Overview
Explore two of the most famous regions of Italy at your own pace. From the wine trails of Piedmont to the sea coast of Liguria, each walking day of this trip will reveal you unique natural scenery, genuine cuisine and local architecture. The first part of the tour will take you to the region of Langhe, known for its gourmet specialities, truffles, cheese and world-famous wine. Once you cross into the region of Liguria you will enjoy great views of snow-capped mountains and take on paths leading you to the turquoise sea-waters of the Flower Riviera. The tour finishes at the spa town of San Remo, where you will be able to relax and reflect on your experiences.
- Tasting the local gourmet specialities of Piedmont
- Medieval villages with genuine architecture
- Distant views of snow-capped Maritime Alps
- Walking along beautiful vineyards, hazelnut groves, cornfields and flower meadows
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Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Alba
Depending on your arrival time, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the town of Alba, known for its gourmet kitchen, local delicacies, pretty old centre and countless bars and restaurants.
- Accommodation: Hotel Calissano or similar
Day 2: Alba – Monforte | 16km
Today you will explore the famous wine lands of Piedmont, starting on a trail revealing you the great views of the Langhe region, continuing through La Morra to the famous little village of Barolo, where you can take a stroll through the alleyways to the fort and enjoy a glass of local wine. Afterwards, you take on a trail through a forest to the beautiful hilltop village of Monforte.
- Walking for the day: approx. 4.5h, 16km, ↑600m ↓350m
- Accommodation: Grappolo d’Oro or similar
Day 3: Monforte – Bossolasco | 20km
You start walking on an undulating path through vineyards to the villages of Roddino and Serravalle, where you can enjoy a great panoramic view from the so-called Langhe Balcony. You continue hiking to Bossolasco village, known for its fragrant flowers and the impressive location at the top of the mountain.
- Walking for the day: approx. 5.5h, 20km, ↑700m ↓450m
- Accommodation: Hotel Bellavista/La Panoramica or similar
Day 4: Bossolasco – Millesimo | 20km
You walk along the mountain ridge, passing herds of sheep towards Murazzano, where the famous cheese is produced. Then you continue across remote farmlands and vast cornfields with views onto the snow-capped Maritime Alps, gradually ascending to the Langhe region’s highest hilltop, passing by old stone houses and chapels. As you finish the walk for the day, a short transfer takes you to the small town of Millesimo, whose old part is considered to be one of Italy’s most beautiful town centres.
- Walking for the day: approx. 5h, 20km, ↑450m ↓800m
- Accommodation: Hotel La Gaietta or similar
Day 5: Millesimo – Bardineto | 17km
Today is your first day of hiking in the region of Liguria. After a short transfer up to the Melogno Pass, you continue along the famous high path Alta Via dei Monti Liguri through a beech forest. The trail leads you to the Monte Carmo summit from where you can enjoy a great sea view. The day ends in the little village of Bardineto, famous for its mushroom specialities.
- Walking for the day: approx. 5.5h, 17km, ↑450m ↓800m
- Accommodation: Hotel Marianella or similar
Day 6: Bardineto – Albenga | 15km
Today you walk on the Ligurian long-distance hiking path Sentiero Liguria, which will reveal panoramic views of the local mountains, coastline and islands. You can also choose a leisurely option leading you to the medieval villages of Castelvecchio and Zuccarello, from where you take the bus to Albenga. Your overnight stay is located at the seashore, so you enjoy a dip in the waves before you taste the local fish at the beach restaurant. Note that if you arrive in July or August you will spend the overnight in San Remo instead of Albenga (short train transfer).
- Walking for the day: approx. 5h, 15km, ↑300m ↓990m
- Accommodation: Hotel Marisa or similar (Lolli Palace or similar in San Remo for July and August departures)
Day 7: Albenga – San Remo | 14km
You start the day walking along the sea and after a while, you ascend on a hiking path surrounded by fragrant Macchia bushes taking you to the peak of Monte Bignone. You then cross some terraced fields and fruit groves descending to the coastal village of Alassio, where you get to experience the flair of Italian ice-cream cafés and neat lidos. A train-ride revealing you turquoise-blue sea views of the Flower Riviera takes you to the famous town of San Remo.
- Walking for the day: approx. 4.5h, 14km, ↑650m ↓650m
- Accommodation: Lolli Palace or similar
Day 8: Departure
Departure on your own or extension upon request.
What to Expect
Accommodation
3-star hotels in the countryside and a 3 or 4-star hotel in Alba. All places have been carefully hand-picked by us and their quality is regularly monitored. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Calissano
- Grappolo d’Oro
- Hotel Bellavista/La Panoramica
- Hotel La Gaietta
- Hotel Marianella
- Hotel Marisa
- Lolli Palace
Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast buffet is included on all days. When no restaurant is available on the route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either from the restaurant in your accommodation or the restaurants in the town where you stay for overnight.
Difficulty and terrain
During the first few stages of the tour, the paths are mostly undulating and the surface ranges from gravel, forest and dirt to some stony trails where you will have to watch your feet. The trails along the coast are narrow and reveal great views of the seashores. On most hiking days it is possible to choose an easier option. Good physical condition is necessary to enjoy this trip. You should be able to walk for up to 6 hours a day in order to enjoy the walking to the maximum. Average walking time: 4-6h per walking day (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from April until October, departures on Saturdays only.
Note that you will spend the overnight on day 6 in San Remo instead of Albenga if you arrive in July or August.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By train or bus
There are good train connections from Turin and Milan:
- From Turin to Alba – 1x change of trains, duration approx. 1.5h.
- From Milan to Alba – 2x change of trains, duration approx. 3h.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 overnight stays on a bed and breakfast basis, private en-suite rooms as listed above
- Luggage transfers on walking days
- Wine tasting
- Transfers according to the programme
- Carefully elaborated route descriptions
- Detailed travel and tour documents
- GPS-data to use via our smartphone app or on your own GPS device
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses such as phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc.
- Any items not specifically mentioned as ‘included’ in the programme
- Local tourist taxes
Options, extras and supplements
- A supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Private airport transfers can be arranged upon request –
- Extra nights in Alba before the holiday
- Extra nights in San Remo after the holiday
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