- Acaja Castle
Fossano immediatly shows itself through its stately Castle, due to the Acaia family. Built in the first half of the XIV century, it was the symbol of seigniory imposed on the free municipality. The Castle had been an austere fortified building; after some structural and pictorial works, such as the grotesque made by the Dutch painter Giovanni Caracca, then it became an elegant Savoy residential palace.
- Langhe Area
Nestled in the heart of Piedmont, the hilly, mist-cloaked area known as the Langhe is a region within a region. Located among medieval castles which stand guard over vineyards on gently rolling hills, the Langhe is an area almost entirely devoted to the cultivation of wine grapes and hazelnuts. In fact, the Langhe (and Roero) districts are graced by some 932 wineries, many of which can be visited for wine tastings. Langhe literally means "strips of land" and the wild, rugged scenery of the Upper Langhe, whose oak woods shelter wild boar and nearly fifty species of orchid, give way to the hazelnut groves of the Middle Langhe and then to the vineyards of the Lower Langhe. The hills of the Lower Langhe are unusually shaped with alternating steep and gentle slopes. What is immediately striking about the landscape is its incredible lushness, from the rich green of the vine leaves to the silver-green of the poplars and willows that grow on the valley floors. Beckoning to the visitor, these fascinating towns are waiting to be discovered by those daring enough to explore this "secret region"
- Augusta Bagiennorum
Augusta Bagiennorum was the chief town of the Ligurian tribe of the Bagienni. It was located in what is now the commune of Bene Vagienna, on the upper course of the Tanaro, about 35 miles (56 km) due south of Turin. The town retained its position as a tribal centre in the reorganization of Roman Emperor Octavian, whose title Augustus is part of its name as a colony, and was erected on a systematic plan.
Considerable remains of public buildings, constructed in concrete faced with small stones with bands of brick at intervals, an amphitheatre with a major axis of c. 120 m and a minor axis of c. 900 m, a theatre with a stage 40 m in length, and near it the foundations of what was probably a basilica, an open space (no doubt the forum), an aqueduct, baths, have been discovered by recent excavations, and also one of the city gates, flanked by two towers.
The ancient name is also used for a modern natural reserve
- Racconigi Castle
The Royal Castle of Racconigi is a palace and landscape park in Racconigi. It was the official residence of the Carignano line of the House of Savoy, and is one of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy included by UNESCO in the World Heritage Sites list.
The castle was a possession of the margraves of Saluzzo and others starting in the 13th century, and in the 16th century was acquired by the House of Savoy. In the late 17th century the fortress turned into a pleasure residence and The gardens were also created. Through the following years many rennovations and enlargments were done and created.
Here the last King of Italy, Umberto II, was born in 1904. Having received the castle as a wedding present in 1930, he proceeded to install in it the family gallery of some 3,000 paintings and historical documents regarding the Shroud of Turin.
Emmanuel Philiberto created a magnificent wide park in the jardin à la française style that opens for the castle's northwards view.
In the late 18th century the English Landscape garden style was introduced . A "Russian dacha," built to honour tsar Nicholas II of Russia's visit to Piedmont in order to sign the Racconigi Bargain, was also created in the landscape park.
- Cuneo
Cuneo was founded in 1198 by the local population, who declared it an independent commune, freeing themselves from the authority of the bishops of Asti and the marquisses of Montferrat and Saluzzo.
In 1259 the independence of Cuneo ceased forever, as it gave itself, also to take protection against its more powerful neighbours, to Charles I of Anjou, who was then King of Naples and Count of Provence. In 1382 the city was acquired by the Duchy of Savoy.
and became an important stronghold of the expanding Savoy state, and was thus besieged by France several times. In all the sieges Cuneo resisted successfully and was conquered by France only during the Napoleonic Wars, when it was made the capital of the Stura dèpartment. After the restoration of the Kingdom of Sardinia, and the unification of Italy, Cuneo became the capital of its namesake province in 1859.
During World War II, from 1943 to 1945, it was one of the main centres of partisan resistance against the German occupation of Italy.
Cuneo's specialty is Cuneesi al rhum, chocolates with a unique rum-based filling, many famous people have stopped by to taste the famous Cuneesi al rhum, including the famous writer Ernest Hemingway in 1954.
- Torino
The city has a rich culture and history, and is known for its numerous art galleries, restaurants, churches, palaces, opera houses, piazzas, parks, gardens, theatres, libraries, museums and other venues. Turin is well known for its baroque, rococo, neo-classical, and Art Nouveau architecture. Much of the city's public squares, castles, gardens and elegant palazzi such as Palazzo Madama, were built by Sicilian architect Filippo Juvarra, who modelled these buildings on the Baroque and classical style of Versailles.Examples of these French-themed edifices include the Royal Palace of Turin, the Palazzina di caccia of Stupinigi and the Basilica di Superga. Turin is sometimes called the "cradle of Italian liberty", due to its having been the birthplace and home of notable politicians and people who contributed to the Risorgimento, such as Cavour.The city currently hosts some of Italy's best universities, colleges, academies, lycea and gymnasia, such as the six-century-old University of Turin and the Turin Polytechnic. Prestigious and important museums, such as the Museo Egizio and the Mole Antonelliana are also found in the city. Turin's several monuments and sights make it one of the world's top 250 tourist destinations, and the tenth most visited city in Italy in 2008. Turin is well known as the home of the Shroud of Turin, the football teams Juventus F.C. and Torino F.C., the headquarters of automobile manufacturers FIAT, Lancia and Alfa Romeo, and as host of the 2006 Winter Olympics. Several International Space Station modules, such as Harmony and Columbus, were also manufactured in Turin and It was the first capital of the unified Italy
The symbol of Turin is the Mole Antonelliana which now it houses the National Museum of Cinema, and it is believed to be the tallest museum in the world. Attached to the cathedral is the Chapel of the Holy Shroud, the current resting place of the Shroud of Turin, a cloth believed to be the shroud in which the Body of Christ was wrapped when it was taken down from the Cross.
As for the painting and the visual arts, Turin became a point of reference, especially in the 20th century.
- Alba
Alba is considered the capital of the hilly area of Langhe, and is famous for its white truffle, peach and wine production. The confectionery group Ferrero is also based in Alba.
The city won a Gold Medal for Military Valour for the heroic activity of its citizens in the Italian resistance movement during the course of World War II. In October 1944 the town was liberated by partisans who established a Republic of Alba which for a few weeks was able to maintain its independence from the Fascist Republic of Salò. In the area of Alba, there are 290 wineries that cultivating an area of 700 hectares of land, producing an average of 61,200 hl of wine annually.
The wines of Alba are among the most renowned in Italy and are divided into:
DOC: Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo.
DOCG: Barbaresco, Barolo, Moscato.
The city has a thriving economy, being able to count the confectionery industry, world-renowned, Ferrero and, of course, the rare White Truffle with its International white truffle festival.