Monferrato Poolhouse

Are you a wine lover and a connoisseur of beauty looking for a vacation off the beaten path? Do you love Italy and the Italian countryside, but hate dealing with crowds of tourists? Come to Piedmont and discover the gorgeous, unspoiled green and vine-covered hills of Monferrato, home to one of the few Nebbiolo DOCs outside the Langhe region. Sample legendary Piedmontese cuisine—vitel tonné, Fassone beef with vegetables, and vegetarian dishes—just a stone’s throw from historic, royal Turin, a short train ride from Milan’s Duomo and shopping districts, and, in the other direction, Genoa and the Ligurian coast. Stay in our two-room cottage, furnished with antiques and linen sheets, and enjoy our Baroque garden featuring a 12-meter pool, a gym, and a sauna. Your hosts can arrange local wine testings and e-bike rentals, and direct you to fantastic local agriturismo restaurants offering reasonable prices and fabulous wine—all in a small village with grocery stores, cafés, a world-famous gin distillery, and a local farmers’ market on Thursday and Sunday mornings. A place for all seasons—in winter, alpine skiing just over an hour away in the Via Lattea group of resorts; in the fall, an unbeatable season for truffles, porcini mushrooms, and wild boar, along with artichokes and traditional bagna caüda—if you’re a garlic lover; enjoy local asparagus throughout the spring and luscious cuore di bue tomatoes and local vegetables while lounging by the pool in the summer. <br><br>On foot, follow local walking trails through vine-covered hills to a Romanesque convent, with plenty of spots for a romantic picnic. Take a day trip by car to Roero or Barolo, or simply soak in the fragrance of jasmine, lavender, and rosemary, linger by the pool, and do absolutely nothing.