Ivrea

San Giorgio Canavese - Ivrea (20 munuti - km 18.4)

"The red-towered castle"

The historic city centre with the castle, the cathedral and its Romanesque crypt are all well worth visiting. Ivrea is the largest city in the Canavese area; of Celtic origin, it was the seat of a Roman colony, Eporedia, hence the inhabitants of Ivrea are known as "eporediesi". It was the capital of a Lombard duchy and a Frankish county, and it then played a very important role under Arduino, King of Italy between 1000 and 1015.  The cathedral and the bishop's seminary are not far from Piazza del Castello and were built to a design by Filippo Juvarra.
The famous and imposing "Red-towered Castle" was built in 1358 by Amedeo VI of Savoy, also known as the Green Count, and was the setting for political events and sumptuous medieval feasts. It has retained that characteristic look of a defensive fortress ever since.

Opening times: From 1 May to 15 October, Sundays and weekday holidays, 10 a.m. - 12.00 p.m. and 3 - 6.30 p.m. Visits at other times can be booked.
Information: Associazione Castello di Ivrea, tel. 0125 44415

MAAM: Open Air Museum of Architecture

When you visit modern Ivrea, include a visit to Maam, the open air museum of modern architecture where you will find buildings representing the Olivetti culture.
The museum, which was inaugurated in 2001, stretches over an itinerary of approximately two kilometres, along Via Jervis and the adjacent areas containing the buildings that most typically represent Olivetti culture.
Seven topical information kiosks are positioned along the public pedestrian-only paths linking the buildings, offering a possible itinerary for the visit and showing a strong level of integration with the urban fabric.
The themes illustrated in the kiosks concern Olivetti's commitment to the field of architecture, urban planning, industrial design and advertising graphics, as well as the cultural background for these projects.
The focal point of the itinerary is the Information and Reception Centre where visitors will find more detailed information on the topics covered during the visit and they can also consult printed documents, photographs and films.

Address: Via Jervis - IVREA
Information: Assessorato alla Cultura - Città di Ivrea, tel. 0125 418702

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Settimo Vittone

Ivrea - Settimo Vittone (15 minuti - km 10)

The Castle and the Parish Church di San Lorenzo

Settimo Vittone is a small village about 15 km from Ivrea. Beside the castle, which is now a restaurant, is one of the most important examples of Romanesque architecture in Piedmont: the Parish church of San Lorenzo (8th - 11th century), with a fresco cycle dating from 13th - 15th century in the baptistery.

It is open to visitors from 3 to 6 p.m. on Sundays from April to October. Bookings can be made for weekday visits.

Information: volontari Pro Loco 0125 658497 - volontari delegazione FAI Ivrea 0125 48744

Cesnola, the vineyards and Carema wine

From Settimo Vittone, you take the main road no.26 towards Aosta, then leave the small village of Cesnola on your right, surrounded by vineyards and dominated by the ruins of the castle reminiscent of the ancient military strongholds built by King Arduino to defend his territory. After this you come to the heart of the Nebbiolo vineyards used to produce Carema, a wine that is famous worldwide. The production zone is limited to the town of the same name perched on the hillside where the houses are surrounded by vines, as if to emphasise the town's vocation and millenary tradition for wine-making. The vineyards are laid out on terraces supported by stone and lime pillars (known as "tupiun") and, thanks to their excellent exposure, the heat can accumulate which allows an optimal temperature even at night.
As you walk along the attractive path between the vineyards you can admire the wonderful view.

Tours of the winery and wine tasting at the Cantina dei Produttori Nebbiolo di Carema, Via Nazionale, 32 - 10010 Carema - tel.0125 811160Open from Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to midday, and 2.30 to 7 p.m.; on Sundays, from 2 to 7 p.m.

Borgofranco d'Ivrea and the "Balmetti" wine cellars

Returning to the main road towards Ivrea, you then come to Borgofranco d'Ivrea.
The most striking feature of this old village, lying at an altitude of 253 m above sea level, are the "Balmetti", natural wine-cellars dug out of the morainic rock, which hide a natural phenomenon that is virtually unique worldwide: owing to the very particular geonatural conditions, air currents called "ore", which were formed during the last ice age, blow out from below the mountain and maintain a constant humidity and temperature of 7/8°C throughout the year (ideal for maturing cured meats and cheeses, and for storing wines).

For information and guided tours: Pro Loco, Ferrando Severino 0125 751307.