Biella pedestrian street has nice shops, is quiet and a walk during a sunny afternoon is a pleasure. One of the remarkable things is that along all pedestrian street you get wi-fi connection.
Then if the sun is too hot, and during the walk you want to “refresh” with a nice ice cream, there are several pubs and bars here.
If we can suggest one and if you are curious [like us] to sample a different taste, then you should stop by Alice Dolce e Gelato.
After a refreshing break you can continue with the discovery of the pedestrian center and while walking in Via Italia, take a little detour up to the Church of SS. Fabiano, Sebastiano and the SS. Trinity and up to a real gem of Romanesque architecture: the Baptistery.
During our visit to Biella we stayed at Hotel Michelangelo, downtown Biella, a few hundred meters from the train station and about ten minutes walk from the pedestrian street.
It’s a quiet and comfortable hotel; our room was small and basic but very clean. It is overlooking the busy street, but despite the outside noise, it was thankfully very quiet.
But the biggest surprise at the hotel was the one at Saturday morning breakfast, when in the breakfast room we found a special guest : Luca Montersino!
For those not familiar, Luca Montersino is a confectioner well known throughout Italy for its product line “Golosi di Salute” [Gourmet Health], is the pastry chef of all the greedy products you find in Eataly shops and the teacher of “Montersino Academy” on Alice TV.
The breakfast room at the Michelangelo Hotel offers all the delights of the line “Golosi di Salute”, where the name itself identifies that the products taste good, but are perfect for your health as they are prepared with healthy and light ingredients created for people who have special dietary needs .
Montersino tells us that the biggest challenge was the launch of the product line some years ago, when opening the first confectionary in the center of Alba (CN) and starting to make the cakes with different ingredients from the most traditional cake shops [kamut and spelled flour and olive oil just to name a few].
The purpose of this type of pastry was not immediately understood, because the majority of customers only approached these healthy and alternative products when looking something for people having food intolerances.
Thanks to the stubbornness and perseverance, Luca Montersino continued with his line and has for this received several awards and honors, including the “Pastry Chef of the Future Award” in Fabriano.
The main feature of the sweets, which can be tasted at the bar of the Hotel Michelangelo or buyed at the large pastry counter, is first of all the inviting and tempting aspect. After that, once tasted, we assure you that you’ll be thrilled as the feeling of having eaten a croissant with spelled flour with apricot stuffing will not be heavy, but you’ll still want to taste a cake, or a rusk with the wonderful chocolate cream and hazelnuts!
And even if looking at the price of the products may have tipped you off, always consider the raw materials used to prepare the sweets … the ingredients are always in plain sight on the box, written in clear and simple characters, as if to demonstrate transparency and the pride with which they are prepared.
What a breakfast !!! … And what a surprise, especially for a passionate follower of Accademia Montersino!
Seems like you have an awesome and relaxing moment at Michelangelo Hotel! Would like to know more scoops about this hotel soon 😀
it was a relaxig time…even if I also went to explore the city!!
Indeed luck to met with celebrities!
The hotel interiors look comfortable type. I like the breakfast spread too.
I was so happy to meet Luca… I love his way of processing food so much!
Neat, great architecture and nice meals, what more can one for in a hotel … sure fun for you.
What luck indeed! And, what amazing food, photos and it looks like you had a great time! Karen
Sounds like a fun stay with a delicious but healthy breakfast. I love bumping into celebs while travelling.
That was a stroke of good luck for you to meet the chef. We are also lovers of his work and would make the trip just for that chance. The room was small but looked very nice and adequate. Much more than you would get in man SE Asia places we stay in. The pastry was an added benefit to the chef but looked excellent.
Ohh no again food…it is 12 o'clock in China and I am starving 😉 Great little place and thanks for sharing that review^^
What great article, and amazing photos of food, and streets and architecture! I can fall easy for anything you've describe and most of it all, I'm just discovering Biella! What a nice place!