Northwestern Italy
The Piedmont
and Aosta
Turin (Torino) |
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A few days are not sufficient to
discover Turin (Torino), a city with more than two thousand years’
history and increasingly forward-looking. First the capital of the
Kingdom of Italy, it was then considered one of the European capitals
of baroque and today of contemporary art.
Museo Civico d'Arte Antica et Palazzo Madama
Piazza Castello,
10123 Torino - Italy
Palazzo Madama contains the whole history of the city of Turin within
its walls: in the beginning it was a Roman gate.
Torino is a city that is accustomed to beauty - from
the extraordinary Baroque and Belle Époque buildings to historical
masterpieces like the
“Autoritratto a Sanguigna" by
Leonardo da Vinci and the
recently renovated Palazzo Madama.
Turin's Egyptian
Museum is the most important in the world after Cairo's. Other
museums (there are many) feature something for everyone: contemporary
art, medieval swords and amour, automobiles, the
Shroud of Turin,
unification of Italy, archeology, cinematography and more.
Major Italian industry was born in Turin (Torino),
where development and design have played a fundamental role. Cinema
was another important aspect of the city before it moved to Rome.
Today the seventh art is returning thanks to a reborn film industry
and cultural initiatives such as the Torino Film Festival and the
Museo Nazionale del Cinema.
Turin at Night
Torino’s
central geographical position puts it in the vicinity of many
attractive destinations. A one hour’s trip will take you to:
It's a bit further down the road to the
Côte d’Azur; the lake district with the marvelous
Lago Maggiore
and Lago d'Orta,
which are surrounded by the
Monte Rosa massif; the rolling hillsides of the
Langhe and
Monferrato,
the land of Piedmont’s savoir vivre. All within one hundred kilometers
of the center of a city that is at the center of everything.
Web
References for Turin:
We know many B&Bs in the area and are happy to help you
plan your trip. Call us at 206 363 6575 or
Email us.
Here are two nearby areas worthy of
a visit or a lengthy stay.
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Olympic
Valley of Susa
(Your French Connexion
wishes to thank Monferrato area B and B owner Cristina Re for the many
pictures she provided of the area and Monferrato below)
Going up to the Olympic Mountains you will see "The
pathways of Heaven": this is what the routes taken by medieval
pilgrims were called. Via Francigena, as the name suggests, began in
France, crossed Moncenisio Hill, descended Susa Valley and finally
arrived in Turin.
Sacra di San Michele |
On the way you
cannot miss Sant'Antonio di Ranverso, which was an important
stopping-off point for the pilgrims. The preceptory and adjacent
hospital were founded in 1186 .
The Sacra di San Michele,
perched on top of Mt. Pirchiriano, is clearly visible from nearby
Avigliana, where the old town centre and nearby lakes, currently a
nature reserve, are well worth a visit.
Founded prior to the year
1000 by Ugo di Montboisser, the abbey dominates the narrow
entrance to the Susa Valley ("la chiusa" or gateway) and was one
of the busiest Benedictine centres in Piedmont for centuries. |
The Roman city of Susa has from ancient times been
called "the gateway of Italy." It is the historic
thoroughfare to the Moncenisio and Monginevro passes. The city
still echoes the original layout from Roman times.
Sacra di San Michele
Novalesa abbey is sited by the side of the old
Moncenisio road (the new highway goes through the mountains higher
up). The abbey is set off slightly from the road in a peaceful basin
dominated by the imposing Rocciamelone mountain.
Castillo di Camino
Interesting Web Links:
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Monferrato
This is a peaceful region where you can spend some
relaxing days and taste wonderful food and wine. Monferrato is
mostly contained in the Alessandria and Asti provinces, but its
borders are slightly blurred. The land is hilly and produces
famous wines like Barbera, Grignolino, sweet Moscato and Malvasia and
many others.
Monferrato is an incredibly historical region of
the Piedmont. A remarkable series of castles and fortifications
are located in this area with fine examples of military architecture
and great expressions of the feudal system and the powerful marquises
of the Monferrato.
We suggest starting in Casale Monferrato, the old
capital of Monferrato, situated between the hills and lands of the Po.
It is a town with an interesting history and is well worth a visit.
Medieval sights from a barge
along the Po
Crossing Monferrato and going south through the towns
of Moncalvo, Calliano and Portacomaro, you come to the town of Asti,
the provincial center. The hey day for this town was the Middle Ages
and it's a great spot to visit. Try also visiting the hills to
search for the many Romanesque chapels hidden there.
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Novalesa Abbey |
San Secondo di Cortazzone church is near Montafia and
has an elaborate sculpture decoration on its external walls. The
inside has also been well preserved.
The Abbey of Vezzolano (above), one of the best
examples of Romanesque architecture in the region, lies further north
in a secluded valley, after the town of Castelnuovo Don Bosco.
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Val d'Aosta
Off the beaten track - Aosta and the Val
d'Aosta - where Italian History combines with Swiss and French
Culture.
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Val d'Aosta was a
well-trod crossroads, one of the main access routes between northern and
southern Europe. Hannibal marched his elephants through here in the 3rd
century BC. Generations of Roman legions trudged through, building roads
and bridges that are still visible today. For centuries, an unending
stream of pilgrims trekked through on their way to Rome, braving
impossible snows, exhausting altitudes and the exorbitant tolls levied by
local lords. |
More recently, Napoleon and his armies
swept through the region on their way to victory at Marengo. All of this
occurred before two of the great engineering feats of our time were built:
the Mont Blanc Tunnel and the Great St. Bernard Tunnel. And
yet, though it is now considerably easier to cross the
French-Swiss-Italian borders, Val d'Aosta
is no longer on the itineraries of many foreign travelers thus making the
petite St. Bernard a wonderful route into France and the high Alps.
There is something for everyone in this tiny region, including two great
national parks, one in France and one in Italy, a hundred castles, a
surprising array of Gothic sculptures, spectacular views, glamorous ski
resorts, family hiking trails for every level of hiker, sophisticated
food, abundant wildlife, Baroque village churches and not many Europe's
inhabitants. Those who live in this northwestern area of Italy are very
independent and also very welcoming of the traveler.
Sheltered
by the soaring peaks of Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa, the Matterhorn
and a dozen other giants, Val d'Aosta
has a mild, sunny summer climate .you won't be able to squeeze it all in.
Also this region features festivals with free food every
month of the year.
Aosta
Aosta, the smallest of the regions in Italy,
proudly combines its cultural and strategic position with its natural
beauty and agricultural roots.
Aosta is the capital. Aosta is
governed by a special statute allowing an independent government.
Italian and French languages are the officially recognized languages.
Here the independent traveler can enjoy three
cultures, a combination of Alpine cuisines and languages along with
exciting natural activities all year long. French and Italian are
spoke throughout.
Nestled below the alpine forests are the vineyards
of the Barberesco, Barlolo and Barbera set amidst the Birch and
Juniper woods along the slopes of the Alps.
Since Pilgrim days this area has been the meeting
point where Central European Christians gathered before trekking to
Florence, Spain, Rome and Jerusalem. Besides hundreds of chapels and
mountainside abbeys you may like to visit some of the castles built to
house Lords and Dukes who fought with and against the House of Savoy
for this rich region and its Pilgrim trade. Don’t miss the Castles of
Issongen, Fenis and Aymavilles.
In winter you can enjoy skiing holidays, photo
trips to icy waterfalls, and snowboarding. In summer and
fall you can bike without traffic or pollution on the plateau with its
newly protected environment. Nature walks through the Dora river
system allow you to see the Alpine Ibex, ermines, foxes, and chamois.
The area is on a major migratory route as well as home to many
permanent species.
Our clients enjoy hiking, skiing, cheese making and
wine tasting as goals along well-marked Pilgrim and Alps trails.
Teen-agers love the cable car adventure between the countries and the
climb to Mt, Bianco is one you’ll never forget!
Housing is not expensive compared to Tuscany, Rome
or Venice and our B and B owners look forward to your visit for a few
nights or a weekly apartment.
Many love the Grand Paridiso with its views of many mountains, great
campsites and alpine huts. Web references for National Parks and
hiking trails of Valle d'Aosta
http://www.montavic.it:80/
http://www.parks.it/parco.nazionale.gran.paradiso/Eindex
Day Trips to France, Switzerland (by boat, train or car), Torino, Lake
Orto and Maggorie are easy options. For those staying at our hotels
and rentals at Lake Orto a day trip or two would be possible with
ease.
Italy's Northern Lake
District
Take the cable car at
Monte Mottarone, between Lakes
Maggiore and Orta. At 1500 meters the views are stunning. The
cable car swings you up to the peak in 20 minutes, and at nearly 1500
metres (4,921 feet) the views are stunning. On a clear day you will
see all seven lakes in Lombardy and Piedmont.
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To
have us plan your Italian adventure by bus, train, car, boat or
air call us at 206 363 6575 or
Email us.
Also
check out: The Northeast
& Central Italy - Milan, Venice, Verona, Padua,
and
more
Northwest Italy - Turin, Susa, Val
d'Aosta, Olympic Valley, Monferrato
Lakes of Northern Italy - Lake Garda, Lake Como,
Lake Orta and more
Southern Italy - Naples,
Pompeii, Sorento,
Capri, Amalfi Coast
Italy from a client's perspective
The Good, The Bad, and the Fabulous
Rome for Kids
Read about the
Fischer's
trip to Italy
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