Forage for a new experience in Piedmont

Truffles, wine tastings and Vespa rides await at Casa di Langa in Italy

If you’re heading to Italy, you know you can expect exceptional food, wine and sights. You’ll get all that and more at the new boutique hotel Casa di Langa, which just opened their doors in Langhe, in the Piedmont region, where culinary tourism meets experiential travel.

In particular, Piedmont is famous for their Alba white truffles, which grow wild in the forests. To celebrate the elusive delicacy, the retreat has a “Truf- fle Concierge,” who will offer tips for shopping the local scene. For those who want to check out the source, the hotel will also arrange foraging expeditions on the estate, guided by experts and their adorable Lagotto dogs (a breed known for their truffle-finding prowess).

Casa di Langa has plenty to offer beyond hard-to-get culinary treasures. The property is home to 39 luxe rooms (from $661), designed in muted tones like oak and terracotta. Each room also features a private terrace, cosy relaxation areas perfect for reading and toiletries from chic New York brand Le Labo. From the windows, look out over the hotel’s 100 acres of land, which includes vineyards, a vegetable garden, a hazelnut orchard and rolling hills.

The natural theme continues over at Fàula Ristorante, the fine-dining spot on-site. The seasonal menu, which focuses on local, sustainably grown produce, was designed by celebrated Italian chef Manuel Bouchard, who’d worked at five Michelin-starred restaurants before he turned 25. Try the classic Piedmontese dishes, like fassona albese (beef tartare) or raviolini del plin (pinched pasta stuffed with meat), indoors or al fresco.

Elsewhere, guests can enrol in on-site cooking classes, enjoy tastings at the nearby wine academy, take a Vespa ride through the vineyards, tour the hotel’s original art collection (including their sculpture garden), or pop into Lelòse Spa for a massage. They can also explore Piedmont, famous for its many distinct wine-growing areas and stunning landscapes — not to mention the 46 Michelin-starred restaurants across the region.

With so much focus on nature, sustainability is a priority, as you may expect. The hotel uses 100 per cent recycled water for irrigation, as well as geothermal heating and solar panels throughout; they’ve also eliminated single-use plastics and chosen sustainable materials, like recyclable terracotta, in construction. They’ve planted new native trees to boost their green space and introduced 40 hives for bees to produce honey and pollinate the grounds. Maybe, you’ll even see them buzzing by on your search for truffles.