Milan is the gateway to Piedmonte and Swiss & Europe Travel can open up the secrets of this “new” Tuscany if you are intending to travel from Milan through to exquisite Lake Orta, Stresa, and on to Switzerland. Piedmonte is a region that even Italians consider to have the best food in Italy and every season has its allure. Alpine-fringed, it is ideal for winter sports in January and February and after the heat of summer, October to December sees the wine and truffle harvest.
Alba is an hour and a half’s drive south-west of Milan. It is the white-truffle capital of the world and the centre of a wine region known for producing both the superb wines: Barolo and Barbaresco. This region of vineyard-covered hills and fortified hilltop towns is called the Langhe and it boasts more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other region in Italy, making it a culinary rival to Switzerland.
To begin a journey from Italy, through Piedmonte and on to Switzerland, Milan is a convenient staring point. One of our preferred hotels is the Bulgari Hotel Milano located close to the famous shopping precincts. For Australians, one perfectly appealing element is the hotel’s massive, 4,000 sq m gardens that blend almost imperceptibly with the Botanical Gardens next door. What it means is a home base that is haven of green quietude. During the warm season the terrace overlooking the garden is a sensational backdrop for lunch or evening drinks.
Swiss & Europe Travel’s exclusive package at the Bulgari Hotel Milano includes:
• Two nights accommodation in superior room
• An upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Daily continental breakfast for two
• A Bulgari amenity
• A welcome amenity
• One complimentary lunch for two, excluding alcohol, taxes and gratuities
Cost: €550 per person, twin share. Valid until 31 December 2011.
If you do choose to stay at the Bulgari between October and February, you can tap into the experiences of the Piedmontese White Truffle Festival to discover the flavours of Italy’s culinary jewel. An exclusive one-day-trip to Alba reveals the beauty of the city’s old town centre and of its neighbouring districts, as well as the sophisticated regional delicacies.
We have a sensational package that includes limousine transfers to a village near Alba for a signature lunch. Black truffles, the white truffle’s lesser cousin, are grown and harvested year round so a similar package can de designed for you at any time or even a self-drive option. Wine tasting, cooking lessons and truffle hunting are also available upon request.
This special Swiss Travel package includes:
• 2 nights accommodation in a deluxe room at the Bulgari Hotel Milano
• Special welcome amenity
• A Bulgari gift on departure
• Full American breakfast daily
• Limousine service to Alba
• Truffle lunch for two at a fine cuisine restaurant in a charming little town close to Alba
Cost: €970 per person, twin share, tax included. Valid until February 2011
