discover amazing piemonte
While Villa Cascinotto is comfortable and beautiful, it is the breathtaking beauty of the surrounding area that makes it so special. Part of the charm of being at the villa is the opportunity to make the most of what this corner of the world has to offer. There are various things to do close by as well as further afield. To help you explore this amazing region of Italy, we have included a curated list of our favourite places and activities. This guide gives you an excellent start to enjoying the rich cultural heritage, beautiful nature and traditions of Piemonte.
Life at the villa
Our villa is located just outside Costigliole d’Asti, the main town for the Barbera Wine. It is also home to Barbera Castle, which hosts a cooking school and tasting restaurant for chefs wishing to learn the cuisine of Piemonte.
The house is situated on its own hill at the Strada Cascinotto, right next to one of the big red benches from the Big Bench Community Project. These benches are spread over the region at spots with exceptional panoramas of breathtaking scenery. We at Villa Cascinotto, are fortunate to offer you the same spectacular vista as the nearby red bench. You can enjoy this beautiful view from our terrace whilst swimming in the pool or looking out the window when you wake up in the morning. Alternatively, you can take a good bottle of prosecco and sit on the bench to enjoy the sunset.
Our closest neighbour is Cascina Castlet, run by Maria, whose family have lived there for six generations. It is among the oldest establishments producing Barbera wines in Piemonte, and it sets the standard that other wineries strive to follow. It is an easy and relaxing 5-minute stroll to pick up a world-class Barbera to savour on the terrace. Slow living at its best!
IN costigliole d’asti
We are a 22 minutes walk and a 5 minute drive from Costigliole d’Asti. The are some nice eateries in town so you do not have to look too far afield for some delicious Italian cuisine.
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Go down to the main square in Costigliole for an authentic Piemonte dinner at Cafe Roma. If you arrive late they are flexible and may offer you a take away. They make a killer pasta ragu!
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This local wine bar in Costigliole is a nice spot to try lots of local wines and have a bite.
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The local butcher has a great selection of quality meat for the grill. Try the freshly made Salsicca (sausage). They sell it by metre!
VINEYARDS
The most popular grapes are Barbera, Dolchetto, Chardonnay, Arneis and Moscato. However, the area is also experiencing a rise in the cultivation of the Nebbiolo grape.
There are 100s of great small producers in the area. Here, we have listed just a couple of our favourites Barbera houses. However, just a short drive away is also the Lange area with the great Nebbiolo houses in the Barolo area.
Our next-door neighbour (80 metres up the road), as mentioned above is Cascina Castlet Costigliole. The vineyard has been run by the Borio family for a few centuries. Mariuccia has just celebrated her 50th anniversary as a winemaker and produces great wines.
One of our absolute favourite winemakers is Poderi Rosso Giovanni. It is close by in Agliano Terme. Lionello Rossi, the owner, is very passionate, speaks perfect English, and offers great tastings at his farm just outside Agliano.
A winery with great sparkling wines is Borgo Maragliano, particularly, Riesling. It is worth the 35 mins drive. They speak English very well. Most importantly, they have the most stunning location of any tasting room in Piemonte!
Also very close to the house, located outside Agliano is Dacasto Duilio. The entrance to this vineyard is easy to miss. Their top wine “Moncucco”.
Want to get a taste of grapa, Distilleria Becaris is where you should go. It is one of two great Grappa houses in Piemonte. Great tastings. This one is only a 5 minutes drive from our house in Boglietto.
If you absolutely love grapa, don’t hesitate to do the 30 minute drive to the Distillerie Berta. It is probably the most famous grappa house in Piemonte. They offer great tours in several languages.
Restaurants
Here you will find a collection of our favourite restaurants.
Al Gatto Verde - Simply wonderful Italian food, great staff in a picturesque village
Wine Story - The British owner is very chatty and will happily welcome you to his establishment. They serve contemporary food. A good night out.
Del Belbo - Da Bardon - A lovely family restaurant with stunning dishes at very reasonable prices. Their winecard is out of this world.
Ristorante la Barbera - The training restaurant for the International Piemontese Chefs School. It is within walking distance from Villa Cascinotto. The Castello is home to the Barbera society, and the cellar is quite impressive.
Cascina Vecchia - The best pizzas in Piemonte, full stop! All the locals go here. Their delicious pizzas are served by their delightfully friendly staff. Don’t miss it!
The surrounding cities
Torino
Torino is an amazing city with broad boulevards and grand palazzos. We suggest you go for a wander and enjoy a coffee/lunch in one of the numerous cafes.
An interesting outing could be a visit to Museo Egizio. It holds the largest Egyptian collection outside Egypt. It is worth a visit, and the kids will enjoy it too. Tickets must be booked in advance online.
When visiting Torino, you have to stop at Eataly food market. It is impressive with everything the Italian food tradition can offer in one place. You can buy fresh fish, meat, cheese, pasta, vegetables, bread etc., so it is an incredible foodie haven where you can source excellent quality “raw materials” for cooking in our well-equipped Villa Cascinotto kitchen. For those seeking a pleasant dining experience, Eataly features several restaurants where you can relax and savour the delectable dishes on offer. Don’t forget to visit the cellar in the basement!
Alba
Alba is the regional hub and a great place to explore, shop, eat, and of course, experience the truffle season in November. A must-visit. Several shops sell Italian artisan goods in Alba, therefore, take some time and have a stroll. Note that Alba is closed on Sundays and Monday mornings, plus there is the mandatory siesta between 12.30-15.30 daily!
We highly recommend this tour as a great way to understand the history of Alba.
And now we get to the important stuff: go to the gourmet Dallate boutique in Alba. It has the best gelato in Alba… no need to say more!
Shopping
Italian Fashion and Design are appreciated the world over., so it is totally understandable that you may wish to browse the stores and get a few things during your visit. Apart from the shops you will find in Torino, you can check out the Serravalle outlet - a very nice fashion outlet with 230+ shops within an hour’s drive from our Villa. With brands such as Gucci, Prada and Armani and an assortment of international names, it won´t disappoint.
markets
Saturday is market day in Alba (8-12 am). The entire centre of Alba is filled with stalls of fresh produce, cheese, meat, clothes etc.
Sunday is market day in Costigliole (8-11 am) – Full of fresh produce, it offers a great selection of what’s in season.
Cheese
Cheese is a delicacy that plays an important part of Italian cuisine. A visit to the region will not be complete without trying out the local selection. 13 minutes away by car is the Vigliani farm, where goats are kept and an amazing selection of dairy goods are produced. From fresh pasteurised goat’s milk, a variety of cheeses (Ricotta, Blue Cheese or Capreggio to name a few), yoghurt and popsicles; we are sure that you will find something to fall in love with.
Biking
Our area is wonderful for biking and there are many routes to follow around Langhe-Monferrato-Roero. We do not provide bikes, so you will have to bring your own to enjoy this amazing mountain biking opportunity. Here are two websites that discuss the various routes and itineraries available:
Langhe-Monferrato-Roero bike touring routes
Pedalare - Guide to biking routes in Monferrato
TRUFFLE HUNTING
If you are planning to visit during October and November, you may just be in luck to try one of the traditional activities of the area: Truffle hunting! We have a few contacts for truffle hunters, and can arrange this if you would like to try it. Kindly let us know before you arrive so we can organise it.
