La Morra: Food, Wine & Vineyards in Piedmont’s Langhe
After two nights in Turin, we left the city behind and drove south towards La Morra. One of the things I loved most about this trip was how quickly everything changed. Less than 90 minutes later, we were surrounded by vineyards, stopping every few kilometres to admire the views. The pace slowed almost immediately, and that was exactly what we’d come for.
Most people visiting the Langhe head straight for Barolo, but we based ourselves in nearby La Morra. We’d visited the region around fifteen years earlier and it was here that we first discovered Arneis, Nebbiolo and Barbera d’Alba. We’ve been happily drinking all three ever since, so it felt rather special to return and enjoy them where they’re produced.
If you’re wondering whether the Langhe is worth visiting even if you’re not planning back-to-back winery tours, the answer is absolutely yes. We came for the scenery, the food, the villages and a few good glasses of wine along the way—and left wondering why we’d waited so long to return.
Why We Chose La Morra
If I’m honest, the decision was largely made for us.
I had saved a handful of hotels across the Langhe, but by the time I came to book, many had already sold out. The property that suited us best happened to be in La Morra.
Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing.
La Morra felt quieter and more relaxed than nearby Barolo, yet the two villages are only a few kilometres apart. Everything we wanted to visit was an easy drive away and, after spending our mornings exploring, it was exactly the sort of place we looked forward to returning to each afternoon.
Should you stay in Barolo or La Morra? After visiting both, I’d still choose La Morra. Barolo is lovely and absolutely worth visiting, but it feels busier and more commercial. La Morra has a gentler pace and made a far more relaxing base while still being only a few minutes’ drive away.
One thing we knew from the start was that we wanted a hotel with a swimming pool. We were never planning a trip built around winery tours from morning until night. We wanted somewhere we’d genuinely enjoy spending time, and somewhere that felt like a holiday rather than just a base for sightseeing.
Where We Stayed: Relais Le Rocche
Finding accommodation in the Langhe wasn’t quite as straightforward as I’d expected. Relais Le Rocche had just one room left—and thankfully, it was the family suite.
Looking back, I think we were incredibly lucky.
Set amongst the vineyards just outside La Morra, the estate feels wonderfully peaceful. Although the grounds are spacious, there are only eight rooms, so it never feels busy or impersonal.
Our family suite worked brilliantly. Behind the main bedroom was a separate sleeping area for our daughter, together with an additional bathroom, giving everyone plenty of space. Every room also has its own private garden overlooking the vineyards, and I could immediately see why it’s such a good choice for anyone travelling with a dog. The hotel is genuinely pet friendly, with lots of outdoor space for them to enjoy.
One detail completely surprised me. At check-in we were invited to choose our bathroom toiletries from three different collections: Etro, Culti Milano or Floris. In all my years of travelling, I’d never experienced that before. It’s a small touch, but one that immediately tells you this is a hotel that pays attention to the details.
The pool quickly became one of our favourite parts of the hotel. We spent both afternoons there and almost had it to ourselves. I can only assume most of the other guests were either out wine tasting… or sensibly enjoying an afternoon nap somewhere.
What really made Relais Le Rocche special, though, was Sara and her team. By the end of our first day, it genuinely felt as though we’d stayed there before. Everyone was warm, welcoming and nothing ever seemed like too much trouble.
On Sunday afternoon, I casually asked whether it might be possible to arrange a massage. I wasn’t expecting much, given the short notice, but within an hour everything had been organised—and, as with everything else during our stay, it was all done with a smile.
Another thing that stood out was how many returning guests there were. Over breakfast and by the pool we met several couples who come back year after year. I always think that’s one of the strongest endorsements a hotel can receive.
We paid around €450 per night in peak season for the family suite, including breakfast. Considering the size of the room, the service and the overall experience, I thought it was excellent value. Boutique hotels of this quality are never inexpensive, but between the generous accommodation, beautiful grounds, peaceful pool and exceptional service, we left feeling we’d had every euro’s worth.
By the time our friends booked about a month later, Relais Le Rocche was already full, so they stayed at Quattro Pozzi Country House, which they also spoke very highly of. If Relais Le Rocche doesn’t have availability, it’s certainly somewhere I’d look at.
One practical tip if you’re visiting the Langhe during the summer: check your hotel has air conditioning. Some of the region’s beautiful older properties don’t, and with temperatures close to 40°C during our stay, I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to be without it.
We’d already booked restaurants for both evenings, so we never had dinner at the hotel. Looking back though, having experienced everything else, I almost wish we’d kept one evening free. Something tells me dinner there would have been rather special.
Lunch at Sky Bar Cerequio
We left Turin after breakfast and drove straight to Sky Bar Cerequio for lunch. Part of Palás Cerequio Barolo Cru Resort, it was the perfect place to begin this part of the trip.
The terrace overlooks the surrounding vineyards, making it a wonderful first introduction to the Langhe. The menu is fairly short but thoughtfully put together, the service was genuinely friendly, and a chilled glass of Arneis was exactly what we fancied after the drive.
We didn’t linger for hours. It was incredibly hot, we were looking forward to checking into our hotel and jumping into the pool, so a relaxed lunch here before continuing to La Morra worked perfectly.
If you’re driving from Turin, I’d definitely make this your first stop.
A Relaxed First Afternoon in La Morra
After lunch, it was only a short drive to Relais Le Rocche.
With temperatures close to 40°C, we quickly fell into a routine that worked brilliantly for all three of us. Our daughter had a nap while it was simply too hot to do very much before spending a couple of hours jumping in and out of the pool.
Those afternoons weren’t just for her—they were for us too.
We’d come to the Langhe for a proper holiday, not a wine-tasting marathon, and having a beautiful hotel with a swimming pool to return to each afternoon turned out to be one of the best decisions we made.
By the time we headed out for dinner, everyone had cooled down, recharged and was ready for the evening.
Dinner at Osteria More e Macine
Our first dinner was at Osteria More e Macine, right in the centre of La Morra.
This couldn’t have been more different from some of the refined restaurants the region is known for. It was lively, noisy, informal and absolutely packed with locals—which is usually a very good sign.
The menu celebrates Piedmontese classics, from tajarin to plin, alongside a well-priced wine list that makes it very easy to continue exploring the local wines without feeling overwhelmed.
It was exactly the sort of place we were hoping to find.
After dinner, I did something I almost always do when travelling—I had a quick wander around the local supermarket.
I can’t help myself.
I love seeing what people actually buy, spotting local products and inevitably coming home with something I probably didn’t know I needed. Thankfully it was still open, making it the perfect way to end our first evening before heading back to the hotel.
Discovering Local Wines at the Cantina Comunale
The following morning, we spent a relaxed few hours wandering around La Morra before making our way to the Cantina Comunale.
If you’ve never come across one before, it’s a brilliant concept. Rather than visiting lots of individual wineries, the Cantina brings together wines from many of the area’s local producers under one roof. You can browse, ask questions and compare different styles without having to drive from vineyard to vineyard.
We ended up spending around half an hour there, chatting to the team and asking for recommendations.
Rather than asking for the most famous Barolo, we approached it slightly differently.
We asked what they would buy with their own money.
Which bottle would they take to a family Christmas? What would they bring to a friend’s house for a steak dinner? Which wine would they open on a Tuesday evening with a simple bowl of pasta?
The conversation was brilliant.
Our first visit to the Langhe was around fifteen years ago, and it was here that we first discovered Arneis, Nebbiolo and Barbera d’Alba. We’ve been happily drinking all three ever since, so it was lovely to come back and stock up directly from the source.
We left with a lovely selection of Barolos for special occasions, Nebbiolos, plenty of Barbera d’Alba—which remains one of my personal favourites—and several bottles of Arneis for the summer months.
We always travel with padded wine sleeves in our suitcases (I’ve linked the ones we use below), but we clearly underestimated how much we’d buy. Thankfully, the Cantina also sold them, so we picked up another couple before heading home.
If you only have time for one wine stop during your stay, I’d make it this one.
A Short Drive to Barolo
From La Morra, it’s only a few kilometres to Barolo, and the drive between the two villages is beautiful.
Parking wasn’t quite as easy as it had been in La Morra, but after a short wait we found a space and spent a little time wandering around.
Barolo was every bit as pretty as I remembered from our first visit fifteen years ago. That said, it did feel noticeably more commercial than La Morra, with more visitors and far more wine shops.
We popped into the Corkscrew Museum, which has a surprisingly good little shop and enough to keep our daughter entertained while we had a proper look around, before stopping for a much-needed gelato.
I’d absolutely recommend visiting Barolo, but I was equally pleased we’d chosen to stay in La Morra. For us, it offered the quieter, more relaxed base we were looking for.
Lunch at Agricola Gian Piero Marrone
From Barolo, we continued to Agricola Gian Piero Marrone for lunch.
I hadn’t realised when booking that lunch also included a short winery tour, which wasn’t really what we’d planned. We’d deliberately decided that this wouldn’t be a wine-tasting trip, so it came as a bit of a surprise.
That said, the food was very good, the vineyard views were lovely and the menu is extensive, making it much more than somewhere to stop for a quick tasting platter. It felt like a larger-scale operation and a little less intimate, but we still enjoyed our meal.
The one thing I’d say is to allow more time than you think you’ll need. Between the tour and lunch, we were there for around two hours. If you already have winery visits or tastings booked that afternoon, it’s worth factoring that into your plans.
A Slow Afternoon
After lunch, we headed back to the hotel.
Once again, our daughter had a nap while it was simply too hot to do very much before spending the next couple of hours in the pool.
It would have been easy to try and squeeze in another winery or another village, but that wasn’t the sort of holiday we’d come for. We wanted time to switch off, enjoy the hotel and simply slow down.
Looking back, those slow afternoons became one of my favourite parts of the trip.
Dinner at Ristorante Belsit in Langa
That evening, we met our friends for dinner at Ristorante Belsit in Langa.
I’d handed responsibility for booking the restaurants to my friend Trudi on this trip. I simply didn’t have the bandwidth to organise every detail myself, and she did a fantastic job.
I’ll admit, I was expecting something much more casual.
Instead, we arrived at a striking contemporary restaurant with panoramic views across the Langhe. It was easily the most refined meal of the trip, but without ever feeling formal or intimidating.
The food was phenomenal and, we all agreed, exceptional value for money.
As it was our final evening, we decided on one last celebration of Piedmontese classics with a modern twist. We shared vitello tonnato, carne cruda and foie gras to start, before I ordered the tajarin while the rest of the table chose beautifully cooked meat dishes.
One thing that stood out throughout our stay was how welcome our daughter was everywhere we went. From the lively atmosphere at Osteria More e Macine to dinner at Belsit, we never once felt out of place—and we certainly weren’t the only family dining out.
As always, we did our bit too. We brought a small pouch of travel activities to keep her entertained between courses (the very same ones we pack for flights), which meant we could all relax and enjoy a wonderfully long dinner together.
Belsit is still a relatively new restaurant, and I genuinely hope it does well. We’d happily return on our next visit.
Breakfast, One Last View & The Journey Home
The following morning, we enjoyed one last breakfast at Relais Le Rocche overlooking the vineyards before saying goodbye to the Langhe. It was the perfect way to end a wonderfully relaxing couple of days.
The drive to Milan Malpensa Airport took around two hours, but we broke up the journey with a stop at Vicolungo The Style Outlets.
My shopping mission was a success. I’d discovered Diego Dalla Palma’s curly hair products for our daughter in Turin, and finally found the full-sized bottles here.
It’s funny how often the smallest purchases become some of the things you remember most from a trip.
A few things I’d do exactly the same again:
Final Thoughts
We came to the Langhe for a proper holiday rather than a wine-tasting marathon, and that’s exactly what we found.
Two nights gave us enough time to slow down, enjoy wonderful food, discover a few new wines and spend long afternoons by the pool overlooking the vineyards.
Combined with two nights in Turin, it made one of our favourite long weekends in Italy.
I’d happily do exactly the same trip again.
Mrs. O
FAQ
Is La Morra or Barolo better to stay in?
For us, La Morra. It’s quieter, more relaxed and only a few minutes from Barolo.
How many days do you need in the Langhe?
Two nights worked brilliantly. Three would be even better if you want winery visits as well.
Can you visit the Langhe without doing lots of wine tastings?
Absolutely. That’s exactly what we did. We enjoyed the scenery, restaurants, villages and local wines without spending every day touring wineries.
Is the Langhe suitable with children?
Yes. We travelled with our six-year-old and she was made to feel welcome everywhere we went.
Do you need a car?
Definitely. The villages are close together, but having your own car makes the whole trip much easier.
