3 Best Sights in Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta, Italy

The best-preserved medieval fortress in Valle d'Aosta, this many-turreted castle was built in the mid-14th century. The 15th-century courtyard surrounded by wooden balconies is elegantly decorated with well-preserved frescoes. Inside you can see the kitchen, with an enormous fireplace that provided central heat in winter; the armory; and the spacious, well-lighted rooms used by the lord and lady of the manor.

This 17th-century palace, a former Savoy royal residence, is an imposing work of brick, stone, and marble that stands on the site of one of Turin's ancient Roman city gates. In contrast to its sober exterior, the two main floors of the palace's interior are swathed in luxurious rococo trappings, including tapestries and gilt ceilings. The gardens were laid out in the late 17th century by André Le Nôtre, landscape designer at Versailles, and the Armeria Reale (Royal Armory) wing holds a collection of arms and armor.

Extensive Italianate gardens surround this magnificent 16th-century UNESCO-protected hunting lodge built for Carlo Emanuele II of Savoy. Inside, its Great Gallery is worthy of Versailles, and the attached chapel (Capella di Sant'Uberto) and stables were designed in the 1720s by Sicilian architect Filippo Juvarra. The Theatre of History and Magnificence houses a fascinating historical exhibition that tells the story of the House of Savoy. The upper floors are reserved for changing exhibitions.