| Piedmont | |
 | |
Location  | |
Coat of arms and flag   | |
| State | Italy |
|---|---|
| Capital | Turin |
| Surface | 25,387 km² |
| Inhabitants | 4.356.406 (2019) |
| Tourism site | |
| Institutional website | |
Piedmont is a region ofNorthwest Italy.
To know
The Piedmontese are probably the most reserved among the Italians. Their industriousness was at the basis of the industrial revolution in Italy starting from 1800; the crisis of heavy industries has left its traces in the Piedmont economy, which is gradually adapting towards services and tourism, thanks to the natural beauty of the region and the variety of its landscapes.
The kingdom of the Savoy has left traces throughout the region, in particular in its architecture (18th - 19th century) and in the vast nature reserves, deriving from the royal hunting reserves.
The numerous sites UNESCO, as well as a historical heritage dating back to Roman times and distributed between large cities and small jewel towns, are accompanied by the great variety of natural environments. In Piedmont, a tourist can pass in a couple of hours from the Po Valley to the highest peaks of the Alps, or cross the Unesco hills of Lower Piedmont and reach the Ligurian coast in an hour, via the fast motorway route, or devote half a day to exploring the most fascinating mountain roads of the Apennines, to finally spot the sea at 1000 meters below your feet.
Geographical notes
It borders to the west with the France (regions Auvergne-Rhône-Alps is Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur), to the north-west with the Valle d'Aosta, to the north with the Switzerland (cantons Valais is Ticino), to the east with the Lombardy, south-east for a short distance with theEmilia Romagna and to the south with the Liguria.
Spoken languages
Piedmontese is spoken by about 2-3 million people throughout Piedmont. However, it is Italian that dominates in everyday communication. In 2004 the regional parliament recognized the Piedmontese language as the official language of the region, also protecting the Occitan, Franco-Provençal and Walser minorities.
Culture and traditions
- Carnival : Carnival of Ivrea, Carnival of Oleggio, Carnival of Pinerolo is Carnival of Vercelli.
- Christmas: Mechanical crib of Cavallermaggiore (CN)
Territories and tourist destinations
The region's interest in winter tourism is ensured by internationally renowned ski resorts, many of which hosted the competitions of the 2006 Turin Winter Olympic Games. The naturalistic and historical-cultural attractions, which make the environment alpine a destination suitable for all seasons: the Piedmontese Alpine arc hosts, among others, the Natural Park of the Maritime Alps (Wedge) and the Gran Paradiso Park (Turin), as well as some of the most important monuments in the history of art and world architecture, such as the Sacra di San Michele, overlooking the Val di Susa, and the Sacro Monte di Varallo, not far from the Lake OrtaThe Piedmontese section of the Alps also hosts important passes and passes towards France, such as the E74 road of the Col di Tenda and the E70 of Frejus, at the bottom of the Val di Susa.
The most important locations are Biella, Sestriere, Macugnaga, Domodossola, Verbania, Stresa, Piedmont lemon, Susa, Bardonecchia is Ivrea.To the west and north, Piedmont is surrounded by the Alps, to the south by the Apennines, to the east by the Po Valley.
Urban centers
- Turin - The first capital of the Kingdom of Italy, today it is an exceptional cultural, historical, artistic and industrial center. There is the majestic Mole Antonelliana, the Egyptian Museum (second only to that of Cairo), the automobile museum, the Savoia gallery, not to mention the splendid architectural works that can be admired while walking through the ancient center, such as Piazza Vittorio Veneto, the most arcaded square in the world.
- Alexandria - The citadel, the Cathedral, the Marengo Museum, the Palazzo Cuttica Museum, the Piazza della Libertà are just some of the most important monuments and architectural works that can be admired in the splendid historic center built with an elegant Savoy style.
- Asti - Center of the largest wine region of Piedmont, the Monferrato, was an important medieval republic known as the city of 100 towers, of which 15 can still be admired in the ancient fortified city.
- Biella - Located at the foot of the Biellese Alps, it is an ancient city that gathers important historical buildings in its village, not to mention the very important evidence of industrial archeology.
- Wedge - Wedged (as the name suggests) between the rivers Gesso and Stura, the city still retains a splendid fortified historic center in which the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Bosco, the civic tower and the spectacular Piazza Galimberti stand out.
- Novara - The city preserves interesting artistic and architectural treasures such as the bold dome of the Basilica of San Gaudenzio, the very symbol of the city, and the early Christian baptistery of the cathedral, one of the oldest religious buildings in Piedmont.
- Verbania - The largest city on the banks of the Lake Maggiore. Intra and Pallanza are the two historic centers that have been united to form this city. However, there are still two parts with different nature: Pallanza, more suggestive, with medieval atmospheres; Intra, more modern, with an industrial past, an important port of call on the lake.
- Vercelli - An extremely important agricultural and commercial center, the largest producer of rice in Italy, it offers tourists an enviable historic center camped by the Abbey of Sant'Andrea, the Duomo and the splendid Torre dell'Angelo.
Other destinations
- Residences of the Savoy royal family - Splendid villas, palaces and luxurious castles remind us that Piedmont was for centuries the flagship of all of Europe, during the reign of the House of Savoy.
- Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy - UNESCO World Heritage Sites, they dot the gentle valleys and shores of the lakes of north-eastern Piedmont.
How to get
By plane
- Turin Caselle "Sandro Pertini" airport: it is the main one in Piedmont. Located 16 km north of Turin, it is connected to the city by the Turin-Caselle motorway junction and the provincial road 2 and is served by public bus between Turin Porta Nuova is Airport boxes and by rail Turin-Ceres.
- Domestic flights: Alghero, Bari, Brindisi, Cagliari, Catania, Lamezia Terme, Lampedusa, Naples, Olbia, Palermo, Pescara, Reggio Calabria, Rome-Fiumicino, Trapani. (data: 13-01-2013)
- International flights: Barcelona, Brussels, Dublin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Ibiza, Istanbul-Atatürk, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Malta, Munich, Paris. (data: 13-01-2013)
- Cuneo International Airport: located 21 km north-east of the city of Cuneo, it is connected to the Savigliano and Fossano railway stations and can be reached by aerobus from Turin, Cuneo and Fossano and by the motorway Turin-Savona.
- National flights: Alghero, Cagliari, Elba Island, Rome-Ciampino, Trapani.
- International flights: Bacău, Bucharest-Otopeni, Casablanca, Hurghada, Marrakech, Satu Mare, Tirana.
By car
- From France:
- Through the Frejus or Mont Blanc tunnels,
- Through the Colle della Maddalena (Col du Larche),
- Through Ventimiglia or the Colle di Tenda.
- From Switzerland: through the Simplon or the Gran San Bernardo tunnel.
- FromItaly: via the A4 motorways Turin - Trieste, A21 Turin - Piacenza, A6 Turin - Savona, A5 Turin - Aosta - Mont Blanc ; A7 Milan - Genoa ; A32 Turin - Bardonecchia - Frejus tunnel ; A33 Asti - Wedge ; A26 Genoa - Gravellona Toce.
On the train
- From France: directly to Turin from Lyon through the Frejus Tunnel.
- From Switzerland: through Domodossola.
How to get around
By car
Below is a list of Piedmontese state roads:
- SS20: Turin - Ventimiglia (IM).
- SS21: Borgo San Dalmazzo (CN) - Colle della Maddalena.
- SS24: Turin - Montgenèvre/State border.
- SS25: Turin - Moncenisio/State border.
- SS26: Chivasso (TO) - State border of the Mont Blanc Tunnel (AO).
- SS28: Genola (CN) - Imperia.
- SS32: Novara - Castelletto above Ticino (NO).
- SS33: Milan - State border of the Simplon Pass.
- SS34: Gravellona Toce (VB) - State border of Cannobio (VB).
- SS231: Asti - Wedge
- SS335: Oulx (TO) - Bardonecchia (TO).
- SS336: Gallarate (IT GOES) - Varallo Pombia (NO).
- SS337: Masera (VB) - State border of King (VB).
- SS341: Novara - Varese.
- SS490: Bagnasco (CN) - Finale Ligure (SV).
- SS659: Crevoladossola (VB) - Formazza (VB).
What see
- Roman times - Porta Palatina and via XX Settembre a Turin. Excavations of Libarna At Serravalle Scrivia. Excavations of Augusta Bagiennorum in the Cuneo area.
- Romanesque art - The Romanesque is well documented in Piedmont. Casale Monferrato Cathedral. Church of San Giorgio in Valperga and those of San Bartolomeo and the Beata Vergine Assunta in Villadossola. In theAsti the abbey of Vezzolano, Pieve di San Lorenzo in Montiglio Monferrato, the church of saints Nazario and Celso in the surroundings of Montechiaro and the church of San Secondo in Cortazzone. The most striking examples are the abbey of Saints Nazario and Celso in the Novarese area and the Basilica of San Giulio on the homonymous island in lake of Orta. Sacra di San Michele in transition style from Romanesque to Gothic and the same applies to the Castello di Gabiano.
The Sacra di San Michele, a symbolic monument of Piedmont, watches over the entrance to the Val di Susa from Turin
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San Nazzaro Abbey (NO), the facade of the church
Basilica of San Giulio, Orta lake
Villadossola - Church of S. Bartolomeo
Frescoes in the Chapel of S. Eldrado at the Novalesa Abbey, at the foot of Mont Cenis
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- Gothic art Examples of Gothic are the Cathedral of Asti, the basilica of Sant'Andrea in Vercelli, the cathedral of Chieri, the church of San Giovanni in Saluzzo and those of San Marco and Santa Maria delle Grazie in Varallo. The abbey of Sant'Antonio di Ranverso has frescoes by Giacomo Jaquerio
The Church of the Preceptory of Sant'Antonio di Ranverso in Buttigliera Alta (TO)
Asti Cathedral.
Vercelli, Sant'Andrea.
Chieri Cathedral
Saluzzo Cathedral
- XV - XVI centuries - Examples of Renaissance architecture are the Castle of San Genuario in Crescentino in the Vercelli area and the church of San Cristoforo in Vercelli
- XVII - XVIII centuries - Palazzo Borromeo on Isola Bella (Lake Maggiore). Examples of Rococo are the palace of Venaria Reale.
- XIX - XX centuries - The cathedrals of Novara and Alessandria are examples of neoclassicism together with the Royal Castle of Racconigi.
A more complete list of the main religious monuments of Piedmont can be found in the relative theme.
What to do
Piedmont has a varied tourist landscape, with a territory that presents a great wealth of opportunities.
Lakes
Very popular in spring / summer is the lakes area on the eastern border of the Region (Lake Maggiore, Lake Orta is Viverone Lake), where there is an established hotel district.
Winter and mountain sports
Kingdom of winter sports is the area near the western border, in Susa Valley is Val Chisone as well as some renowned ski resorts also in the Cuneo area (Limone Piemonte, Artesina). All snow sports are practiced here in winter, while in the summer season the ski lifts allow easy access to Alpine panoramas of remarkable beauty.
Food and wine
Langhe, Monferrato and the area of Saluzzo instead they are the home of the "sweetness of life", with numerous agritourisms that give the opportunity to appreciate the great agricultural wealth of the Region. Even the areas of the oldest tourist matrix have equipped themselves to cope with a growing demand for high quality food and wine. The regional capital, Turin, is also becoming a showcase of the Piedmontese territory. Establishing itself as the "capital of taste", it is enhancing the eno-gastronomic heritage of the Region thanks to numerous professionals and the role played by the Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre. It is no coincidence that the city saw the opening of the first Eataly, but also of innovative initiatives in the field of fast food related to local products.
Cultural tourism
The city of Turin it has distinguished itself in recent years for the rediscovery of a remarkable historical-artistic heritage due to its rank as a European court between the 17th and 19th centuries. Distinguished in the historic center by a very tidy and well-finished urban form from an architectural point of view, similar to some cities of neighboring France, you can visit important museums born from the collections of the Savoy ruling family, such as the Egyptian, the Royal Armory the Royal Library and the Galleria Sabauda, as well as palaces and historic homes. The city is surrounded by a circle of Baroque royal residences built by the Savoy between the 17th and 19th centuries, today grouped in the tourist circuit of the "Royal Residences". Also important are the vestiges of the industrial past that has always made the city a place of innovation, a pioneer in many fields. Witness the National Auto Museum, near the former Fiat factory in Lingotto, and the National Cinema Museum housed in the Mole Antonelliana. In the field of sport, the Juventus Museum has enjoyed considerable success Val di Susa presents a notable historical-artistic heritage due to the presence of the Via Francigena, with four large medieval abbeys and a network of artistic assets scattered in churches and chapels in the area, both in the Lower and Upper Susa Valley.
Hiking
There are many opportunities for walks and hikes. Thanks to an early practice of alpine tourism, almost all the mountains of Piedmont present not only a network of paths and mule tracks, but also numerous shelters useful as stopping points. The structures around the Monviso, in Val di Susa, in Valleys of Lanzo, to Ceresole, on the Piedmontese side of Gran Paradiso Park and in the area of Monte Rosa.
Via Francigena
The Colle del Moncenisio, That of the Montgenèvre and the valley floor of the Val di Susa they are a transit place for pilgrims from the Via Francigena of the Susa Valley, while Eporediese and Canavese they host the itineraries of the Valle d'Aosta stretch of the Via Francigena. Along the way you can admire the many monuments of art and faith erected by pilgrims who have passed through these areas over the centuries.
At the table
The peasant tradition has left its influence on Piedmontese cuisine. Bollito Misto and Fritto Misto are traditional dishes of ancient tradition. The Mixed boiled meat consists of various cuts of beef and pork, boiled with vegetables and served with a choice of sauces (typical green bath based on parsley and garlic). The Mixed Fried it is a mixture of vegetables, meats and sweets, variously battered or breaded before being fried (for example, sweet semolina). Another traditional dish is the Bagna cauda: consists of a sauce made from garlic and anchovies, cooked for a long time over very low heat, which is served with a variety of raw and cooked vegetables (e.g. raw cabbage, baked onion and seared peppers). Typical dish of the Vercelli area is the panissa, which is a type of risotto consisting of rice of the Arborio, Baldo or Maratelli variety, beans of the typical quality grown in Saluggia, onion, Barbera red wine, lard, "salam d'la duja", salt and pepper.
Turin was the fulcrum of the spread of chocolate throughout Europe; in its pastry shops you can find excellent chocolates (eg Gianduiotto, hazelnut chocolate, or the Grappino bitter chocolate filled with grappa). In Ivrea you can also find the 900 cake, sweet with a base of cocoa sponge cake, filled with a delicate chocolate cream.
Drinks
Piedmont is famous for its full-bodied red wines, the Barolo and the Barbaresco, but also the Nebbiolo, the Trick, L'Arneis, the Freisa, the Moscato d'Asti, L'Erbaluce di Caluso they are rightfully gaining the appreciation of wine lovers. Definitely also the Gavi, one of the best Italian whites. Most of the vineyards are in the provinces of Asti is Alexandria, but viticulture flourishes throughout the region.
Safety
Piedmont does not present particular risks from the point of view of crime. Clearly in its capital, Turin, being a very populated city there is a risk (however very low compared to other areas of Italy) of being a victim of robbery or pickpocketing.In small mountain towns, on the other hand, you can rest easy if you exercise a minimum of common sense. In any case, the whole region is safe.
