Regioni Italy Family Hotels Piemonte Piemonte |
This region’s name already explains its geographical position: Piedmont in fact is located at the foot of the majestic alpine chains home to renowned ski towns the likes of Sestriere and Bardonecchia in the area of the Susa Valley, and Limone Piemonte, Mondole’ ski, and Frabosa Soprana in the Valley of Cuneo. A true paradise for winter sports, this area counts hundreds of kilometres of slopes for downhill skiing, snowboarding, sledge dogging and heli skiing. Visitors can ski on abundant snow in most of the mountain resorts from December through the end of April, even in seasons with little precipitation, thanks to scheduled artificial snow-making devices. In addition to 150 km of slopes, the Mondole’ Ski district also offers visitors – even the youngest - numerous other activities from downhill skiing to Nordic walking, ice skating, and snowshoeing.
Summer sports offered are no less important or efficient: climbing, rafting, canyoning, playing tennis or golf, walking, mountaineering, kayaking, free flying, horseback riding and mountain biking.
There are also numerous riding grounds and schools throughout the region for horseback riding, and visitors can also play golf thanks to several golf clubs. Specifically, some twenty Piedmont clubs have joined forces under the single trademark Green Team to offer the world of golf this region’s hidden beauties. Golf enthusiasts can put themselves to the test with the new holes at Pratonevoso and the practice green there which is also illuminated at night, or play 18 holes at the Cuneo Golf Club. Paragliding fans can take off from two areas that are operational all year long: Mount Moro (2,900 metres) and Mount Malanotte rising up behind the majestic eastern wall of Mount Rosa.
Younger guests can enjoy themselves year round at new amusement parks the likes of Frabolandia, Pratolandia and Giocomondo in the area of the Monregalese valleys.
Local hillside towns become places for autumn holidays, and for folk festivals, clothing shopping (Mondovicino Factory Outlet was recently opened in Mondovicino and is one of the largest factory outlet locations in Italy with over 106 shops encompassing 24,500 m2) and typical handicrafts. Speaking of which, the two main reference points are Saluzzo for antique furniture caving and Valenza for the goldsmith’s art. There are also many craft businesses in the area surrounding Cuneo, such as artistic glassworks, antique furniture and typical gastronomy.
A holiday in Piedmont also means discovering the charm and beauty of its varied lush nature amidst woods, nature reserves and parks. The Region of Piedmont has put together a brochure called Percorsi Verdi (Green Itineraries) recommending a series of charming tours surrounded by nature to be enjoyed on foot, bicycle or horseback.
Since 1975, 63 protected areas covering a total area of 160,000 hectares have been instituted through regional legislation. Among them, we point out the seven Sacri Monti (Sacred Mountains) of Piedmont (Crea, Varallo, Orta, Ghiffa, Belmonte, Domodossola e Oropa), which were included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2003.
The Crava Morozzo Reserve instituted as a special nature reserve in the Alta Valle Pesio Regional Park is a succession of woods, stretches of water, places representing the ideal refuge for various animal species and cultivated areas (this is very close to the hotel). There is also Ticino Park or Chisone Valley located south of the Susa Valley, scattered with woods and small lakes, which is also well-known for its famous Via Lattea ski district.
The Aironi dam in the district of Palestro on the banks of the Sesia River is also charming and is where the dam connects the river’s Lombard bank with the Piedmont bank.
Piedmont can also satisfy those holidaymakers looking to learning about the area’s history. Chief town Turin encloses numerous monuments within its old town centre, representing over 2,000 years of history: Porte Palatine (Palatine Gates), 15th-century cathedral of San Giovanni preserving the Shroud, the Royal Palace of the House of Savoy, the Superga Basilica, the Mole Antonelliana (one of the highest brick buildings in Europe), and the Egyptian Museum (the first in Europe, with finds and collections from the civilisation of the Pharaohs from the 17th century to date). The city is proud to be a European leader in terms of the beauty and vastness of its parks, from the central Royal Gardens to the park surrounding Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi (hunting residence of Stipinigi), the Mandria Park which is the location of the Reggia della Venaria Reale (Palace of Venaria) and the entire green area along the banks of the Po River. MONFERRATO is one of Piedmont’s historic areas whose borders are hard to identify and is mainly located in the Provinces of Alessandria and Asti. The area is hilly for the most part and comprises wavy elevations mostly cultivated with vineyards which produce renowned wines (Barbera, Grignolino, Asti)). Tradition and folklore are revived every year by two events that provide unique entertainment for tourists: the Asti Palio which is the oldest in Italy and is held in September, and the corsa delle botti or barrel race held in Nizza Monferrato in May.
TheCuneo area in Piedmont has numerous beautiful landscapes, including its valleys, beneficial spring water, protected areas and artistic monuments, which are perhaps the least well-known but most distinguished in the region. There are also many places of worship in the area, including abbeys, sanctuaries and churches built over the ruins of Romanesque parish churches.
The area Monregalese is to the southwest, its main town being Mondovi’ which rises in the valley of the Ellero Stream and is divided in an elevated section (the oldest part) and a lower area (built more recently). Generally, the region’s protected area comprising the Maritime Alps provides nature lovers with breathtaking scenery and itineraries for excursions on foot or mountain bike. This area’s most important place of worship is the Vicoforte Sanctuary, which is also the destination of pilgrimages and is a exquisite example of 16th-century architecture with its elliptical brick cupola (the largest in the world). The famous Grotte di Bossea caves – a marvellous natural complex of karst origin - are just a short distance from Vicoforte along the very old Via del Sale road.
Frabosa Soprana is a ski resort in the Monregalese valleys offering tourist services year round.Located on the slopes of Mount Moro at an altitude of some 900 metres between the Maudagna Valley and the Corsaglia Valley, it is surrounded by vegetation and the typical silence of a mountain village, and is just 20 km from the Mondovi’ motorway tollbooth. Its chairlift was recently enhanced with the “Malanotte-Prel” two-seater chairlift, which connects the Frabosa and Prato Nevoso resorts, thus creating the “Bacino delle Due Frabose” basin.
The area of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola at the extreme north end of Piedmont comprises natural environments which are very different from one another: alpine valleys, lakes, and the last offshoots of the hills home to great Piedmont wines.
This province’s jewel is Lake Maggiore, which provides immensely charming scenery together with nearby Lake di Mergozzo and Lake d’Orta. A boat ride is the best way to discover the beauties of this lake, and stops must be made in its pretty towns such as Verbania, Stresa, Cannobio, Arona, Baveno and Belgirate. The Sesia River which crosses the Alta Valsesia Nature Reserve (the highest protected area in Europe) is considered a natural paradise for canoeists who can live in perfect harmony with the river from April through November. Almost all waterways in Valsesia can be canoed on; many can be navigated and they each have a different level of difficulty. 
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