Looking for some advice from the board. We normally travel to Europe arriving on the 30-th December and drive straight to our house in Meursault but it is booked for the first few days. We have managed to book at the last minute into the Relais San Maurizio in Santo Stefano Belbo. We will be there for four days and would appreciate any recommendations for restaurants, sightseeing etc. I have not arranged any Winery visits due to late notice and the time of the year so am more interested in other fun things for a family to do.
We were in Piedmont, based in Castiglione Falleto, for the days between Christmas 2015 and New Year’s Eve. We flew out to Rome the day before NYE. Hence, am not qualified to state which restaurants will be open NYE in Piedmont.
For what it’s worth, 2 of the restaurants that we wanted to reserve were closed then. We only lucked out with one restaurant in our to go list. It was a great experience food-wise and and with the robust Piedmont wine list and large cellar at Il Centro in Priocca. This town is about 25 minutes drive from our hotel going towards Alba.
You may want to call them to check if they are open during NYE.
You could go skiing in Limone! Only about half an hour from Cuneo by train (maybe 40mins drive), and everything you’d need would be hireable. Lovely place, and it’s already got snow.
Cuneo itself has its famous market in the Piazza twice a week (Wed and Sat from memory, but check and maybe affected by the holidays).
Bra is the home of the original Slow Food restaurant, and the old Ascheri winery now also houses a great brasserie-type place to eat.
Torino is one of Italy’s unfairly overlooked great cities, and one of the ancient capitals. The walk or funicular up to Superga, the wacky cinema museum with its disconcerting central mid-air Wonky-esque elevator, the old Fiat factory arts complex and shopping centre (with a restaurant that overlooks the rooptop test/race track. The original Eataly, in the old Punt e Mes factory (or whatever a vermouth-ery should be called) and simply walking around spotting the locations of the film The Italian Job, against a backdrop of the Alps, and Mt Viso (allegedly the mountain that the most people on earth have ‘seen’, because a painting of it (it’s a near perfect natural pyramid) became the opening image/logo for Paramount Pictures (I repeat, allegedly). More than several great days out! Without going to Barolo!
(You could try Trattoria delle Poste in Monforte though, for a special treat.)
Some lovely walking around Castino
Warm up with spa treatments in Acqui Terme
Take in the historic cellars (for Asti) in Canelli
All very close
Plenty of good stuff further afield, but in case the weather is bad, good to have options close to your base. On that note, also worth researching when & where the local markets are, as these can always be a joy and they may well have roast chestnuts to warm you up.
For a sociable meal (and typically endless that Italian agriturismo are famed for), Bubbio a small distance south-east has a charming agriturismo called ‘Tre Colline in Langa’. Max (Massimiliano) and his wife Paola run an understated place, mostly good ‘farmhouse’ food, but with the occasional dish where Paola shows a strong talent for flavours. Not fine dining, but absolutely in the slow food mindset and very convivial. Max is very warm/genuine as host / waiter. If you do go, it’s easy to miss the turning (opposite via Roma where the small number of shops are based).
I’m not sure if they’re open for NYE, but I would check into Belbo da Bardon. We had an outstanding long lunch there last September. Definitely family friendly.
Unfortunately, it was closed “due to holidays” when we were there the last time, between Christmas and NYE last year. But I’d suggest for Anthony to attempt to call in advance, in case he’s interested.
Btw, Ristorante Bovio in La Morra was open then, a highly recommended restaurant by wineries and other restaurants, and it was open during that period.