Viewpoints in the Langhe: here are a few ideas for a scenic outing!

Easter Monday is traditionally spent in good company, but deciding what to do is never easy: there are so many ideas, so many places we would like to visit and just as many unknowns. Will the weather be fine? Will it rain or will the sun shine? The forecast certainly influences our choice. But if the skies are kind, set off in search of the finest viewpoints in the Langhe!

Our plan is already decided: we are going hunting for panoramas, romantic views and landscapes that delight the eye. Here are three Langhe villages with wonderful scenic viewpoints.

For each view, we also recommend a wine that reflects the surrounding area. Do you like the idea? Then let’s go!

LA MORRA and a fine glass of Barolo

A small jewel set in the Langhe, La Morra is a village of just over three thousand residents, only a few kilometres from Alba. Cobbled lanes, picturesque houses and the silence of vineyards embracing the entire village make La Morra an enchanting place for a restorative day out.

The heart of the village is Piazza Castello, home to one of the most captivating viewpoints in the Langhe. If that is not enough, the four-storey bell tower stands on the southern side of the square. Built in 1544 and renovated in 1750, it is open to visitors. Climb the steps to the top floor, look out from one of its small loggias and admire an even wider panorama. On a clear, sunny day, you may see as far as Murazzano. Before you lie the villages of the Langhe: Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga and Monforte.

The undisputed stars of this panorama are the vineyards that produce Barolo, the wine most closely associated with this area and our choice to enjoy before this view. The village’s many wineries offer tastings of the “king of wines”. Barolo begins with a transparent ruby colour and gradually develops orange hues as it ages. Its unmistakable flavour is elegant and measured, less overtly fruity than earthy and structured.

IN NEIVE, raise a glass of Barbaresco or Barbera!

Long contested by its hilltop neighbours Asti and Alba, Neive is a magnificent village in the western Langhe and belongs to the association of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages.

Its distinctive feature is the arrangement of the buildings on the hill. Seen from above, houses and historic structures form concentric circles, almost like the petals of a rose. As you approach the centre of this circular layout, the walls draw progressively closer until they form the village’s narrowest central point.

Neive is built on a hill, and its lanes run up and down the slope. At the top of the walk stands the Municipal Tower, also known as the Clock Tower, demolished and rebuilt several times over the centuries.

The view is incomparable: a sea of vineyards that seems to ripple in the sunlight. This is the land of Barbaresco and Barbera, two wines we recommend tasting during your visit. Barbaresco is a substantial wine, generally considered ready to drink at least four to eight years after the harvest. It has a garnet-red colour and a tannic yet full and harmonious flavour. Barbera is immensely enjoyable, with an intense red colour, a flavour that is never aggressive and wonderful drinkability.

VERDUNO and its prized wine

We have reached the end of our Easter Monday tour and want to finish in style—or rather, with excellence. Verduno feels like a village from another age and still retains all its charm. The small village spreads around its castle, now a genuine hotel and restaurant. Its most enchanting spot is the grassy square in front of the castle, accessible only on foot. Enter this beautiful garden and an exceptional 360-degree view unfolds: the Langhe, rolling hills, endless countryside and vineyards as far as the eye can see. Personally, this is the place I love most, a secret refuge for thoughts and reflection, somewhere from which to begin again. Perhaps it is the silence, or the reassuring feeling of walking on the grass; whatever the reason, the Verduno viewpoint remains my favourite.

This area also produces one of the Langhe’s rarest treasures. Today, just 18 hectares within the municipality of Verduno are devoted to Verduno Pelaverga, or Verduno DOC, one of the smallest DOC appellations in Italy. Only about 140,000 bottles are produced each year.

Our tour of the Langhe viewpoints is over. We hope sunshine accompanies your Easter holiday and brings even more colour to these wonderful landscapes. We wish you a peaceful Easter and, hopefully, a sunny Easter Monday!

Have we sparked your curiosity? Take a look at our Langhe tours and experiences—and not only at Easter!

The Langhe also offer splendid panoramic spots where you can admire the world from above. Ancient watchtowers have become magnificent balconies overlooking the region’s extraordinary landscapes.

Add these to your list:

• Barbaresco Tower, which you can also reach on a wonderful e-bike ride with our Barbaresco Tour
• Murazzano Tower
• Roccaverano Tower—and do not forget to buy some local tume cheese

Here is a secret: as soon as you climb into the hills, you will find open spaces, vineyards, castles and fantastic panoramas, more than enough to fill up on beauty. Travel a little farther towards the hills of the Alta Langa and the magic becomes even more complete.