The Giant Benches of Roero: an itinerary through Arneis vineyards, hazelnut groves and panoramas on the forgotten riverbank

There is a bank of the Tanaro that tourists cross without stopping. They watch it from the car window while heading towards Alba, the Langhe, the great names of Barolo and Barbaresco. Yet the Roero — that soft, wooded hill stretching along the right bank of the river — has a different light. Less celebrated, quieter. And among its Arneis vineyards and hazelnut groves, four giant benches have appeared, waiting to be found.

Big Bench #167 — Green, Montà d'Alba

The most panoramic bench in Roero and also the highest rated — 4.7 on Google with nearly a hundred reviews. It sits along the SP167, well signposted, reachable with a short walk through the rows of vines. The green blends into the surrounding vineyards and on clear days the view stretches all the way to the Alps. It is the ideal starting point for the itinerary.

Big Bench #47 — Pink, Canale d'Alba

Canale is famous for its peaches and for the most important fruit and vegetable market in northern Italy. But on the Collina Giaconi at Madonna dei Cavalli there is a pink bench looking out over the vineyards from above, with a view that rewards the climb — and the climb is steep, between narrow rows of vines. Next to the bench stands a small wooden English telephone box. The GPS does not always take you to the exact spot — better to follow the road signs once you reach the village.

Big Bench #5 — Grey, Vezza d'Alba

Number five of the Big Bench circuit — one of the very first to be built. You walk up through the vineyards on foot, with drinking fountains along the path. You can get the stamp for the Big Bench Passport at Caffè 51 in the village, where they will also explain the exact route. Of the four, this is the most physically demanding — and perhaps for that reason the most rewarding.

Big Bench #157 — Dark Red, Castellinaldo d'Alba

The colour of RossoBarbera — an intense garnet, like the wine growing all around. Convenient parking and a short climb through the vineyard. Nearby, Vigneto Pastel is worth a stop. This is the perfect close to the itinerary — less known than the other three, less visited, with that quiet you only find when tourists have not yet discovered a place.

How to organise the itinerary

The ideal order starts from Montà — the northernmost point — and heads south towards Castellinaldo, passing through Canale and Vezza d'Alba. By car the total distance is around 25 kilometres. Half a day is enough if you take it at a relaxed pace; a full day if you add a lunch stop in Canale or a walk through the centre of Vezza.

All four benches are free and accessible year-round from sunrise to sunset. The final stretch is always on foot — comfortable shoes, water in your bag, and enough breath for the climb.

If you already know the Langhe, Roero will surprise you. The landscape is the same — rolling hills, vineyards, the Alps on the horizon — but with fewer crowds, more silence, and that feeling of discovering something not everyone knows about yet.

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