mondovi, changing in Torino. Journey time 2.5 -3 hours, €18-€46 one way.

Check train timetables here: www.trenitalia.com 

From Milan Malpensa: 

Unless you plan to pre-extend in Milan you do not need to go into the city en route to Mondovi.  SADEM bus offers an hourly service from Terminals 1 and 2 to Torino Porta Susa station (Journey time 2 hours, €22). It is recommended you book this online in advance: 

 See here: www.flibco.com

From Porta Susa it is a 10 minute (€1.70) train journey to Porta Nuova, from where trains to Mondovi leave every hour and take either 1 hour direct or 1 hour 15 mins with a change at Fossano and cost €8. Trains that change at Fossano will have Mondovi as their destination. Direct trains stopping at Mondovi will have a destination of Ceva, Savona or Ventimiglia.   Please check www.trenitalia.com for up to date timetables and prices.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please remember to validate any train ticket you purchase in Italy before you board the train by stamping it in the green and white machine at the entrance to the platform; your ticket is not valid for travel unless you do this and you can be fined if you fail to do so.

First hotel

The Albergo del’Accademia is in the higher part of the town. The walk from the train station (lower part of town) is 1.33 kilometres, via a funicular that runs every 10 minutes. Detailed directions can be found in the route book. Alternatively a taxi will cost around €20. There are usually a few taxis hanging around the station, or your route manager can organise collection once we know your train’s arrival time.

By taxi:

We can book you a taxi to the first hotel. Taxis carry a maximum of 3-4 passengers, depending on luggage and this will cost from €200 from Turino airport, from €350 from Milan airports. Prices may be higher at weekends, Bank Holidays or late at night.

5-DAY ROUTE

Your aim is to get to Alba, and take an onward  taxi (~€50) to Bossolaschetto. 

From Turin Airport:

First make your way to Turin’s Porta Nuova train station. The easiest and quickest way to do so is by direct bus link. Buses (run by SADEM and Terravision) depart every 15/30 mins from outside the arrivals terminal (50 metres up the road to the right on exiting).  Tickets can be bought in the arrivals hall and cost €7.50, journey time 50 mins. You can also buy them from the bus driver for a slightly higher fee. 

You could also catch a taxi to Torino Porta Nuova and you will find them by exiting the Arrivals hall and turning left – journey time about 30 minutes and cost between €30-€50.

Trains to Alba leave hourly and take 1 hour 23 mins, and cost €7. Most change at Torino Lingotto. Please check www.trenitalia.com timetables and prices.

From Milan Linate airport:

First make your way to Milan Centrale station.

There are regular bus services offered by various firms from Linate airport to Milan Centrale train station. Buses depart from outside the arrivals terminal.  Tickets can be bought inside the terminal or on the bus. Cost €4-6, journey time 25 minutes.

From Milan Central station there are regular trains to Alba, changing in Torino. Journey time 2-3.5 hours, €20-€50 one way.

Check train timetables here: www.trenitalia.com 

From Milan Malpensa: 

Unless you plan to pre-extend in Milan you do not need to go into the city en route to Mondovi.  SADEM bus offers an hourly service from Terminals 1 and 2 to Torino Porta Susa station (Journey time 2 hours, €22). It is recommended you book this online in advance: 

See here: www.flibco.com

From Porta Susa there are hourly, direct trains to Alba. Journey time 1 hour 20 mins, €7. Please check www.trenitalia.com for up to date timetables and prices.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please remember to validate any train ticket you purchase in Italy before you board the train by stamping it in the green and white machine at the entrance to the platform; your ticket is not valid for travel unless you do this and you can be fined if you fail to do so.

By taxi:

We can book you a taxi from the airport to the first hotel. Taxis carry a maximum of 3-4 passengers, depending on luggage and this will cost from €190 from Turino airport, from €330 from Milan airports. Prices may be higher at weekends, Bank Holidays or late at night.

TAXI BOOKINGS

Please place your booking with the ATG office at least two weeks before departure. The cost of the taxi will be confirmed to you once the booking is secured. Payment of the taxi fare should be made locally, not to ATG. The driver will have your flight details and will be waiting in Arrivals with a sign showing your name or ATG.

• If you change your flight please notify us so we can contact the taxi company to reschedule the taxi for you. 

• If, on the day of departure, your flight is cancelled or you miss or change it, please immediately contact the ATG emergency number (number is provided in trip documentation) so we can contact the taxi company to reschedule or cancel the taxi for you. 

• If your flight is delayed and you have arranged for the taxi to meet you at the destination airport, your taxi driver will wait for you. 

• If you are delayed and you have arranged for a taxi to meet you at a non airport location (e.g. train station) it is essential that you contact your Route Manager or call the ATG emergency
line to notify us at the earliest possible moment, so we can contact the taxi company to re-schedule or cancel the taxi for you. 

• Please note that failure to advise ATG that you cannot meet the taxi booked for you, may result in the taxi costs being passed back to you.

Important: Taxi prices quoted apply to the local firm used regularly by ATG – and are guaranteed only if you book through the office in advance. If you get a taxi off a taxi rank please ask the driver to confirm the price for the journey before departing.

What should I bring?

Bring whatever clothes and footwear you find most comfortable for everyday wear, and a change or two for the evenings – smart/casual.
Some trips include quite distinguished hotels and restaurants, for which you may wish to ‘dress up’ in the evening, however on Independent trips you have more flexibility in determining how casual you wish to be. For walking we recommend lightweight walking boots with firm ankle support (make sure you wear them in before the trip!), a small daypack for your lightweight waterproof clothing, camera, fleece etc. An increasing number of people bring telescopic walking poles. For a comprehensive packing list click here: what to bring

What sort of food can I expect?

Breakfast

Most of the hotels we use offer a buffet-style breakfast with a wide range of both hot and cold choices. 4- and 5-star hotels almost always offer ‘cooked’ breakfast. Occasionally, in more remote areas, or in some 2 or 3-star hotels, breakfast can be a decidedly more ‘Continental’ affair – i.e. bread, croissant, juice, coffee.

Lunch

The ATG Route Booklets and our ‘Sustainable Shopping Guides’ are filled with information about markets and shops in which to buy your lunch. From seasonal fruits, local cheeses, cured hams and freshly baked breads, you are limited only by what you can carry in your pack!

Dinner

On some routes, usually where there is no other restaurant within walking distance, half-board accommodation is included (see ‘what is included’ for this trip). In other areas where there is a selection of restaurants, ATG includes a list of recommendations in your ATG Route Booklet. Some restaurants are recommended because they have provided meals that have been regularly enjoyed by ATG clients; other restaurants are renowned internationally (e.g., within the Guide Michelin).

Restaurant bookings

Your Route Manager will be delighted to book restaurants for you if required, ensuring the places you eat at are...

•Your first choice

•The highest standard

• The best value

...and you are not disappointed by finding the restaurant full.

Wine

You walk through vineyards producing some of Italy’s most outstanding wines, including the renowned Barolo and Barbaresco, and the lesser-known Dolcetto, Barbera and Moscato d’Asti. 

Several of our independent routes (including this one) pass through well-known wine producing regions. If you are particularly interested in wine you may also like to consider...

• Classic Alsace

• Provence: Vaucluse & the Lubéron

• Siena to Florence

• Southern Tuscany 

• Tuscany & Siena

• Tuscan Hills

• Ancient Volcanic Landscapes

• Roman Roads to Orvieto

• Etruscan Lanes to Orvieto

• Umbria & Assisi

• Sintra & the Portuguese Coast

What if I have a dietary restriction or food allergy?

When you book, let us know about any restrictions. Most dietary restrictions do not present a problem on our routes due to the wide variety of shops and restaurants available. Your Route Manager will provide you with advice and recommendations at your briefing.

What should I bring to wear in the evenings?

There is a wide variety of dining options along the route, from simple trattorie to elegant restaurants. Generally there is no need to dress up for dinner – ‘smart casual’ dress is acceptable - unless you plan to treat yourself to a special meal in one of the more elegant restaurants.

Do the hotels have WIFI, hair dryers, laundry service?

All have WIFI and hair dryers; a few offer laundry service.

How much should I budget for items not included?

You can get an idea of transport costs in the ‘getting there’ section of
the trip page. For lunches, costs will depend on whether you choose to buy picnic items or eat in bars/restaurants. Dinners: some are included (see ‘what’s included’). For evening meals not included, the route book provides restaurant recommendations to suit a wide range of budgets. Entrance fees to museums, churches, galleries and other sightseeing costs will vary considerably depending on how much you want to see and how old you are (!). Over 60s enjoy significantly reduced prices at many attractions, so it is worth carrying (safely) some form of identification showing your age. Other costs are items of a personal nature, shopping expenditure and transport if you choose to limit your walking with public transport or taxis.

City Tax (Italy only)

In March 2011, the Italian legislature passed a decree that created a new tourism tax to be paid by visitors to Italy and collected by the accommodation where they are staying. The purpose is to raise revenue that municipalities can use to maintain local facilities and infrastructure and to help in the preservation of cultural and historical treasures, all of which benefits tourists. The roll-out of the tax has been gradual, with each council determining the way in which it should be implemented. First introduced in the big cities, since 2012
the tax has been introduced by many other town councils. The tax is charged by guest per night, with an upper limit to the number of nights that can be charged. The rate (usually €1-2 Euros per person per night) is determined by the rating of the accommodation. This tax is not included in the price of independent holidays but where applicable will be payable direct to your hotel in cash.

What if I want to extend my trip?

We are delighted to book extensions for you at either end of your trip. We only book hotels with which we have an established relationship and where we can ensure a high level of service and enjoyment. If you would like an extension booking please indicate this during the booking process and we will contact you with pricing information.

Where can I find general FAQs?

For FAQs relating to the Company and general trip questions, click here