Destination: Italy
LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL ITINERARY INFORMATION
Itinerary: Discovering Piedmont
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ONE WEEK
Time your Piedmont parade with seasonal whims: spring for hiking, winter for skiing or September for the wine, truffle and food festivals in the Alba and Asti areas. This 480km round trip starting in the capital, Turin, could easily be extended in time and distance by further exploration of the Alpine valleys and villages in the north and southwest.
Largely ignored in favour of seemingly more illustrious regions such as Tuscany and Umbria, Piedmont proffers a surprising palette of options for all tastes. Turin, the regional capital, exudes a certain grandeur with its proud, elegant centre and charming riverside location. It offers all the delights of the big city, in marked contrast to the options beyond.
Head southwest for Saluzzo, a pretty medieval town at the beginning of one of a number of enticing valleys that lead west into the French Alps – an option worth taking up if you love nature and have some extra time. Due east of Saluzzo you enter gastronome territory – the Langhe hills. The nerve centre of this prestigious wine-making area is Alba, famed for its white truffles. With your own wheels you can explore the villages that give their names to some fine tipples and tasty meals: Barolo for noble reds; Cinzano for its tart liquor; or Cherasco for its gourmet snail dishes. To the north is Alba’s medieval arch rival, Asti, another wine centre (this time white). Still more reds are produced in the verdant Monferrato region to its north.
From here, shoot north along the A26 to Lago d’Orta, one of the prettiest lakes in northern Italy. Think about an overnight stay in the charming lakeside village of Orta San Giulio. Fans of the Alps could then head west for Varallo and the Valsesia valley. At the valley’s end you butt up against the walls of the Swiss Alps. You can opt for skiing or hiking in the shadow of the mighty Monte Rosa (4633m), or white-water rafting along the Sesia River, before returning to Turin.
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