Piemonte Review
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Piemonte Review is a guide to the Northern Italian region of Piedmont (Piemonte in Italian). The aim of the site is to help visitors plan their journeys to the region and to provide ideas on places to visit.
Despite being one of the landlocked regions of Italy, it has one of the most diverse ranges of landscapes. I chose the main cover photo of the site as I think it best describes its biggest appeal. The endless rolling fields full of vineyards in the Langhe and Monferrato wine regions earned Piedmont one of its UNESCO World Heritage Site listings. Villages such as Barolo, Canelli and Barbaresco offer dramatic scenery and some of the country's best vineyards where you can taste the produce. This in itself is an ideal holiday for many. There's so much more to Piedmont though; away from the vineyard areas there are magnificent lakes such as Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta. You'll also find beautiful islands in the middle of those lakes including Isola San Giulio, Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola dei Pescatori, the last three of which make up the Borromean Islands. |
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Sitting on the banks of Lake Maggiore is one of the finest gardens in Italy: Villa Taranto which is just a short distance from the picturesque city of Verbania. The capital city of Piedmont is Turin which has some of the country's best museums as well as extraordinary palaces such as the Reggia di Venaria Reale and the Royal Palace of Turin. Among the most interesting smaller towns are Varallo Sesia, Mondovì and Susa while the mountain areas provide some fascinating villages such as Chianale and Usseaux with its artistic centre.
In 2006, Piedmont was home to the Winter Olympics with Turin the host city. This recognised a long-standing tradition of well-equipped ski resorts such as Sestriere and Sauze d'Oulx. There are also two of Italy's national parks in these mountain areas: Val Grande and Gran Paradiso which was officially the first of its kind in the country, given that status in order to protect the ibex that roam free there.
Piedmont can offer a variety of holidays all year round but whatever you're looking for from the region, I hope you find Piemonte Review to be a useful resource in helping you to plan it.
Dion Protani: founder of Piemonte Review.
In 2006, Piedmont was home to the Winter Olympics with Turin the host city. This recognised a long-standing tradition of well-equipped ski resorts such as Sestriere and Sauze d'Oulx. There are also two of Italy's national parks in these mountain areas: Val Grande and Gran Paradiso which was officially the first of its kind in the country, given that status in order to protect the ibex that roam free there.
Piedmont can offer a variety of holidays all year round but whatever you're looking for from the region, I hope you find Piemonte Review to be a useful resource in helping you to plan it.
Dion Protani: founder of Piemonte Review.
Piedmont Highlights
Piedmont In - FocusSituated in the east of Piedmont and close to the banks of the Ticino river that borders the Lombardy Region, Novara is the second largest city in Piedmont (after Turin) with a population of just over 100,000 and the capital of its own province. A short distance to the north of Novara are Lake Maggiore (around 40 km) and Lake Orta (around 50 km), while important provincial capitals such as Vercelli and Biella lie a short distance to the south and east. Visitors from Turin arriving in Novara may feel as though they haven't left home when they catch a glimpse of the city's most iconic sight, the Basilica di San Gaudenzio, which resembles the famous Mole Antonelliana in Turin.
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The Broletto Complex, Novara
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In fact, the distinctive cupolas of both buildings were designed by the same architect, Alessandro Antonelli; although the people of Novara will be quick to point out that theirs was built first, in 1887. On the other hand, the Torinesi (people from Turin) will make sure you know that their cupola, finished 2 years later, stands at a height of 167 metres, roughly 46 metres higher. Aside from the Basilica of San Gaudenzio, Novara also has a cathedral, simply named "Novara Cathedral" (Duomo di Novara in Italian), which is situated in the very centre of the city, just off Via Fratelli Rosselli, which leads up to Piazza della Repubblica.
Suggested Itinerary
Perhaps the best starting point for a walk around Novara is another of its most iconic sights, the Visconti-Sforza Castle which lies just at the edge of the city's centre. If arriving by car you could try and park close to the castle and then once you've finished your visit, cross Piazza Martiri della Libertà, and turn right up to Piazza Puccini where you'll find a statue of Carlo Emanuele III. You'll shortly see the Cathedral on your right and once you've finished there you can continue along Via Fratelli Rosselli with its porticoes, a great area for shopping. Once you reach Piazza della Repubblica you'll see an archway which takes you into the courtyard of the Broletto Complex which houses a series of museums and art galleries. Novara's main sight, the Basilica di San Gaudenzio is a few minutes' walk from the Broletto, exit there from the other archway, turn left and then turn right on to the main street, Via San Gaudenzio which leads up to the Basilica.
Travel
Visitors arriving by train could follow the above itinerary but in reverse, the city's main train station is a 5 minute walk from the Basilica di San Gaudenzio which would in effect become your starting point. All of the cities main sights are within a short walk of each other so there's no need to take buses anywhere within the city itself.
Although Novara is in Piedmont, it's geographically closer to Milan, the capital of Lombardy, than it is to Turin, the capital of Piedmont. The closest airport to Novara is Milan Malpensa which is just 30 km away (35 minutes by car). Slightly further away is another Milanese airport, Linate which is about 75 km away from the centre of Novara and just over an hour by car.
Novara is well-connected by road, the main A4 motorway is just a very short distance away and from there you can travel east to Milan or south west to Turin, around 95 km away and a journey time of an hour and 15 minutes.
Suggested Itinerary
Perhaps the best starting point for a walk around Novara is another of its most iconic sights, the Visconti-Sforza Castle which lies just at the edge of the city's centre. If arriving by car you could try and park close to the castle and then once you've finished your visit, cross Piazza Martiri della Libertà, and turn right up to Piazza Puccini where you'll find a statue of Carlo Emanuele III. You'll shortly see the Cathedral on your right and once you've finished there you can continue along Via Fratelli Rosselli with its porticoes, a great area for shopping. Once you reach Piazza della Repubblica you'll see an archway which takes you into the courtyard of the Broletto Complex which houses a series of museums and art galleries. Novara's main sight, the Basilica di San Gaudenzio is a few minutes' walk from the Broletto, exit there from the other archway, turn left and then turn right on to the main street, Via San Gaudenzio which leads up to the Basilica.
Travel
Visitors arriving by train could follow the above itinerary but in reverse, the city's main train station is a 5 minute walk from the Basilica di San Gaudenzio which would in effect become your starting point. All of the cities main sights are within a short walk of each other so there's no need to take buses anywhere within the city itself.
Although Novara is in Piedmont, it's geographically closer to Milan, the capital of Lombardy, than it is to Turin, the capital of Piedmont. The closest airport to Novara is Milan Malpensa which is just 30 km away (35 minutes by car). Slightly further away is another Milanese airport, Linate which is about 75 km away from the centre of Novara and just over an hour by car.
Novara is well-connected by road, the main A4 motorway is just a very short distance away and from there you can travel east to Milan or south west to Turin, around 95 km away and a journey time of an hour and 15 minutes.
THINGS TO SEE IN PIEDMONTIf you're planning a visit this is a good place to start. We've categorised the highlights of the region to make them easy to find so you can browse through the photos and choose where to go.
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PIEDMONT ACCOMMODATIONYou're probably going to need somewhere to stay when you visit and on our Piedmont Hotels page you'll find a Booking.com search engine where you'll find thousands of accommodation options.
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