The countryside around Turin is studded with Savoy palaces, hilltop villages, and the vineyard-covered hills of the Langhe and Monferrato. Several of the royal residences, collectively a UNESCO World Heritage Site, make excellent half-day excursions, while the Po River itself offers a scenic route south through parkland.
For wine country, head into the Langhe (Alba, Barolo, La Morra) or Monferrato, where the rolling hills produce Barbera, Grignolino, and Moscato among UNESCO-listed wine cellars and medieval castles. For mountain air, Alagna at the foot of Monte Rosa offers steep off-piste skiing in winter and high-alpine hiking in summer. For lakes, Stresa on Lago Maggiore gives you the Borromean Islands and Liberty-style grand hotels, while Orta San Giulio is quieter and charms almost everyone who makes the effort. Each is comfortably reachable in a day by train or car.
