Turin Day Trips and Attractions | Print |
Written by Meri Howard   
Monday, 18 June 2012 12:59

Turin is often overlooked as a destination option in Italy because of the reputation as being an industrial city.  True, the city is the automobile capital of Italy.  However, there are many great parks and museums and attractions in Turin that warrant a visit to almost any Italian vacation itinerary.  There are also many day trips that can be done from Turin by using it as a base to explore the rest of the region.  Here are some of the more common day trips from Turin.

Villa Taranto

Villa Taranto is an estate in Verbania, north on Lago Maggiore with beautiful botanical gardens. It was created by the Scotsman Captain Neil McEarcharn in honor of his ancestor the Duke of Taranto. It is open from April to October and the flowers change frequently. It has a beautiful dahlia garden. Take the Verbania exit off of A26 and follow the signs to Villa Taranto.

Barolo

Barolo wine region of ItalyThe wine zone around Barolo is arguably the best in Italy. Barolo is called il vino dei re e il re dei vini (The wine of kings, the king of wines.) The best time to go to Barolo is harvest time in August and September so you can see the grapes growing in the vineyards. You can stop at small family wineries and have wine tastings. The town of Barolo is quite small with one main street. Visit the Museum of Wine to see historicwine-making tools and instruments. There are tours in English. Downstairs at the Museum is a wine tasting room. There are other wine tasting rooms along the main street of Barolo and restaurants where you can eat regional food and drink local wine.

Lago di Orta and Isola San Giulio

Lago di Orta is one of the smallest Italian lakes and you can encircle it in one day. Lago di Orta has been romanticized by Robert Browning, Honoré de Balzac, and Friedrich Nietzsche for its beauty. When visiting Lago di Orta it is important to stop at Orta San Giulio, a town on the lake, and take a boat to Isola San Giulio, a monastery on an island in the lake. Legend has it that that the island was overrun by snakes and monsters and no one wanted to go there until San Giulio walked across the water on his cloak and slewall of the snakes and monsters. He decided to build a church on the island. The church is still there and San Giulio is buried there. There is also Sacro Monte di Orta at Orta San Giulio.

Damanhur

Damanhur is a self-contained eco-community located in Piemonte near Ivrea started in 1975 by Oberto Airaudi aka Corvo from visions that he channeled from Atlantis. There are many Atlantean symbols used at Damanhur. The choir sings in an Atlantean language. There are Atlantean images used in the sculptures. Damanhur has labyrinths that you can walk in for different ailments and a meditation forest. They have instruments that allow them to communicate with trees. They make beautiful stained glass, selfic jewelry and other crafts. The jewel of their community is the Temples of Humankind which are in the ground away from the main center where 4 lay lines come together.

To get to it, you must be shuttled to a farmhouse and go down an elevator in the garage. The temples are backlit so that you feel like you are outside with the sun shining through. Some have called it the eighth wonder of the world. They practice time travel in the temples. They also have healing modalities that they use in the temples. Damanhuroffers specific courses and have 3 year programs in the School for Spiritual Healers, School of Cromotherapy, School of Spiritual Physics and Alchemy. You can visit Damanhur for one day and you need to make a reservation. It costs because you must accompanied by a guide from Damanhur. To get there take the A5 from Torino toward Aosta. Take the toll gate for Ivrea, follow the signs for Castellamonte. Make a turn to the right for Baldissero Canvese, Damanhur. Then looking to your left,  you will see ‘Damanhur' on the big yellow sign.

Links of Interest

Agriturismo Tuscany - farm stay vacations

 

Picture of Lago di Orta Below

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