Turin with visits to Asti, Alba, Bra in Piedmont : Royal Capitals, Slow Food, Chocolate, and the Most Underrated City in Northern Italy
Immersion Travel ItalyShow Notes
Turin and Piedmont are among Italy’s most elegant and overlooked destinations, and in this episode of the Immersion Travel Podcast, I’m taking you deep into a region that surprised us in the very best way. My husband and I spent two weeks in Piedmont in May 2022, using Turin as our base. From the moment we arrived, Turin felt different. Calm, refined, and quietly confident. With its grand piazzas, long arcaded streets, and regal architecture, the city often feels more French than Italian, and that is no accident. Turin was once the first capital of unified Italy, designed to project power, order, and sophistication. In this episode, I share our personal experience exploring Turin on foot and explain why it remains one of the most beautiful yet least tourist-crowded cities in northern Italy. We talk about why Turin is so easy to visit, including flying in and out of Turin’s airport, and how it works perfectly as both a destination and a gateway to northern Italy. You’ll hear the fascinating history of Turin, from its Roman foundations as Augusta Taurinorum, to its rise under the House of Savoy, its brief but symbolic role as Italy’s first capital, and its transformation into an industrial powerhouse through FIAT and the Lingotto factory. This episode also explores Piedmont’s legendary food and wine culture, from Barolo and Barbaresco wines to white truffles, chocolate, and the philosophy behind the Slow Food movement. We connect Turin’s most important festivals directly to its landmarks, including the Festa di San Giovanni in Piazza Castello, the Torino Film Festival at the Mole Antonelliana, and the Turin International Book Fair at the former Lingotto factory. Turin was also our gateway to Lago Maggiore, and it worked beautifully. We flew into Turin, spent time in the city, then continued on to the lake by train and car. The transition from royal capital to lakefront promenades, ferry rides, and mountain views is seamless. I also reference my five-part Lago Maggiore video series on YouTube and related podcast episodes, where I break the lake down town by town to help you plan a slower, more immersive trip. From Turin, we explored some of Piedmont’s most rewarding towns, each offering a distinct perspective on the region’s identity. We begin with Asti, a former Roman and medieval powerhouse best known today for Asti Spumante and one of Italy’s oldest horse races, the Palio di Asti. Just under an hour from Turin by train, Asti blends Roman roots, Gothic architecture, and deep wine traditions. Next is Alba, the heart of the Langhe hills and the capital of white truffles. Alba’s medieval towers, refined historic center, and world-famous truffle fair make it one of Piedmont’s most important food destinations, surrounded by the Barolo and Barbaresco wine regions. Just beyond Alba lies Bra, birthplace of the Slow Food movement. Bra’s calm rhythm, Baroque architecture, agricultural markets, and the international Cheese festival reflect a philosophy rooted in tradition, sustainability, and thoughtful eating. Finally, we explore Alessandria, a strategic crossroads city founded in the Middle Ages. Known for its massive star-shaped citadel and civic identity, Alessandria reveals Piedmont’s military and commercial history and connects naturally toward Liguria and southern France. Together, these towns show why Piedmont is one of Italy’s most balanced regions, where agriculture, industry, culture, and tradition coexist without excess. ✨ A companion blog post is available for this episode with additional historical detail, travel logistics, and planning tips. 🌍 Visit my website for the blog, podcast episodes, travel guides, and festival-focused itineraries: 👉 https://katerinaferrara.com/ If you love Italy beyond the usual tourist trail and want destinations with depth, elegance, and authenticity, this episode will show you why Turin and Piedmont quietly belong among Italy’s great travel experiences.
More from Immersion Travel Italy
Discover Pisa beyond the Leaning Tower in Episode 10 of the Italian Masterpiece Series on Immersion Travel Italy. Join author and host Katerina Ferrara for a journey through Pisa’s art, architecture, medieval history and living traditions in the heart of Tuscany. Explore the Piazza dei Miracoli as one extraordinary masterpiece, where Pisa Cathedral, the Baptistery, the Leaning Tower and the Camposanto tell a connected story of faith, maritime power and artistic ambition. Meet Nicola and Giovanni Pisano through their remarkable sculpture, discover Cimabue’s contribution to the cathedral, and follow the Arno into the city beyond its famous square. I also share a personal note from our visit at the end of August: Pisa was hot, and we were so glad we had booked an early tower visit. That experience brings a practical perspective to planning your own Pisa itinerary. Along the way, we explore Santa Maria della Spina, Piazza dei Cavalieri, Tuscan food and the celebrations of Giugno Pisano, including the Luminara di San Ranieri, the Palio di San Ranieri and the Gioco del Ponte. Whether you are planning a Tuscany trip or love Italian art history, this episode invites you to slow down and discover what makes Pisa unforgettable. EXPLORE MY TRAVEL ITALY BOOK SERIES • Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide: Tuscany • Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide: Sicily • Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide: Puglia • Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide: Rome and Beyond • Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide: Milan and Lombardy • Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide: Umbria • Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide: Venice and the Veneto • Sicily in Celebration Find more Italian travel inspiration, books and cultural stories at katerinaferrara.com. Follow Immersion Travel Italy for more journeys through Italy’s masterpieces, festivals and everyday life.
Discover Pistoia, Italy, one of Tuscany’s most overlooked medieval cities and an easy day trip from Florence. In this episode of Immersion Travel Italy, we continue our Italian Masterpiece Series and our journey through Medieval Italy: Faith, Pilgrimage, and Civic Life. After visiting Padua and Siena, we travel to Pistoia, a compact Tuscan city filled with medieval architecture, extraordinary works of art, pilgrimage traditions, historic cafés, local food, and one of the most beautiful piazzas in Tuscany. We begin with the story of San Jacopo, or Saint James the Apostle, whose relic arrived in Pistoia in 1145 and connected the city to the great medieval pilgrimage tradition of Santiago de Compostela. Then we explore Piazza del Duomo, Pistoia’s medieval masterpiece, where the Cathedral of San Zeno, its soaring campanile, the striped marble Baptistery of San Giovanni in Corte, the Bishop’s Palace, and Palazzo Comunale bring together the religious and civic life of the medieval city. Inside the cathedral, we discover the magnificent Silver Altar of San Jacopo, one of Italy’s great works of medieval metalwork, including contributions by a young Filippo Brunelleschi before he created the famous dome of Florence Cathedral. We also uncover Pistoia’s fascinating political history, from the powerful Cancellieri and Panciatichi families to the White and Black Guelfs, Dante and Vanni Fucci, and the eventual rise of Florentine and Medici influence. Along the way, we visit the extraordinary Giovanni Pisano pulpit at Sant’Andrea, San Giovanni Fuorcivitas, the Basilica of the Madonna dell’Umiltà, and Pistoia’s historic streets and markets. And, of course, we experience Pistoia through its food and traditions, including carcerato, brigidini, the feast of San Jacopo, and the spectacular Giostra dell’Orso, the historic jousting competition that transforms Piazza del Duomo every July. I’ll also take you through a practical day in Pistoia, beginning at the train station with coffee at historic Caffè Valiani 1831, lunch at La Nicchia sulla Sala, and gelato at Una Mole di Gelato. Pistoia is only about 35 minutes by train from Florence, yet it offers something increasingly difficult to find in Tuscany: extraordinary art, architecture, history, and traditions in a historic center that still feels wonderfully local. 📖 NEW: The Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide: Tuscany My newest Travel Italy guide explores Tuscany beyond the usual tourist itinerary, with historic cities, smaller towns, festivals, traditions, art, food, practical travel information, and experiences like Pistoia’s Giostra dell’Orso. Find the latest Tuscany book information and all of my travel guides: https://www.katerinaferrara.com 📸 SEE THE COMPANION BLOG https://www.katerinaferrara.com/blog ✉️ JOIN THE FREE IMMERSION TRAVEL NEWSLETTER Get monthly Italy travel inspiration, festival updates, new podcast episodes, regional travel ideas, and news about 📚 EXPLORE THE TRAVEL ITALY BOOK SERIES Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide: Milan & Lombardy https://amzn.to/46VzmQs Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide: Sicily https://amzn.to/3KARdo8 Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide: Puglia https://amzn.to/42WEnH1 Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide: Rome & Beyond https://amzn.to/4gRlvz0 Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide: Venice & the Veneto https://amzn.to/48OhHfT Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide: Umbria https://katerinaferrara.com/uncover-the-charm-of-umbria/ Sicily in Celebration / Sicilia in Festa https://amzn.to/4jPVEHK 🎧 Immersion Travel Italy Travel deeper into Italy through its history, art, festivals, food, and the places that many travelers overlook. Next week, we continue Medieval Italy: Faith, Pilgrimage, and Civic Life in Pisa, where we’ll go beyond the Leaning Tower to explore the powerful medieval maritime republic that created the extraordinary Piazza dei Miracoli. #Pistoia #TuscanyTravel #ItalyTravel #MedievalItaly #ImmersionTravelItaly
Visit Padua, Italy, one of the great art, pilgrimage, and university cities of northern Italy, in this episode of the Italian Masterpiece Series.
Travel to Siena, Tuscany, one of Italy’s greatest medieval cities, in this episode of Immersion Travel Italy and the Italy’s Masterpiece Series. I’m joined by Stella Soldani, a licensed Siena tour guide who was born and raised in the city and is a member of the Contrada della Torre. Stella takes us beyond the usual Siena day trip to understand what it really means to grow up Sienese and belong to one of the city’s seventeen historic Contrade. We explore the traditions surrounding the Palio di Siena, held each year on July 2 and August 16, and discover why the famous horse race is only a small part of a much larger celebration involving Contrada dinners, trial races, historic processions, flag throwers, religious traditions and centuries of neighborhood identity. Then we travel through Siena’s extraordinary history and masterpieces, including Piazza del Campo, Palazzo Pubblico, Torre del Mangia, Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s Allegory of Good and Bad Government, the Via Francigena, Santa Maria della Scala and Siena Cathedral. Inside the Duomo, we explore its remarkable marble floor, Piccolomini Library, Museo dell’Opera, crypt, Baptistery and Facciatone, along with works connected to Michelangelo, Donatello, Bernini, Pinturicchio and other masters. We also discuss Saint Catherine of Siena, the Basilica di San Domenico and her continuing importance to the city. Stella shares some of her own local Siena recommendations, including favorite cafés and restaurants, traditional foods such as ricciarelli, panforte and wild boar ragù, Tuscan wines, hidden viewpoints and places many visitors overlook. If you are planning a trip to Siena, Florence, Tuscany, Chianti, San Gimignano, Montalcino, Pienza, Montepulciano or the Val d’Orcia, this episode is packed with Siena travel tips, history and local insight. TOUR SIENA WITH STELLA SOLDANI Stella has been a licensed guide in Siena and the surrounding region for more than twenty five years, with tours in Siena, Chianti, Montalcino, Pienza, San Gimignano and beyond. Website: https://www.stellasoldani.com Email: [email protected]
High in the hills of the Marche lies Urbino, one of Italy’s most extraordinary Renaissance cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Small in size but enormous in influence, Urbino became one of the great artistic and intellectual courts of fifteenth century Europe. In Episode 6 of Italy’s Masterpiece Series, we step inside the world of Federico da Montefeltro, the soldier, duke, humanist, and patron who transformed Urbino into a center of Renaissance art, architecture, scholarship, and culture. We explore the magnificent Palazzo Ducale, Federico’s remarkable Studiolo, and the treasures of the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, including Piero della Francesca’s mysterious Flagellation of Christ and luminous Madonna di Senigallia. We also discover Urbino’s connection to Raphael, who was born here in 1483. We visit his birthplace, Casa Natale di Raffaello, and explore how the artistic and intellectual environment of Urbino helped shape the world into which one of the greatest painters of the High Renaissance was born. But Urbino’s story is also about the people behind the art. We meet Battista Sforza, Federico’s highly educated wife who helped govern the duchy in his absence, and look at the famous double portrait of Federico and Battista painted by Piero della Francesca. Along the way, we visit Urbino Cathedral, the fresco filled Oratorio di San Giovanni Battista, the unusual sculptural Nativity at the Oratorio di San Giuseppe, and San Bernardino, the final resting place of Federico da Montefeltro. Then we wander Urbino’s steep Renaissance streets, discover its historic university, take in the view from Fortezza Albornoz, and taste local specialties including crescia sfogliata di Urbino, Casciotta d’Urbino DOP, truffles, and passatelli. We’ll also look at the Festa del Duca, when Urbino returns to the world of Federico da Montefeltro with Renaissance costumes, processions, music, and performances. If you love Italian Renaissance art, Raphael, Piero della Francesca, historic palaces, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Marche, or discovering lesser known Italian cities, Urbino deserves a place on your Italy itinerary. Every episode in Italy’s Masterpiece Series also has an accompanying blog with photographs and images of the palaces, paintings, artists, rulers, and places discussed in the episode. Read the blog: KaterinaFerrara.com/blog Listen and watch Immersion Travel Italy: KaterinaFerrara.com/video-podcast/ Sign up for my free monthly Travel Italy Newsletter: KaterinaFerrara.com Next in Italy’s Masterpiece Series: Siena, Tuscany. Explore My Italy Travel Guides If you’re planning a trip to Italy and want deeper cultural insight, festival traditions, and immersive travel experiences, explore my Travel Italy guides. Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide Sicily https://amzn.to/3KARdo8 Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide Puglia https://amzn.to/42WEnH1 Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide Rome and Beyond https://amzn.to/4gRlvz0 Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide Venice and the Veneto https://amzn.to/48OhHfT Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide Milan and Lombardy https://a.co/d/0h0JFBhi Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide Umbria https://amzn.to/4bRpcTj Sicilia in Festa: Experience the Magic of Sicily’s History, Art and Timeless Cultural Celebrations — English Italian Dual Language Edition https://amzn.to/4pUxBuP Guida Completa a Feste e Viaggi Sicilia — Italian Language Edition https://amzn.to/44AIYQ1 My NEW Tuscany guide https://amzn.to/4yoPTsr