Piedmont & Liguria attractions

One of the most important streets in Genoa’s historic center, Via Garibaldi was historically known as Strada Nuova, lined with palaces belonging to this former marina republic’s most powerful families. The street has changed names, but its UNESCO-listed Palazzi dei Rolli remain among the most spectacular attractions in Genoa.

Clinging to the cliffs of Liguria in attention-grabbing style are the five villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore, which make up the Cinque Terre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Historically, their main focus was winemaking, though they also became home to farming and fishing communities over the years. Today, tourism is big business, and the Cinque Terre attracts people from around the world with coastal views from its hiking trails and shores.

The resort town of Portofino on the Italian Riviera is a popular bolthole for the international jet set, but the town offers more than tony boutiques and glorious sea views. It's also home to an important protected marine area (Area Marina Protetta, known for its pristine coastline and diverse marine life.

The largest outlet shopping center in Europe, the Serravalle Designer Outlet outside Milan has more than 200 designer shops. Many stores offer discounts of 30 to 70 percent off retail prices all year round on brands like Furla, Armani, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Salvatore Ferragamo, and many more.

The port city of Genoa (Genova may seem like an overwhelming monolith at first glance but it is actually a patchwork of distinct neighborhoods, each with a unique history and identity. One of the most scenic is hilltop Castelletto, home to the Spianata di Castelletto overlook, offering one of the most commanding views over the city.

Built in 1298 to demonstrate Genoa's wealth after it had become an important maritime trade center, the Doge's Palace in Genoa (Palazzo Ducale) was the residence of the doge, ruler of Genoa. Today a cultural center, event space, and museum hosting rotating exhibits, the palace offers visitors a glimpse of the splendor of Genoa's history.

Genoa’s Palazzi dei Rolli are a group of 42 residences, built between the 16th and 18th centuries, that were listed on the city’s register. When notable guests came to visit Genoa on a state visit, a lottery was used to determine which palace would host the guest. Today, these palaces—out of 163 total homes—are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Piazza delle Erbe (Market Square) is the bustling heart of UNESCO World Heritage–listed Verona. Cafés and elegant buildings front the rectangular square, whose centerpiece is the 14th-century Madonna Verona Fountain (Fontana di Madonna Verona)—an allegory of the city topped by an ancient Roman statue of a female figure holding a scroll bearing the civic motto.

The soaring square dome and spire of the Mole Antonelliana is Turin’s most recognizable landmark and home to the National Cinema Museum, where the vast collection of silver-screen memorabilia draws film buffs from around the world. Take the glass elevator to the top of the dome for sweeping views across the city.

The Aquarium of Genoa is not only the largest aquarium in Italy, but also the most extensive exhibition of marine biodiversity in Europe. Situated in Genoa’s Old Port, more than 70 different tanks hold 1.6 million gallons of water and 12,000 animals. Visitors can see sharks, dolphins, manatees, penguins, seals, jellyfish, and much more.

The sprawling port city of Genoa (Genova) is made up of a number of distinct neighborhoods, each with its own history and identity. One of these is Boccadasse, set on the waterfront to the east of the city center. Once a tiny fishing village, it is now a delightfully colorful and quaint quarter to explore on foot.

Via Po is one of the most important and stately thoroughfares in the center of Turin, running in a wide, straight line from Piazza Castello to Piazza Vittorio Veneto. Its soaring pedestrian porticoes along both sides adorn some of the city’s most elegant boutiques, prestigious book shops, and historic cafés.

Turin’s oldest public park, theValentine Park (Parco del Valentino) is also one of the city’s prettiest green spaces. Measuring nearly 125 acres (50.5 hectares), the landmark made its debut in 1852 and hugs the River Po. In addition to prime picnicking turf, the park also contains attractions ranging from a replica medieval village to the grand Castello del Valentino.

Dominating Turin’s majestic Piazza Carignano, the ornate brick Palazzo Carignano is one of the city’s most important baroque palaces, and its main facade is Italy’s only example of the use of the undulating concave–convex–concave shape created by architect Francesco Borromini for a civic, rather than religious, building.

Though it may not have the star power of Versailles, this baroque palace just north of Turin is one of the largest royal residences in the world. Built as a lavish hunting lodge, the building and its sweeping grounds have been completely restored and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and popular excursion from Turin.

Turin is headquarters to Fiat and Alfa Romeo, so it's only fitting that the city is home to the National Museum of the Automobile (Museo Nazionale dell'Automobile), as well. With one of the largest collections of cars on display in Europe, this museum is a mecca for antique car enthusiasts as well as those interested in prototypes for cars of the future.

Genoa is a fitting location for the Galata Maritime Museum (Galata Museo del Mare), as the city has been a major maritime power for centuries. The Museum of the Sea’s four floors feature numerous exhibits on sailing ships and sea explorations—including an entire room dedicated to the famous Genoese explorer Christopher Columbus and his Transatlantic voyage.

La Lanterna, Genoa’s towering stone lighthouse, has been guiding ships into port since medieval times. It stands proudly at 250 feet (76 meters) in height, making it the second-tallest masonry lighthouse in the world. After admiring the stellar views, visit the adjacent Lantern Museum, which covers the history of Genoa and its Old Port.

The Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale) in Genoa (Genova) is one of the city’s Palazzi dei Rolli, magnificent residences built by the Genoese aristocracy during the Republic of Genoa’s height of wealth and power. Get a glimpse into the city’s opulent baroque period by touring the sumptuous interiors and art collection of this palace museum.

A dramatic hilltop perch and imposing watchtowers make this 13th-century fortress one of the most remarkable sights in the UNESCO-listed Le Langhe-Roero countryside. Just outside the town of Alba, the castle is home to the Enoteca Regionale, a shop stocked with local specialties, including the region’s prestigious wines.

Get a taste of Savoy wealth and power by visiting the Royal Church of San Lorenzo (Real Chiesa di San Lorenzo), adjacent to the Royal Palace in Turin. Dating from the 17th century, this baroque jewel has ornate interiors covered in art, gilt, and marble—all topped by a soaring dome. The high altar is considered among the most exquisite in Italy.

For one of the best views of Genoa and its Old Port, a trip on the Bigo panoramic elevator is a must. Climb aboard the out-of-this-world contraption, designed in the style of loading cranes by Renzo Piano in 1992 for the quincentennial of Columbus’ voyage to the New World, and learn about Genoa’s history as you take in panoramic views.

Ringed by neoclassical buildings, flanked by busy roads, and crowned with a statue that commemorates the workers who built the trans-Alpine Fréjus Rail Tunnel, the Piazza Statuto is one of Turin’s most prominent public squares. Completed in 1865, it was built while Turin was the newly formed Kingdom of Italy’s first capital city.

In a country as storied as Italy, it comes as no surprise that there are important historic sites buried beneath its modern metropolises. Almost every major Italian city has hidden underground attractions; Turin’s is the Pietro Micca Museum (Museo Pietro Micca), with a network of tunnels that ultimately saved the city from the French in 1706.

The monumental Basilica of Superga (Basilica di Superga), built in 1731, is one of the most unique churches in Turin and an excellent example of the baroque classical style. A must for architecture aficionados, the basilica is also fascinating for history buffs, as its Royal Crypt holds the tombs of the House of Savoy.

Portofino is the crown jewel of the Italian Riviera, a cheerful clutch of pastel-colored houses lining the waterfront and backed by steep wooded hills of Liguria’s coast. High above this coastline sits the pretty Church of San Giorgio, its sunny yellow facade overlooking a scenic square with magnificent views of the harbor below.

Turin is known as a fast-paced hub of industrial and financial business. Slow down and unwind within this bustling metropolis at QC Termetorino, an indulgent spa where you’ll find thermal and steam baths, relaxation rooms, massages, and other spa treatments.

Overlooking the UNESCO-listed hills of Le Langhe, the medieval village of Barolo is at the heart of Piedmont’s wine country. Barolo’s old town is ideal for sampling wine that’s produced in the surrounding vineyards and is also home to a wine museum housed in a castle.

The longest river in Italy, the Po River (Fiume Po) flows down from the Alps near the French border for more than 400 miles (644 kilometers), winding its way east through Turin, Piacenza, and Ferrara and connecting to Milan via a network of canals before emptying into the Adriatic Sea. The Po Valley is one of Italy’s most fertile and lush regions.

Colloquially known as “La Consla,” the Sanctuary of the Consolata (Santuario della Consolata) is an important site of Catholic worship, an architectural feat, and a key Turin landmark whose history dates back millennia. Rebuilt, remodeled, and expanded throughout the centuries, the Santuario della Consolata is unlike any other local basilica.