Piedmont Region of Italy

Posted on by Esterina Anderson

By Esterina Anderson

Following directly after our last blog in Valle d’Aosta https://esterinaanderson.com/2026/06/21/italy-has-more-to-offer-than-hilltop-towns-and-great-cities/

After the rugged beauty of Valle d’Aosta, our next stretch through northern Italy brought an entirely different rhythm—lake life, elegant city streets, and rolling wine country.

This leg of the trip felt softer. Less dramatic mountains, more charm and leisure. More time by the water, slower mornings, and places that surprised us in ways we didn’t expect.

As we left the Alps of Valle d’Aosta behind us, the flat fertile plains of Piedmont spread out before us. This is a land of serious agriculture. It felt more like Kansas than Italy with the miles and miles of cornfields. Only here there were also sunflowers, rice and lots of hay. This is one of the areas where risotto and polenta come from. 

As we turned North into the Lake region, the farmland gave way to foothills- the Alps towering in the distance once again. 

Once in Lake Orta it felt like we landed in a tiny vacation paradise where people were clearly there simply to enjoy the lake, slow, swim, rest, and soak it all in.

Our hotel had an incredible infinity pool overlooking the water, and from there it was also possible to step right into the lake itself. As ocean people, swimming in truly fresh water felt both strange and exciting.

Orta San Giulio felt like something out of a storybook. Narrow winding streets lined with charming little shops opened into the main piazza right on the water.

We wandered through the streets & shops and ended up purchasing a small original painting from an artist who works exclusively with palette knives instead of brushes. He was running the small shop so we had the chance to meet him, which always makes a piece of art feel more special. 

The town is also home to the Sacro Monte di Orta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi. The sacred mount consists of 20 chapels built between the 16th and 18th centuries, each filled with frescoes and life-sized sculptures depicting moments from the life of St. Francis.

We spent a leisurely few hours exploring all 20 chapels with Koji. It was obscenely hot, and about halfway through we found the perfect open-air café where we cooled off and rested before finishing the walk.

https://youtu.be/-oHBP8MpHoE?feature=shared

Another day, we took the short ferry ride from the piazza to Isola San Giulio, the tiny island that sits in the center of the lake.

The island is home to a basilica, a Benedictine abbey, and a small community of cloistered nuns. Cars are not allowed, and the atmosphere is meant to be quiet and contemplative.

One of the most special parts of visiting the island was walking the “Path of Silence and Meditation,” a peaceful path that circles the island. Along the route are signs with reflections on silence, stillness, and contemplation.

The walk itself is short. It was also so meaningful that we walked it three times.

The first time, we just took in the stillness. The second time, we slowed down even more. After that second lap, Daren noticed there were additional reflections written on the backs of each sign. So naturally, we walked it a third time to take those in too. Koji cooled himself in the water while we mostly just honored the quiet.

https://youtu.be/SSD9uz_iTsQ?feature=shared

Our next stop was Turin. But before heading there, we made a small detour to Sacro Monte della Santissima Trinità near Lake Maggiore. After loving Sacro Monte in Orta, we thought another sacred mount would be worth exploring.

Unfortunately, this one felt entirely different. It felt isolated, neglected, and depressing. Still beautiful in its own way, but we didn’t stay long. 

Instead, we headed to Cannobio near the Swiss border in search of lunch. It ended up being more of a functional stop than a memorable one. The town was pleasant enough, with colorful flags stretching along the waterfront and hints of its international location near Switzerland.

From there, we made our way to Turin. My cousin Vinny and his wife Katia live there, and we had made plans to meet up. They were waiting for us at our hotel when we arrived.

Turin was nothing like we expected. I had heard it described as “Little Paris,” but I really couldn’t picture just how elegant and charming it would feel. The city center is massive, beautifully maintained, and at times it barely felt like Italy.

There are dozens of piazzas, grand tree-lined boulevards, statues, fountains, and endless porticos that stretch for miles across the city. Turin was the first capital of unified Italy, and you can feel that history in its grandeur and architecture. It feels sophisticated, and refined.

One thing Turin is especially known for is Bicerin, a traditional drink dating back to the 18th century made with espresso, drinking chocolate, and cream served in layers in a small glass. The name means “little glass” in the local dialect. Of course, we had to try it.

As a funny side note, I happened to be reading the The Italian Daughter on my Kindle during this part of the trip. It wasn’t my favorite book, but I enjoyed it enough to keep going—and it turned out to be a strange little coincidence because part of the story touches on the history of Nutella and Piedmont’s chocolate traditions.

When we found a cozy café to try bicerin, sitting there was a pastry called a pain au chocolat—essentially the French cousin of a chocolate croissant.

I wasn’t expecting much. My entire life, Italian pastries around family gatherings were everywhere, and truthfully I never loved most of them. I also wasn’t expecting to be blown away by something that looked like a simple chocolate pastry. 

I was wrong and it was incredible. Warm, buttery, flaky, and filled with just the right amount of chocolate—so good! 

The bicerin was equally delicious. Rich, and indulgent. It was so special, unique & interesting. If you find yourself in Turin and are curious it’s one of those things that lives up to its hype. 

Turin is filled with beautiful buildings, fascinating sites, and so much history. Vinny and Katia gave us a wonderful overview of the city. Unfortunately, the day we planned to explore more of the major sites, the weather had other plans. Those porticos ended up being a game changer!

Instead, we ended up back at their home for a lovely meal and even more meaningful conversation. Vinny is a little older than me, and although I saw him often when we were kids, age differences feel much bigger when you’re young. 

It was really special to discover how much we had in common—how our family experiences shaped us in similar ways, how much we understood without needing to explain, and simply how much Daren & I genuinely enjoyed being with them. I only wish we lived closer.

Turin quickly became one of our highest recommendations—and one we still feel we haven’t fully explored. I suspect we’ll be back.

The final stop on this two-week trip was the Langhe Valley in Piedmont. The Langhe is known for rolling vineyard-covered hills, prestigious wines like Barolo and Barbaresco, and world-famous hazelnuts. The landscape is stunning—gentler and softer than Tuscany’s rugged beauty, but beautiful in its own way.

Vineyards and hazelnut orchards stretch as far as the eye can see. It’s also the birthplace of Nutella, something I only learned because of the book I was reading. Naturally, we expected to find some sort of Nutella celebration in the area. Truly surprisingly there is nothing, not even a fridge magnet.

From what I read, Ferrero has historically been very private and protective of both its brand and its famously secret recipe. They don’t really get into tourism or public spectacle around Nutella the way you might expect.

There were hiking opportunities everywhere, with trails weaving through vineyards and rolling hills. But it was too hot to enjoy them – not that we didn’t try! We did and gave up. 

Instead, we spent much of our time enjoying the hotel, the pool, and the surrounding views.

Not every stop becomes a favorite. Some places we immediately loved and others can end of being a place to rest. 

Lake Orta gave us peace and the lake vibe. 
Turin gave us a city vibe and family connection. 
The Langhe gave us beauty and rest.

This was a great exploration of the Piedmont region. As long as it was and as happy as I am to be headed back home to Tuscany, I kind of wish it was just a little longer. 

Ciao Amici!

A Milestone & Some Mountains

Posted on by Esterina Anderson

I was afraid to say anything last week for fear of jinxing it, but I had my Italian citizenship appointment last Tuesday. It was an unexpected surprise, and in this instance alone my immigration attorney was worth his weight in gold. I should have been able to register as a resident nearly from the moment we set foot in Italy, but due to a myriad of issues, the comune (city hall) somehow lost my residency application. We are still waiting for one final document from the U.S., but because the comune dropped the ball, my lawyer was able to negotiate an appointment anyway.

Below is a photo of me with the mountain of paperwork I’ve been gathering since 2018, just before heading down to the comune. From here, I’m still awaiting approval of the residency application, and I still need to submit that final document. Assuming all goes well, citizenship should hopefully be completed in the coming months. Fingers crossed.

Right after the appointment, we hopped into the car and headed NORTH. In case you haven’t heard, Europe is in the middle of a serious heat wave, so escaping to the mountains sounded pretty perfect.

Our first stop was Valle d’Aosta, and wow—it felt very different from the rest of Italy we’ve experienced so far. Tucked into the far northwest corner of the country and bordered by both France and Switzerland, Valle d’Aosta is Italy’s smallest region. It’s also one of Italy’s five autonomous regions, meaning it has more self-governance due to its unique geography and history. French and Italian are both official languages here, and you can feel that blend everywhere—from the road signs, to the architecture, to the food.

And the food? Definitely mountain food in the best possible way. Think polenta, fontina cheese, wild game, cured meats, and hearty dishes designed to fuel hikers and skiers. I’m not a cured meat gal, but I can definitely appreciate it!

We spent four absolutely beautiful days in this mountain region—mostly hiking, a little shopping, and of course eating.

The first night we arrived fairly late since we got a delayed start after the comune appointment. We dropped our bags at the hotel and headed straight out for dinner. It was late—which is when Italians eat—and for once we fit right in. We are usually the first people at a restaurant when they open at 7:30, but this night the town was buzzing.

We had to try a polenta dish, of course. We also met a lovely couple from New York City and spent the evening enjoying easy conversation in English, which always feels comforting after always making attempts at piecing together Italian.

The next day we headed up to Monte Bianco (or Mont Blanc in French). There is a cable car that takes you up the mountain to Pointe Helbronner, one of the highest accessible points in Italy. Pets are allowed, so naturally Koji joined the adventure. This was a new experience for all of us. We went all the way up to 11,371 feet, the highest altitude myself, Daren, or Koji had ever been. When we stepped out into the open air at that height, it was exhilarating. One of us may have cried a little from sheer amazement.

The temperature was incredible too—just 9°C (48°F). After the heat we’ve been living in, it felt absolutely amazing. We were surrounded by serious hikers and climbers preparing for much bigger adventures than ours. The station sits so close to the French border that part of the complex is essentially in France. The border crossing area was closed, which was fine by me since while waiting for citizenship I’m not supposed to cross borders anyway.

After reaching the highest point, we took the cable car down to the midpoint where there were easier trails, family areas, and food. We had lunch with a spectacular view and then went for a leisurely hike to a beautiful waterfall with fresh glacial water flowing through.

That evening we wanted something hearty and casual, and there was a burger place right in the middle of Courmayeur. Daren and I had fantastic burgers with fresh fontina cheese and fries. Koji got a few scraps. None of us had had burgers in ages and they were SO good. We took a long walk afterward to burn off some of the indulgence and explored even more of the beautiful town.

The following day we laced up our hiking shoes and headed toward one of the local rifugi. A rifugio is basically a mountain refuge or alpine hut—part shelter, part restaurant, and sometimes part lodging for hikers tackling longer routes through the mountains. They’re a huge part of hiking culture in the Alps.

The trail itself wasn’t supposed to be very long, so we brought Koji. But when we arrived near the trailhead, the road was closed for 3 km leading up to it. No problem, we thought. It was hot, but there were plenty of glacial streams and shaded areas to cool down. One of the coolest parts was passing cows and sheep everywhere.

When we finally reached the trailhead, the sign said 50 minutes. I honestly thought that had to be for slow people. Everyone around us had hiking poles and serious gear. We had a backpack, hiking shoes, and Koji—who, of course, was completely naked. The trail was marked level E. I’m actually glad I didn’t know what that meant beforehand because I may have chickened out.

We instantly understood the 50-minute estimate.

The climb was steep. Really steep. But it was also jaw-droppingly beautiful. We let Koji off leash and he had the time of his life despite the heat and climb. He was an absolute trooper.

When we finally reached the rifugio, it was completely worth it! This particular rifugio sits fairly close to the Swiss border. It’s about halfway up to the border crossing trail. Before leaving in the morning, we considered continuing all the way up, but with an aging dog, tired legs, and the extra 3 km to and from the car, we wisely decided halfway was enough.

We rewarded ourselves with a hearty lunch of more polenta and cinghiale (wild boar), then spent time cooling down and taking in the views. Hikers from all over the world were there in various stages of their journeys. Languages filled the air, though French and Italian were the most common.

After resting and refueling, we were ready to head back down. The descent was much faster and much easier. Koji slowed down during the last couple of kilometers, but he did so well. Such a good boy!!

The next day we needed a break from the mountains and rugged hiking, so we headed to the capital city of Aosta. We did a little shopping, gelato eating, lunching, and site seeing.

Aosta is often called the Rome of the Alps because ancient Roman ruins are scattered all throughout the city. Unlike Rome, though, there’s almost no heavy tourism around them, which makes it feel especially cool.

The Roman theater was under renovation, but we still managed to peek through construction barriers. We also saw arches, gates, and the Criptoportico Forense, an underground Roman structure that once surrounded the sacred area of the forum and helped support the complex above. The whole day was steamy hot.

On the way back to Courmayeur, we stopped in the town of Fénis to see its famous castle.

Castello di Fénis is exactly what comes to mind when you picture a fairy-tale castle—towers, battlements, stone walls, and all. Built in the 13th and 14th centuries, it’s one of the best-preserved medieval castles in the region and somehow looks even more magical in person.

That last night, we left Koji relaxing in the cool hotel while Daren and I returned to the burger place one last time. After dinner we wandered through town again, this time down side streets and little shortcuts, discovering charming homes, tucked-away parks, and quiet corners we hadn’t seen before.

The next morning, after a brisk run and a complimentary breakfast buffet, we packed the car for the next leg of our trip.

But not before one final stop in Bard.

We wanted to see the impressive Fort Bard, a massive 19th-century fortress built by the House of Savoy on a rocky cliff overlooking the valley. Historically, it guarded one of the most strategic mountain passes into Italy and famously slowed Napoleon’s army for nearly two weeks. It is an imposing structure.

We opted not to tour inside the fort and instead wandered through Bard’s medieval streets and soaked in the atmosphere. Koji seemed especially happy to find a fire hydrant in the middle of a medieval village and drink from one of the old public fountains.

This little town sits close to the border of Piedmont, our next destination. So we said Arrivederci—or Au revoir—to Valle d’Aosta and headed onward to the next adventure.

Thanks for reading! Would love to hear from you too, we love hearing your comments ❤️

To see some video, check out the YouTube video we made of this week –

https://youtu.be/3buB_D3XkrY?feature=shared