Man and horse, protagonists of the town

History and legends of horses, knights and ancient battles intertwine to a background of wonderful mountains around Pinerolo, which Edmondo de Amicis defined as the ‘Nice of Piedmont' for its mild climate and its beauty.

Discovering the town

The visit to Pinerolo starts from the Museo Nazionale dell’Arma di Cavalleria (Cavalry Museum) where it is possible to see weapons, uniforms, harnesses and flags used by Italian and foreign cavalry corps from 1500 to World War II.
Enjoy a walk in the streets of the town centre, under 3 km of covered arcades (image) . Don’t miss the 11th century Cattedrale di San Donato (St. Donato Cathedral), the Palazzo del Senato (Senate Palace) and Palazzo Vittone (Vittone Palace) where the Collezione Civica d'Arte (Civic Art Collection) is kept.
Treat yourself to a break to try a slice of the famous ‘panettone basso Galup' (Galup's typical cake) or of the ‘torta Zurigo' (Zurich cake), a tasty recipe dating back to the ‘Belle Epoque'.

Not to be missed

A fascinating itinerary from the street of the town centre up to the hill of San Maurizio related to the imprisonment of the mysterious character who became legendary under the name of ‘La Maschera di Ferro’ (The Man in the Iron MasK).

Places of interest

Museo Nazionale dell’Arma di Cavalleria (Cavalry Museum): a journey through four centuriesof the history of the Italian Cavalry.

La Cattedrale di San Donato (the 11th century St. Donato Cathedral): rows of angels will accompany you up to the baroque altar.

Il Palazzo del Senato (the 15th century Senate Palace) the ancient seat of the Senate of Pinerolo.

La Chiesa di San Maurizio (St. Maurice’s Church), the symbol of the town,you can reach it through a romantic horse-chestnut lined avenue (image).

Il Santuario della Madonna della Divina Grazia (The Sanctuary of the Lady of Divine Grace) in renaissance style will treat you to a panoramic view of the town not to be missed.

In the vicinity

Did you know that for centuries the Chisone Valley has been protected by the ‘Great Wall of Piedmont’?We are talking about the Fort of Fenestrelle, the largest fortified structure in Europe, a colossal undertaking consisting of three forts and two batteries connected by an internal staircase of 4000 steps.

The main attraction of the Parco Ornitologico Martinat (Martinat Ornithological Park) is an aviary of 13,000 square metres, the biggest in the world. On a pleasant guided walk you will see over 2400 animals coming from every corner of the world.

If you love excursions into the mountains and you are keen on history, you will certainly find places to interest you in the Pellice Valley. In fact this valley has the largest Italian protestant community – the Valdesi (the Waldenses). Along its paths it is possible to come across small fortresses, refuges, churches and monuments, as a testimony to past events which are clearly narrated in the Museo Storico (Museum) of Torre Pellice.