Piemonte
Piedmont is an Italian region bordering France and Switzerland, located at the foot of the Alps. It is known for its fine cuisine and wines, such as Barolo. In Piedmont we can say that nothing is really missing: From royal Turin – with its historic cafes, the residences of the Savoy, the famous Mole Antonelliana, with its very high spire, and the precious Egyptian Museum – to the other provinces, there are endless traces of art and ancient scattered throughout the territory. The paths in the parks – do not miss the Val Grande National Park and the Gran Paradiso National Park, the oldest in Italy – Lake Maggiore and its islands are just some of the many attractions of Piedmont. From good wine to good food, lakes, mountains and cities of art. In winter, a destination for skiers, in summer a paradise for walkers, it offers some of the most beautiful villages in Italy such as Usseaux, Ostana and Neive. Discoveries and surprises of all kinds await visitors all year round, famous ski resorts and large green spaces where they can practice sports, without forgetting the food and wine offer that has its peak in the wine-growing areas of the Langhe-Roero and Monferrato. I live in the region that borders Piedmont, I have a house in the mountains in Piedmont so I know its mountains well and I have been going there since I was a child. Here is a proposal of 10 things not to be missed in Piedmont, these things are the result of many wonderful weekends, there is a proposal for every season!
10 things to do in Piemonte
1. ENJIOY A TYPICAL FOOD TASTING WITH BAROLO WINE IN THE LANGHE
The Langhe is a territory of lower Piedmont, located between the provinces of Cuneo and Asti, consisting of an extensive hilly system, whose vineyards give rise to some of the best wines in Italy, including Barolo, Pinot Nero and Nebbiolo. The Langhe are one of the unmissable places to see in Piedmont. We spent a weekend of good wine, nature and relaxation in the Langhe, visiting the wine cellar of Josetta Saffirio with food tasting, taking walks in the hills and vineyards, enjoying good Barolo and other typical products of the Langhe, and sitting on the giant benches of Monforte d’Alba. A visit to Barolo could not be missed, so called precisely because the famous wine is born there. The town is part of the World Heritage Sites. We stayed in a hotel surrounded by greenery, hills and vineyards, with a splendid view of the surrounding hills. What more could we want!
2. EXPLORE THE ITALIAN GASTRONOMIC EXCELLENCE AT ALBA TRUFFLE FAIR
Are you passionate about Italian gastronomic excellence? Then you can’t miss the International Alba White Truffle Fair! The heart of the Fair in October, November and December is the Alba White Truffle, the ideal place to appreciate and buy truffles from the Langhe, Monferrato and Roero areas. We have decided to try the sensory experience of truffles with Wine Tasting Experience, but there are so many alternatives, for example another unforgettable experience are also the truffle-based dinners cooked by world-famous chefs from all over Italy. Furthermore, between October and November, the restaurants in the area also offer themed aperitifs and dinners based on truffles. There are those who love it and those who hate it, guess what? I love it! 🙂
3. SPEND A DAY IN THE FLOWERY VILLAGE, USSEAUX
Every region of Italy has its magnificent villages, and Piedmont is a region that boasts numerous small villages that seem suspended in time, places with uncontaminated landscapes, rich in history and tradition. Among all, however, I have chosen the small mountain village of Usseaux, located in the heart of Val Chisone, in the province of Turin. Usseaux is a village of 180 inhabitants and is called the “flowery village”, as at every corner there are colorful flower boxes with all sorts of flowers. Visiting Usseaux is like immersing yourself in an open-air museum, among the wonderful murals painted on the walls, doors and windows of the houses, where animals, landscapes and the peasant life of the past are depicted. The village is characterized by the typical mountain-style houses, made of wood and stone, scattered side by side among the narrow alleys, between the stone wash houses and traditional artisan shops, all in a naturalistic environment of great charm.
4. ENJOY A 360 DEGREES VIEW OF LAKE MAGGIORE FROM THE TOP OF MOUNT ZEDA, IN VAL GRANDE NATIONAL PARK
The Val Grande national park is a protected natural area, entirely included in the borders of the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, in Piedmont. The large extension of the territory and the characteristics of the landscapes and the panorama offered by the Alps make the park a popular destination for nature and trekking lovers. Among the many excursions that can be done in this protected area and which offer magnificent views, I have chosen an excursion which I believe is something unique for the panorama it offers, namely the climb to the summit of Monte Zeda. The climb to the summit of Mount Zeda is an excursion that will leave you breathless, in fact once at the summit a reward awaits you for the effort made: getting lost in the most fantastic of panoramas, from Monte Rosa to the Swiss Alps, passing through the wild Val Grande down to Lake Maggiore, to the Plain and beyond… you will be surrounded on one side by mountains, and on the other you will have a complete view of Lake Maggiore, a magnificent 360 degree spectacle will open up before you. Don’t be scared when you get to the slopes of the mountain and see that you have to get to the top, it’s worth it!
5. FEEL LIKE A NOBLE FOR ONE EVENING WITH A ROMANTIC DINNER AT CASTELLO DI PAVONE
The famous and beautiful Castello di Pavone is visible from the highway and from the Ivrea tollbooth on the A5 TO-AO from which it is about 500 meters away. It is one of the most beautiful Italian monuments and is considered one of the most scenic and fairytale castles in the world. Within the historic and mighty walls, the wonderful Noble Courtyard with the suggestive Well of Mysteries, halls and halls of immeasurable beauty and the luxuriant Rose Garden, capable of accommodating up to 300 guests. The Castle stands majestically on the top of the town offering views of great beauty. It is considered a lucky Castle for its events; it is said that it transmits luck, love and prosperity to all those who stay there even if for a short time. We spent New Year’s Eve 2020 here with a very good dinner, excellent wine and fireworks show. If you want to spend a romantic and unforgettable evening, this is the place!
6. TAKE A BOAT TOUR IN BORROMEAN ISLANDS
The archipelago of the Borromean Islands is located in Lake Maggiore. This stretch of lake bathes the three main tourist towns in the area: Stresa, Verbania and Baveno. The archipelago consists of three islands, an island and a rock, but the three islands are the most interesting to visit and are Isola Madre, Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori. We spent a wonderful weekend in Stresa, staying in an ancient renovated castle, with a dream view of the lake. We took the boat that allows you to visit all three islands. It was late September but a very clear and warm day, but already with autumn colors. The view is truly enchanting and on the way back you can stop for an aperitif with a view of Stresa, admiring the sunset over the lake!
7. GO BACK IN TIME TWO THOUSAND YEARS IN THE ARISTOCRATIC “OLD LADY”: TORINO
Lively and elegant, always on the move, Turin is a city surrounded by greenery, with over 300 km of tree-lined avenues and countless parks: leaning against the hills and embraced by the Po river, it owes much of its charm to its enchanting geographical position foothills of the Alps.
Turin is an aristocratic “old lady” of more than two thousand years.
If you only have one day to spend in Turin, start the day with a tasty breakfast choosing from the famous historic cafes. Then you can’t miss its elegant squares, the famous arcades and galleries, passing through the Romanesque, Baroque and Art Nouveau. If, on the other hand, you are looking for relaxation, Parco del Valentino is the ideal choice. Turin is the city that gave birth to Vermouth and the aperitif! End the day in one of the many clubs in the Quadrilatero, San Salvario or Piazza Vittorio Veneto.
8. TAKE A TREK FROM LAKE MORASCO TO ALPE BETTELMAT
This place for me is one of the places of the heart, because I have been coming there since I was little as I have a house in this area. In fact, Piedmont is good wine and vineyards, but also mountains and pure lakes. Alpe Devero and Val Formazza are the most interesting places for excursions with breathtaking views. In particular, the Morasco lake, above the Toce waterfalls, is truly spectacular with its intense blue color. I have visited it in every season and it is spectacular both in summer with the colorful flowers that surround its banks, and in winter with the snow. Passing through the lake of Morasco, you take a dirt path that in less than an hour leads to the Bettelmat alp. Here a wonderful bucolic landscape of little streams, flowers and a wonderful panorama of the lake below awaits you. This is the starting point for all the huts around, you cannot miss a trekking here!
9. SPEND A ROMANTIC AFTERNOON IN ORTA SAN GIULIO
Orta San Giulio is an Italian town in the province of Novara in Piedmont. It is part of the circuit of the most beautiful villages in Italy and is certainly worth a visit. Leave the car a little out of the city center and walk to the lakefront, where you arrive in the center of Orta san Giulio, a small city on Lake Orta, a small open square full of fabulous romantic restaurants overlooking the lake. On the lakefront you can see all the boats moored, which go back and forth from the island of San Giulio, exactly in front of it. You can then take one of these boats that in 5 minutes of navigation will take you to the island of San Giulio, made up of small ports overlooking the lake, narrow cobbled paths, and climbing plants that hang on the shores of the lake. We visited this place on a Sunday afternoon in autumn, and we stayed until the very last minute of light, before the sun went down, to enjoy the view to the fullest. It is a truly romantic trip!
10. BE ENCHANTED BY THE COLORS OF AUTUMN ON THE FOLIAGE TRAIN
If like me, sometimes you feel the call of nature, what you will love is the foliage train and there is no better place than the mountains in Piedmont. The foliage train is a panoramic train that connects Domodossola to Locarno, in Switzerland, crossing a breathtaking landscape along a 52 km route with spectacular views inflamed by autumn colors. In autumn, the route becomes a multicolored painting, with the woods that are tinged with all shades of red, yellow and orange. There are also two possible stops included in the ticket, one on the way out and one on the way back. We only chose one because the time available would not have been enough: Santa Maria Maggiore. We took the train in Locarno very early in the morning (at 6 am!!), and spent the morning in Santa Maria Maggiore, then we continued the journey arriving in Domodossola where we stopped for lunch. We left Domodossola at 3 in the afternoon, arriving back to Locarno at about 5 in the evening. A tip: book your ticket well in advance because you can only enjoy the magnificent autumn landscape for about a month (from mid-October to mid-November), so tickets are sold out fast!
When to go?
Winter
Spring
Spring is initially an unstable season, in which the first mild days alternate with the return of cold, and gradually becomes more pleasant, especially from mid-April to the end of May, when there are many beautiful days, although thunderstorms can break out.
Summer
Autumn
The best times to visit Piedmont are spring and early summer, especially from mid-April to mid-June. September is also a good month. However, it is necessary to take into account a few rainy days in both periods. In summer it can be very hot, although more rarely than in the rest of the Po Valley, in fact there can be several acceptable days, especially in June. To be taken into account, in late spring and summer, sudden afternoon or evening thunderstorms.
three unmissable stops
Best photos spots
I’m a photographer, so I’m always looking for the best corner in the world to make the perfect picture. Often, with great pleasure of my traveling companions, I also spend hours staring at the landscape, waiting for the perfect moment with perfect light. Therefore, when I decided to create my blog, I could not avoid to include a dedicated section to photography enthusiasts like me, always looking for the landscape that leaves you breathless. Hope you will enjoy these places where, in my opinion, you can enjoy wonderful landscapes and take the best pictures.
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