Belvedere overlooking six regions: a weekend in Alice Bel Colle
There was enough for a weekend to discover the secret of living for more than a century, and to do that we have not even faced a long journey in just over an hour's drive from Milan, we reached Alice Bel Colle, a village located about 8 km from Acqui Terme, 418 meters high, in a position that allows you to enjoy an unparalleled view. We are at the boundary between the Alto Monferrato and the Langhe, and perhaps, in time the night was just Mother Nature decides to give this a nice surprise to travelers: not too high a hill to climb, but when you see six of the nineteen Italian regions.
As soon as we arrive at the Hotel Belvedere Restaurant Bar, Mr. John, the owner who created this structure in 1956 with his wife Bruna, leads us upstairs, on the belvedere hotel. Around us we see the immensity: vineyards as far as the eye covered with snow, the whiteness is made even more intense rays of the sun "When there's fog, from here you see the Superga Torino, but also Now we can look with a range between Piedmont, Val d'Aosta, Liguria, Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia Romagna. During the summer we set up a telescope with which professional scanning the sky and the stars, "he says Mr. John. Not far away, on white background stands the bell tower of a church.
Alice Bel Colle there are several interesting churches: in addition to the Parish of St. John, who keeps inside a wooden pulpit and an altar of the eighteenth century, we visist SS Brotherhood of the fourteenth-century Trinity, and the Sanctuary of Fraschetta church of Madonna del Poggio, which houses the statue of the Assumption of John Pellengo of 1795.
The beauty of this country inspired many artists reside in Alice Bel Colle fact several painters and sculptors, musicians and poets as well. Luigi Tenco spent his early childhood in nearby Ricaldone, where every year thousands of people travel to visit his grave.
During our weekend in this enchanting place, we also dedicated to the beautiful walks along the paths of tourist routes, perfect for the mountain biking. In addition to nature, to Alice Bel Colle wineries deserve great attention, because Mr. John took us to visit someone, in addition to the factory of Mombaruzzo macaroons and Berta Distillery.
Until a year ago the country was Alice Bel Colle longest in Italy: in fact, four centenarians were living here, many for the number of inhabitants of the town. One of these elders is still alive, and is often seen walking around the streets of the country. And here you have found the elixir of life: to live so long is simply that you breathe clean air and quiet here, in addition to good food and wine of this land.
From aspiring centenarians, we have not spared even at the table, snacking on delicious dinners of regional dishes at the Ristorante Belvedere. "It all started 55 years ago with a company of veterans of the war. The country's first television was here, at our bar. People came to see the Festival of Sanremo paying five dollars. Then when I got married, thanks to my wife Bruna, the restaurant took off. Now we carry on and on us, with our three children. In addition to the traditional, during the ceremony took our chef prepares fine dishes, "says Mr. John, who was also awarded the Knight of Labor dell'onorificienza. We start our dinner with a rich appetizer of 7-8 different dishes, including raw beef tartar, the Catalan lobster, veal with tuna sauce, the peppers with Bagna Cauda, ??the vegetable pie with cream Raschera. We follow these ravioli homemade goodness from the Monferrato, with gravy, butter and sage, and risotto with narrow Castelmagno Barbera. Do not even resist the idea of ??two tasting noodles with mushrooms. In the second choice of our group is divided between the braised in Barbera, boiled meat and tenderloin with Barbera. Washed down with excellent local wines, tasting, as well as Barbera, Gavi and also dell'Arneis. We conclude with a dinner in a great homemade desserts sweet Moscato, Brachetto and a drowning in buckets of candy called "brit and bon", or bad, but good. So as not to miss anything, we ended up drinking even a glass of Moscato and hope to get back here soon. Next time we will admire this landscape during the summer season and also take advantage of the nearby swimming pool, as well as the agreement with the thermal baths of Acqui, to the mud treatments and other pampering.
Frances Bertha
FOR INFORMATION:
www.comune.alicebelcolle.al.it
www.belvederealice.it
Belvedere Hotel Restaurant Bar
Guacchione Square, 9 Alice Bel Colle (AL)
0144/74300 0144/74139