La Boutique Piemonteisa

  Strolling through this town in the northern part of the Novara province . Borgomanero  is a municipality in the Novara province (Piedmont), located 308 metres above sea level, on the left bank of the Agogna river. It is just a few kilometres away from Lake Orta, Lake Maggiore, and the Mottarone Massif, and is situated 30 kilometres from the provincial capital. The town has ancient origins, with roots that almost certainly date back to the Roman era and definitely to the medieval period. An old legend tells of thirteen people, known as the "Thirteen Ogres", who, on their way back from a pilgrimage to San Giulio Island, founded the small village on the banks of the Agogna river. The same legend also explains the origin of the  tapulon , a stew made from donkey meat, a typical dish of Borgomanero. These thirteen individuals created what is now a famous and delicate dish using the humble ingredients they had at hand, namely the meat of the donkey that had carried their lugg...

  A stroll through the Piedmontese city with the largest citadel in Europe. Alessandria is a municipality in the Piedmont region of Italy and the capital of the province of the same name. It lies at the confluence of the Tanaro and Bormida rivers, in the western part of the Marengo plain, and is considered the coldest city in the Po Valley. An important railway hub and a commercial and industrial centre, Alessandria is especially well known in the textile sector, notably for the famous manufacturing company founded in 1857 that created numerous models of hats under the “Borsalino” brand. Moreover, the Piedmontese goldsmithing tradition boasts a long history, particularly concentrated in Alessandria, which still preserves goldsmith’s punches dating back to the late 16th century. The city was founded in 1168 by the Lombard League during its conflict with Emperor Frederick I, known as “Barbarossa”, who attempted to besiege the city between 1174 and 1175 without success. It was name...

  Discover this area of Piedmont, in the Province of Cuneo. The Langa Monregalese unfolds on both sides of the Tanaro River , amid villages steeped in the charm of ancient rural traditions. This area stretches from Dogliani towards the Ligurian Alps and is renowned for the cultivation of Dolcetto grapes , from which the Dolcetto delle Langhe Monregalesi wine is produced. This is a stunning and richly diverse land where everything seems to come together: mountains, endless rolling hills, valleys, rivers, streams, forests, mountain huts, art cities, churches, sanctuaries, museums, and frescoed Romanesque and Gothic chapels. Noteworthy among its natural wonders are three accessible caves: Bossea , Caudano , and Dossi . This land has an endless history, with hidden traditions in every corner, wrapped in an aura of unmatched beauty. The area also boasts a thriving artisan tradition , particularly focused on agriculture, wood and ironwork, and high-quality food production. A small ...

  Discover this fascinating site, dominated by its majestic dome. The Sanctuary of Vicoforte, also known as the “Sanctuary of the Nativity of Mary” or “Basilica Sanctuary Regina Montis Regalis”, is located in the municipality of Vicoforte, in the province of Cuneo. It is a striking sacred building, one of the most important in the Piedmont region, and its horizontally elliptical dome—entirely frescoed—is the largest in the world of its kind. In 1935, the Sanctuary was elevated to the dignity of a Minor Basilica and belongs to the Diocese of Mondovì. Furthermore, since 1880, it has been recognised as a national monument. This grand architectural complex has its origins in a medieval sanctuary, which consisted of a small shrine decorated with a 15th-century fresco of the “Madonna and Child”, likely built by a brickmaker at the end of the 15th century to ensure the successful firing of his bricks. The priest Cesare Trombetta, considered the founder of the Sanctuary of Vicoforte, be...

An alternative route to the French Riviera. The Colle di Tenda is an Alpine mountain pass situated at an altitude of 1,871 metres above sea level, marking the divide between the Ligurian Alps and the Maritime Alps. Located along the main Alpine ridge, it lies between the Italian region of Piedmont and the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. Its summit separates the Roya Valley, which straddles the Franco-Italian border to the south, from the Vermenagna Valley to the north. The pass has been a transit route since prehistoric times, once forming the highest point of the “Salt Road” and, later, the “Royal Road”. In Roman times, it marked the boundary between Cisalpine Gaul and Narbonese Gaul. The Romans erected a votive deposit there, consisting of more than four hundred Roman coins, dating from the 1st century BC to the 5th century AD, as revealed by archaeological excavations. Moreover, at the summit, evidence has been found of an ancient rite known as iactatio , linked to cro...

  In Arona, there is a giant protecting the city: the enormous statue of Saint Charles Borromeo. The town of Arona is situated on the Piedmontese shore of Lake Maggiore, in the province of Novara, Piedmont. It is a high-level tourist destination, thanks to its stunning location. Within the municipality lies the Lagoni di Mercurago Nature Park, a protected natural area, which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2011. Arona is crossed by the small stream Vevera and is surrounded by the so-called “motti,” low hillocks of glacial origin, incorporated within the Lagoni Park, where a pile-dwelling settlement was discovered, which is considered one of the "Prehistoric pile-dwelling sites around the Alps," also a UNESCO World Heritage site. In Roman times, Arona was located on the Mediolanum-Verbannus route (“Milano-Verbano Road”), a consular road in the regio XI Transpadana that connected Mediolanum (modern-day Milan) to Verbannus Lacus (Lake Maggiore or Verbano) a...