HOME   ARTICLES   ABOUT US   LINKS   SPECIAL DEALS   CONTACT

Bargain Travel Europe guide to Europe on a budget for vacation destinations, travel ideas and secret spots missed by travel tours.

Find vacation ideas and hotel deals in Turin-Piedmont

CASTLES AND TRUFFLES TURIN
Castle Hotels in Piemonte Italy

Want to stay in the style of age old royalty on your travels, especially if drawn by wine and gourmet food, the area around Turin, Italy in the northwest Piedmont (Piemonte) region, the land of truffle sniffing hounds and full bodied red wines provides several former castles and old farm houses turned into romantic and stylish hotels of old world atmosphere. The Piedmont bordering France and the Swiss Alps with the city of Turin (Torino) as its center is not as well trampled by tourists as some of the other areas like Tuscany and Venice.

You may remember Torino and nearby ski resort town Sestriere from the winter Olympics, and as where they keep the Shroud of Turin, but pretty much locked away while they keep cutting little samples off the corners for testing. The high season in the area is October to December for the wine harvest and when the white Alba truffle is the main attraction for the restaurants full of diners looking to savor the exotic and elusive delicacy. The other seasons you’ll find it much easier to find a table to try the local wines and cuisine and in spring the beautiful hillside herb flowers for which the area is also well known are as fresh as the food.

These Italian castle hotels are all part of the “Charme & Relax” network of hotels, which is an Italian based consortium of unique hotel properties (See also Villa Kinzica in Franciacorta and Splendid del Mare in Liguria).

Castello di Razzano

Located in Casarello east of Turin in the Monferrato area a few kilometers from Asti, famous for the sparkling Asti Spumante. The Hotel is a centuries old rural residence with 8 suites furnished with a lounge, bedroom, ensuite bath, balcony and tea area. The hotel’s wine cellars produce their own Castella de Razzano label wine and forty surrounding vineyards supply Barbera d'Asti, Chardonnay, and red and white Pinot varieties. From the hotel can be taken mountain bikes excursions and nature walks in the green rolling hills, or a little sport at the tennis court or golf course. In nearby Costigliole d'Asti, you can go on your own truffle hunt at the “House of Truffle Hunting” - La Casa del Trifulau.

Razzano, 2 15021 Casarello, Alfiano Natta IT
0141 922124
Castella di Razzano

Castello di Santa Vittoria

Located in Alba from where Alba White Truffle – reputed the world’s best tasting delight - gets it name is about 60 km from Turin. The hotel sits on a promontory dominating the medieval village of Alba, with ancient walls hiding quiet interiors with antique style furnished rooms with panoramic views of the woodland valleys. The hotel’s elegant “Al Castello” restaurant (ok, it just means “of the castle”) is a local favorite offering ageless recipes of truffles, mushrooms, cheese and noble wines. Alba and the surrounding hills provide numerous historic and gastronomic sight-seeing and tasting adventures.

Via Cagna 4 12069 Santa Vittoria d’Alba
0172 478198
Castello di Santa Vittoria

Castello di Pavone

The most physically impressive and exclusive of the Torino castle hotels the shear stone walls built between the 9th and 14th centuries set around the courtyard and gardens, stand above the medieval village of Pavone 30 kilometers north of Turin. The hotel’s public and private rooms have seen the deeds of knights and damsels as depicted in the frescoes and paintings which adorn the walls. Wide panoramas of the country can be seen from the battlements and towers. The restaurant offers romantic candlelit dinners in its coffered wood beamed restaurant with regional cuisine dishes.

Via Ricetta, 1 10018 Pavone Canavese
0125 672114
Pavone

La Locanda Della Maison Verte
Among the beeches and chestnut trees of the Pinerolo hills between Turin and Sestriere the La Locanda della Maison Verte is not quite a castle but a finely restored 14th Century country manor farm house set in a surrounding green park. The intimate restaurant serves local dishes with service on the garden terrace in summertime. The wine cellar offers a wide choice of local Piemonte renowned wine labels. Cultural, sports and gastromic tours of the area can be arranged through the hotel for guests and the hotel has an onsite herb store where you can take home the local taste for your own kitchen.

Via Rossi, 34 10060 Cantalupa TO
0121 354610
Maison Verte

Prices range from 80-100 Euro for a single off-season 120-130 Euro for a double and to 200-220 Euro for a suite in the high season. © Bargain Travel Europe

For Italian food tasting tours that includes a visit to Piemonte see: A Taste of Italy Tours

Other Northern Italy Castles on Bargain Travel Europe
BUONCONSIGLIO
TOBLINO

or find an Agriturismo Italian style B&B's
on the Hotel Search page

These articles are copyrighted and the sole property of Bargain Travel Europe and WLPV, LLC. and may not be copied or reprinted without permission.

SEE ALSO:

MILLE MIGLIA MUSEUM
1,000 Miles of Racing History

SEASIDE SILENCIO
Italian Riviera Levante

CASTLE D'ARCO
Bishop takes Rook at Northern Italy Medieval Castle

Privacy
Legal
Contact

Discover Cheap Travel in Europe on a Budget with Bargain Travel Europe also visit Bargain Travel West for more budget travel ideas in western North America ©2006-08 Winged Lion Entertainment Ventures, LLC