During your day tour you will visit some of the famous royal residences, located in Piedmont, which were used as hunting lodges and holiday homes by the Royal Family of Savoy. Most of these royal residences were built during the 18th century by the Savoy family to represent their prestige and wealth and still have an inestimable artistic, architectural and historic value.
Your tour will start with the visit of the Reggia di Venaria (Palace of Venaria): declared part of the World Heritage by UNESCO, this palace has been recently brought back to its ancient splendour thanks to careful restoration work of both the interior and its gardens. The Palace of Venaria is made up of the Hall of Diana (Salone di Diana), the Great Gallery (Grande Galleria), the Church of St Hubert (Cappella di Sant’Uberto) and the Juvarra Stables (Scuderie Juvarriane), that is some of the finest examples of universal Baroque.
You will have the chance to go on a gentle, relaxing walk across the Gardens. As your guide will explain to you, the royal gardens were completely destroyed during Napoleonic occupation and were re-opened to the public in 2007 following restoration work. What you see today is a reconstruction of the former royal gardens, reproducing the16th century layout and landscape.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant or farmhouse restaurant.
OPTION 1
After lunch, your coach will take you to Stupinigi, where you will enjoy a guided visit of the renowned Stupinigi Hunting Lodge (Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi): one of the residences used by the Royal Family of Savoy for hunts, parties and marriages. Designed by Filippo Juvarra, the famous architect who worked several times for the Savoy Court, Stupinigi Hunting Lodge was built in the first half of the 18th century. You guide will show you the furniture in Rococo style (both Italian and International) as well as the precious materials that decorate the main halls: examples of the splendour of the Savoy Court.
OPTION 2
After lunch, your coach will take you to Racconigi, where you will enjoy a guided tour of the Royal Castle of Racconigi (Castello di Racconigi): a royal holiday residence surrounded by a majestic park where the Savoy family used to spend most of their holidays.
During your visit inside the castle, you will admire the original furniture, the huge fireplaces and the collection of portraits. Your guide will then take you on a short walk through the greenhouses inside the park and show you the nesting storks. The park of the castle is a fascinating place, home to a wide variety of protected plant and animal species.
Afterwards you will have the chance to visit the LIPU Stork Centre (Centro Cicogne LIIPU), founded in December 1985 to reintroduce the White Stork in Italy.
