The little-known Italian lake that rivals Como

The mist starts circling in, just dusting the hills with a soft, downy quilt. You can see for miles from my balcony, the tracks of the vineyards, the clusters of trees, the rooftops in the distance. This is Piedmont, laid out below me, all its undulating splendour, rich with wine, truffles and winding roads leading to endless villages and towns spilling over with hospitality and, yes, undoubtedly more truffles.

Autumn is the perfect time to visit this criminally overlooked region in Northern Italy. This is largely because of the area’s local celebrity, the aforementioned truffle. Truffle season takes place from late September through October and gastronomy tourism is this region’s major lifeblood, enlivening sleepy hamlets right when the natural surroundings take on a lush Autumnal palette and the mist hugs the hills with atmospheric aplomb.

We started our trip in Lake Orta, several miles away from my balcony above the Piedmont hills.