The Langhe of PAVESE and FENOGLIO
Day 1: ALBA
In the early afternoon, meeting with the guide and visit of the capital of the Langhe, known for its wines, hazelnuts, and the International White Truffle Fair. You will walk through the narrow streets, admiring the medieval towers and the cathedral dedicated to Saint Lawrence. Special attention will be given to its most illustrious writer, Beppe Fenoglio, who was born in Alba in 1922. Every corner of the town recalls I ventitré giorni della città di Alba (The twenty-three days of the city of Alba). Fenoglio’s Alba is a town inhabited by extraordinary people, a land of hardship that nevertheless filled the writer’s eyes with great poetry and narrative. Transfer to the hotel, dinner, and overnight stay.
Day 2: The LANGHE of Fenoglio and Pavese
Breakfast at the hotel, then departure by bus to take in the scenic sights of hills “combed” by orderly vineyards and dotted with villages and castles, with stops at places that have been key settings in the writings of Beppe Fenoglio and Cesare Pavese.
- Mango is one of the towns that were most frequently mentioned by Beppe Fenoglio in his novels, such as Il partigiano Johnny (Johnny the Partisan), Una questione privata (A Private Affair), and Appunti partigiani 44-45 (Partisan Notes 44-45). Here, places such as the tavern, the doctor’s house, Costantino’s house, the public weighbridge, the cemetery, the church, the pharmacy, and the village of the Battuti (Flagellants) are mentioned.
- Santo Stefano Belbo, famous for the “Tonda Gentile” hazelnut, is also the birthplace of Cesare Pavese, born here on September 9, 1908. Santo Stefano Belbo is the setting of Pavese’s last novel La Luna e i falò (The Moon and the Bonfires), published in 1950. Today, it is possible to relive the events of the book: the house where he was born, the Church of Saints James and Christopher where he was baptized, the carpentry shop of his great friend Pinolo Scaglione, La Mora, Il Nido, the Gaminella hut, and finally his grave in the village cemetery. Lunch during the excursion.
Continuation to Canelli, home of sparkling wines. Visit of the grand, solemn and prestigious underground cellars, especially the unique Canelli cellars, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Miles and miles of tunnels and rooms extend into the tuff hill beneath the town, masterpieces of engineering and architecture that store the sparkling wines at a constant temperature of 12-14 degrees Celsius. Wine tasting in the cellar. Return to the hotel, dinner, and overnight stay.
Day 3: THE LANGHE OF BAROLO
Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Meeting with the guide and departure for the Barolo Wine Road, a spectacular journey that combines the beauty of the landscape with the history and flavor behind the production of Barolo, one of the most prized wines of Piedmont.
Photographic stop at Grinzane to admire the castle that belonged to Count Camillo, a great statesman and politician of Italy’s Risorgimento. Stop at La Morra to enjoy the panoramic view of the hills from the 360° observation deck. Lunch at an agriturismo restaurant.
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