Piedmont (Piemonte) is a large region in northwest Italy, ringed on three sides by the Alps and sloping down toward the Po Valley. Its capital, Turin, is a city of elegant arcades, royal palaces, and the landmark Mole Antonelliana. Beyond the city lie the UNESCO-listed vineyards of the Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato, home to Barolo and Barbaresco wines and Alba's prized white truffles, plus the serene shores of Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta. Piedmont is the birthplace of vermouth, gianduja chocolate, and the Slow Food movement.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Alba & the Langhe from Turin
Alba is the capital of the Langhe, a UNESCO World Heritage wine landscape famous for its white truffles, hazelnuts, and Nebbiolo reds. The medieval town of red-brick towers hosts the celebrated autumn truffle fair, and the surrounding hills of Barolo, Barbaresco, and Roero make it the heart of one of Italy's greatest food-and-wine regions.
Highlights: Alba's medieval towers and the Duomo of San Lorenzo · White truffle hunting and the autumn Fiera del Tartufo · Nebbiolo, Barolo, and Barbaresco wine tasting in the hills · Hazelnut groves and the home of Ferrero (Nutella)
Barolo & La Morra Wine Villages from Turin
Barolo and La Morra are the most celebrated villages of the Barolo DOCG wine zone, perched among Nebbiolo vineyards that produce the 'king of wines.' Barolo's Castello Falletti houses the WiMu wine museum and the regional enoteca, while hilltop La Morra offers the finest panorama over the rolling Langhe and a cluster of acclaimed cellars.
Highlights: Castello Falletti and the WiMu wine museum in Barolo · La Morra's belvedere panorama over the Langhe vineyards · Barolo and Barbera tastings at historic cantine · The Cappella delle Brunate (Sol LeWitt chapel) in vineyards
Asti & the Monferrato from Turin
Asti is the elegant capital of the Monferrato, a city of medieval towers and noble palaces famous worldwide for its sparkling Asti Spumante and Moscato wines. Each September it stages the spectacular bareback Palio di Asti, one of Italy's oldest horse races, while its surrounding hills - another UNESCO wine landscape - brim with Barbera and Grignolino cellars.
Highlights: Medieval towers, including the Torre Troyana · The Palio di Asti bareback horse race (September) · Asti Spumante, Moscato, and Barbera d'Asti wines · The Collegiata di San Secondo and Gothic cathedral
Lake Maggiore, Stresa & the Borromean Islands from Turin
Stresa is the genteel belle epoque resort on Lake Maggiore, gateway to the Borromean Islands - Isola Bella with its baroque palace and terraced gardens, the fishing village of Isola dei Pescatori, and the botanical Isola Madre. With grand lakeside hotels, a cable car to Mottarone, and views to the snow-capped Alps, it makes a scenic day trip from Turin.
Highlights: Isola Bella's Borromeo Palace and terraced gardens · The fishing village charm of Isola dei Pescatori · Botanical gardens of Isola Madre · Mottarone cable car for Alpine and lake panoramas
Lake Orta & Orta San Giulio from Turin
Lake Orta is the most intimate and romantic of the northern lakes, with the cobbled medieval village of Orta San Giulio at its heart and the monastery-crowned Isola San Giulio rising from its waters. Above the village, the UNESCO-listed Sacro Monte di Orta winds chapels through wooded gardens, making this a serene, less-crowded alternative to Lake Maggiore.
Highlights: The car-free medieval village of Orta San Giulio · Isola San Giulio and its Benedictine monastery · The UNESCO Sacro Monte di Orta with 20 chapels · Piazza Motta and the frescoed Palazzo della Comunità
Sacra di San Michele & the Susa Valley from Turin
The Sacra di San Michele is a dramatic medieval abbey perched on the rocky summit of Monte Pirchiriano, guarding the entrance to the Susa Valley and the symbol of Piedmont. Reached by the monumental Staircase of the Dead, the Romanesque-Gothic complex inspired Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose and commands sweeping views over the valley toward the Alps.
Highlights: The clifftop abbey of Monte Pirchiriano, symbol of Piedmont · The Scalone dei Morti (Staircase of the Dead) · The Romanesque-Gothic church and Zodiac doorway · Panoramic views over the Susa Valley toward the Alps
Reggia di Venaria Reale & La Mandria from Turin
The Reggia di Venaria Reale is a vast UNESCO-listed baroque royal palace built for the Savoy dukes, often likened to Versailles, with sumptuous staterooms, the soaring Galleria Grande, and immense restored gardens. The adjoining La Mandria park, a former royal hunting reserve, offers woodland, wildlife, and cycling just a short trip from central Turin.
Highlights: The baroque Galleria Grande and royal staterooms · Immense formal gardens with fountains and sculpture · The adjoining La Mandria regional park and royal borgo · Seasonal exhibitions and the Citroniera spaces
Sacro Monte di Varallo from Turin
The Sacro Monte di Varallo is the oldest and most spectacular of the nine UNESCO-listed Sacri Monti, a 'New Jerusalem' of 45 frescoed chapels with over 800 life-size painted statues recreating the life of Christ across a wooded hilltop above Varallo. Reached by funicular, it is a remarkable fusion of art, devotion, and Alpine scenery in the Valsesia.
Highlights: 45 chapels with 800+ life-size painted statues · The 'New Jerusalem' devotional complex begun in 1491 · Frescoes by Gaudenzio Ferrari and other masters · Funicular ride and Valsesia mountain views
Aosta & Gran Paradiso from Turin
Aosta, the 'Rome of the Alps,' is a Roman city ringed by snow-capped peaks, with a triumphal arch, a theatre, and gateways from the age of Augustus. It is the gateway to the Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy's oldest, where ibex roam alpine meadows around Cogne, making a striking mountain-and-history day trip from Turin.
Highlights: Roman Arch of Augustus and the Roman Theatre · Aosta's medieval streets and the Sant'Orso collegiate church · Gran Paradiso National Park and ibex at Cogne · Alpine panoramas of Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn nearby
Saluzzo & Cuneo from Turin
Saluzzo is a beautifully preserved medieval hill town, once capital of an independent marquisate, with stepped lanes climbing to a castle and panoramic views over the Monviso plain. Nearby Cuneo, the elegant provincial capital, is known for its grand arcaded streets, vast central square, and famous rum-filled cuneesi chocolates, gateway to the Maritime Alps.
Highlights: Saluzzo's medieval upper town and La Castiglia castle · Views toward Monviso, the source of the Po · Cuneo's long porticoed streets and Piazza Galimberti · Cuneesi al rhum chocolates and southern Piedmont cuisine
Milan from Turin
Italy's capital of fashion and finance is just an hour from Turin by high-speed train, making a big-city day trip easy. Highlights include the soaring Gothic Duomo and its rooftop terraces, the glass-roofed Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper (book far ahead), the Brera district, and the Navigli canals for aperitivo.
Highlights: The marble Duomo and its rooftop terraces · Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade · Leonardo's Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie (reserve ahead) · Brera galleries and Navigli canal aperitivo
Genoa & the Ligurian Coast from Turin
Genoa, the maritime capital of Liguria, brings the sea within reach of Turin - a dense, characterful port city of medieval caruggi, sumptuous Rolli palaces, Europe's largest aquarium, and the regenerated Porto Antico. From its station the Ligurian coastal railway opens up the Riviera, from Camogli and Portofino to the colourful Cinque Terre.
Highlights: The Acquario di Genova at the Porto Antico · Medieval caruggi and the UNESCO Rolli palaces · Via Garibaldi's frescoed noble palaces and galleries · Gateway by coastal train to the Riviera and Cinque Terre
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Tours
- Organized day tours from Turin to the Langhe wine country or Lake Maggiore from around €80 per person including transport and a guide
- Private
- Private car hire with driver from €100/half day; useful for the Barolo wine villages and inland abbeys where public transport is sparse
- Public
- Trenitalia and GTT regional trains serve Asti, Alba, Cuneo, Susa, and the lakes; check timetables at trenitalia.com or on the Trenitalia app
- Rental
- Car rental from €45/day; essential for the Barolo and La Morra wine villages and the Sacra di San Michele, which are poorly served by public transport
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Book Frecciarossa, Italo, and Intercity tickets in advance on Trenitalia or Italo for the cheapest fares - prices rise with demand
Turin Porta Nuova and Porta Susa are the main hubs for trains to Asti, Alba, Cuneo, the lakes, Milan, and Genoa - check which station your train uses
The Langhe and Barolo wine villages are poorly served by public transport - rent a car, take a taxi from Alba, or join an organized wine tour
The Reggia di Venaria Reale is reached easily from central Turin on the GTT Venaria Express shuttle - no car needed
Lake trips (Maggiore, Orta) and the Sacri Monti are most rewarding from April to October, when ferries, funiculars, and gardens are fully open