Excursions
In addition to getting to know the Roman city of Acqui Terme, there are two excursions Turin, the capital of Piedmont, and another excursion to the Italian Riviera at the Mediterranean Sea. Click on the arrows on the photos next to each city to see more pictures.
Italian Riviera
Savona, Finale Ligure,
Noli, Final Borgo
This exciting excursion will take participants to the gems of the Italian Riviera from Savona to Finale Ligure, such as Savona, Noli, Final Borgo, and Finale Ligure. Behind Savona's sprawling port facilities, the city's unexpectedly graceful medieval centre is well worth a stop. Among the old-town treasures to survive destruction by Genoese forces in the 16th century are the baroque Cattedrale di Nostra Signora Assunta and the lumbering Fortezza del Priamàr. Located on the coast of the Riviera di Ponente, Noli is a typical seaside village with a historic center. Finale Ligure features a beach with a view of limestone cliffs and a small castle, with palm trees and historical plazas in the town. Final Borgo is a Medieval jewel a few steps from the sea which enchants with its atmosphere of the past. Closed between Medieval walls still well preserved, interspersed with semicircular towers and interrupted only at the gates.
Turin, Italy
There's a whiff of Paris in Turin's elegant tree-lined boulevards and echoes of Vienna in its stately art nouveau cafes, but make no mistake – this elegant, Alp-fringed city is utterly self-possessed. In Turin, the capital of the Piedmont region of northwest Italy, sports cars and chocolate are a matter of pride. The city houses the Egyptian Museum, one of the most impressive collections of Egyptian artifacts outside of Egypt. A stroll around Piazza Castello and along the Via Roma encompasses many of the must-see sights. Valentino Park houses an 18th-century castle, botanic garden and medieval village.
Originally settled by Celto-Ligurian tribes, and attacked by Hannibal in 218 B.C., Turin has a rich history. It was a Roman military center dedicated to Augustus, and was conquered by the Byzantines, Lombards, and Franks of Charlemagne respectively. Turin became the capital of the Royal Duchy of Savoy in 1563, and was annexed by the French Empire in 1802, until the fall of Nappoleon in 1814. For a brief time, Turin was the capital of the newly unified Italy in 1861, and later home of the Fiat.
Travel in Piedmont
Acqui Terme is one of the ancient Roman spa cities in the red wine region of Piedmont. They are also known for their excellent grappa and French-influenced food. If you have time to travel after the festival, there are many beautiful sites nearby, such as the cities of Genova.
