Italian Regions From North To South: Chique Secrets Of Piemonte (PIE)

April 17, 2012 1 Comment

After exploring the northern region of Valle d’Aosta, let’s discover its bigger neighbor, beautiful Piemonte.

Piemonte (Piedmont), abbreviated PIE, is a peculiar name. It literally means “at the foot of the mountains”, which is absolutely true. Piemonte is surounded by hills and mountains, and in ancient times it was known as “pedemontium”.

The Alps and Appenines occupy 43% of the area and offer perfect skiing conditions. The skiing resort of Sestriere is a very famous, exclusive tourist destination.

Sestriere

In Piemonte, winters are long and severe and summers are usually quite short, and valleys are very foggy. However, the area of Lago Maggiore is an exception with a mild climate throughout the year.

Lago Maggiore

The capital of the city is Torino (Turin). It was founded by Romans at the Po, at the feet of Collina di Torino. It used to be the main city of the penninsula and today it’s one of the most important industrial centers of Italy.

Torino and the Po

Torino

The Po

The whole region is full of gems of architecture: Monasteries, castles, convents and hermitages. All of them are perfectly preserved and many of them welcome visitors. Castles can be found especially in the areas of Langhe and Roero, but it’s important to say that in Piemonte every village and community has a medieval fortified castle. The most beautiful castles are those of Serralunga, Roddi and Barolo.

Castello di Serralunga

Castello di Roddi

Castello di Barolo

Piemonte produces high-quality wine from grapes grown in controlled areas. The most famous wines of Piedmont are Barbera, Nebbiolo and Brachetto, well known for their exquisite taste.