PIEDMONT: MOUNTAINS, LAKES, FOOD AND WINE
Piedmont is one of the regions of Italy with the most diversified selections of tourist attractions. Mountains, lakes, and food and wine are the cornerstones of a range of choice that make it a highly popular, medium-high bracket destination for tourists seeking quality and service.
Far from the hubbub of more crowded tourist destinations, Piedmont is a region waiting to be discovered little by little, making rapid forays to visit the best-known spots and fascinating deviations off the beaten track into the areas which tend not to be included on the traditional tourist routes.

LANGHE AND ROERO: THE HEART OF HILLY PIEDMONT
The Langhe and Roero ranges of hills are to be found in southern Piedmont, stretching out around the central section of the River Tanaro. A unique landscape opens out at altitudes ranging between 200 and 800 metres, with the geometrical patterns of the vineyards marking out the lower hills, the rocks and ravines of the Roero, and the uncontaminated scenery of the upper Langa. Sandstone - the most common rock in this area - dominates the landscape; used for building the retaining walls for the terracing and the houses of the Upper Langa, its gradual disintegration has led to the formation on the lower slopes of a highly fertile soil which is capable of producing outstanding wines and white truffles.

FINE CUISINE
Along an ideal itinerary stretching from the rice-paddies of the plains of Vercelli to the oil-groves of the Ligurian hinterland, the food and wine tourist has infinite opportunities for getting to know the multitude of flavours offered by Piedmontese cooking. Starting from the delicious white truffle of Alba, and continuing with meats, cheeses, fruit, vegetables and sweets - as well as niche products such as snails and honey - these flavours are the foundation for a cuisine that has its roots in culinary traditions ranging from country cooking to the French influences of the Court of Savoy. Garlic, oil and anchovies - products which entered Piedmont in mediaeval times along the Salt Route - are the basic ingredients of "bagna caoda", the Piedmontese dish par excellence. Cold cuts, "carne cruda" (Alba-style carpaccio), "vitello tonnato" (veal with a tuna and mayonnaise sauce), "agnolotti" (home-made ravioli) and "tajarin" (very thinly-cut local tagliatelle) will remain impressed in the memory in a blend of aromas and flavours. Braised meat, protected origin denomination cheeses, "bonet" (a chocolate and macaroon pudding) and hazelnut cake complete an exceptional selection of dishes.

FINE WINES
Piedmontese wine has now reached the highest worldwide standing in terms of both quality and image. Barolo and Barbaresco are the most celebrated reds, but the region's wine-growing panorama covers a very broad spectrum: Gattinara and Ghemme to start with in the North, continuing through the land of Barbera to Asti sparkling wine and Moscato d'Asti, as far as Dolcetto, Arneis and Roero. Apart from the more illustrious labels, there is no lack of niche products, from Erbaluce to Loazzolo and the wines grown in the foothills of the Alps, making wine tourism one of the most intriguing opportunities for discovering Piedmont in a variety of ways: cellars, wine stores, regional enotecas and wine museums offer the chance to taste and understand the most prestigious products.

TRUFFLES
The White Truffle of Alba is the most renowned underground mushroom in the world. Just a grating of the precious Tuber Magnatum Pico is sufficient to release unique aromas, an exciting mix of garlic, honey and hay that has inspired the most influential people in the world since time immemorial. Whether on fondue, raw veal or tagliatelle, the white truffle of Alba offers up unmistakable sensations, above-all if it is savoured in its place of origin, amidst hills that play host at night to truffle-hunters accompanied by their trusty dogs. The truffle takes centre-stage in autumn, when fairs, festivals and markets are the traditional meeting places for truffle-hunters and tourists in a holiday atmosphere that is a prelude to the magical rite of the "Grattata" (when wafer-thin slices of truffle are grated onto a dish).

ART - HISTORY - CULTURE
Castles are one of the main features that stand out on the Piedmontese landscape.
In the South of the Region are to be found two hundred and twenty, many of which are open to visitors, especially during the summer. Piedmont can lay claim to a history going back thousands of years, as is testified to by some archaeological sites of the prehistoric era. The architecture and planning features of many towns bear witness to their Roman origins. The last few centuries have been strongly influenced by the House of Savoy. Turin and the royal Savoy palaces scattered throughout the entire region are well worth the trip on their own, as is the region's heritage in terms of museums: the Egyptian Museum in Turin is the best-known collection of pieces, but the whole region offers a broad panorama of museums of great interest. Finally, literature has made a very significant contribution to the area's standing: Pavese, Fenoglio, Gozzano and Arpino have seen to it that Piedmont is a region of citations, paying homage to the territory in pages which have become a fundamental part of the history of literature.

NATURE AND SPORT
Lakes, mountains, hills, plains: Piedmont is a natural catalogue of landscapes and settings.
The spontaneous flora and fauna has gradually been integrated with the work of man. The mountains are still the undisputed domain of skiers in winter and walkers in summer, the hills are there to be discovered little by little by patient seekers of the largely neglected fringe areas. Walking from headland to headland along little-used roads, or cycling or riding along the pathways and through woodland, the hills and their sounds and smells can be appreciated to the full as they are gradually revealed. The lakes too continue to be a classic attraction: their mild climate and delightful natural features draw hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. For skiing enthusiasts, on the other hand, the Alpine valleys offer countless opportunities, with a huge choice of slopes, sports and entertainment, and Piedmontese ski resorts are now amongst the most popular with European winter sports enthusiasts.