Italy Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta

Aosta is the principal city of Aosta Valley, a bilingual region in the Italian Alps. It is situated near the Italian entrance of the Mont Blanc Tunnel. The ancient town walls of Augusta Praetoria Salassorum are still preserved almost in their entirety. In addition to traditional agriculture, Alba is a very important center of wine. In the area of Alba there are 290 wineries. Alba is also famous worldwide for its white truffles, and its annual Truffle Festival.

Turin is a city and second major business (after Milan) and cultural center in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River, in front of Susa Valley and surrounded by the western Alpine arch. In 1997 a part of the historical center of Turim was inscribed in the World Heritage List under the name Residences of the Royal House of Savoy. The city has a rich culture and history, and is known for its numerous art galleries, restaurants, churches, palaces, opera houses, piazzas, parks, gardens, theatres, libraries, museums and other venues. Turin is well known for its renaissance, baroque, rococo, neo-classical, and art nouveau architecture.

Cuneo is a city and comune in Piedmont, Northern Italy, the capital of the province of Cuneo, the third largest of Italy’s provinces by area. Cuneo was founded in 1198 by the local population, who declared it an independent commune, freeing themselves from the authority of the bishops of Asti and the marquisses of Montferrat and Saluzzo. It is located at 550 metres (1,804 ft) in the south-west of Piedmont, at the confluence of the rivers Stura and Gesso. Cuneo's specialty is Cuneesi al rhum, chocolates with a unique rum-based filling. The most famous brand is Arione located in Piazza Galimberti (the city's central square). Arione, founded in 1923, has kept its traditional furniture.

Asti is a city and commune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. Sections of the ancient city walls remain on the north side of the city. The area to the northwest of the city, between the center and the cathedral, is rich in medieval palaces and merchants houses, many with monumental towers. Asti was known as the city of 100 towers (although there were 120 in total) of which several still remain, among them, the Tower of the Comentini (13th century), the octagonal Torre de Regibus and Torre Troyana (13th century), as well as the ancient Rossa di San Secondo.

Novara is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With 104 284 inhabitants (1-1-2017), it is the second most populous city in Piedmont after Turin. It is an important crossroads for commercial traffic along the routes from Milan to Turin and from Genoa to Switzerland. Novara lies between the rivers Agogna and Terdoppio in northeastern Piedmont, 50 kilometres (31 mi) from Milan and 95 kilometres (59 mi) from Turin.

Acqui Terme is a city and comune of Piedmont, northern Italy, in the province of Alessandria. It is one of the principal winemaking communes of the Italian DOCG wine Brachetto d'Acqui. The hot sulphur springs have been famous since this was the Roman town of Aquae Statiellae; the ancient baths are referred to by Paulus Diaconus and the chronicler Liutprand of Cremona. In 1870 Giovanni Ceruti designed a little pavilion, known as La Bollente, for the spot at the centre of the town where the waters bubble up at 75C (167F).

Verbania is the most populous comune (municipality) and the capital city of the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. It is situated on the shore of Lake Maggiore, about 91 km (57 mi) north-west of Milan and about 40 km (25 mi) from Locarno in Switzerland. The climate is temperate, humid, with hot summer and continental type influences in the inland and higher areas. The area is characterised by hard winters and quite hot summers.

Bra is a town and commune in the province of Cuneo in the northwest Italian region of Piedmont. Bra is the birthplace of the feminist philosopher Adriana Cavarero, politician Emma Bonino, and of the activist Carlo Petrini, founder of the Slow Food movement and of the world’s first University of Gastronomic Sciences, whose main campus is located within Bra’s municipal boundaries at Pollenzo. Bra is also home to "Cheese," a biennial international festival organised by Slow Food which features the makers of artisanal cheeses from across the world. In 1997 the event attracted some 150,000 visitors.

Courmayeur is an Italian town and commune in the autonomous region of Aosta Valley, in northern Italy. It is located at the foot of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in western Europe. Courmayeur’s picturesque mountain scenery make it an attractive year-round destination. It is one of Europe’s most famous ski locations, and contains the Giardino Botanico Alpino Saussurea, which describes itself as Europe's highest botanical garden. In the summer months Courmayeur is a popular destination for hikers.

Alba is a town and commune of Piedmont, Italy, in the province of Cuneo. It is considered the capital of the UNESCO Human Heritage hilly area of Langhe, and is famous for its white truffle, peach and wine production. The confectionery group Ferrero is based there.

Saluzzo is a town and former principality in the province of Cuneo, Piedmont region, Italy. The city of Saluzzo is built on a hill overlooking a vast, well-cultivated plain. Iron, lead, silver, marble, slate etc. are found in the surrounding mountains. It has a population of approximately 17,000. Saluzzo was the birthplace of the writer Silvio Pellico and of typographer Giambattista Bodoni.