Piedmont: Where Alps Meet Hills
Piedmont is a region of extraordinary contrasts: Alpine peaks exceeding 4,000 meters and gentle wine-growing hills, industrial metropolis and medieval villages frozen in time, Savoy baroque architecture and contemporary art museums, international cuisine and peasant traditions. Capital of Savoy Kingdom and cradle of Italian Unification, Piedmont combines history, culture, nature and food and wine excellence recognized worldwide.
Turin: Savoy Capital and Innovation City
Turin, Piedmont capital and first capital of Kingdom of Italy (1861-1865), is elegant city with baroque palaces, arcaded streets (18 km of porticoes), world-class museums, automotive and chocolate tradition.
Monumental Turin
Cultural tours include:
Savoy Residences UNESCO Heritage
Corona di Delizie: system of Savoy residences around Turin, UNESCO heritage:
Turin of Taste
Food tours discover Piedmontese specialties:
Historic cafés: Al Bicerin, Mulassano, Platti, San Carlo, Fiorio (Risorgimento salon).
Chocolate shops: Guido Gobino, Peyrano, Stratta, Baratti & Milano.
Contemporary Turin
Langhe, Roero and Monferrato: UNESCO Wine Landscapes
Langhe, Roero and Monferrato are UNESCO heritage (2014) for cultural wine-growing landscape: hills covered with vines creating geometric mosaics, medieval villages, Romanesque churches, castles, wineries producing world's most prestigious wines.
Alba: Capital of White Truffle
Alba is Langhe capital: medieval old town with brick towers (remains of over 100), Cathedral, underground Alba (Roman Pollentia), modern art museum.
International White Truffle Fair (October-November): world event attracting gastronomes from every continent. Tuber magnatum pico (white truffle) reaches astronomical prices (over €3,000/kg).
Alba Chocolate: Ferrero homeland (Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, Kinder), Festival Cioccolatò.
Barolo and Great Wines
Barolo, "King of Wines, Wine of Kings," DOCG produced from Nebbiolo grapes in 11 villages of Langhe.
La Morra: wine village par excellence, with panoramic belvedere on Langhe, Barolo Chapel (artistic installation by David Tremlett and Sol LeWitt).
Serralunga d'Alba and Monforte d'Alba: villages among vineyards with medieval castles.
Grinzane Cavour Castle: Cavour residence, today regional enoteca and museum, World Truffle Auction.
Barbaresco: another great DOCG from Nebbiolo, village with Barbaresco Tower (visitable with panoramic terrace), Gaja winery (Barbaresco excellence).
Winery tours include visits to underground wine cathedrals (historic cellars dug in tuff), vineyards, tastings of Barolo, Barbaresco, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto with pairings of Piedmontese typical products.
Castle of Manta (FAI): frescoed medieval castle with Fountain of Youth and Worthy Heroes cycle.
Asti and Sparkling Wine
Asti, city of towers and Palio (historic race, September), produces Asti Spumante DOCG and Moscato d'Asti DOCG.
Canelli: "city of underground cathedrals," UNESCO heritage for historic wineries carved in tuff (Bosca, Contratto, Coppo, Gancia) where DOCG classic method sparkling wine is produced.
Nizza Monferrato: produces Nizza DOCG (Barbera reserve), with wineries visitable.
Biella: Textiles and Sanctuary
Biella is Italian textile capital: fine wool fabrics, quality carded wool, Textile Museum.
Sanctuary of Oropa: UNESCO heritage, Marian shrine in mountains (1,159 m), with basilicas, apartments, Black Madonna, Sacred Mountain with chapels, cable car to Lake Mucrone.
Burcina Park: naturalistic park with spring rhododendron and azalea flowering (April-May) creating pink landscape.
Lake Maggiore: Borromean Islands
Piedmontese Lake Maggiore (Verbano) western shore offers:
Stresa: Belle Époque elegant resort, with Borromean Islands ferry departures, historic hotels (Des Îles Borromées), cable car to Mottarone (1,491 m, panorama of 7 lakes and Monte Rosa).
Borromean Islands:
Verbania: with Villa Taranto Gardens, among Europe's most beautiful botanical gardens (20,000 plant species).
Cannobio: lakeside village with medieval old town, Sunday market, beaches.
Lake Orta: Romantic Pearl
Lake Orta is smallest and most romantic: San Giulio Island with basilica and Benedictine monastery, reachable by boat from Orta San Giulio.
Orta San Giulio: perfectly preserved medieval village, with Motta square on lake, alleys, noble palaces, Sacred Mount of Orta (UNESCO heritage, 20 frescoed chapels with episodes of Saint Francis' life).
Gran Paradiso National Park
Piedmontese Gran Paradiso National Park (1922, Italy's first) protects alpine territory around Gran Paradiso massif (4,061 m).
Fauna: ibex (park symbol, over 3,000 specimens), chamois, marmots, golden eagles, bearded vultures (reintroduced).
Valleys:
Hiking: hundreds of trails, alpine refuges, multi-day treks, ibex spotting almost guaranteed.
Winter: ski mountaineering, snowshoeing.
Valsesia and Monte Rosa
Valsesia is Walser valley (German-speaking population arrived in Middle Ages) under Monte Rosa (4,634 m, second Alpine peak).
Alagna Valsesia: alpine village with Walser houses, ski mountaineering center, Monterosa Ski (ski area connected with Gressoney and Champoluc), departure for Margherita Hut (4,554 m, Europe's highest refuge).
Varallo: with Sacred Mount (UNESCO heritage), 45 chapels with life-size scenes of Christ's life, Renaissance frescoes.
Walser villages: Riva Valdobbia, Rimella, Rima, with traditional wooden houses on stone.
Monviso and Po Plains
Monviso (3,841 m, "Stone King") is isolated pyramid visible from Turin, where Po River is born (Pian del Re, 2,020 m).
King's Stone Trail: trek to Po springs through unique alpine environment.
Po Plains: Cuneo and Alessandria provinces with medieval villages (Saluzzo with Gothic old town, Fossano, Bene Vagienna), castles, Romanesque parish churches.
Novara and Vercelli: Rice Lands
Novara and Vercelli are capitals of largest European rice-growing district.
Rice paddies create mirror landscapes in spring (April-May), with flooded fields reflecting sky. Panissa (Vercelli risotto with beans and salami) and paniscia (Novara version) are typical dishes.
Vercelli preserves Sant'Andrea Basilica (13th century), Romanesque-Gothic masterpiece.
Alessandria and Monferrato
Alessandria with star Cittadella (18th century, among Europe's best-preserved fortifications), visitable.
Monferrato: UNESCO hills system with Casale Monferrato (Baroque cathedral, Synagogue and Jewish Museum), hilltop villages, castles, wineries.
Valle di Susa: Alpine Valley and Abbeys
Valle di Susa connects Turin to France (Fréjus Tunnel, Mont Cenis Pass):
Sacra di San Michele: abbey perched on rocky spur (962 m), symbol of Piedmont, inspiration for Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose," with Zodiac Staircase.
Sestriere, Sauze d'Oulx, Bardonecchia: Olympic ski resorts (Turin 2006), Milky Way ski area.
Susa: Roman city with Arch of Augustus, amphitheater, medieval cathedral.
Food and Wine: Excellence Land
Hazelnuts: Piedmont Hazelnut IGP Tonda Gentile delle Langhe, world's best, base of gianduiotto and Nutella.
Wines: Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera d'Asti, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, Moscato d'Asti, Asti Spumante, Roero Arneis, Gavi, Erbaluce di Caluso.
Cheeses: Castelmagno DOP, Bra DOP, Murazzano DOP, Raschera DOP, Toma Piemontese, Robiola di Roccaverano DOP, Gorgonzola DOP.
Cured meats: Cuneo raw ham, Sauris ham, salami from turnip, salamini from goose.
Rice: Carnaroli, Arborio, Baldo varieties.
White truffle: Langhe, Roero, Monferrato (Alba is capital).
First courses: tajarin (thin tagliatelle) with truffle or roast sauce, agnolotti del plin, brasato al Barolo.
Bagna cauda: hot dip with anchovies, garlic, oil, extra virgin, for vegetables.
When to Visit Piedmont
Piedmont is splendid year-round: spring for flowering hills, rice paddies; summer for mountains, lakes; autumn for grape harvest, white truffle (October-November), foliage, Roero harvest festivals; winter for skiing, Turin chocolate, intimate atmospheres.
How to Get Around
Turin Caselle Airport is main Piedmontese hub.
Trains: Turin is railway hub, high speed to Milan, Genoa.
Car rental recommended for Langhe, lakes, mountains. Langhe wine tours better with driver (tastings). NCC services and organized tours with guide ideal for wineries, truffle-hunting, cheese dairies, experiences.
Discover Piedmont with Expitalia: select the experiences you want to live and build your tailor-made trip in the region of great wines and majestic mountains. Barolo, truffle, Alps, Savoy residences and world excellence await you.
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