Wonders of Piedmont region

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Turin, Italy's first capital city after the country reunification, where Italy’s royal family lived until the capital was moved to Rome and where you can still breath in the air of its royal past. At the arrival we will meet our guide and start visiting the city. Nowadays Turin is the capital of the Piedmont region and it is known for its tasteful architecture, cooking and the art of chocolate making which was born here. The Alps stand at Northwest of the city, luxurious buildings and ancient cafes skirt the magnificent boulevards and squares of the city, like Piazza Castello and Piazza San Carlo. The high spire of the Mole Antonelliana of the Nineteenth century stands nearby. This impressive building was originally commissioned by the wealthy local Jewish community to become the city’s main Synagogue, but its ambitious project was soon forsaken due to its enormous costs. It hosts now the interactive exhibitions of the Museo Nazionale del Cinema. We will be visiting also the two existing Synagogues, the large Temple and the small Temple, the latter built inside what used to be the area where the Pesach Matzot were baked. At the end of the visit we will move just outside Turin to visit one of the Savoia family’s magnificent Royal palaces, “Venaria Reale”. Packed lunch.
Return to the hotel, dinner an night overstay.

Breakfast at the hotel. Bus drive to Alessandria where we will have a guided tour of the Alessandria Synagogue, a monumental example of Italian Synagogues dating back to the nineteenth century located where the old ghetto used to be. The tour will continue to Casale Monferrato to visit one of the most elaborate baroque synagogues in Piedmont built in 1595 and its small museum. The Jewish community of Casale Monferrato today is very small counting only ten members. After this visit we will head to Vercelli where will have our packed lunch and visit its beautiful Synagogue located in the middle of what used to be the city’s Ghetto. Packed Kosher lunch. Later we will head to Biella located at the foot of the Alps, visit the town dating back to the early Middle Ages, its Ghetto area and its XVIII century Synagogue which hosts the oldest known Sefer Torah in the world, recently restored to its original splendour and dating back to the XII century. We will then, time permitting, move to Ivrea where we will be visiting its Nineteenth century Synagogue. In the evening we will return to Turin for dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Stresa, arrival and visit of the town. Stresa is a quaint town on the shores of beautiful Lake Maggiore. From here we will board a ferry for a tour of the beautiful Borromee Islands. We will also see from the ferry the villages where the Jews mostly from Milan and Turin escaped to in the vain hope of crossing safely into nearby Switzerland. Time permitting, we will stop in one of the villages. Packed kosher lunch on the ferry or in one of the villages. We will continue towards Lake Orta to visit the magical Saint Giulio island, also known as “L’Isola del Silenzio” (The Silent Island) because of the small number of nuns living in an ancient monastery located on the island. Possibility of taking a short, but beautiful and meaningful walk on the so called “Path of silence and meditation”. In the evening we will return to Turin for dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Carmagnola, where we will visit one of the most magnificent Italian Synagogues, recently restored to its original Piedmontese Baroque splendour and its excellent exhibition about synagogues in Piedmont. Later we will continue our way towards Saluzzo where, walking through the old Ghetto’s narrow streets we will arrive at the recently beautifully restored Synagogue located on the last floor of a medieval house of the ghetto. Then, after lunch, we will move to Cuneo, a lovely town surrounded by the Alps, to visit its Synagogue with richly frescoed walls and ancient mirrors and the community study hall with its original furniture. After an easy walk through Cuneo’s alleys and squares we will head back to Turin for dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel. We will start the day by visiting Santa Margherita, Rapallo and Portofino, three pearls along what is probably one of the most exclusive portions of the Italian Riviera, nestled right on the sea with the Marittime Alps in the background. These are all typical Ligurian towns overlooking the sea lined with streets and alleys interconnected with many arcades and columns opening onto squares. Sea conditions and the weather permitting, we will take a boat from Santa Margherita to reach glamorous Portofino set deep inside a small bay with its picturesque houses framing it. Either here, or at our next stop, we will have our packed kosher meal. From Portofino, and again the sea and weather permitting, will continue by boat along the scenic coast to reach the ancient lovely Abbey of San Fruttuoso picturesquely nestled inside a small cove. In the evening we will return to the hotel in Turin for dinner and overnight. stay

Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning we will head to Courmayeur, a famous ski and summer alpine resort town located in the north-western Alps of Italy at the foot of Mont Blanc the highest peak in Europe with its almost 16,000 feet. Weather conditions permitting, we will hop onto the famous SkyWay cable car that will take us all the way up to Mount Blanc (please make sure that you do not have any conditions that could result in a health issue) from where you will enjoy stunning views of majestic Monte Cervino and Monte Rosa all the way into France. Another attraction at 7,000 feet is the highest European alpine botanic garden “Saussurea” with its many specimens of medical and high-altitude plants as well as a perfect example of alpine pastures. Packed lunch will be served in this beautiful setting. Then back in Courmayeur, you will have the possibility of visiting the Museo Alpino Duca degli Abruzzi dedicated to the birth and development of mountaineering which started as a sport in the surrounding mountains. In the evening we will return to Turin for Shabbat dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Shabbat day with Schachrit at the Turin Synagogue. Shabbat lunch either at the Synagogue or back at the hotel. Rest of the day free.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Mondovì where we will walk through its old Ghetto area, the only ghetto that, unlike all the other ghettos in other towns, that did not have any gates and faced the main town street, until we will reach its beautiful baroque synagogue. Then we will move on to Cherasco where will walk through this pretty town to reach its beautifully adorned synagogue in typical Piedmontese style. Our last destination for the day will be Asti a beautiful town located in the world famous Langhe and Roero wine making area, listed in the Unesco world heritage list. We will visit this lovely town, walk through its Ghetto to reach its richly decorated Synagogue and its museum displaying some extremely rare artefacts of Judaica and the only copy of a Siddur based on an ancient medieval ritual called “Appam”, brought to this part of Italy in the middle ages by Jews fleeing persecution from northern France.
Drive back to Turin, dinner and overnight stay.

Transfer to the airport of Milano Malpensa or Torino Caselle.
Flight back