Wandering in Langa

Where to Walk in the Langhe? Small guide for Trekkers

July 15, 2024

Imagine being in an earthly paradise of hills as soft as silk pillows, vineyards that look like they were designed by an artist a little too fond of wine, and villages where time seems to have stopped just for a coffee break.

Walking through the Langhe is like entering a fairy tale where instead of dragons and princesses, there are fragrant truffles and wines that make you sing opera arias after the first sip.

Our hills: an evocative and almost magical place.

In the Langhe every corner is a discovery, every view a postcard to collect. Whether you are a lover of good food, a die-hard fan of breathtaking views, or just someone who likes to be a barefoot tourist (okay, maybe in comfortable shoes), you will find your happy place here.

Walking through these hills will make you feel like a taste explorer, ready to conquer every winery, every osteria, and every bistro you encounter along the way. So put on your hiking shoes and get ready for an adventure that will make your taste buds dance and relax your spirit more than a day at the spa!

Alta Langa

Strolling in the Alta Langa is like venturing into an art painting, where nature reigns supreme and every corner tells a story of tranquility and beauty. The hills are higher and wilder, covered with shady forests. Here brick gives way to stone and vineyards give way to terracing and hazelnut groves.

View of the hills of Alta Langa
View of the hills of Alta Langa

It is perhaps the perfect destination to take a walk in the summer season: you can reach mountain heights of more than 700 m. above sea level, and the cool breeze and the presence of numerous forests and hazelnut groves help dissipate the summer heat.

GTL – From Saliceto to Bergolo

The GTL (Grande Traversata delle Langhe) is one of the most scenic routes in our area, and much of the route runs through the hills of the Alta Langa.

Art installation in Bergolo

This route passes through some of the most characteristic villages in the area: starting in Saliceto, a small village with a Ligurian atmosphere, it passes through Gottasecca, Prunetto, and Levice, finally reaching the “stone village,” Bergolo.

GTL – From Bergolo to San Bovo

Always part of the GTL, this route guides you from the Bormida Valley woods to the Pavese-like atmosphere of the Belbo Valley, giving you sensations of discovery at every step.

View of Cortemilia from above

It starts from Bergolo, and goes down to Cortemilia, the “capital” of Alta Langa and Hazelnut. From here we climb back to the ridge and descend into the Belbo valley, arriving in Castino, and then ending the tour in San Bovo, for a total distance of 17 km.

Bassa Langa

Walking through the Bassa Langa is like immersing yourself in a living painting, where the hills look like green waves and the vineyards draw neat patterns that catch the eye.

Panorama of the Barolo Langa at sunset

Each path leads you to unexpected discoveries: a hidden winery offering tastings, a farmhouse where the food has the flavor of tradition, or a lookout from which to admire a panorama that fades into the horizon.

The Barolo Trail of La Morra

This loop trail takes you among some of the most distinctive and spectacular landscapes in the UNESCO area.

Departing from the center of La Morra, we pass through the town’s most vocated wine-growing areas: the Annunziata, Santa Maria, and touch on some of the area’s most interesting points of interest: the Cedar of Lebanon and the Barolo Chapel.

It is 11.5 km, and the last section going up to the town center is quite steep. I do not recommend it in the warmer months.

A stroll through the historic center of Neive

If the day is too hot, or your belly too full, and you don’t feel like venturing out on too daring routes, taking a stroll through the historic center of Neive, exploring chapels and historic buildings, can be an interesting alternative.

Hilly panorama in Neive

Neive is one of the 10 most beautiful villages in Italy, and its narrow streets and alleys offer good protection against the summer heat.

Langa Monregalese

Walking through the Langa Monregalese is like entering a bucolic picture painted in warm, enveloping colors. This lesser-known part of the Langhe is a hidden treasure of rolling hills, neat vineyards and small villages that tell stories of an ancient past.

vicoforte - events

Each path is an invitation to discovery: you can find perched castles, medieval churches and farmsteads that smell of tradition.

The way of the Chapels of Vicoforte

Mondovì is a small jewel of medieval and Renaissance architecture; Vicoforte is home to Regina Montis Regalis, a shrine with the world’s largest elliptical dome.

Mondovi Piazza

Tying these two little gems together is the Via delle Cappelle, a short and undemanding walk that will have you retracing an ancient pilgrimage route dating back to the 17th century, called the “Way of the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary.”

Perfect if you want to combine culture and hiking in one go ;-)