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Liguria, Piedmont & the Italian Riviera

Liguria, Piedmont & the Italian Riviera

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Liguria, & the

Why Go? ...... 166 The beauty of northwestern is its diversity. You only Riviera di Levante...... 179 have to take a short train ride out of and everything changes: food, culture, scenery – even the language. ...... 183 The seduction starts in , a thin, precipitous coastal Riviera di Ponente...... 193 strip famous for its food ( and ), swanky re- Turin...... 197 sorts and the once-powerful independent trading empire of The Milky Way...... 212 Genoa. Piedmont is a flat, fertile medallion of land trapped Southern & between the and the Mediterranean – an economic Eastern Piedmont...... 214 and political powerhouse that provided the nation with its first capital (Turin), a popular car () and, more recently, Varallo & ...... 226 and fine . Mountainous , meanwhile, is Aosta...... 227 a semi-autonomous Alpine region with a different history, Courmayeur...... 233 its own language, and ample skiing and hiking terrain, all ...... 235 guarded by Europe’s highest mountains. Valtournenche...... 237 If the three regions have anything in common it’s their House of connections and proud sense of history. Italy, in the modern sense, was invented right here. Best Places to Eat ¨¨L’Acino (p208) When to Go Turin ¨¨Trattoria della Raibetta °C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm (p175) 30/86 8/200 ¨¨4 Ciance (p215) 20/68 6/150 ¨¨Osteria dei Sognatori (p220) 10/50 4/100

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-10/14 0 Best Places to J F DNOSAJJMAM Stay ¨¨Hotel Royal Superga (p214) Jan–Mar M ost Apr Fewer crowds Sep & Oct Late- reliable snow and better hiking season hiking ¨¨Hotel Cairoli (p173) cover for skiing in on the Ligurian in the Alps and ¨¨Hotel (p217) the Alps. coast. autumn food festivals in Turin ¨ ¨La Torretta Charme & and Alba. Relax (p189) Liguria, Piedmont & the Italian Riviera L iguria 163 Royal

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TURIN’S founded in was company coffee The family-run -based along with and, in 1895 Tommaso San Via industry with an coffee legendary Italy’s dominates Illy, €1 billion. nearly of annual turnover in- have claim to can Though no one city Chocolate claims than better have Torinese the chocolate, vented - with Piedmon cocoa to blend was genius their most: the epic form to hazlenuts hazelnut tese (soft other of and plenty Nutella to the precursor chocolate), goodies. chocolate To- by a invented allegedly were Breadsticks Grissini of help the poor digestion to the 1670s in baker rinese snacks The crunchy Amedeo II. Vittorio king the future restaurants Italian in most ubiquitous on and are caught and delis. the iconic, but increasingly delicate Sentiero Azzurro (blue (blue Azzurro Sentiero delicate but increasingly the iconic, trail). walking longer existed. However, longer has employing existed. a However, stoicism Terre shaped by Cinque invaders, tiresome off fighting of centuries again, are open of businesses As most of back. 2013, bounced status the vis-à-vis ahead check to want may you although Terre Terre towns of and Monterosso, burying many of their historic streets and houses under several metres of mud. half-a-dozen Tragically, people no his town that declared were emotionally mayor killed Monterosso’s and Cinque Terre – After the Floods October in coast Ligurian the along weather wet Freakishly 2011 brought devastating flash floods to the two Cinque transport, including Turin’s Sassi–Superga tram, GTT boats GTT boats tram, Sassi–Superga Turin’s including transport, on the It river and Bus also the offers Torino. Turismo can buy You and theatres. tours on guided some discounts office. tourist Turin’s at card the Serious sightseers will a save with sightseers bundle a Serious monte and to monuments It 190 admission of covers the region’s public of forms various on reductions offers and museums, Piedmont Discount Card

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