Page 235 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

V ALLE D ’ A OST A AND PIEDMONT І 233

Torre Troyana and, at the far
end, the Torre Ropa. This was
built on the ruins of a tower
in which San Secondo, a
Roman soldier, was held.
The nearby 14th-century
Gothic Duomo has a 15th-
century porch and, inside,
18th-century frescoes, and
two 12th- to 13th-century
carvings on the west corner
of the transept.
f Cuneo
* 55,000. V @ n Via Amedeo II
8a (0171 69 02 17). ( Tue.
∑ cuneoholiday.com The Castello di Casotto in the hills above the resort of Garessio
Cuneo in Italian means “wedge- 18th-century church of Santa h Garessio
shaped”, and this perfectly Croce has a concave façade by Cuneo. * 3,400. V @ n Corso
describes the sliver of land Francesco Gallo. Statuto 1 (0174 80 31 45). ( Fri.
that the town occupies at Cuneo is a good base for ex - ∑ garessio.net
the confluence of two rivers, ploring the pretty local valleys,
the Gesso and the Stura di such as the Valle Stura, where One of the prettier resorts of
Demonte. In early November rare flowers grow. the Maritime Alps, Garessio is
the town hosts the regional no more than a sprinkling of
cheese fair, with unusual local houses spread out over the
cheese varieties. g Bossea Caves hills, surrounded by woods
The town centres on a large of chestnut trees. It is also a
square, Piazza Galimberti, with Località Bossea, Comune Frabosa popular spa.
its old arcades, where the traders Soprana. Tel 0174 34 92 40. According to legend, the
V Mondovì. @ from Mondovì.
come to hawk their wares every Open daily for guided tours only. & waters here have miraculous
Tuesday. Much of the town was ∑ grottadibossea.com powers: in about AD 980 an
rebuilt in the 18th and 19th octogenarian nobleman found
centuries, providing Cuneo with Some 25 km (16 miles) south instant relief from his kidney and
wide, tree- lined boulevards, of Mondovì, near the end of a circulatory problems by drinking
though the impressive viaduct scenic route that follows the the mineral-rich water. Since then,
that takes the railway line into valley of the Torrente Corsaglia the waters have been drunk for
town dates from the 1930s. The up into the Maritime Alps, are their remedial properties – linked
deconsecrated 13th-century the caves of Bossea, some of in parti cular with the relief of diu-
church of San Francesco has a the finest in Italy. The series of retic and digestive problems –
fine 15th-century portal. The caves contains remarkable and for their refreshing taste.
stalactite columns
and shapes that Environs
have formed over About 10 km (6 miles) west of
many hundreds of Garessio stands the Castello di
thousands of years. Casotto, the dramatically sited
Guided tours lead summer palace used by the
through different House of Savoy. The royal
chambers – some family used to come here to
of them surprisingly enjoy the local mineral water,
vast – following the the attractive scenery and the
underground rivers exceptionally pure air of the hills.
and lakes. The The town of Ormea, 12 km
skeleton of a pre- (7 miles) southwest, is interesting
historic bear, Ursus for its ruined 11th-century
spelaeus, which was castle, its church with late
discovered here, 14th-century Gothic frescoes
is also on display. and its attractive houses.
Bring a sweater –
the temperature + Castello di Casotto
Market day in the enormous Piazza Galimberti at the rarely rises above 9°C Garessio. Tel 0174 81 409. Open call
centre of Cuneo (50°F). ahead for opening times. &

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