Tips and to enjoy Northern Italy’s Western Plains to Mountains

The Piedmont region in northwest Italy borders France and Switzerland.  The name itself tells the story: “Piemonte = ai piedi dei monti” means “at the foot of the mountains”.

Much of Piedmont is located in the mountains of northern Italy, in the Italian Alps, with other parts rolling hills down to the plains. This beautiful region includes two of Italy’s lakes; Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore.

There are many great places to visit on your travels through Piedmont. The region is a treasure trove of regal history, gastronomic excellence, and rolling vineyard hills.

Visit the city of Turin’s Savoy palaces. Alba’s white truffle hunts, and Barolo’s world-famous wines. This region in Italy offers an unforgettable blend of culture and cuisine. Perfect for day trips from Turin or multi-night escapes.

Let’s explore the best places to visit among Piedmont’s enchanting landscapes and flavors in this guide to Piedmont.

Piedmont Travel Guide

For more information about visiting Piedmont watch the Piedmont travel guide video below. It includes destinations and Piedmont vacation ideas.

Links to Piedmont Videos

Royal House of Savoy Residence

Piedmont: Cuisine and Culture

Piedmont Location

Piedmont Zones

Zone	% of Piedmont	Highest Peaks (all > 12,000 ft.)	What It Means for Travelers
Western & Northern Alps	~45 % of region	Monte Rosa (13,000 ft), Gran Paradiso (12,000 ft), Monviso (11,000 ft – source of the Po River)	Skiing, hiking, royal hunting lodges
Maritime Alps (SW border with France)	~10 %	Argentera (10,000 ft)	Truffle forests & medieval villages
Langhe / Roero hills	~15 %	Wine region, Vineyard hills 900–1,800 ft	Barolo, truffles, UNESCO landscapes
Po Valley plain	~30 %	Flat – Turin, Novara	Royal palaces, rice fields, cities

Piedmont Travel Guide Map

Places to Visit in Piedmont

Piedmont is a stunning region of Italy with many beautiful places to go. if you are lucky enough to visit on your trip to Italy consider the following beautiful Italian towns located in northwestern Italy. 

Turin: Royal Elegance

History: Turin, Piedmont’s capital, was the seat of the Savoy dynasty, Italy’s first royal family, shaping it into a Baroque masterpiece with grand palaces and piazzas.

Travel time to Turin is 1h by train from Milan, 3h from Florence, 4.5h from Venice, 5.5h from Rome.

Highlights in Turin:

• Palazzo Reale: Explore the Savoy royal residence with opulent rooms and gardens.
• Mole Antonelliana: Climb or take the elevator for panoramic views from this iconic tower.
• Museo Egizio: Discover one of the world’s finest Egyptian collections.

Activities: Stroll the UNESCO-listed porticos, join a chocolate-tasting tour (Turin is the birthplace of gianduja), or visit the National Automobile Museum.

Culinary Specialties: Savor agnolotti (veal-filled pasta) with butter and truffle, vitello tonnato (veal with tuna-caper sauce), and Barolo wine.

Try bicerin, a layered coffee-chocolate drink.

Alba: Truffle Capital and Slow Food Haven

History: Alba, once the Roman Alba Pompeia, is the heart of the Langhe’s UNESCO World Heritage hills, famed for white truffles and the Slow Food movement founded in nearby Bra in 1986.

Alba is 1h by train from Turin, 2.5h from Milan, 4h from Florence, 5h from Venice, 6.5h from Rome.

Highlights in Alba:

• International White Truffle Fair (Oct–Dec): Sample and buy prized white truffles.
• Cattedrale di San Lorenzo: Admire the Gothic cathedral built on Roman ruins.
• Slow Food Market (Saturdays): Taste local cheeses, hazelnuts, and wines.

Activities: Join a truffle hunt with a trifolau and trained dog in the Langhe woods (Oct–Jan for white truffles, Apr–Aug for black.  Explore underground Roman ruins at Museo Diocesano.

Culinary Specialties: Enjoy tajarin (egg-yolk pasta) with shaved white truffles, bagna càuda (garlic-anchovy dip), and Barbera d’Alba wine.

Barolo: Wine of Kings

This area is known as Piedmont’s wine region. Its wine is among the best wine in Italy, if not the world.

History: The village of Barolo, in the UNESCO-listed Langhe hills, gave its name to the “King of Wines,” crafted from Nebbiolo grapes since the 19th century under Countess Giulia Colbert Falletti.

Barolo and the Langhe area is 1.5h by train/bus from Turin, 3h from Milan, 4.5h from Florence, 5.5h from Venice, 7h from Rome. 

Highlights in Barolo: Langhe

• Castello Falletti Wine Museum: Learn Barolo’s history and taste wines.
• La Morra Views: Enjoy panoramic vistas from this hilltop village’s tower.
• Cantina Comunale: Sample Barolo and Barbaresco at communal cellars.

Activities: Tour wineries like Renato Ratti or Vietti for Barolo tastings, hike vineyard trails, or visit Sol LeWitt’s colorful chapel in La Morra.

Culinary Specialties: Savor brasato al Barolo (beef braised in wine), agnolotti del plin, and Moscato d’Asti dessert wine.

La Morra – The Balcony of the Langhe

Perched 1,500 feet above, La Morra is the undisputed panoramic queen of Piedmont’s UNESCO vineyard sea.

From the Belvedere (free 24/7), the entire Barolo & Barbaresco zone unfurls below like a green ocean – Serralunga’s castle, Monforte’s amphitheater, and 360° of rolling Nebbiolo hills that glow gold at sunset. It is the picturesque moment of Piedmont.

La Marra is 1.5h by train and taxi from Turin, 2h from Milan, 4h from Florence, 4.5h from Venice, 5.5h from Rome. 

La Morra Must-do in 2 hours

• Sunset aperitivo on the panoramic piazza. Try Cantina Comunale’s 5-cru Barolo flight.
• Stroll the colorful Via Umberto I lined with artisan shops and historic cantine.
• Visit Cappella del Barolo – the rainbow chapel painted by Sol LeWitt & David Tremlett, hidden among vineyards (10-min walk).

Pro tip
Arrive 45 minutes before sunset, grab a bottle of Renato Ratti Marcenasco at the Cantina, and watch the Langhe turn pink. It’s the single most “pinch-me” moment in all of Piedmont.

Serralunga d’Alba – The Castle That Guards Barolo

Rising like a medieval sentinel above endless Nebbiolo vineyards, the 14th-century Castello di Serralunga is the most dramatic, perfectly preserved fortress in the Langhe – 170 steps up a spiral staircase reward you with 360° views over six Barolo crus.

Serralunga d’Alba by train is 1h from Turin, 1.5h from Milan, 4h from Florence 4.5h from Venice, and 5.5h from Rome. 

Must-do in 90 minutes

• Guided castle tour – walk the battlements where knights once stood.
• Taste in the courtyard with a glass of Fontanafredda “La Villa” Barolo poured from magnum.
• 5-minute stroll to Fontanafredda Royal Winery (King Vittorio Emanuele II’s former hunting lodge) for mirror-like cellars and sparkling Alta Langa tasting.

Golden hour magic

At dusk the castle turns peach-pink against the Alps – the single most photographed spot in Piedmont.

Pro tip
Book the late afternoon to sunset castle tour with rooftop sunset pass – you’ll have the entire fortress to yourself as the sun drops behind Monviso.

Neive – Italy’s Prettiest Village

Crowned Borghi più belli d’Italia and named Italy’s most beautiful village 2024, Neive is a postcard of flower-draped balconies, terracotta roofs, and cobblestone lanes that smell of hazelnuts and Barbaresco.

Neive is 1h from Turin, 1h45 from Milan, 3h45 from Florence, 4h30 from Venice, and 5h20 from Rome.

Must-do in 90 minutes

• Climb the 27 m medieval tower (€3) for sweeping views over four DOCG zones.
• Taste at Produttori del Barbaresco co-op – 5 crus for €15 in the 1958 cellar that revolutionized Piedmont wine.
• Wander Via Vittorio Emanuele – every doorway bursts with geraniums and wisteria.

Pro tip
Visit on the second Sunday of the month when the Cantina del Rondò opens its 12th-century underground tunnel for candle-lit Barbaresco verticals.

Bra – Beating Heart of Slow Food Movement

Bra is the birthplace of the slow food movement. On 10 September 1986, Carlo Petrini founded the Slow Food Movement right here in Bra to fight fast food. Today it’s a global revolution with 100,000 members in 160 countries.

Bra is 50 min from Turin, 1h30 from Milan, 3h30 from Florence, 4h15 from Venice, and 5h05 from Rome.

Must-do in 90 minutes

• Lunch at Osteria del Boccondivino – the world’s first Slow Food restaurant (since 1986), still serving tajarin with 30-month Bra sausage.
• Visit Slow Food University campus in Pollenzo (5 min drive) – taste 600 Piedmont labels at Banca del Vino inside a Savoy castle.
• Every odd year: Cheese Festival – 400 artisan producers flood Bra’s streets for four days of free tastings.

Best coffee

Caffè Converso (1860) – order a Bra duro (hard local almond biscuit) dunked in Barbera wine.

Golden hour magic

Piazza Carlo Alberto at 6 pm when church bells ring and locals spill out for aperitivo with Bra tenero raw veal sausage.

Lake Orta

Lake Orta is considered by many to be the most romantic and least touristy lake in northern Italy. it located only 45 minutes west of Milan Malpensa airport.

Lake Orta is a tiny jewel. It is only 15 miles long.  It is the smallest of Italian Lakes.

The two must see highlights are Isola San Guilio and Orta San Giulio.

San Giulio

San Giulio refers to two magical places in Piedmont that sit just 1000 feet apart on Lake Orta, Isola San Giulio and Orta San Giulio.

Orta San Giulio and Isola San Giulio is 1h15 from Turin, 50 min from Milan, 3h30 from Florence, 4h30 from Venice, and 5h15 from Rome.

Isola San Giulio – the fairy-tale island

A tiny, car-free island with one cobblestone ring-road, 36 historic houses, and a 10th-century Romanesque basilica packed with 11th-century frescoes. Legend says St. Julius (4th century) slayed dragons here to convert the locals – today it’s pure silence and beauty.

Must-do: Walk the “Path of Silence” (outward) and “Path of Meditation” (return) – 20 bronze plaques with quotes on life & stillness.

Highlight: Climb the basilica bell-tower at sunset for 360° lake views (€3).
Dine: Michelin-starred Villa Crespi (Relais & Châteaux) on the mainland shore – Chef Cannavacciuolo’s 3-Michelin-star magic.

Orta San Giulio – the medieval village on the shore

Ranked one of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages (Borghi più belli d’Italia), with pastel houses, frescoed palazzi, and the steep Salita della Motta leading to the 15th-century Sacro Monte di Orta (UNESCO world heritage site tentative list) – 20 chapels with life-size terracotta scenes.

Best photo: From Piazza Motta’s lakefront at blue hour when the island lights up.

Boat: Public ferry every 15 min (€4.50 round-trip) or private wooden motorboat at sunset (€60/30 min).

Why Piedmont travelers love Lake Orta

Zero crowds compared to Como or Maggiore (even in August).

Perfect half-day escape from Turin (1h15 by train + bus) or Stresa (30 min).

Add Lake Orta & Isola San Giulio to your Piedmont itinerary and get the “wow” moment most tourists never see.

Stresa & Borromean Islands – Piedmont’s Lake Maggiore Masterpiece

Lake Maggiore is Italy’s second largest lake. It straddles both Piedmont and Lombardy. 

Stresa is the elegant 1900s belle-époque resort where Hemingway wrote A Farewell to Arms. From its palm-lined promenade, hop a 10-minute ferry to the Borromean Islands – three floating jewels owned by the same aristocratic family since 1632.

Stresa (Lake Maggiore) is 1h05 from Turin, 50 min from Milan, 3h15 from Florence, 4h15 from Venice, and 5h00 from Rome.

Must-do in 3 hours

• Isola Bella – Baroque palace with 10 terraced gardens, white peacocks, and a grotto made entirely of seashells.
• Isola dei Pescatori – lunch on the only inhabited island: perch risotto at Ristorante Verbano, table on the water.
• Isola Madre – English botanical garden with Kashmir cypress, rare parrots, and the Borromeo doll collection.

Sacra di San Michele – Piedmont’s Abbey in the Sky

Just 45 minutes  west of Turin, the Sacra di San Michele crowns a 3,000 ft razor-edge ridge like a medieval Excalibur. This dramatic 10th-century abbey inspired Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose and Dan Brown’s Angels & Demons.

Sacra di San Michele is 45 min from Turin, 1h30 from Milan, 3h30 from Florence, 4h15 from Venice, and 5h00 from Rome.

Must-do in 2 hours

• Climb the Scalone dei Morti (Stairway of the Dead) where monks once carried coffins.
• Stand on the Torre della Monache terrace – 360° views from the Alps to Turin’s Superga basilica.
• Touch the Porta dello Zodiaco – 12th-century zodiac carvings older than Notre-Dame.

Golden hour magic

Sunset paints the entire Val di Susa valley pink – locals call it “l’ora sacra”.

Canelli underground cellars – Champagne Tunnels

Just 55 min south of Turin, Canelli hides 20 miles of UNESCO-listed underground “cathedrals” – hand-dug brick tunnels up to 90 feet deep where Asti Spumante and Alta Langa sparkling wines were born in 1865.

Canelli Underground Cathedrals is 55 min from Turin, 1h30 from Milan, 3h35 from Florence, 4h20 from Venice, and 5h10 from Rome.

Must-do in 90 minutes

• Walk Contrada dei Contrabbandieri – candle-lit corridors with 19th-century oak barrels the size of houses.
• Taste Bosca “Verdi” 2012 straight from the pupitre at 15 m below ground.
• See the Cathedral of Gancia – 40 m vaulted ceiling that fits 1 million bottles.

Golden hour magic

4 pm – light shafts turn the tunnels rose-gold as the temperature drops to perfect 12 °C.

Vercelli

Vercelli is the beating heart of Piedmont’s golden paddy fields. Over 50% of all Italian rice grows here, turning the Po plain into mirror-like lakes every May.

Visit Tenuta Colombara (the world’s oldest rice farm, 1427) and taste authentic Risotto with borlotti beans and salam d’la duja aged in lard.

Vercelli is 50 min from Turin, 1h10 from Milan, 3h20 from Florence, 4h10 from Venice, and 4h55 from Rome.

Must-do in 2 hours

• Walk the flooded fields at sunset – endless water mirrors the Alps.
• Lunch at Ristorante Il Paiolo – Sois risotto cooked in copper by the Slow Food presidium.
• See the 13th-century Basilica di Sant’Andrea – Italy’s first Gothic church.

Golden hour magic

May–June when the rice shoots are emerald and the sky reflects perfectly.

Top Festivals in Piedmont

Immerse yourself in Piedmont’s vibrant culture:

• Alba White Truffle Fair (Oct–Dec): Celebrate truffles with tastings and auctions.
• Vinum Festival (Alba, Apr–May): Sample Barolo, Barbaresco, and local delicacies.
• Turin Chocolate Festival (Nov): Indulge in gianduja and pralines.
• Slow Food’s Cheese Festival (Bra, Sep): Explore artisan cheeses and wines.
• Palio di Asti (Sep): Witness a historic horse race in nearby Asti.

Best Time to Visit

Each season offers a unique Piedmont experience:

• Winter (Dec–Feb): Cool (36–46°F), ideal for Turin’s museums and Alba’s truffle season. Book truffle hunts early.
• Spring (Mar–May): Mild (50–68°F), perfect for vineyard hikes and Vinum Festival.
• Summer (Jun–Aug): Warm (72–82°F) for black truffle hunts and outdoor dining in Barolo.
• Fall (Sep–Nov): Vibrant (54–72°F) with truffle fairs, wine harvests, and fewer crowds.

Why Visit Piedmont?

Piedmont blends royal history, gourmet delights, and scenic beauty, perfect for day trips from Turin or a multi-night adventure. Ideal for:

• Foodies: Truffles, Barolo, and Slow Food markets.
• History Buffs: Savoy palaces and Roman ruins.
• Wine Lovers: Barolo and Barbaresco tastings in UNESCO hills.

Things to do in Piedmont

Below is a selection of top day tours from Turin.

Piedmont Food and Wine

Food lovers are drawn to Piedmont to experience the Piedmontese food and wine culture. Its culinary tradition includes wines, risotto, chocolate, white truffles, and a reverence for seasonal, local ingredients that gave birth to the global Slow Food movement.

Signature Dishes

• Risotto al Barolo – creamy Carnaroli rice finished with red wine or borlotti beans and salam d’la duja lard-aged salami.
• Tajarin al tartufo bianco – hand-cut egg-yolk pasta showered with shaved Alba white truffles (Oct–Dec).
• Bagna càuda – warm garlic-anchovy dip with raw autumn vegetables.
• Brasato al Barolo – beef braised 12 hours in Barolo until it melts.
• Vitello tonnato – chilled veal in tuna-caper sauce, served paper-thin.
• Gianduja chocolate – Turin’s 1865 invention of hazelnut-chocolate paste (think Nutella’s aristocratic ancestor).
• Bicerin – layered espresso, drinking chocolate, and whipped cream in a glass – Turin’s 300-year-old morning ritual.

Sweet Finale

• Bonet – cocoa-amaretti custard with rum.
• Panna cotta with Barolo reduction.
• Torrone di nocciole – crunchy hazelnut nougat from Alba. 

Iconic Piedmont Wines

Piedmont is a treasure chest of world-class wines. Here are the most famous wines of Piedmont you’ll want to taste (and visit) on your next trip:

• Barolo & Barbaresco – the regal Nebbiolo reds aged in Slavic oak; “wine of kings, king of wines.”
• Barbera d’Alba – juicy everyday red that locals drink with everything.
• Moscato d’Asti – lightly sparkling, peach-scented dessert wine (5–7 % ABV).
• Roero Arneis – crisp white that pairs perfectly with vitello tonnato.
• Gattinara & Ghemme – alpine Nebbiolo from the north with spicy minerality.

Wine (DOCG)	Grape	Style & Personality	Best Villages to Visit	Pairing Tip
Barbaresco	100% Nebbiolo	Barolo’s elegant little sister – earlier drinking, floral, silky tannins	Barbaresco, Neive, Treiso	Truffle tajarin or roasted guinea fowl
Roero Arneis	Arneis	Crisp, peach-blossom white – Piedmont’s top white	Canale, Vezza d’Alba, Corneliano	Raw veal with tuna sauce (vitello tonnato)
Gavi	Cortese	Mineral, citrusy white – “the Italian Chablis”	Gavi, Novi Ligure	Fried lake fish or pesto Genovese
Asti Spumante / Moscato d’Asti	Moscato Bianco	Sweet, low-alcohol sparkler (5–7 % ABV)	Santo Stefano Belbo, Canelli, Calosso	Panettone or peach tart
Barbera d’Alba	Barbera	Juicy, cherry-driven red – Piedmont’s everyday star	Alba, La Morra, Monforte	Braised beef or agnolotti del plin
Dolcetto d’Alba	Dolcetto	Soft, plum & almond, drink-young red	Dogliani, Diano d’Alba,, Alba	Salumi platter or pizza
Gattinara	Nebbiolo	Northern “mountain Barolo” – spicy, long-lived	Gattinara (Vercelli province)	Wild boar ragù
Brachetto d’Acqui	Brachetto	Sweet, strawberry-scented red sparkler	Acqui Terme, Strevi	Chocolate salami or fresh strawberries
Erbaluce di Caluso	Erbaluce	Dry or passito white from alpine foothills	Caluso, Canavese	Lake fish risotto
Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato	Ruchè	Rare, peppery-rose red – only 1 million bottles!	Castagnole Monferrato	Grilled pork sausage

Top 3 “must-try” Piedmont wine combos for your itinerary

1. Langhe Trilogy – Barolo + Barbaresco + Barbera d’Alba.
2. White & Sparkling Day – Roero Arneis at Malvirà. Moscato d’Asti at Saracco. Underground cathedral cellars in Canelli (UNESCO).
3. Northern Nebbiolo Escape – Gattinara at Nervi + Carema at Cantina dei Produttori – dramatic alpine vineyards just 1.5 h from Turin.

Plan Your Journey

From Turin’s regal charm to Alba’s truffle-scented woods, Piedmont awaits. Our travel experts can craft a personalized itinerary with high-speed train transfers, truffle hunts, and winery tours.

Ready to explore Piedmont? Call 800-227-1577 to start planning your dream Italian adventure!

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