Piedmont

Tucked away in north-west Italy and bordered by the Alps and Liguria, Piemonte does not feel as Italian as other regions, the neighboring countries of Switzerland and France having perhaps had a calming influence on its people. Nevertheless, it is still a highly alluring region, one of the most delightful.

Piemonte is best known, among wine lovers at least, for its full-bodied velvety Barolo and the lighter Nebbiolo. These are produced in the gently rolling hills of the Langhe in the southern part of the region, where medieval castles stand guard over the vineyards. It also known for fine food, including truffles.

Spend a few romantic days on Lake Maggiore or teensy Lake Orta and The Lakes of Avigliana. Visit a Sacro Monte, a very unique local invention that offers you the chance to stroll among a dozen or so miniature chapels in an idyllic setting. Tour an authentic medieval castle - the region has some of the country's most dramatic fortresses. And do try to schedule a couple of days in the capital, Turin.

Skiing is a predictably big business in Piedmont, and the region has dozens of very good resorts. Sauze D’Oulx, Limone Piemonte, Bardonecchia and Sestriere are a haven for skiers and snowboarders. There are magnificent mountains such as Gran Paradiso and Monte Rosa, making a stunning area.

It’s an extraordinarily varied region. Check out, Domodossola, Novara and Cuneo the gateway to the Maritime Alps, with Alba at its heart.  There is the area of Alessandria, home to the spa town of Acqui Terme and the paddy fields of Vercelli. Very famous are the Bossea Caves.

LAKE MAGGIORE - Most of the extensive shoreline of Lake Maggiore is in Italy, and the lake enjoys a most pleasant semi-Mediterranean climate, with vegetation and beautiful gardens to match, and a lively array of boat traffic taking visitors in all directions.

A special attraction of area we feature is the cluster of islands known as the Borromeo Islands - Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola Pescatore.

Lake Maggiore is rich in history, full of interesting villages and buildings to explore, and everywhere surrounded by beautiful scenery.

LAKE ORTA - The area around Lake Orta has long been a favorite tourists, thanks to the quiet beauty of the landscape, its fascinating history and its wealth of artistic treasures - principally Romanesque and Baroque architecture. Lake Orta lies to the west of Lake Maggiore. It is a minor star in the constellation of the sub alpine lakes, but all the fascination and the history of the larger lakes seem to be concentrated in this short space. On the Island of San Giulio, in the center of the lake there is the ancient and attractive Basilica of San Giulio, with interesting 15th century frescoes.

SACRO MONTE - In the rear of Orta, on the top of the homonymous peninsula, is situated the "Sacro Monte" (Sacred Mount), in the middle of a splendid natural set up, with secular trees, that today is Special Natural Reserve of the "Sacro Monte di Orta". The sacred site includes 20 chapels dedicated to the life of St. Francis of Assisi, and the Capuchin's convent. It was built in the late 16th and 17th century, with statues of Rusnati, Bussola and of Falconi (known for the colossus of St. Charles in Arona), and frescos of Morazzone and Ferrari.

LAKE OF AVIGLIANA of glacial origin, are around 2 km from the center of the town of Avigliana. They are separated by an isthmus and are called lago Grande (or the Lake of Avigliana), and lago Piccolo (or the lake of Trana), due to their respective sizes. In the surrounding area the splendid Natural Park has particular flora and fauna and it is also possible to go horse riding here. The main tourist and sporting activities take place on the shores of lago Grande, while the zone of the isthmus is a popular camping area.

THE SACRA DI SAN MICHELE, a sort of church-fortress of great artistic interest, is a must. Perched at a dizzy height of almost 1000 m it dominates the whole valley of Susa. The monastery is an extraordinary building which occupies the whole area of the rocky peak of Mount Pirchiriano.

TURIN is in the northwest of Italy in the Piemonte region between the Po River and the foothills of the Alps.

Turin, Torino in Italian, is famous for the Shroud of Turin and Fiat auto plants; Turin has a lot more to offer, from its Baroque cafes and architecture to its arcaded shopping promenades and museums.

Turin has many museums. Walking around the city with its arcades, Baroque buildings, and beautiful piazzas can be very enjoyable.

The main attractions in this city are - The Via Po an interesting walking street with long arcades and many historic palaces and cafes. Start at Piazza Castello. Mole Antonelliana, a 167 meter tall tower built between 1798 and 1888, houses an excellent cinema museum. Museo Egizio is the third most important Egyptian museum in the world. Piazza San Carlo is a beautiful baroque square with the twin churches of San Carlo and Santa Cristina as well as the above museum. Piazza Castello and Palazzo Reale are at the center of Turin. The square is a pedestrian area with benches and small fountains, ringed by beautiful, grand buildings. Il Quadrilatero is an interesting maze of backstreets with sprawling markets and splendid churches. Elegant and historic bars and cafes are everywhere in central Turin. Try a Marocchino, a local layered drink made with coffee, chocolate, and cream.

SAUZE D’OULX has a justified reputation as one of Europe’s winter party capitals. Sauze is one of the main resorts in the 88-lift Milky Way circuit that straddles the border with France and provides a whopping 400km of groomed runs. The resort centre offers a mixture of old and the new with charming medieval buildings juxtaposed between modern restaurants, bars and hotels. The narrow streets are a delight to explore, unveiling no shortage of hidden boutiques, eateries and watering holes. Out of the bustle of the centre, there are quiet, wooded residential areas offering visitors a flavour of authentic Italian life.

LIMONE PIEMONTE has a long ski history, being one of the oldest ski resorts in Italy and attracting skiers since the turn of the last century. Only an hour’s drive to the sea, the resort has a typical Mediterranean feel, while still delivering on the slopes, with extensive runs and appealing views. Known as the ‘mountain of two Rivieras’, Limone Piemonte is perfectly situated and in easy reach of France.

BARDONECCHIA is found on the Italian side of the Fréjus tunnel, which links Italy and France. It makes an excellent base for travel, as you can drive to both the Trois Vallées and the Milky Way area, providing massive skiing potential. Bardonecchia is a large town, based around the station. It offers good value eateries and accommodation, lovely scenery and friendly locals. It's a short transfer from Turin (90 minutes) but that can mean considerable weekend crowds.

SESTRIERE is tucked in-between the sunny Susa and Chisone valleys; Sestriere is a friendly town with a mix of Italians and families coming to enjoy over 400 kilometers (249 miles) of slopes connected to the Milky Way. Sestriere was built for snow - high, with north-west-facing slopes - with extensive snowmaking. The town is not very charming. Yet it does host one mark of architectural genius—the circular hotel tower designed by Giovanni Agnelli in 1930 when Sestriere began its history as one of Italy's major ski resorts. One of the best things about skiing in Sestriere is that you are in Italy. Your skier’s appetite will be well satisfied by Piedmont specialties and all the Italian favorites. There are some decent bars to be found that provide lively entertainment.

DOMODOSSOLA – At the centre of this pretty mountain town of Roman origin lies Piazza Mercato, or Market square, framed by attractive arcades and houses dating from the 15th and 16th centuries.  The good value produce at the local market attracts people even from France and Switzerland. 

NOVARA has distant origins as the Roman city of Nubliaria – meaning “surrounded in mist”. Nowadays its delightful arcaded streets and squares, and historical buildings, exude a quite affluence. Many of the most important buildings stand around Piazza della Repubblica.

CUNEO lies wedge-shaped (the name dates back to the Communes and is Italian for `wedge') on tableland at the confluence of the Gesso and Stura di Demonte rivers.

It originated at the end of the 12th century as a fortified town in a naturally strategic position, guarding the roads to France through the Tenda and Maddalena passes. Once under Angevin rule, its fortunes varied under the Saluzzos, Viscontis, Savoys and the French (it was the capital of the Napoleonic Department of Stura) who demolished the walls (now delineated by avenues) favoring the town's development to the south-west.

VERCELLI is the rice capital of Europe, set in a vast plain of paddy fields that gives rise to millions of plates of risotto each year. It is an enchanting town with interesting sights. The basilica of S.Andrea is a fine example of Italian Gothic; nearby, the Duomo di S.Eusebio is built on the remains of an early Christian basilica and hosts the crucifix of Bishop Leone, a masterpiece of goldsmith's art from the 11th century.

BOSSEA CAVES is a river cave with some fine speleothems. The paths are rather uncomfortable, because they were built with the aim to be hidden in the natural environment. The cave is entered through a 110m long passage, a dry upper level of the cave; here the cave river flows in a lower level 20m below. The cave river later reappears in the river bed of the Corsaglia River nearby. At the end of this passage, the cave becomes much bigger, huge chambers with a cave river show a high amount of speleothems. The halls alternate with narrow passages. The biggest chamber, the Sala Garelli, is 150m long, 60m wide and between 50 and 80m high. This part of the cave is very rich in various types of flowstone. Special sights are numerous curtains, rimstone pools and waterfalls.

GETTING AROUND The Frejus Pass and the Mont Blanc Tunnel link France with northwest Italy, while the tunnel under the Simplon or Sempione Pass provides a direct rail route from Switzerland. From the rest of Italy there are excellent motorway connections across the plain to Turin and up to Aosta.  The region is well served with rail links and buses connect the main towns and outlying resorts. Getting around the mountains is more difficult, making the car the best method of transport.