Piedmont in winter really does have a lot to offer, mountain resorts for winter sports lovers, beautiful lakes, natural parks, traditional dishes and excellent wines.
Piedmont’s name, meaning “at the foot of the mountain”, comes from its location at the base of the impressive Alpine chain that encircles the region. Turin, the capital of Piedmont, hosted the XX Winter Olympic Games in 2006 and subsequently today the area has many well-known mountain resorts making it an ideal place for winter holidays and lovers of all types of winter sports.
Sestriere’s alpine village hosts a renowned ski resort and is one of the villages that make up the Via Lattea (Milky Way) skiing area. Offering over 140 ski slopes, with about 400 kilometres of pistes and even the possibility of night skiing on illuminated runs, there is plenty to satisfy even the most demanding of skiers. Non-skiers can enjoy the luxury shops, the traditional dishes in one of the many village restaurants and the spectacular scenery.
Away from the slopes there are the beautiful Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta, hillside resorts and beautiful natural parks, including the Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy’s oldest and grandest park. Whether you are hiking or just strolling, enjoy the mountain scenery, the luxuriant woods, alpine meadows, ancient glaciers and the rocky outcrops that are an ideal habitat for the rich and various fauna of the region. The park abounds with wild life. From the majestic golden eagles and other birds of prey to wild goats, ermines, hares, marmots and weasels.
Besides Turin, home to Baroque Palaces, The Shroud, Vermouth and Gianduiotti chocolates, Piedmont has a number of important cities and towns including Alba, world-famous for its truffles, Asti, renowned for its towers and Palio, Acqui Terme, the spa resort with a Roman aqueduct.
For gourmets, Piedmont offers many warming traditional winter dishes such as bollito misto, a mix of beef and pork meat boiled with vegetables and eaten with a variety of sauces, fritto misto, a mixture of fried meats, vegetables and fruits, and the classic bagna cauda, a hot garlic sauce eaten with raw vegetables, all complimented by the obligatory bottle full-bodied piedmontese red wine. Renowned for some of the best wines in the world, such as Barolo and Barbaresco which are both made from the noble Nebbiolo grape, the famous wine growing region of the Langhe, in southern Piedmont, is a great area to enjoy wine tasting in winter. On clear days, with it’s sea of rolling hills and winding roads, there are spectacular views around every corner.
So what are you waiting for? – head for Piedmont this winter.
Winter in Piedmont belongs to Italian Reflections
