Abel’s guidebook for Cortemilia House

The house is located in the country, with no easy public transportation nearby. There are major trains to Alba and a bus (Gelosobus) that goes to nearby Cortemilia and Castino, however it would be a long walk to get to the house from the bus stop, and then you would have to walk 1.5km down a gravel road to get to the house. There are no Ubers or Lyfts in the area. There is a local taxi service.

For breakfast, there are many places that sell espresso and also have pastries. If you want fresh baked pastries, bread, or focaccia to go, you can get at a local pasticeria. Lunch is simple and light also, and can be at a trattoria or coffee shop. Supermarkets have delis where fresh bread, sliced meats, cheeses, and deli items can be purchased. The bars and coffee shops may have aperitivo usually in the afternoons before dinner, where they offer hearty snacks (bread sticks, deli meats, cheese, or sandwiches) for free if you order a drink. Dinner doesn't start until after 8pm.

There are so many choices for wine in this region. They are all pretty good and relatively inexpensive since they are local. If you don't know about wine, ask your waiter to recommend something that goes best with your meal. Most locals do not drink the big red wines like Barolo and Barbaresco daily since there are a lot of great local wines from the same grape (nebbiolo) without the big name of the small region where it came from. Other popular wines in this region are barbera and dolcetto, but pinot noir, cabernet and many white wines are also available.

Milan has the most flights available, and they are usually less expensive than flying into other airports (Turin, Genoa, or Nice). The house is about 2 to 2 1/2 hour drive from Milan Malpensa airport. Many car rental agencies are in the airport. You may rent a car at the airport (I recommend in advance for best price) and pick-up/drop-off at the airport.

The summers are warm and mostly clear and the winters are cold, partly cloudy, and it may snow. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 30°F (December to February) to 82°F (July and August). It is rarely below 23°F or above 89°F.