[Destination] 4-Star Luxury (and lots of laughs) at Fontanafredda

The 4-Star Cascina Galarej is reimagined in a former sharecropper dormitory at the Fontanafredda Estate. [PHOTO COURTESY OF FONTANAFREDDA]

🍷 The Magic and Majesty of Fontanafredda’s Villaggio Narrante & Cascina Galarej

Let me tell you about a place where the walls whisper history, the hills exhale Nebbiolo, and the breakfast is worth writing poetry about. Welcome to Villaggio Narrante, the Farinetti family’s immersive dreamscape in the heart of Serralunga d’Alba, and its shining star: Cascina Galarej.

Now, you’ve heard me talk about the Langhe—how its curves, soils, and shadows produce some of the most profound wines on earth. But there’s more to this corner of Piemonte than what ends up in your glass. There’s story. There’s heritage. And at Villaggio Narrante, that story is told through architecture, hospitality, food, and, yes—design.

👑 Once the King’s Playground…

Let’s rewind to 1867, when this hilltop farmhouse—Cascina Galarej—was built as part of the royal hunting estate for King Vittorio Emanuele II. And because every good Italian tale needs intrigue, let’s not forget the king’s legendary love affair with Rosa Vercellana—a commoner-turned-countess, known locally as “La Bela Rosin.” Their tryst gave birth to the Fontanafredda estate itself, and this very land once played host to their escapades.

Fun fact: My paternal great-grandfather, Domenico Giglio, emigrated to New York City from the southern Italian city of Nola, in Campania, around the year 1882. When my great-aunt Caterina Giglio passed away 20 years ago, I came into possession of her father’s passport, which bears the name of King Vittorio Emanuele II. Check it out:

My great-grandfather Domenico Giglio’s passport from 1881, bearing the name of Italy’s King Vittorio Emanuele II.

Fast forward a century and a half, and what was once a sharecroppers’ dwelling has been transformed into a four-star boutique hotel that feels both reverent and revolutionary.

🛏️ Design with a Soul: Andrea and His Mother’s Vision

At the heart of Cascina Galarej’s transformation is a mother-son collaboration that could melt even the most jaded design cynic. Andrea Farinetti—the visionary vintner—and his mother Graziella Defilè, an aesthetic force in her own right, personally curated each room. And I mean curated in the truest sense.

Think: reclaimed wood beams, Piedmontese stone, and soft, modern lines that never try to outshine the view (and what a view it is—Langhe vineyards rolling toward the Grinzane Cavour castle like a scene out of a Barolo-soaked dream). Each of the ten rooms is a little love letter to the region: warm, textured, and deeply personal.

I’m not gonna lie: I think I got the best of the best rooms (twice!)—Camera No. 8. While ‘camera’ simply means ‘room,’ but the unassuming No. 8 (from the interior hallway, all the rooms are simply numbered) is actually a massive, gorgeous suite with a huge loft featuring a secondary seating area/lounge that includes a pullout couch and a fabulous freestanding bathtub set in front of a window overlook the vineyards below.

View from the Loft in Room No. 8 at Cascina Galarej. [PHOTO COURTESY FONTANAFREDDA}

Bath with a view: The tub in the loft of Room No. 8 at Cascina Galerej. Also: Model is not me ;-) [PHOTO COURTESY FONTANAFREDDA}

And did I mention the 500-square-meter spa housed in the old hayloft? Indoor and outdoor heated pools, a Finnish sauna, Turkish bath, and treatments made with Barbera and Nebbiolo grape must. It’s the kind of indulgence that feels earned—especially after a long day of, you know, drinking Barolo for research.

🍽️ A Culinary Village Like No Other

But this isn’t just about where you sleep—it’s about where you eat. And drink. And linger for hours after dessert.

• Cascina Galarej’s own kitchen serves breakfasts, light lunches, and aperitivi that showcase the best of Langhe ingredients, from farm-fresh eggs to truffled cheeses and local salumi.

• Then there’s the Michelin-starred Guido Ristorante, helmed by the brilliant Ugo Alciati. Located in the grand rooms of the old estate, it’s fine dining that still feels like nonna is somewhere in the kitchen—just with much, much better plating.

• And for a more laid-back bite, Osteria Disguido brings rustic Langhe flavors to life in a cozy setting where the wine list is long and the vibe is just right.

What ties it all together? A reverence for tradition without the dust. This is food that remembers where it came from—but isn’t afraid to take a stylish detour.

🛍️ Stay. Sip. Shop. Repeat.

The Farinetti family—founders of Eataly, mind you—know a thing or two about blending commerce with culture. So it’s no surprise that Villaggio Narrante offers a chance to shop thoughtfully, too. Local wines, crafts, and culinary goods are on offer throughout the estate, making it dangerously easy to leave with an extra suitcase (or three).

🌿 A Living, Breathing Narrative

Villaggio Narrante isn’t just a destination—it’s a philosophy. A living museum of Piedmontese storytelling, where every building, dish, and bottle tells part of the tale. By preserving historic structures and breathing new life into old spaces, Andrea and his family are ensuring that Langhe’s heritage doesn’t sit still. It evolves—with elegance.

So if you’re looking for the kind of Italian experience that feels deeply rooted but never stuck, where design and tradition dance together and the wine never stops flowing—book the room, order the tajarin, and relax at Cascina Galarej.