Visiting Upper Piedmont is like opening a treasure chest: historic residences and picturesque gardens lead you through stunning landscapes and extraordinary architecture, striking a perfect balance between culture and nature.
HISTORIC HOMES: A JOURNEY INTO THE PAST
In Upper Piedmont, every historic home is a step back in time.
Our fascinating tour begins in Cameri, where Villa Picchetta—first mentioned in 1610—impresses with its U-shaped layout and octagonal hall decorated with grotesque frescoes. Once a noble residence and then owned by the Jesuits until 1773, it now houses the Ticino and Lake Maggiore Park offices.
Further north, Villa Caccia in Romagnano Sesia was designed by the great Alessandro Antonelli and built between 1842 and 1848. It was once the countryside residence of the Caccia Counts of Romentino. Today, it hosts the Ethnographic Historical Museum of Bassa Valsesia, a guardian of tools, artifacts and settings that tell the story of ancient trades and everyday life. A special section is dedicated to Good Friday’s Sacred Representation of the Passion of Christ.
Not far away is Villa Marazza in Borgomanero. With its H-shaped layout and wrought-iron balconies, it is surrounded by a lush park. Inside, wooden ceilings, marble fireplaces and elegant furniture frame a library rich in antique books, prints, incunabula and 16th-century volumes—left by lawyer and politician Achille Marazza.
Heading towards Biella, we reach Palazzo La Marmora: a site that tells centuries of history, from the Renaissance to the 20th century. Once home to the Mori Ubaldini degli Alberti La Marmora marquises, it is now a house-museum with original furnishings, paintings and archives. Thanks to the “Things Never Seen” project, since 2021 it has opened once-private areas to the public, including the Grand Gallery and the Rectangular Tower for a unique perspective.
Nearby, Palazzo Gromo Losa features a beautiful Italian garden themed around roses. Different varieties of the “queen of flowers” intertwine along a central pergola, resembling woven fabric. Next to the large lawn are the “garden of essences” and a camellia section, for a full sensory journey.
Still in the Biella area, Montecavallo Castle—built in 1830 on the ruins of a 13th-century stronghold—is a rare example of neo-Gothic architecture. Surrounded by vineyards and gardens, it merges winemaking tradition and landscape beauty.
A few kilometers away, Castellengo Castle preserves ancient vineyards producing the renowned Nebbiolo and Erbaluce grapes. Its 18th-century cellars blend tradition and innovation, telling a story of flavors and wine culture typical of these hills.
Finally, Villa Era—designed between 1884 and 1888—celebrates 19th-century elegance and connection to the land with its monumental style and surrounding vineyards.
Our tour of Upper Piedmont’s historic homes ends in Vercelli, where Casa Centoris enchants with its elegant courtyard and restored Bramante-style façade. Nearby, the Volto dei Centori, a charming covered alley, leads to the city’s vibrant center. A short distance away, Palazzo dei Tizzoni—once home to one of the most influential Ghibelline families—surprises visitors with its frescoed hall entrance, the only known secular work by painter Guglielmo Caccia, known as “Il Moncalvo.”
VILLAS AND GARDENS: ART AND NATURE IN HARMONY
Villas and gardens take center stage in the lake area, offering routes that combine architectural elegance and natural beauty. Whether for a weekend or a longer spring escape on Lake Maggiore, Villa Taranto in Pallanza, Villa Pallavicino in Stresa, and the Borromean Islands are must-see destinations for lovers of nature and culture, open from mid-March to late October.
Villa Taranto’s gardens are world-renowned for their wealth of botanical species from all five continents. Conceived in the 1930s by Scottish Captain McEacharn, the gardens now feature about 20,000 varieties and species, spread across water features and flowerbeds. A walk here is a true journey of reconnection through the Avenue of Conifers, the Dahlia Maze, the Victoria Greenhouse with vertical garden, the Valley Garden, terraced gardens, and the herbarium.
Villa Pallavicino, now owned by the Borromeo family, is a true oasis of peace where guests of all ages can enjoy an educational experience in direct contact with animals: Tibetan goats and chamois, sheep, llamas, alpacas and deer inhabit 18 hectares of green parkland. The park also offers a remarkable botanical experience, with century-old chestnuts and some of Italy’s oldest tulip trees, red beeches, maples, larches, ginkgo biloba, sequoias, magnolias and a majestic Lebanese cedar.
To complete this tableau of beauty, the Borromean Islands add a touch of pure magic. Isola Madre—the largest in the archipelago—hosts an exotic garden with rare plants from all over the world. Among camellias, magnolias, hibiscus and centuries-old trees, nature is on full display, enhanced by the 16th-century palace overlooking the area. A refined and intimate place that Flaubert once described as “the most voluptuous in the world.”
Isola Bella, meanwhile, rises from the lake with its scenographic Baroque perfection. Transformed over the centuries by the Borromeo family, it’s a masterpiece where art and nature perfectly blend. The Borromeo Palace, with its lavish frescoed halls, interacts with Italian-style gardens spread over ten terraces descending toward the lake. The result is a dreamlike landscape where the Teatro Massimo and flowered staircases offer views of unrivaled charm.
UPPER PIEDMONT: OPEN DOORS TO WONDER
Homes that tell ancient stories, villas and gardens full of heritage: in Upper Piedmont, every step reveals a new wonder.
For more information on the "Vivi Alto Piemonte – A Mosaic of Wonders" project and upcoming events www.vivialtopiemonte.it