While we wait for the corona virus crack down to lift on April 3rd in Italy, we here at Il Viaggio would like to take some time over the next 20 days to highlight each of the 20 unique and amazing regions that make up this amazing country that gave us our start!

Surrounded on three sides by the alps, including Moviso, and Monte Rosa. The geography in Piedmont (meaning, Foot of the Mountain) consists of mountains, hills and plains, it is the second largest of Italy’s 20 regions bordering France, Switzerland and the Italian regions of Lombardy, Liguria, Aosta Valley and Emilia Romagna. 

Turin is Piedmont’s foremost industrial center, and is home to FIAT automobile works as well as the world famous Museo Egizio, the world’s oldest museum devoted entirely to ancient Egyptian culture. Also located in Turin is Borgo Medievale, or The Medieval Castle at the Valentino Park, which was built to host the Ancient Art section of the 1884 Turin Expo. The buildings and the decorations are faithful copies of 15th century castles. 

34 miles (55km) east of Turin is one of the most  important wine districts in Italy, Montferrat was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 2014. Piedmont is a fertile agricultural region producing prestigious wines such as Barolo, Barbaresco, and Moscato d’Asti. Local grape varieties include Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Feisa, Grignolino and Brachetto.

During the Risorgimento (movement for Italian independence), Piedmont led the attempts of 1848, 1859, and 1866 to unite all of Italy, and Victor Emmanuel II, originally king of Piedmont and Sardinia, became modern Italy’s first king in 1861