5 of the Best Towns in Piedmont Italy

Let’s talk about some of the best towns in Piedmont Italy.

I hear you asking, “What about Tuscany?” and “Where is this Piedmont place?”

Yes, Tuscany is famous for its hill top towns and villages that will charm your socks off.

But, guess what?!

There are beautiful towns in Italy — all of Italy.

And Piedmont, a region in the northwestern part of the country, is no exception.

Best of all, Piedmont has some of the best wine in Italy AND you are treated to these picturesque towns.

Wait … there’s more.

Piedmont has bigger mountains so the views from these towns are twice as stunning.

Okay.

That might be this mountain gal’s opinion.

But really, you can’t beat this.

 

But before we begin…

I want to preface this by saying that the towns on this list are specifically in the area around the larger town of Alba which is in the Langhe region.

On my recent trip to Piedmont I stayed in this area so this is where I did most of my exploring.

Piedmont is a large region.

And there are definitely more charming towns in this piece of Italy.

But I’m focusing on the towns I visited — ones I can attest to the beauty of and which I highly recommend visiting.

So let’s get started.

 

Barolo

Yes this is a wine.

And it’s also a town — a very small one.

But Barolo is one of the best towns in Piedmont because it’s cute, has magnificent views of the vineyards and has a couple of places to drink the wine of the same name.

It’s a wee village that you’ll be able to wander around in an hour or so.

However it’s an excellent place to linger, drink some wine, have a bite to eat and take in the views.

There is actually a castle here — Castello Falletti — which houses a museum on the town.

It also is home to the Enoteca Regionale del Barolo which you’ll find in the basement of the castle.

I didn’t get to visit this as it was closed but I understand that this enoteca has a large collection of local wines.

You can taste wines here so it’s a wonderful spot to begin your wine tasting journey.

I highly recommend a meal and some vino at Barolo Friends — the wine list is outstanding and the food is delicious!

 

Roddi

I think Roddi has twice as many inhabitants as Barolo, but it’s still a small village of 1400 residents.

This is one of those delightful towns that doesn’t seem to attract a lot of tourists.

So as you walk around, you’ll really get that local vibe making it one of the best towns in Piedmont — in my opinion.

There seem to be a lot of castles in this area and Roddi is no exception.

Castello di Roddi sits up on a hill with some fabulous views.

You can visit the castle, but opening times are limited — although you can call to make an appointment if you have a large group (20 people or more).

Roddi has a strong truffle culture.

What are truffles?

Well they’re a kind of fungus that grows in the ground and many are edible.

In fact, some are quite highly prized.

They have a strong flavor so not everyone likes them.

I happen to like them a lot.

Anyway…

Some folks actually go hunting for truffles with dogs that are specifically trained to find these fungi in the ground.

As a result of Roddi’s truffle culture, you’ll see these wonderful metal pieces of art dedicated to truffle hunting.

And, one of my favorite aspects of this beautiful Piedmont town, is the book sculptures along the town walls that have truffle recipes written in them.

So you get to enjoy the views of the surrounding hills, vineyards and mountains and get an authentic truffle recipe!

 

Monforte

Monforte is one of my favorite Piedmont towns.

Technically known as Monforte d’Alba it has to be one of the most beautiful towns in Piedmont.

I say this because I have loads of images of it.

That’s always an indication that there are interesting and lovely aspects making it photo worthy.

Monforte has some of the best views of the countryside and beyond to the mountains.

It also has sites such as Oratorio di Sant’Agostino and San Bonifacio and the 18th Century Palazzo Scarampi.

The bell tower that is part of the Oratorio is another site to check out.

There is a wonderful natural amphitheater that is built on the slopes around the palazzo.

I found gorgeous doors, inviting restaurants and colorful buildings.

My regret is that I didn’t spend more time here.

The restaurants look to serve up some delicious food that I really should have tried.

Something tells me I’ll return to Monforte!

 

La Morra

La Morra is one of the more well-known towns in Piedmont.

It’s just a short drive from Barolo and does sit firmly in the Barolo growing region.

A larger town, with 2600 residents, La Morra has a definite hill town feel as you make your way up and up to the village center.

Because I was staying very close to La Morra I ended up here a few times — twice for dinner and one afternoon after my visit to the next town on my list, Serralunga.

It’s truly one of the most beautiful towns in Piedmont.

La Morra has this fantastic piazza, Piazza Castello, that has awesome views to the surrounding landscape.

You can’t miss it.

Naturally, there are some other sites that make it one of the best towns in Piedmont.

You’ll find Chiesa di San Sebastiano, Torre Campanaria di La Morra and one of my favorites, Chiesa San Martino.

There are some excellent wine shops to do some wine tasting and to buy a bottle — or 2 or 3.

And there are some superb restaurants.

I had delicious meals at Osteria More e Macine and Uve Wine Bar.

 

Serralunga

This under-rated town is another of my favorite towns in Piedmont.

Serralunga actually lies on the boundary between the Langhe and the Alta Langhe.

The Alta Langhe is simply another part of the Langhe, but this piece is slightly higher in elevation.

Anyway…

Serralunga is another wee village much like Barolo.

It has this incredibly well-preserved castle — Castello di Serralunga d’Alba — as its star.

I was sooooo disappointed that I missed touring this site which is opened at varying times throughout the year.

Of course, I was there on a Wednesday and Wednesday is NOT one of the days it’s opened.

I should have done my homework!

However, I did have a gorgeous day to wander about this charming town and to take in some of the most stunning views in all of Piedmont.

Seriously, the views from Serralunga are amazing!

Like Monforte I found some fascinating things to photograph such as colorful buildings and cool doors.

But really, I think the views from Serralunga as some of the best views in Piedmont.

I’d be sure to put this Piedmont town on your list.

 

The best towns in Piedmont?

Maybe.

I know there are many more.

My head was spinning during my week in the Langhe area because there are so many gorgeous towns to choose from.

And really, you can’t go wrong with any of them.

These 5 towns are simply ones I had the opportunity to spend time in and ones that I really like — a lot!

Are these the best towns in Piedmont?

Are they the most beautiful towns in Piedmont?

Well, I always find these kinds of lists subjective.

But something tells me that if you stopped by any one of these 5 towns — or all of them — you wouldn’t be disappointed.