Active Journeys SelfSelf----GuidedGuided

Hiking Tour Italy

Tour descriptions PiemontePiemonte———— A Delectable Escape! Day 1 Arrive Alba Piemonte means “at the foot of the mountains”, which accurately depicts this region of northwestern Italy set between the Alps and the Apennine mountain range. This is the land Day 2 12 km To Barolo of fine cuisine and delectable truffles, as well as world famous wines such as Barolo and Barbera. As it borders with France and Switzerland, it offers a true cosmopolitan experi- Day 3 9 km ence. To Monteforte d’Alba

Day 4 17 km Our 8-day tour combines leisurely paced walks with an array of gourmet delicacies to awak- To en the senses. As well, baroque and art nouveau palaces and castles impressively dominate Day 5 7 km along the route. It’s a region that accurately depicts the “slow food” movement of recent Around Cissone or rest years. Beginning in Alba, famous for its white truffles, each day consists of approximately Day 6 16 km 8mi/15km walks between desnaons. As it is a mountainous area, there are days with To slight inclines. Day 7 11 km To Accommodaons are in tradional family run establishments, many with superb restau- Day 8 rants onsite. is the capital of this region and worth a visit before or aer your tour. Tour Ends Milan, the fashion capital of Italy is also within easy reach. Art, nature, and fine cuisine make this a perfect treat to oneself.

Tour Details

Daily mid-March to mid-October

Cost: $1350 per person

Length: 8 days /7 nights Fast Facts

Single Room Upgrade: $395 • Price includes 7 nights accommoda- • Spectacular views tion with breakfasts Grade: Moderate • A wide variety of local delicacies • Luggage transfers, route and maps though out the trip! Starts: Alba • Internal car transfers • Walk through vineyards and care- Ends: Cortemilia fully groomed hazelnut forests • Wonderful wines (land of Nutella, a nut and choco- late butter)

Active Journeys Contact: 11----800800800----597597597----55945594 or 416416----236236236----50115011 Email: [email protected]

ITINERARY The Langhe, set between the Alps and the Apennine mountains, is comprised of a rich and ferle land that produce the ‘King of truffles’ and some of the world’s best wines. You also find an infinite variety of cheese, preserved meats, refined pastries, nutella delights and choco- lates that are exported the world over. Thus, gastronomy plays a ma- jor part of this tour and you will have the opportunity to try the differ- ent local specialies, choosing among the many gourmet restaurants, wine cellars and pastry shops you find along the way. From the top of the hills you can see small picturesque villages, large elegant castles, vineyards, oak and hazelnut forests, the snow-capped mountains of the Alps that dominate the horizon on clear days.

Day 1 Alba Arrival in Alba, the mediaeval city of ‘100 towers’, where you can begin your gastronomic experience.

Day 2 Marengo to Barolo 12km A taxi transfer takes you to the start of the walk in Marengo, where you follow the trail to Casglione Faleo and , two beauful villages that are worth while spending some me exploring. Along the route there are various wine cellars open to the public that offer wine tasng. Beauful hilltop views abound.

Day 3 Barolo to Monforte d’Alba 10km Today you pass through the idyllic villages of Pezzole and Ciocchini, which mark the way to the village of Novello. You then de- scend down the vineyards of Nebbiolo to the valley and climb up again through shaded woods to the fascinang citadel of Monforte. In Barolo you might want to visit the Castello dei Marchesi Falle and the Re- gional wine museum, a must for any wine connoisseur.

Day 4 Monforte d’Alba to Cissone 17km The route today descends along the south facing valley of Serralunga d’Alba before walking through the fields to . You pass the gor- geous village of , beaufully built on top of a hill. Follow to the adjacent hill, passing historic castles and breathtakingly beauful villas to find your friendly owners of the “agriturismo”, where you stay for two nights.

Day 5 Cissone round walk 7km Today is an easier relaxing day with a short circular walk in the neigh- bourhood of Cissone, leaving you plenty of me to relax and appreci- ate the warm hospitality and the splendid views from the “agriturismo”.

Day 6 Cissone to Cravanzana 16km On the higher altudes of the “Alta Langa” you find large fields full of hazelnut trees. Where the slopes are too steep for culvaon, large stretches of oak forests remain. It is here in their shades that the pre- cious Tuber Magnatum – the white truffle of Alba – is found! If you don’t find them underground, you are sure to find them in Cravanzana for dinner.

Day 7 Cravanzana to Cortemilia 11km Today’s walk is short and sweet, a pleasant stroll through the incredi- ble hills of the Langhe hills. Follow a path through and as you marvel at the awe-inspiring panoramic views of the Alps ahead. Then towards Bergolo and finally, arrive at the lovely town of Cortemilia.

Day 8 Our services end aer breakfast. There is a local bus that goes to Alba every day except Sundays.

What to Expect Getting There Turin airport is the closest to What will the weather be like? The dayme temperature will be warm and sunny. In September, you can expect high 70’s Alba, however Milan is the near- (high 20’s C), and cooler evenings. Sunscreen is a must during the day, as is a sweater for est major internaonal city with the cooler nights. Tradionally it does not rain, but it is recommended to bring some rain far more opons available. gear in case. There are several trains per day How many hours of walking a day? from Turin/Milan to Alba, Be prepared to walk between 4-7 hours daily, rarely on flat terrain. Piemonte is all hills. You are either going up or down almost all the me; however, these are shorter rolling changing trains either in As or ascents and descents, some scrambling may be required. There is about 500 meter eleva- in . on and descent daily. Otherwise private transfers are

How fit do I need to be? available. The fier the beer, and some hiking experience is not required but helpful.

What are the hotels like? We use 3* accommodaons, with twin-bedded rooms, all with private facilies. Hotels are chosen for their charm and locaon. On this trip we also use agriturisme , which are inns located on working farms or vineyards.

Dinners and lunches? You can budget a small amount for lunches, and they can be purchased in grocery stores or you can bring some extra snacks. For dinners, you may want to spoil yourself, in this area are some award winning restaurants, with menus that simply outstanding—but can be expensive. You can budget from $30 to $100 per person (at the fine restaurant menoned).

How to book your holiday

• Contact our office to make sure there is space available. One of our travel planners will walk you through the entire booking process.

• Download the reservation form from our website and send in completed form by fax or email. Once this is done, your space is confirmed and a pre-departure packet will be sent immediately.

• Deposit is required immediately, and final payment is due 60 days prior to departure. Terms & conditions are out- lined on the back of our Reservation Form.

Extra Services • Plan your air travel as soon as possible.

Hotels in Rome range from €120 per night • We encourage you to purchase travel insurance, either to a deluxe 5* property at €450 per night. through us or directly a travel insurance provider.

We can organize rail passes for Italy only, • Ensure that you are in proper health for the trip chosen. or for mulple country rail passes. If you Contact us for more information on vaccinations, inocula- require only 2 segements (to/from) then it tions, and fitness requirements. is less expensive to purchase locally.