Ivrea

Ivrea, therefore, has many buildings of great historical interest. The old part of the city, set on the hill, is characterized by the Castle, built in 1358, and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, built in the 10th century.

The former, commissioned by Amedeo VI of Savoy (known as the Green Count), still retains its original appearance; its trapezoidal shape and severe crenellated towers make its defensive function evident, although in later centuries it was used more as a prison. A curiosity: there are only three towers because in 1676 lightning struck and destroyed the fourth, which was never rebuilt.

The Cathedral, on the other hand, stands on the remains of a 1st-century B.C. temple, which was later transformed into a Christian church around the 5th century. It was not until the 10th century, however, that the cathedral was built in its present form, although remakes of the facade (the first in the 16th century, the second in the 19th century) changed its appearance greatly.

The urban route in Ivrea, which, between the two banks of the Dora Baltea River, retraces the main places of interest in the center, such as the Church of Sant'Ulderico, the Borghetto and the Technological Museum.

Longer and more challenging, on the other hand, is the hike from Ivrea to the Bishop's Castle in Albiano, which runs along a section of the Ivrea Canal, between countryside and hills.

Just outside the center of Ivrea are five lakes of glacial origin, around which it is possible to make pleasant excursions. About twenty minutes from the city, already in the province of Biella, there is a larger lake: Lake Viverone; it is a very romantic place, from which you can also glimpse the Castle of Roppolo, which dates back to the 12th century and which legend has it is inhabited by ghosts.

But the most famous castle near Ivrea is Agliè Castle, a grandiose manor that belonged to the Marquises of San Martino and the House of Savoy. It was the latter that renovated it and gave it the 19th-century residence look it has now, complete with a sumptuous romantic park with a lake and small islands.

Owned by the FAI, on the other hand, is Masino Castle, smaller than its predecessor but no less delightful to visit. Formerly the home of the Counts of Valperga di Masino, this historic residence is rich in frescoes and superbly crafted furniture, and is surrounded by a park with the second largest hedge maze in Italy.

Although it is located in the province of Turin, Ivrea is closer to Biella, capital of the province of the same name, which also has ancient origins. Its upper part consists of a medieval village called Piazzo, whose square is dominated by the 15th-century Palazzo Cisterna and the Villa Gromo di Ternengo. But Biella's pulsating center of life are the arcades and cafes of Via Italia; from here, crossing Via Duomo, one arrives at the grand Cathedral of Santo Stefano, characterized by its imposing 19th-century neo-Gothic pronaos. Just outside the center of Biella, surrounded by the Biellese Alps, however, is the Sanctuary of Oropa, a Marian shrine dedicated to the Black Madonna founded in the 4th century but remodeled in the Baroque era.

There are also numerous bicycle routes you can take from the town or through the town of Ivrea. Here are the main ones:

• thebicycle touring ring that, starting from the Ivrea train station, touches the Florentine Cemetery and Pavone Canavese Castle;
• theIvrea - Chiaverano ring, which gives the opportunity to admire the particular conformation of the Ivrea Morainic Amphitheater, created by the retreat of the Baltese glacier;
• the Via Francigena Morenico Canavesana, also passable on foot, which, from the original pilgrimage route, deviates to intersect with the Alta Via dell'Anfiteatro Morenico di Ivrea and the Rings of the Five Lakes;
• the Oropa Canavesana Ciclovia, a route of eight, with Ivrea exactly in the middle of the two rings; of course, it can be traveled in its entirety or in part, thus addressing only one of the two rings: from Ivra to Cuorgnè (and return) or from Ivrea to Oropa (and return).

Nearly 200 kilometers make up the first section of the UNESCO Grand Tour, which is part of the even longer loop bicycle route that leads to the discovery of Piedmont's 25 UNESCO sites, so it is not for everyone. However, for lovers of bicycle touring that combines culture and nature, the experience is a must. It runs along the old Biella - Oropa tramway from Avigliana to Biella, itself a UNESCO Creative City.

Walkers who are in the mood for a multi-day walking experience can choose from:

• the Devoto Cammino dei Sacri Monti, which right from Ivrea, from the Sanctuary of Belmonte, leads to Superga. In four stages, it also passes through the Sanctuary of Oropa and the UNESCO World Heritage Site Residences of Savoy;
• the Cammino di Oropa Canavesano, particularly the fourth stage, which leads from Ivrea to the Sanctuary of Graglia. This holy place, with its spectacular location, overlooks the plain below;
• the section from Ivrea to Viverone of the Via Francigena Morenico Canavesana, which, about 21 km long, passes through villages, lakes and vineyards and has also been made accessible to people with disabilities thanks to the "Via Francigena for all" project.