Canelli

Canelli's spumante story began at Gancia in 1865, and its UNESCO-listed underground cathedrals run for over four kilometres of tuff galleries at a natural 12–14°C. The two-hour Tour Classico includes four tastings paired with local products; a shorter Vermouth & Spirits tour (from €30) runs 30 minutes with three tastings and a cocktail. Along the way are the famous Gancia advertising posters and the company museum. Book directly with Casa Gancia.

A family-run truffle ground in the Canelli hills where guests head into the woods with the Bussi family and their truffle dog to search for white and black truffles. The hunt ends with a relaxed tasting of truffle dishes, local cheese and wine, making for an intimate outdoor experience.

Contratto, a pioneer of Italian classic-method sparkling wine since 1867, opens its UNESCO-listed underground cathedrals — over 5,000 m² of tunnels carved up to 32 m into the hillside marl. The 90-minute visit walks the cellars, a gallery of historic documents and the 'Sack Room' museum of old tools, and ends with a wine and vermouth tasting (children's rate available). Booking required, Via G. B. Giuliani 52.

A panoramic viewpoint reached by the lovers' path that climbs from the town centre, opening onto sweeping views over Canelli and the surrounding UNESCO wine hills. The walk is gentle and suits all ages.

A visit inside Coppo, one of the historic houses whose monumental tufa cellars form part of Canelli's UNESCO Cattedrali Sotterranee. Walk the underground galleries where Metodo Classico and the town's Barbera age, then taste — the perfect pairing with a masterclass during Canelli Città del Vino, or a quieter stop the rest of the year.

The home of the Ramazzotti tradition in Canelli, a small, well-curated space where vintage posters and old bottles trace the brand's history. Visitors can buy the amaro and related products on site, with factory tours available by prior arrangement.

A dawn-to-late-morning hot-air balloon flight drifting over the vineyards, villages and UNESCO wine landscapes around Canelli and the wider Langhe-Roero-Monferrato. Flown by a professional pilot with a chase vehicle, it includes a flight 'baptism' and certificate — about one hour aloft within roughly three hours total. Year-round for 2–12 people; the departure field is arranged at booking.

Canelli's central church, with three naves under frescoed barrel vaults and Baroque canvases inside. From the little square beside it, a footpath climbs toward the Canelli castle.

A hands-on home-cooking class hosted by a local Cesarina in a 19th-century villa in the Langa Astigiana around Canelli. Learn to prepare traditional Piedmontese dishes from scratch, then sit down to enjoy them in the intimate setting of a private home. Booked through the Cesarine network of home cooks.

A historic Canelli building admired for its baroque friezes and handsome interior, though it has long stood neglected. It appeals to those with an eye for the town's faded architectural heritage.

A guided private e-bike tour out of Canelli through the UNESCO Monferrato vineyard landscape — roughly 39 km with about 930 m of climbing on quiet paved back-roads, so the pedal assist does the hard work and you get the views. Suitable for moderately fit riders; e-bike rental is available separately from about €45 per person.

Guided visits open the castle's terraced gardens, with a panoramic terrace over the vineyards and a Moscato tasting to finish. The 'Lovers' Path' leads up to it, and the route is manageable with a stroller; the interior stays private.

Head into the woods around Canelli with a local trifulau (truffle hunter) and their dog to search for the hills' most prized find. The outing is followed by a truffle tasting, so you both learn the hunt and eat the reward. A hands-on window into one of Monferrato's oldest traditions.

A green riverside park on the Belbo floodplain, created as flood basins and now a quiet spot for walking, running and cycling. Its wetlands and greenery draw wildlife, from herons and ducks to the occasional roe deer, a short distance from the town centre.

A storytelling-led walk through Canelli's UNESCO Underground Cathedrals, evoking the town's history since the 1613 siege as you pass thousands of Metodo Classico bottles resting in the sandstone galleries. It closes with a lunch or dinner paired with three of the cellar's wines at the Osteria dei Meravigliati — for visitors who want narrative and landscape context alongside the cellars.

A monumental plane tree (Platanus × acerifolia) that has shaded Canelli's square for more than two centuries — planted around 1800, it's a hybrid of the oriental and American plane, valued for its broad canopy and resistance to city air. Its massive pale, mottled trunk and sprawling branches tower over the piazza's café tables, making it a natural landmark in the heart of town.

Descend into the Bosca cellars — part of Canelli's UNESCO-listed Cattedrali Sotterranee, the tufa tunnels carved up to 32 metres beneath the town where sparkling wine has aged for over a century. A guided walk through the underground galleries ends with a tasting of a Classic Method sparkling wine and two Charmat Method wines. The most atmospheric way to understand why Canelli calls itself the città del vino.

A full-day self-ride vintage-Vespa tour looping through Barbaresco and down into Canelli, home of Moscato and the Underground Cathedrals. The ~85-km 'Barbaresco and Canelli' itinerary threads vineyard hills, villages and cellar country, with daily departures April–November. A category-B driving licence is required; several languages on request.

Piemontese cooking served in a courtyard under big trees, or in a striking sky-blue room. Meals open with house grissini and lean on local wines by the glass — note the one you like and buy the bottle at the enoteca afterwards. Cheerful, easy service.

A refined, family-run kitchen in the old centre where the chef-owner turns local ingredients into a multi-course tasting menu — the vitello tonnato and melting gnocchi are favourites. Ask for Juliano to walk you through the wine pairings. Warmly welcoming to children.

A friendly café popular with locals — good for a coffee by day and cocktails later, with simple bites like bread and local oil. Relaxed and welcoming.

A piazza gelateria loved for its ice-cream, with good coffee for the grown-ups. An easy stop in the flat old centre.

A central café on the piazza and a reliable stop for a quick coffee, with staff who speak some English. Also does light plates like caprese and bresaola alongside the drinks.