Piedmont, explored in full.

Turin sets the tone, a city of Savoy palaces and arrow-straight porticoed streets, the old royal capital where the first Italian parliament met. South of it the hills begin, the Langhe and the Monferrato rolling away in vineyards and hazelnut groves toward the higher peaks beyond Cuneo.

This is a region that takes its table seriously, the birthplace of the Slow Food movement, founded in nearby Bra. Autumn brings the white truffles of Alba, shaved over hand-cut tajarin and agnolotti del plin, while the cellars hold Barolo and Barbaresco, the great Nebbiolo reds, beside the sweet sparkle of Asti and the gianduia chocolate Turin perfected. Cheeses run from alpine Castelmagno to creamy Robiola di Roccaverano.

Come in autumn, when the fog (the nebbia that names a grape) settles over the vines and the truffle markets open.