Visit The Vineyard Valley Of Perno Italy In The Piedmont Region

What to do there

Perno is the ideal location for those looking to relax and be away from a big city center. The municipality offers different small bed and breakfasts located within the vineyards. The bed and breakfasts are all called “Agriturismos"—little hotels with a couple of rooms located next to the vineyard. There are hundreds of vineyards surrounding Perno, which you can even hike through when the weather is not too hot. The municipality of Perno is not very big, so you can easily explore it by foot in half a day. But, be aware that it is quite hilly. The views are breathtaking—with the ability to see the Alps on a good day—no matter what direction you look in.

Which municipalities to visit

From Perno you can easily reach many of the other municipalities located nearby. Please be aware, you will need a car for a trip in the Piedmont as most places you would like to visit are not within walking distance. Monforte d’Alba, Barolo and Alba are all other municipalities that you should pay a visit to while in the Piedmont region.

Monforte d’Alba is the first town you’ll reach when driving down the road heading south. It’s a wonderful place to go for a gelato or for a meal. There is a wonderful restaurant here called In Piazza where you can get authentic Italian pizza. There are several great places to eat right in the town center. After walking up the steep and tiny streets you will reach the town’s castle and a little medieval auditorium.

Barolo is the place to go if you would like to buy large amounts of wine to bring back home with you. If you are a red wine drinker, you have to try Barolo wine, which is famous in this region of Italy. Many shops here give you the ability to ship cases of wine to your home country.

Alba is home to Ferrero, which makes the confectionary Nutella. Alba is also famous for their wine, peaches and white truffle production. There are plenty of shops here selling specialty food products that you can bring home as souvenirs. You shouldn’t miss shopping at Antica Bottega del Tartufo, located on Via Vittorio Emanuele 26, where you can buy local truffles and other goodies. Another must do is wandering through the old city center while enjoying a cone of handmade ice cream from one of the many gelato parlors!

Where to eat

The Piedmont is the ideal place to visit for food and wine enthusiasts. There are so many excellent restaurants you will have a hard time choosing which ones to go to! If you want to have a real Italian eating experience, then I definitely recommend a place called Arco dei Nobili located on Via della Chiesa 4 in Perno. Here the owners speak no English. But don’t worry, even if you can’t speak Italian, you are sure to have an authentic Italian five course meal for less than 30 EUR/33 USD. Everything is sourced locally from around the region. Make sure to get a bottle of the local red wines like Barolo or Barbera with your dinner. While enjoying your dinner, you’ll have a perfect view over the southern side of the Piedmont vineyards.

Are you a pizza lover? Then you are in luck. Another top rated restaurant, In Piazza, is located close to Perno. In Piazza is a wonderful pizza restaurant that offers other traditional Italian cuisine like lasagna and pasta. Drinking any of the local red wines here would be a great accompaniment to your meal. The wine list is several pages long, but the waitresses are very knowledgeable and can help you choose the perfect drink to have with your meal. The restaurant is located at Via Umberto I, 3 in the Monforte d’Alba town center. The best way to reach In Piazza from Perno is by car heading towards the Monforte d’Alba town center, which takes about 10 minutes.