# Piedmont: palaces, vineyards, sacred mounts

> Five World Heritage listings of five different kinds, 22 Savoy residences, and the Alba white truffle fair with 2026 dates already set.

URL: https://myitalia.it/regions/piemonte
Last updated: 2026-09-02

Piedmont carries five World Heritage listings of five different kinds, from 22 royal palaces to a wine landscape of 10,789 hectares, and it is the one region whose flagship food fair already has published 2026 dates.

## Five listings that have nothing in common

The Savoy Residences went on the list in 1997, the Sacri Monti shared with Lombardy in 2003, the Alpine pile dwellings in 2011, the vineyard landscapes of Langhe-Roero and Monferrato in 2014, and Ivrea, industrial city of the 20th century, in 2018.

That spread is unusual. Most Italian regions repeat a category; here a Baroque palace, a devotional mountain path, a prehistoric lake settlement, a working vineyard and an Olivetti factory town all qualified for different reasons.

## Twenty two Savoy buildings, eleven of them in Turin

The Savoy Residences comprise 22 palaces and villas, inscribed in 1997 under criteria i, ii, iv and v, with a core zone of 370.82 hectares and a buffer of 6,931.47. Eleven stand inside Turin, eleven in the countryside around it: Venaria, Rivoli, Moncalieri, Racconigi, Govone, Aglie, Pollenzo and the rest.

The names to know among the architects are Filippo Juvarra, Guarino Guarini and Benedetto Alfieri. At Venaria, the largest of the out of town properties, the palace ticket is €18 and always includes the gardens; the gardens alone are €6 and the Castello della Mandria €10. Under 21s pay €8, €2 and €3, and under 6s go free.

## Langhe-Roero and Monferrato: a landscape got the listing

The vineyard landscapes were inscribed in 2014 under criteria iii and v, as a serial site of five wine areas plus one castle, with a core zone of 10,789 hectares and a buffer zone of 76,249. It's twinned with the Honghe Hani rice terraces of Yunnan, which is the closest UNESCO comes to saying that both are farming, not scenery.

In practice that means there's no gate and no ticket. What you visit are villages, cellars and roads, and the working landscape is the monument.

## The white truffle fair, with real dates

The 96th International White Truffle Fair runs at Alba from October 10 to December 6, 2026, at Piazza Medford 3, under the theme Autentiche Relazioni. Nearly two months is a long fair, and it operates mainly on weekends rather than continuously.

Hazelnuts matter here as much as truffles. Nocciola del Piemonte IGP, the base of the region's pastry and of gianduia, has been in the EU register since June 21, 1996.

## Seven Sacri Monti, built instead of a pilgrimage

Seven of the nine UNESCO listed Sacri Monti are in Piedmont: Varallo, Crea, Orta, Oropa, Ghiffa, Domodossola and Valperga, known as Belmonte. The other two are in Lombardy.

They were built between the late 16th and early 17th centuries as substitutes for the pilgrimage to the Holy Land, as chains of chapels climbing a hillside with life size painted sculpture inside. Walking one is a hike with stations, and it isn't a museum visit. There is more at [Sacri Monti](/attractions/sacri-monti).

## Lake Maggiore runs on a season

The Borromean Islands can be visited only in season: in 2026 from March 12 to November 8, with last entry at 5:00 pm until October 24 and 4:00 pm for the final stretch. Isola Bella alone is €27 for adults and €18 for ages 6 to 15; the combined Isola Bella and Isola Madre ticket is €40. More at [the Borromean Islands](/attractions/isole-borromee).

Piedmont logged 14,395,737 overnight stays in 2024, 3.09% of the national total. Turin Caselle handled 5,006,169 passengers in 2025, and the fastest direct high speed train from Rome takes 4 hours 25 minutes, with a median closer to 4 hours 55. Most travelers from outside Europe arrive through Milan and come east to west by train.

## FAQ

### When is the Alba white truffle fair in 2026?

From October 10 to December 6, 2026, at Piazza Medford 3 in Alba. It's the 96th edition and the theme is Autentiche Relazioni. The fair runs on weekends over that whole span rather than as a single continuous event.

### How many Savoy residences are on the UNESCO list?

Twenty two palaces and villas, inscribed in 1997 under criteria i, ii, iv and v: eleven inside Turin and eleven in the surrounding countryside, including Venaria, Rivoli, Moncalieri, Racconigi, Govone, Aglie and Pollenzo. The core zone is 370.82 hectares.

### How much does the Reggia di Venaria cost?

€18 for the palace, which always includes the gardens, €6 for the gardens alone and €10 for the Castello della Mandria. Under 21s and university students under 26 pay €8, €2 and €3 respectively. Children under 6 enter free.

### Can you visit the Borromean Islands in winter?

No. The 2026 season runs from March 12 to November 8, with last entry at 5:00 pm until October 24 and 4:00 pm after that. Isola Bella alone costs €27 for adults and €18 for ages 6 to 15; Isola Bella with Isola Madre is €40.

### How long is the train from Rome to Turin?

Four hours and 25 minutes on the fastest direct high speed service, with a median of about 4 hours 55 minutes, on the timetable in force in September 2026. Turin Caselle airport handled 5,006,169 passengers in 2025, so most non Italian arrivals come through Milan.

## Sources

| Fact | Source | Confidence | Valid until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nel 2024 Piemonte ha registrato 14.395.737 presenze turistiche. pari al 3.09% del totale nazionale | [Eurostat](https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/api/dissemination/statistics/1.0/data/tour_occ_nin2) | medium | 2027-07-31 |
| In Piemonte ricadono 5 siti UNESCO del Patrimonio Mondiale (2026) | [UNESCO World Heritage Centre](https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/it/); [Ministero della Cultura - Ufficio UNESCO](https://unesco.cultura.gov.it/projects/); [Wikidata (query SPARQL su P1435=Q9259, P17=Q38, P757, P131)](https://query.wikidata.org/sparql) | medium | 2027-08-31 |
| La Nocciola del Piemonte IGP, base della pasticceria e della gianduia piemontesi, e registrata nel registro UE dal 21 giugno 1996. | [MASAF - Elenco DOP e IGP prodotti agricoli (PDF, agg. 11/06/2026)](https://www.masaf.gov.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeAttachment.php/L/IT/D/1%252Fa%252F2%252FD.e7bdb4ebe6d458c7925a/P/BLOB%3AID%3D15453/E/pdf?mode=download); [Commissione europea - DG AGRI, registro eAmbrosia](https://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/eambrosia/geographical-indications-register/) | high | 2099-12-31 |
| Le Residenze Sabaude sono iscritte nella Lista UNESCO dal 1997 con i criteri (i)(ii)(iv)(v) e comprendono 22 tra palazzi e ville, undici nel centro di Torino e undici nel territorio circostante, tra cui Venaria, Rivoli, Moncalieri, Racconigi, Govone, Aglie' e Pollenzo; la core zone misura 370,82 ettari. | [Ministero della Cultura - Ufficio UNESCO](https://unesco.cultura.gov.it/projects/residenze-sabaude/) | medium | 2099-12-31 |
| Alla Reggia di Venaria il biglietto intero della Reggia costa 18 euro, quello dei soli Giardini 6 euro e quello del Castello della Mandria 10 euro; gli under 21 e gli universitari under 26 pagano rispettivamente 8, 2 e 3 euro, i bambini sotto i 6 anni entrano gratis e i Giardini sono sempre inclusi nel biglietto della Reggia (2026). | [La Venaria Reale](https://lavenaria.it/it/visita/quanto-costa/reggia-giardini-castello-mandria) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| I paesaggi vitivinicoli del Piemonte Langhe-Roero e Monferrato sono iscritti nella Lista UNESCO dal 2014 con i criteri (iii) e (v): il sito seriale comprende cinque aree vitivinicole piu' un castello, per una core zone di 10.789 ettari e una buffer zone di 76.249 ettari. | [Ministero della Cultura - Ufficio UNESCO](https://unesco.cultura.gov.it/projects/paesaggi-vitivinicoli-del-piemonte-langhe-roero-e-monferrato/) | medium | 2099-12-31 |
| La 96a Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba si tiene ad Alba dal 10 ottobre al 6 dicembre 2026; il tema dell'edizione e' 'Autentiche Relazioni'. | [Ente Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba](https://www.fieradeltartufo.org/) | medium | 2027-01-31 |
| Sette dei nove Sacri Monti iscritti UNESCO nel 2003 sono in Piemonte: Varallo, Crea, Orta, Oropa, Ghiffa, Domodossola e Valperga (Belmonte); furono costruiti tra fine Cinquecento e inizio Seicento come alternativa al pellegrinaggio in Terra Santa. | [Ministero della Cultura - Ufficio UNESCO](https://unesco.cultura.gov.it/projects/sacri-monti-del-piemonte-e-della-lomnbardia/) | medium | 2099-12-31 |
| Le Isole Borromee sul Lago Maggiore sono visitabili solo in stagione: nel 2026 dal 12 marzo all'8 novembre, con ultimo ingresso alle 17.00 fino al 24 ottobre e alle 16.00 nell'ultimo tratto di stagione; l'ingresso alla sola Isola Bella costa 27 euro per gli adulti e 18 euro per i ragazzi 6-15 anni, il combinato Isola Bella + Isola Madre 40 euro. | [Terre Borromeo](https://terreborromeo.it/en/isola-bella/hours-prices) | medium | 2027-03-31 |
| L'aeroporto di Torino Caselle Sandro Pertini (codice IATA TRN) ha registrato 5.006.169 passeggeri nel 2025 (+6,7% sul 2024). | [Assaeroporti](https://data-upload.assaeroporti.com/download-export/2025/12); [ENAC](https://www.enac.gov.it/app/uploads/2024/04/Dati-_di_traffico_2021_220914.pdf) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| In treno ad alta velocita' Roma Termini-Torino Porta Nuova il collegamento diretto piu' veloce impiega 4 ore e 25 minuti; la mediana e' di circa 4 ore e 55 minuti (orario in vigore a settembre 2026). | [Trenitalia (sistema di vendita Le Frecce)](https://www.lefrecce.it/Channels.Website.BFF.WEB/website/ticket/solutions) | medium | 2026-12-13 |

## Image

https://media.myitalia.it/media/region.piemonte.1600.jpg
Author: Carlo grifone. License: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sant%27Ambrogio_di_Torino,_Landscape.jpg

## Other languages

- it: https://myitalia.it/it/regioni/piemonte.md
- es: https://myitalia.it/es/regiones/piemonte.md
- fr: https://myitalia.it/fr/regions/piemonte.md
- de: https://myitalia.it/de/regionen/piemonte.md