The Piedmont Region of Italy - Unspoiled Scenery, Good Wine and Amazing Food!

My husband Bill and I were very fortunate to have spent the last couple of years living in Germany. While we lived abroad, we did a lot of traveling. One of the first places we visited was Italy, a country Bill had never seen and I had last visited in the late '90s. As we were researching places we wanted to visit, Bill told me he wanted to go to Turin, otherwise known as Torino.

A few facts about Turin, the capital of Italy's Piedmont

Turin is the capital of the Piedmont, and the entire region supports a population of about 4.4 million. Surrounded on three sides by the Alps, the Piedmont region is strikingly beautiful. While Turin is well known to some car enthusiasts for being the place where the Italian automobile maker Fiat is headquartered, it's also known for being the location of the 2006 Winter Olympics and the Shroud of Turin. The Shroud of Turin is a linen cloth that bears the image of a man who looks to have been crucified. Some people believe the Shroud of Turin is the cloth that was used to cover Jesus Christ when he was buried.

Bella Baita

Once we had decided we wanted to go, I plugged Turin into my favorite search engine and started looking for a place to stay. Somehow, I ended up finding a tiny bed and breakfast called Bella Baita. I didn't know it, but Bella Baita would end up being the focal point of our unforgettable trip to Italy's Piedmont region, an area I had never before considered visiting.

Bella Baita is located about 30 miles east of Turin. It's run by Marla and Fabrizio, a couple of chefs who love having guests. Marla is an American and her husband, Fabrizio, is Italian. Bella Baita is located in Serre Marchetto, Fabrizio's birthplace. Indeed, Fabrizio's parents live next door and offer guests an authentic taste of Italy.

The inn is located near the top of a mountain. Getting to Bella Baita is an adventure that takes travelers about 3600 feet up. The road to Bella Baita has many switchbacks and offers some stunning views of Pinasca, the town below.

Bill and I were drawn to Bella Baita because Marla and Fabrizio offer cooking lessons. Bill and I are amateur foodies. We love good wine and excellent food. And Bill was keen to learn how to cook rabbit. I also noticed that besides being a very unique place to stay, Bella Baita was very affordable. When we stayed there, Marla and Fabrizio were charging a mere 50 Euros a night. I see now they've raised their rates for a double to 55 Euros a night. Having spent four nights there, I still think it's an outstanding deal.

Things to do

Hiking and Biking

Having decided to stay at Bella Baita, we knew we wouldn't be in the middle of Turin. As it turned out, that was a blessing. There's plenty to do in the Piedmont region and being in a more rural location gave us the chance to see the Italian countryside. On our first day at Bella Baita, we took a walk down the country road near the inn. Bella Baita is a great place for hikers and bikers to stay, since it's in a very natural setting. There are stunning views from the inn and on the hillsides around it. Unfortunately, I'm not in the best of shape, so I didn't enjoy the hike as much as I might have. But those who are super fit will have no trouble occupying their time by simply taking a walk.

Driving to France

One day, Bill and I decided to take a drive through Sestriere, the area where the 2006 Olympic downhill ski races were held. As we were driving west, I got the wild idea to go to France for lunch. As it turns out, Bella Baita is located about 50 miles from Briancon, France. With an elevation of 3,830-8,330 feet, Briancon is noted for being the highest town in Europe.

On our way west, we drove through many charming Italian towns situated in the majestic Alps. This is not the best drive for anyone prone to motion sickness, but it does certainly offer some stunning views. We arrived in Briancon just in time to enjoy a delicious French provincial meal. I marveled at how just crossing a border can change everything from language to culture to cuisine. Briancon is worth visiting for its very charming old town, where there's lots of history and some pretty good shopping.

Turin and Eataly

My husband wanted to go to Turin mainly because of the Shroud, but also because when I showed him the Web site for Bella Baita, he noticed that Marla had written a blog entry about a food store in Turin called Eataly. Eataly is a store that embraces the concept of making well-prepared, excellent food available to everybody. While it is a food store, it's also presented in a fascinating way that makes it look like a museum. Best of all, there's no admission price!

After we toured Eataly and purchased some excellent Italian products, we walked around the city. During our visit, the city of Turin was expanding their metro service, so the roads were pretty torn up and traffic was terrible. We found a place to park and walked around the city center, stopping by the duomo and strolling through the beautiful arcades before we got soaked by a surprise rain storm.

That evening, we ate dinner at the restaurant located right next to Bella Baita. We happened to the only ones dining on the night of our visit; nevertheless, the food was amazing and beautifully prepared.

Cooking lessons

I mentioned that Bill and I are amateur foodies and Bill wanted to learn how to prepare rabbit. We let Marla and Fabrizio know before we arrived and they set up a lesson for us. It started with a trip to the nearby town of Pinerolo, where Marla took us through a market and introduced us to some of her favorite local vendors. Just visiting the market was interesting; there were so many colorful folks selling marvelous cheeses, meats, and produce... things we never get to see or taste in the United States.

Later, in Marla and Fabrizio's kitchen, we prepared braised rabbit with risotto. For dessert, we made a delicious fruit tart with strawberries, pineapple, and ricotta cheese. Our teachers and hosts shared the meal with us over a couple of glasses of excellent local wine.

Pinerolo

Bill and I were so charmed by Pinerolo that we decided to go back the next day to look around. The town is very quaint and picturesque, with its duomo located in the center. We found a brand new restaurant/wine bar called Perbacco that had just opened in a secluded courtyard. As it turned out, they weren't open for lunch, but a very insistent older woman who didn't speak English handed us a business card, making sure to tell us when the place would be open for dinner.

We wandered through Pinerolo's streets and courtyards, finally stumbling upon a local pizzeria for lunch. We could tell it was a family owned establishment. An adorable older man was busily baking pizzas in a brick oven as Bill and I sat down and ordered a bottle of wine. Bill decided he wanted an appetizer of melon and prosciutto before we had our pasta dishes. When one of the young male waiters delivered it, he started to put the plate before me. I pointed out that Bill had ordered the appetizer and there was a chorus of "awws" and "tsks" from the disapproving staff. Bill ended up asking for another plate so I could share his appetizer with him!

We decided to go to Perbacco for dinner. What a wonderful surprise this place turned out to be! We were the only Americans in the place and the owner, who was also the wine steward, actually asked us where we were from! He seemed genuinely surprised to have Americans in his restaurant. Bill ordered a bottle of local wine. The owner presented it to us and told us to let it sit for a few minutes while we enjoyed our first courses. The wine mellowed out beautifully and went perfectly with the food. I was particularly enchanted by a carrot souffle I had ordered as an appetizer that turned out to be fantastic.

What we didn't do

Our four nights and five days in Italy's Piedmont region just scratched the surface of things to do. Those who love visiting castles and exploring history, for example, will be spoiled for choice in the Piedmont. And as the site of the 2006 Winter Olympics, Turin and the surrounding area is a great place for those who want to ski. Wine lovers will have no problems finding places to taste and purchase excellent wines.

Overall

Bill and I got to see some amazing things while we were in Europe, but we count our time in Italy's Piedmont region as among our favorites. Staying at Bella Baita gave us a chance to really experience an authentic taste of Italy, both in terms of the people and the food. The area is beautiful, rich with culture, and abundant with colorful, friendly people. I know most people who visit Italy go there to see Rome, Venice, and Florence, but I would also highly recommend a trip to the Piedmont for an authentic experience no tourist mecca can match.

Sources:

www.bellabaita.com
www.eatalytorino.it
www.initaly.com