On the road

ITALY

Population: 58.94 million (2022)

Surface area: 302,073 km

Specialities : pasta (spaghetti, tagliatelle, penne, macaroni, fusilli, fettuccine, farfalle, papardelle, linguine, gnocchi...), sauces (carbonara, al ragu, arrabiata, alle vongole, all'amatriciana, pesto), ravioli, lasagne, pizzas, risotto, bruschetta, focaccia, arancini, polenta, cheeses (ricotta, mascarpone, gorgonzola, parmesan, mozarella, pecorino, provolone), red wines (chiantis, barolo, montepulciano, valpolicella, bardolino), white wines, sparkling wines (prosecco), meats (carpaccio, Milanese cutlets, scaloppine al limon), Parma ham, fruit, olive oil. Desserts (tiramisu, panna cotta, canello, panettone). Soups (minestrone). Spirits (limoncello, Martini, Spritz, Campari). Chocolates (Toblerone, Nutella, Venchi, Caffarel...)

Sports clubs: National football team (Squadra Azzura, 4 world titles). National rugby team. Football clubs: Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, AS Roma, SSC Napoli, Torino, Fiorentina, Sampdoria Genoa, Atalanta Bergamo, Bologna, Parma, Udinese, Lecce. 

Competitions : Summer Olympic Games in Rome (1960). Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo (1956), Turin (2006) and Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo (2026). Football World Cups 1934 and 1990. European Football Cups. Six Nations Tournament. F1 Grand Prix at Monza and Imola.

Cycling: Giro d'Italia. Milan-San Remo. Tour of Lombardy. Tirreno-Adriatico. Strade Bianche. Legendary men riders - Fausto Coppi, Gino Bartali, Felice Gimondi, Marco Pantani, Vincenzo Nibali, Alfredo Binda, Francesco Moser, Mario Cippolini, Claudio Chiapucci, Florenzo Magni, Learco Guerra, Costante Giradengo, Ottovio Bottecchia. Legendary women riders – Maria Canins, Elisa Longo-Borghini, Giorgia Bronzini, Elisa Balsamo.   

Festivals: Venice Carnival (February), Palio in Siena (August), Venice Mostra (cinema), Verona Lyric Festival (June-September), Taormina Arte, San Remo Music Festival, I-Days Festival (Monza), Ypisgrock in Castelbuono, Lucca Summer Festival, Perugia Jazz Festival.

Economy: the world's eighth-largest economy. Luxury goods and textiles (Gucci, Armani, Prada, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Benetton, Ray-Ban, Bulgari, Calzedonia, Max Mara, Fendi, Cerruti, Geox, Tod's, Ferragamo, Sergio Tacchini, Ellesse, Lotto, Kappa, Diesel, Kiton, Alcantara). 40 pc of the world's luxury goods are made in Italy. Food (Ferrero, Parmalat, Perfetti Van Melle, Bolton Group, Buitoni, Barilla, Giovanni Rana, Campari, Galbani, Martini, Lavazza, Kimbo, Carapelli, De Cecco, Zanetti Segafredo). Automotive (Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Pagani, Maserati, Iveco; motorbikes Aprilia, Ducati, Cagiva and scooters Piaggio. Pirelli tyres). Industry: Leonardo (defence), Prysmian (cables), Italcementi and Buzzi Unicem (cement), steel industry (Tenaris, Riva, Marcegaglia, Lucchini RS and Groupe Beltrame), Beretta, Simmel Difesa, MBDA (weapons), Fincantieri and Ferretti (shipbuilding), Mapei Group (insulation), Candy, Indesit, De'Longhi, Smeg and Zanussi (domestic appliances), Olivetti (technology), Bormioli Rocco (glass), Marazzi Group (tiles), BTP Webuild, Gavio Group and TreviGroup (construction). Tourism (cruise operators). Pharmaceuticals, banking, media. Agriculture (8 pc of GDP).

Websites: www.italia.it, www.visititaly.com

ROTTOFRENO (POP: 11,700)

According to legend, the town's name (meaning "broken bit") derives from an event that occurred during the Carthaginian invasion of Italy (218-201 BC), when Hannibal broke his horse's bit. This event is also recalled in the town's coat of arms. The name actually comes from the Lombard roth ("glory") and fridu ("friendship", "security"). On 12 August 1746, during the War of the Austrian Succession, a battle took place here between a Franco-Spanish army and an Austrian force. This event is known as the Battle of Rottofredo. The French, led by Marshal Maillebois, repelled the Austrian assault, but had to withdraw after the battle. It is the birthplace of Giairo Ermeti, Italian amateur champion in 2004, who took part in the Giro four times between 2008 and 2013

LOMBARDIA

Italian region

Capital: Milan

Population: 10 million.

Provinces: Milan, Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Lecco, Cremona, Lodi, Mantua, Monza and Brianza, Pavia, Sondrio, Varese.

Main cities: Milan (1.4 million), Brescia (200,000), Monza (124,000), Bergamo (121,000), Como (86,000).

Celebrities: Silvio Berlusconi, Gianni Versace (entrepreneurs), Bettino Craxi (statesman), Marco Ferreri, Gianmaria Volonte, Dino Risi, Luchino Visconti (cinema), Giuseppe Verdi (composer), Adriano Celentano (singer), Giuseppe Meazza, Paolo Maldini (football), Felice Gimondi, Paolo Salvodelli (cycling).

Specialities: polenta, minestrone, risotto, osso bucco, escalope milanaise. Cheeses (gorgonzola, Grana Pandano, mascarpone). Panettone. Wines (Nebbiolo, Bonarda). 

Sports: AC Milan, Inter Milan, Atalanta Bergamo (football). Olimpia Milano, Pallacanestro Brescia, Pallacanestro Varese, Guerino Vanoli Basket (basketball). 2026 Winter Olympics. Giro d'Italia, Milan-San Remo (cycling).

Tourism: city of Milan, Lake Garda, Lake Como, Lake Maggiore. Brera art gallery, Sirmione archaeological museum, Catullus caves. Ten UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Economy: Italy's leading regional economic power, Lombardy alone produces over 22% of Italy's GDP, and is home to many of the country's industrial, financial and commercial centres. Lombardy's economy is characterised by the wide variety of sectors in which it has developed, from traditional sectors such as agriculture and livestock farming, through heavy and light industry, to the service sector, which has evolved considerably in recent decades.

Websites: www.regione.lombardia.it

STRADELLA (POP: 11,000)

The site of a battle between Napoleon's troops and Austria in 1800, Stradella was one of the world's leading centres for accordion production. One of the first accordions was produced by Mariano Dallapè in 1876. Between the wars, 1,200 of Stradella's 10,000 inhabitants worked in the sector. After the war, the decline of the accordion was the result of companies' inability to adapt to market conditions. The history of the accordion in Stradella is told in a museum in the Palazzo Garibaldi. Stradella has twice hosted the Giro d'Italia, most recently in 2021, when Alberto Bettiol won the stage.  

Stradella Tower

Construction: 14th and 19th centuries.

History: clashes between Piacenza and Pavia prompted Guido Langosco, Bishop of Pavia, to build brick walls in 1300, within which Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Lord of the Duchy of Milan, erected the lower fortress in 1390. Stradella Castle was bought by the town council in 1823 and demolished in 1845 to be replaced by the market square, leaving only the tower that served as the base for the new bell tower.

Characteristics: the tower is built of brick, the plan has a square base and at the top there is an ornament that was probably added in the 15th century; the addition with the bell tower was built after the bell tower of the nearby parish church of Saints Nabore and Felice collapsed in 1834.

MONTEBELLO DELLA BATTAGLIA (POP: 1,570)

The town owes its name to two battles: the Battle of Montebello in 1800, when Marshal Lannes' French army defeated the Austrian army. Another battle in 1859 pitted the French and Savoyard armies against Austria.  

Castello Beccaria

Construction: 12th century.

History: in the 13th century, the feud came under the aegis of the Visconti family of the Duchy of Milan, who in 1469 conferred on the Beccaria family the title of Counts of Montebello and thus obtained all the possessions, including the remains of the castle, rebuilt in 1472. In the first decades of the sixteenth century, the castle belonged to the Bellocchio family of Pavia, who maintained it for 300 years. In 1851, Giuseppe Bellocchio sold the upper part of the palace to the lawyer Ernesto Ghislanzoni, while the lower part was purchased by the municipality for use as the town hall. In 1923, the Ghislanzoni family bought the municipal part and undertook some haphazard restoration work. The castle became a hotel in 2010.

Characteristics: the brick building has a rectangular floor plan, buttresses and a high tower at the end. The structure has been extensively altered over time, taking on the characteristics of a large dwelling house, especially after the 17th-century restoration. A large park is attached to the palace.

PIIEDMONT

Italy region

Capital: Turin

Population: 4.3 million.

Provinces: Turin, Cuneo, Alexandria, Biella, Asti, Novara, Verceil, Verbano Cusio Ossola.

Main cities: Turin (900,000 h.), Novara (102,500 h.), Alexandria (90,000 h.)

Celebrities: Savoy family, including Victor-Emmanuel II, first King of Italy. Cavour (Italian statesman), Antonio Gramsci, Joseph de Maistre, Cesare Pavese, Primo Levi, Mario Soldati, Italo Calvino, Umberto Eco (thinkers and writers), Camillo Olivetti, Gianni and Giovanni Agnelli (industrialists), Giuseppe Farina (F1), Umberto Tozzi and Carla Bruni (singers).

Specialities: agnolotti (stuffed ravioli), tajarin (truffle pasta), Barolo risotto, polenta carbonara, chicken chasseur, stuffed artichokes, gianduiotto (chocolate), Bicerin, vermouth. Gressins. Sabayon.

Sports: Juventus Turin, Torino (football). 2006 Winter Olympics. Skiing World Cup in Sestriere.

Tourism: Residences of the Dukes of Savoy. Turin, city of art and history. Ski resorts of Oulx, Bardonecchia and Sestriere. Ivrea. Lake Maggiore. Turin Film Festival. Lovers Film Festival. International Women's Film Festival. CioccolaTo (chocolate festival). Torino Jazz Festival. Artissima (modern art), Mito Settembre Musica (September). Turin International Book Fair.

Economy: agriculture: cereals (rice and maize), fruit and milk. Piedmont is one of Italy's largest wine-producing regions, with wines such as Barolo, Barbaresco and Moscato d'Asti. Automotive (Fiat), Iveco. IT (Olivetti). Textiles. Chocolate (Ferrero in Cuneo). Universities. Tourism.

Websites: www.regione.piemonte.it/

TORTONA (POP: 27,600)

Tortona is best known for its links with Fausto Coppi, one of the greatest cyclists in history, who was born in Castellania Coppi, a village in the Tortona area, and used to train on the hills around the town. The town is also on the route of Milan-San Remo and another historic race, Milan-Tortona. The first stage finish of the Giro d'Italia in the Piedmontese town took place in 1989, with Jesper Skibby winning stage 18. In 2017, Tortona was the finishing town for stage 13, won by Fernando Gaviria. Under the Romans, Tortona was a flourishing colony under the name of Dertona, and one of the most important towns in Liguria. Burnt down by Frederick Barbarossa, it was rebuilt as a republic with the help of the Milanese, who had a strong influence on the city. In 1535, it was given as a dowry to Christine of Denmark on her marriage to François II Sforza, the last Duke of Milan. She died there in 1590. For two centuries, from war to conflict, Tortona passed through the hands of the French and the Dukes of Savoy, who finally inherited it in 1814 and allowed it to prosper.  

Fausto Coppi

In the twenty years between 1940 and his death in 1960, Fausto Coppi brought cycling into the modern age. The son of a Piedmontese farmer and a former butcher's assistant, the Italian quickly carved out his heron-like silhouette at the head of the pelotons, pushing back the limits of his sport through meticulous attention to diet, training and care. Although he won the Tour de France 'only' twice, in 1949 and 1952, his five victories in the Giro between 1940 and 1953, his world title in the latter year and his successes in the major classics (Milan-San Remo 1946, 1948 and 1949, Paris Roubaix 1950, Tour of Lombardy 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1954) earned him the title of campionissimo, a title further enhanced by his rivalry with compatriot Gino Bartali. It was alongside Bartali that he made his name in his first Giro d'Italia in 1940. Hired by the Legnano team to support Gino the Pious, he found himself propelled to the forefront when his leader crashed and lost all chance of victory. Coppi went on to win his first Grand Tour at the age of twenty, while Bartali had to be content with the title of best climber. An extraordinary rivalry was born, but the war interrupted it for a while. Nevertheless, in 1942 Coppi demonstrated his qualities as a rouleur by setting the one-hour record. With peace restored, Fausto Coppi struck his first major blow by winning Milan-San Remo in 1946 after a 140km breakaway. In the Giro, however, he fell victim to Bartali after a merciless battle. He got his revenge the following year, although the two men cancelled each other out in 1948, leaving Fiorenzo Magni to win. It was in 1949 that Coppi, who had let his rival contest and win the Tour in 1948, finally took on the Grande Boucle. As with the Giro, he won the race on his first appearance, and for once he had Bartali's support. The Piedmontese rider became the first man to complete the Tour-Giro double in the same year, having again won the Giro d'Italia thanks to a long breakaway between Cuneo and Pinerolo. 1950, when he still won Paris-Roubaix, and 1951 were dark years for Coppi, who fractured his pelvis before losing his brother Serse, who died following a crash in the Giro del Piemonte. It wasn't until 1952 that he was back on top. Dominant in the Giro, he was even more impressive in the Tour de France, where he became the first winner at l'Alpe d'Huez before crushing the competition at Sestriere and then in the Pyrenees. He left his closest rival, Belgian rider Stan Ockers, almost half an hour behind. In 1953, he did not defend his title in favour of the world championship, which he won in Lugano. He was never to be seen again in the Tour. His decline continued until his untimely death. In 1959, he took part in a criterium in Haute-Volta (Burkina-Faso) with his close friend Raphaël Geminiani, Jacques Anquetil and Henri Anglade. They all returned to Europe weakened. They suffered from malaria, but the Italian was diagnosed too late and died at the age of forty, leaving behind the memory of one of the most elegant, efficient and innovative riders in the history of his sport.

PROVINCE OF ASTI

Province of Italy in the Piedmont region.

Capital: Asti

Population: 207,500

Surface area: 1,504 km2

Main towns: Asti (73,400), Canelli (10,000), Nizza Monferrato (10,000).

Specialities: robiola di Roccaverano and Muletta (thick salami made from bacon, fillet, thigh, boned shoulder with fat removed). Cardoon, used in the preparation of the typical dish, bagna cauda (or caôda), peppers and grape mustard. White truffles and Piedmont hazelnuts. Risottos and tajerìn. Asti, Barbera, Moscato and Grignolino wines.

Famous characters: Paolo Conte (singer), Don Bosco (religious).

Tourism: Asti (fortifications, medieval palaces, towers, cathedral). 

Economy: Asti is a predominantly agricultural province, with a particular focus on vineyards (Monferrato, Asti). Industry, mainly developed in the capital and neighbouring municipalities, does not play a fundamental role in the economy, although the province is home to many activities in the secondary sector.

Website: www.provincia.asti.it

COSTIGLIOLE D'ASTI (POP: 5,700)

Located 13 km from Asti, Costigliole d'Asti is one of Piedmont's wine-growing strongholds, with the largest vineyard area in the region (11.7 km2). The main grape varieties grown here are barbera, dolcetto, grignolino, freisa and brachetto. Red wines include Barbera d'Asti, Barbera di Montferrat, Piemonte Barbera, Monferrato Dolcetto, Freisa d'Asti, Grignolino d'Asti and Piemonte Brachetto. Costigliole produces white muscats from Asti and Piedmont, in particular Asti Spumante, and Chardonnays.  

Costigliole d'Asti Castle

Construction: 14th, 15th and 19th centuries.

History: surrounded by a large park, Costigliole Castle (Castello di Costigliole d'Asti) dominates the town. Built in the 14th and 15th centuries, it was only later restructured to take on its current Gothic form. Owned by the Marquis Filippo Asinari, a politician and wine connoisseur, the manor house was also the residence of the Countess of Castiglione, a politically astute and well-connected woman who was considered one of the most beautiful women of the 19th century.

Current destination: since 1994, the castle has been the headquarters of the Grinzane Cavour Prize Cultural Park, which, with the support of the Piedmont Region, seeks to promote all aspects of the territory, developing a dialogue between the visual arts and literature. The castle is also home to a national museum dedicated to promoting the literary, historical, architectural and anthropological heritage of southern Piedmont. Owned by the city, the castle is also home to an international cookery school and the annual 'Barbera Auction', which has become a not-to-be-missed event for wine lovers.

NEIVE (POP: 3,400)

Its historic centre retains a medieval structure, with cobbled streets leading up to the clock tower and elegant terracotta buildings. It has been included in the association I Borghi più belli d'Italia (Italy's Most Beautiful Villages), created by the Tourism Council of the Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI). It is the birthplace of one of Italy's greatest writers of peasant epics, Franco Piccinelli, author of over 40 books, including novels and poems, most of them set in the Langhe. From the top of the village, you can see the surrounding hills cultivated with vines: this is the production area for the great DOC and DOCG wines: Barbera d'Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba, Barbaresco and Muscat d'Asti. The first Barbaresco was produced under the Neive appellation: in Neive, between 1832 and 1849, Camillo Cavour, Count of Castelborgo, took on the French wine merchant and oenologist Louis Oudart, who set about planting and vinifying the Nebbiolo grape variety. His wine, presented under the name Neive, won a gold medal at the 1862 London Exhibition. Using the same techniques as Oudart for his Neive, the first Barbaresco was made at Castelborgo Castle in 1892.

BARBARESCO (POP: 670)

Barbaresco is best known for its wine. Barbaresco is a DOCG red wine made from nebbiolo grapes, with a deep, intense colour and aromas of violets and fruit, followed by spices. It is tannic, concentrated and has good acidity. It was first made in 1892 at Castelborgo Castle (see Neive). Authorised vineyards are located in Barbaresco, Neive, Treiso and parts of San Rocco Seno d'Elvio and Alba. Ageing is compulsory: 2 years in oak or chestnut casks (4 years for Riserva). The tower and castle were built in the Middle Ages, giving rise to today's fortified village. The Piedmontese ricetto was a fortified area where the population could take refuge in case of danger. The territory of Barbaresco was disputed between the towns of Asti and Alba and between different lords during wars that brought these territories under different powers, until it was finally attached to Savoy. The Tower of Barbaresco remains the symbol of the town and its medieval past. It has been converted into a bistro and wine-tasting centre. In 2014, Barbaresco was the starting point for the Giro's wine time trial to Barolo, won by Rigoberto Uran.

GUARENE (POP: 3,570)

A wine-growing municipality, like all the others in the region, Guarene is also known for growing an increasingly popular variety of pear, the madernassa. In 2021, it was on the Guarene climb that Taco van der Hoorn broke away to win a stage of the Giro in Canale.  

Guarene Castle

Construction: 1726 to 1770.

Style: Baroque.

History: In the 18th century, Carlo Giacinto Roero, Lord of Guarene, built his own magnificent residence, surrounding it with gardens and decorating it. A good architect, albeit an amateur, a leading aristocrat and a wealthy landowner, he spared no expense and designed a veritable palace, which was visited by King Victor Emmanuel III of Sardinia in 1773. Now intact with all its works of art, it has become a first-class hotel and a landmark on the Piedmont Baroque route.

Characteristics: an imposing three-storey building almost 25-metres high, it is surrounded by spacious, elegant Italian gardens created in the first half of the 18th century. In the middle of the Roero, its balconies overlook more than 60 km of Unesco World Heritage Site territory: from here, you can see the Langhe de Asti through Barbaresco to the outskirts of the village of Barolo; you can also see Montferrat and a large part of the Alpine arc.

METROPOLITAN CITY OF TURIN

Replaced the province of Turin in 2015

Capital: Turin

Population: 2.2 million

Surface area: 6,827 km2.

Main towns: Turin (850,000 inhabitants), Moncalieri (56,500 inhabitants), Collegno (49,200 inhabitants)

Specialities: agnolotti (stuffed ravioli), tajarin (truffle pasta), Barolo risotto, polenta carbonara, chicken chasseur, stuffed artichokes, gianduiotto (chocolate), Bicerin, vermouth. Gressins. Sabayon.

Tourism: Residences of the Dukes of Savoy. Turin, city of art and history. Ski resorts of Oulx, Bardonecchia and Sestrières. Ivrea. Lake Maggiore. Turin Film Festival. Lovers Film Festival. International Women's Film Festival. CioccolaTo (chocolate festival). Torino Jazz Festival. Artissima (modern art), Mito Settembre Musica (September). Turin International Book Fair.

Economy: the province of Turin's main exports are automobiles, machinery and metal products. Services are the most important economic sector, accounting for 66% of gross domestic product. The other two main sectors are industry (32%) and agriculture. To promote entrepreneurship, the province has launched the "Start Your Own Business" operation.

CARIGNANO (POP: 9,000)

Around 1900, Carignano was one of Turin's largest suburbs, but it has suffered a long period of economic and demographic decline since the collapse of the Bona spinning mills, which provided the town with its livelihood. In 1888, Carignano was the venue for the Italian road race championships, won by English-born Gilberto Marley, who won the title three times in 1887, 1888 and 1889 before going on to become an important leader in Italian sport. It is also the birthplace of Bartolomeo Aimo, one of the finest riders of the 1920s, who finished on the podium twice in the Tour de France, in 1925 and 1926, and four times in the Giro between 1921 and 1928. He also won two stages in the Tour.

NICHELINO (POP: 46,240)

A former stronghold of the d'Ussel family, it was a rural town until the opening of a railway station in 1854. A massive wave of immigration from southern Italy in the mid-twentieth century boosted its population from 15,000 in 1961 to over 45,000 ten years later. Nearby is the gigantic Stupinigi Hunting Lodge, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 as one of the royal residences of the House of Savoy in Piedmont.  

Stupinigi hunting lodge

Built: 1731

Style: Baroque

Architect: Filippo Juvarra.

History: the property passed to the Savoys in 1418. In the 16th century, Duke Emmanuel Philibert entrusted the land to the Mauritian Order. Siccomo, its Grand Master, transformed the estate into a hunting reserve. Victor-Amadeus II decided to build a prestigious town house. In 1729, he entrusted the project to Filippo Juvarra. The hunting lodge was inaugurated on 5 November 1731. The building was extended during the reigns of Charles-Emmanuel III and Victor-Amadeus III. Benedetto Alfieri built two new wings around 1759. Napoleon I stayed here from 5 to 16 May 1805 before going to Milan to receive the Iron Crown. Around 1832, the palace once again became the property of the royal family and was used for balls, concerts and state visits until the early 20th century.

Characteristics: an imposing statue of a stag dominates the roof of the central building, making it a true hunting lodge flanked by farms, stables, warehouses and gardens. The park covers an area of 160,000 m2. The interior of the pavilion covers an area of 46,000 m2, including the Grand Salon, topped by a copper dome on which the bronze statue of the stag is enthroned, a chapel dedicated to Saint Humbert, the Chinese cabinets, the perspectives room, plus 137 rooms and 17 galleries.

Current purpose: now a venue for temporary exhibitions and home to the Museum of Art and Furnishings, it showcases original decorative objects created by Piedmont's leading artists and craftsmen.

Listed as: UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

Turin

Historic and elegant, a visit to Turin is an immersive experience of Italy's cultural legacy, being the country's first capital city in the 19th century. Wander through Turin's streets and you'll discover plenty of beautiful and inspirational sights.

At the heart of the city sits the Piazza Castillo, home to the grand Palazzo Madama and the Royal Palace, as well as theatres, bars and cafes. And no visit to Turin is complete without a stop at the Mole Antonelliana, where you can enjoy stunning views of the city from the observation tower.

The capital of the Piedmont region, Turin is a bustling modern city today, and is home to some of the most famous names in the Italian automotive industry. But there are also plenty of places to stop, relax and indulge your senses, from the fantastic markets at Quadrilatero Romano to the city's famous chocolatiers.

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