Lovers of Italian red wine will know the town of La Morra in the Piemonte region, famous for its Barolo and Barbera varietals. But if you don’t fancy wine, is there a reason to go there?

Yes! Yes! Yes! If you like spectacular views, great food, and picturesque walks… put La Morra on your must-see list! And if you are a painter, definitely put La Morra on your must-paint list!

I’ve visited this town twice because once was not enough. The first time in 2010 I walked through the vineyards up the hill to the town – from a distance, it looked to be a steep climb but was actually a pleasant winding incline. At one end of town is a lovely park with stunning panoramic views over the lower Langhe and its patchwork of vineyards and castles. It still ranks as one of the most incredible vistas I’ve seen. I loved it so much that a few years later, I took my husband back to this town to see it… and to eat a little, have a gelato, do a wine-tasting. A fantastic way to spend an afternoon!

Another fantastic afternoon activity would have been to park it in the park and paint, but I only managed a 5-minute sketch. It would take another 4 years before I’d paint La Morra properly, this time from a 2010 photo in my Canadian studio. Here’s my next 5″ x 7″ ink and watercolour, “La Morra Vineyards”:

La Morra Vineyards (2018)

I’ve chosen my 5″ x 7″ subjects in pairs, so this completes my first pair featuring vineyard towns of the Langhe in Piemonte. Here are the two pieces framed together:

(Original piece has now sold)