A Weekend Escape at Villa La Madonna in Piedmont
A Northern Italy trip is the perfect way to experience both the elegance of the Italian lakes and the authenticity of Piedmont. While Lake Como travel is often about villas, shimmering waters, and mountain views, just a short trip from Lake Como to Piedmont vineyards reveals a different side of Italy – one of rolling hills, medieval villages, and world-famous food and wine.
Extending your journey from Lake Como to Piedmont transforms an Italian road trip into a truly rewarding experience. In one of Italy’s most celebrated wine regions, travelers can enjoy scenic vineyard walks, truffle-rich cuisine, and the timeless charm of country life. A Piedmont tour from Lake Como adds depth and authenticity to your Italian lakes itinerary.
If you live in Lombardy or near Lake Como, you don’t need to travel far for a truly memorable escape. Just two hours by car will take you from Lake Como to Piedmont – a region that feels both familiar and entirely new.
This is the land of Barolo and Barbaresco, where wine is not just a drink but a way of life. It is the birthplace of the slow food movement, where meals are savoured, not rushed, and the region hosts the Barolo and Barbaresco Wine Festivals annually. The landscapes are nothing short of cinematic: vine-clad hills, hazelnut groves, and winding roads that connect tiny borghi where life still moves come una volta – as it once did. Add world-class events like the Cheese Festival in Bra and Alba’s legendary White Truffle Fair, and you have a region that offers something extraordinary in every season.
At the heart of this experience is Villa La Madonna – a boutique hideaway surrounded by vines, where Piedmont Italy travel comes alive through hospitality, wine, and the rhythm of slow living.
Why Villa La Madonna
In the heart of Monferrato, Villa La Madonna is one of those rare places where everything feels in harmony – the landscape, the hospitality, and the philosophy of life it embodies. Getting there from Lake Como is effortless: a two-hour drive brings you into a haven of tranquillity, where vines wrap around the property and the hills roll endlessly into the horizon.
The villa is more than just a hotel; it’s a passion project created with love and vision. The Eklund sisters, Marie and Annica, transformed it into a place that breathes both Italian soul and Scandinavian refinement. Annica Eklund, a talented photographer, has filled the villa with her work – each photograph telling a story and adding to the villa’s atmosphere of artistry and intimacy.
The Story Behind Villa La Madonna
Villa La Madonna is not just a hotel; it’s a love story. Sisters Marie and Annica Eklund, also behind the renowned Scandinavian design company Bolon, fell in love with this corner of Piedmont. What began as a passion soon became a life project: in 2015, they acquired the villa and set about restoring it with care and vision.
The result is a place that reflects their spirit – creative, refined, and deeply personal. Annica’s photographs are the soul of the interiors: powerful images, each telling a story, filling rooms and corridors with atmosphere and memory. Her eye as a photographer turns the villa into a living gallery, where every frame adds a layer to the narrative. In the room, I found Annica’s photographs of Lake Como – a delightful coincidence, connecting my Piedmont stay with another place I love.
The sisters’ philosophy is straightforward: Villa La Madonna is too special to keep private. It is meant to be shared – a place where travellers can discover the heart of Piedmont through food, wine, and moments of serenity.
The Scene and Location
The setting is breathtaking. Vineyards surround the villa, and from its terraces, you can see the patchwork hills of Piedmont stretching endlessly. A beautiful pool with its own bar offers the perfect spot to unwind, while the aperitivo bar, shaded by century-old trees, invites long, leisurely evenings. From every corner of the property, the view is the same – rolling Piedmont hills and endless rows of vineyards.
This is a place where time slows down: take long walks along country roads, hike the hillsides, or wander into nearby villages to experience life as locals do. Evenings are magical – after dinner, a stroll outside reveals a sky thick with stars, unspoiled by city lights.
The Rooms
Villa La Madonna has 17 rooms, each individually designed with character and charm. There are no televisions or telephones – and that is precisely what you want here. Instead, you’ll find refined details, books to browse, soft, natural textiles, and balconies or terraces overlooking the vineyards. It’s the kind of quiet luxury that makes you want to linger in your room, sipping a glass of the villa’s own wine while leafing through a beautifully curated collection of books.
Food and Wine
The restaurant at Villa La Madonna is the beating heart of the property. Rooted in Piedmontese tradition yet open to creativity, the kitchen celebrates the region’s ingredients – hazelnuts, cheeses, fresh pasta, and, of course, the noble wines of Barolo and Barbera. Every meal feels like a celebration of seasonality, family, and craft.
The highlight experience was the wine tasting in the villa’s 17th-century cellar. There, among flickering candles and bottles from across the world, we met Gregorio – a Piedmont native who has travelled the globe but returned to share the stories of his land. With passion and knowledge, he guided us through the region’s wines, placing them alongside other great wine regions of the world, explaining their origins, nuances, and traditions. Through his stories, the wines come alive, revealing both their history and the remarkable transformation of Villa La Madonna.
Just a short drive from Lake Como, Piedmont is your perfect weekend escape. Discover Barolo in rolling vineyards, hunt for prized truffles in misty woodlands, and wander hilltop villages where cobbled streets and centuries-old churches whisper tales of authentic Italy. Cosy trattorias, stunning castles, and breathtaking panoramas make every moment a feast for the senses – Piedmont isn’t just a destination, it’s an experience.
Photos courtesy of Villa La Madonna, Annica Eklund, Elena Markova.
Villa La Madonna
Regione Madonna 21, 14058
Monastero Bormida (AT), Piemonte, Italy
+39 348 836 61 41
https://villalamadonna.com
Elena Markova | Editor-in-chiefFollow me on Instagram: @comolaketoday and Twitter @ea_markova
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